![](\"https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/static-assets\/images\/newsletter\/football\/football-thumb\/football-thumb.png\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
The cup specialists have so far struggled with the new league. After winning the Euros and reaching the World Cup final, the Lionesses face the prospect of a rare failure in the inaugural Women\u2019s Nations League. England must beat Netherlands at Wembley on Friday and then Scotland at Hampden on Tuesday to have any chance of topping their group. But given Sarina Wiegman also won the Euros and reached the World Cup final with her native Netherlands, allowing the Dutchwoman to claim the title of the ultimate tournament manager, perhaps the return to must-win, knockout football will suit the Lionesses ahead of a decisive week.<\/p>\n
Qualification for the Olympics is on the line, after all. But that has also been the case throughout England\u2019s Nations League campaign and after hitting great heights in each of the last two summers, Wiegman\u2019s side have suffered their first real dip in form. Now they must shake off their World Cup hangover, after they were beaten by the Netherlands in September and following last month\u2019s damaging defeat in Belgium. Wiegman\u2019s side have been unusually flat and their performances have featured too many errors: now hit by further injuries to the defence and without captain Millie Bright, England\u2019s backs are against the wall.<\/p>\n
Though there is also an argument that such a mindset can benefit them, making their task clearer. It was at the World Cup where the Lionesses used their resilience in overcoming injuries and unforeseen hurdles, to adapt their plans and reach the final. They face a similar situation now with elimination from the Olympics qualification process on the line \u2013 even if they also require Belgium to drop points against either Scotland or the Netherlands. \u201cI think it suits us; we\u2019ve got the character to do that,\u201d said midfielder Keira Walsh. \u201cI think the team is ready,\u201d Wiegman said. \u201cWe\u2019re very clear on how we want to play and what we want to do.\u201d<\/p>\n
There remains a question over the centre of defence, however. Bright has started England\u2019s last 11 games since the start of the World Cup but has been ruled out of the matches against the Netherlands and Scotland because of a recurrence of the knee injury that threatened her place in Wiegman\u2019s World Cup squad before the summer. In her absence, Alex Greenwood and Jess Carter will form a new centre-back pair. But behind those two in the pecking order, there is a lack of experience: Lotte Wubben-Moy, Esme Morgan and Maya Le Tissier have 12 caps between them. Millie Turner, called up to replace Bright, has yet to play for her country.<\/p>\n
Sarina Wiegman speaks to the media at St George\u2019s Park on Thursday <\/p>\n
Even with Bright in the side, England\u2019s defensive record since the World Cup has been poor and what was a strength in Australia can no longer be relied upon in the same way. The Lionesses conceded twice in Utrecht, three times in Louven. England still continued to control the ball and create chances but they failed to take them \u2013 and paid the price. \u201cI think it was maybe just a slight lack of concentration at times,\u201d Walsh said. \u201cI think it happens and most of the time you don\u2019t get punished. I think it was just one of those games where we did. But let\u2019s not catastrophise it.\u201d<\/p>\n
There were still positives to be taken, Walsh continued, and to add to that there is now the welcome return of Beth Mead. The Euros Golden Boot winner and player of the tournament is back with the Lionesses for the first time in over a year, after returning from her ACL injury. Mead feels she is sharp after scoring twice for Arsenal at the weekend, playing with freedom after withstanding the hardest year of her life. Wiegman, who was patient in bringing the forward back, says she is training like she \u201chasn\u2019t been away\u201d.<\/p>\n
![](\"https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/2023\/11\/30\/16\/GettyImages-1818569494.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
Returning hero: Beth Mead trains with England at St George\u2019s Park<\/p>\n
Her return adds to England\u2019s remarkable depth in the forward positions, and the international window arrives with those options hitting form in the Women\u2019s Nations League as well. On Sunday, Mead hit her first goals since her injury return; Lauren James has five in her last two WSL starts for Chelsea; Rachel Daly has scored in two games in a row for Aston Villa; as has Lauren Hemp with Manchester City. Alessia Russo and Chloe Kelly are competing for places among the forward line as well.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis time of the season, everybody has already played a lot of games and they feel more settled within their environments,\u201d Walsh said earlier this week. \u201cI think you can see that with our forward players creating and scoring. Training today was the first session that everyone was on the grass and it was really competitive. It was a really good intensity. So for me, playing behind those players is really exciting.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mead offers something fresh as well, to add to the true No 9s of Russo and Daly, the touchline-hugging wingers of Hemp and Kelly, and the all-round, dynamic threat of James. \u201cShe\u2019s a little bit different to the rest,\u201d Walsh said. \u201cShe has much more of a striker\u2019s mindset in terms of the way she wants to finish and get on the end of things. I think Hempo [Lauren Hemp] and Chloe [Kelly] are very direct. They like the balls to go one v one, whereas I think Beth comes inside a little bit more, I think it\u2019s good to have such a variety.\u201d<\/p>\n
Under Wiegman, the Lionesses haven\u2019t got much wrong, but now Walsh says England \u201cwant to put things right\u201d. It starts at Wembley. <\/p>\n