Coming into this Women’s World Cup, Sarina Wiegman never intended to play a strike partnership.
England head coach Wiegman is, in keeping with most of her profession these days, convinced of the benefits of playing one up front and flooding the midfield. When asked before the tournament whether she’d consider fielding two strikers together, she indicated it was a last resort to be used when England were trailing.
But, for various reasons, it has made sense.
The absence of Keira Walsh for the middle group game against China two weeks ago convinced Wiegman to switch to a back three and use two holding midfielders. It worked, so it has stayed that way ever since, even after Walsh’s return from injury. It’s a system that allows Wiegman to still play three central midfielders and also have the luxury of two up front.
Maybe the most surprising thing is not merely that England have ended up playing with a strike duo, but that the strike duo is comprised of Alessia Russo and Lauren Hemp.
To those who haven’t seen much of this team before, it must be peculiar that Wiegman fields somebody who is a striker at club level, Rachel Daly, at wing-back and a winger at club level, Hemp, as a striker.
But it’s all come together excellently.
In Saturday’s quarter-final against Colombia,…
