They’ve seen the American agony. The German gloom. And Brazilians broken-hearted.
Upsets have opened up a clearer path to World Cup glory for England – however have proven how the heavyweights are marks to be taken down.
“I think everyone who plays against us wants to beat us,” England supervisor Sarina Wiegman stated.
“What we have seen in this tournament is that nothing is easy.”
So warning is the watchword going into the last-16 conflict with Nigeria – with no complacency towards the file 11-time African champions.
But there’s additionally optimism within the England camp with Keira Walsh again in coaching along with her teammates after per week of recovering from a knee damage.
England defender Alex Greenwood stated: “She always had a smile on her face and we just supported her as teammates as best we could.”
Fears that Walsh can be the newest star by a tournament-ending ACL drawback had been allayed.
But whether or not the beating coronary heart of the staff returns to the staff on Monday will probably be a late name by Wiegman.
The unpredictability of the potential line-up may benefit England.
A rejigged formation flourished within the 6-1 thrashing of China within the final group sport.
And Nigeria has been left having to organize to face methods depending on Walsh’s availability.
Last feminine coach standing
Tactical nous and adaptability is why England turned to the coach who took the Netherlands to the 2019 remaining after which received the Euros for the Lionesses final yr.
She is impressing whereas dugouts, even within the girls’s sport, are dominated by males.
The Netherlands knocking out South Africa and their coach Desiree Ellis left Wiegman on Sunday because the final girl of the 12 managers nonetheless on the World Cup.
“Before the tournament started, we had 20 male and 12 female coaches,” Wiegman stated.
“What we hope is that that balance gets right in the future and we are working on that, at least in England and I know in other countries too, to give opportunities to have more women in the game and hopefully also more coaches in the game.”
She turned to Greenwood sitting alongside her within the Brisbane stadium.
“I hope in the future not too soon – that she’ll be a coach at some point,” Wiegman smiled. “And that balance gets right.”
Wiegman has a fan of her achievements in Nigeria coach Randy Waldrum.
“She’s done a fantastic job with England,” he stated.
“You can see the progression of the team. And when I look at a coach and I try to analyse, if I don’t know them personally, you can look at their team and you can tell if they have an idea based just in their organisation and they look like they have a plan.
“A way they want to play offensively and they’re organised defensively and you clearly can see that with England.
“They’re so disciplined on either side of the ball. Their motion offensively is superb, particularly within the final match you noticed the how fluid it was towards China.”
Read more:
FIFA President returns to Women’s World Cup after almost a week away on Pacific islands
Pay dispute ‘on hold’
But England are progressing in Australia with an unresolved pay dispute between the players and the FA.
“At the second, the dialog’s on maintain,” Greenwood said. “We are right here to totally give attention to soccer and are nothing greater than that proper now.”
Focus that’s required having seen the Americans’ hopes of a hat-trick of World Cup titles ended by Sweden after dropping on penalties.
Brazil and Germany didn’t even make it out of the group stage.
Wiegman stated: “What we’ve seen in this tournament, that that’s the game is developing really quickly.”
Source: information.sky.com”