Photo: Liam Asman / Womens Football Magazine / SPP
In 2022, the inaugural Arnold Clark Cup acted as the perfect warm-up for England before they hosted the European Championship. Head coach Sarina Wiegman was able to experiment with ideas, including the Millie Bright-as-makeshift-striker option that later helped the Lionesses turn around their EURO quarter-final against Spain. This year, as England prepares for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, one of the most important questions needing answered is what they would do in the absence of Fran Kirby.
For years, the Chelsea attacker has been one of the first names on England’s team sheet, but only when fully fit and available. That hasn’t always been the case, her career challenged by misfortune. She recovered from pericarditis, a serious heart condition, to reach her potent best in 2021. Then, in 2022, she was struck down by extreme fatigue that briefly threatened her chances of playing at the EUROs. As she misses out on this year’s Arnold Clark Cup…
