England boss Sarina Wiegman should make essential Euro 2025 closing choice after clear message
England supervisor Sarina Wiegman faces quite a lot of questions forward of the European Championship closing on Sunday, with the primary one being what to do with Michelle Agyemang
Greater than half of Michelle Agyemang’s senior minutes for England have are available in extra-time, however the teenage sensation has given Sarina Wiegman loads to chew on. Wiegman has a beginning XI to choose for Sunday’s Euro 2025 closing, and Agyemang couldn’t have accomplished far more to make her case.
After scoring on her Lionesses debut earlier within the 12 months, Agyemang was the wildcard within the senior squad for the Euros. She was eligible to hitch up with the Below-19s for their very own Euros marketing campaign, however the thought of her being anywere apart from the senior squad hardly bears interested by.
Towards France, we noticed glimpses of why the 19-year-old is in Switzerland this summer time. She prompted chaos in her 5 minutes on the pitch, taking part in her half as Keira Walsh halved the deficit and coming near an equaliser herself.
The most effective was but to return, although. Agyemang got here off the bench to equalise within the quarter-final towards Sweden earlier than England prevailed on penalties, and stored the good head of everybody in Stade de Geneve on Tuesday night time to drag England again from the brink towards Italy.
“She feels inevitable proper now,” Leah Williamson mentioned of her team-mate. “I believe she's high quality. I believe what she brings, she's a nightmare to play towards.
READ MORE: Michelle Agyemang's journey from ball woman to England hero with 'world at her ft'READ MORE: Chloe Kelly nearly didn't take essential England penalty in dramatic Lionesses win over Italy
“I’m glad she's my teammate at membership and nation. She deserves her flowers. I hope she will get them. hope she enjoys tonight, after which I hope she's able to go on the weekend.”
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The large query now’s whether or not Agyemang begins on Sunday. By throwing her in from the beginning, you lose the game-changing skill from the bench, however after the late drama of the quarters and semis it could be time for England to attempt the novel idea of main in a knockout sport for greater than a few minutes.
Irrespective of who you communicate to within the England squad, you’ll get the identical reply relating to Agyemang. “I’m so pleased with her, she’s such an unbelievable human being and she or he deserves these moments,” Esme Morgan – one other participant to make a serious match debut in Switzerland – mentioned of her team-mate.
Wiegman has spoken about Agyemang’s brilliant future, however for now it’s exhausting to look past her current. “She has one thing particular,” the England boss mentioned.
“She’s solely 19 years outdated, she’s very mature, she is aware of precisely what she has to do. Once you discuss little issues that she picks up immediately, as a result of she’s not solely within the 18-yard field very harmful however when we’ve to go to her as a goal participant, she retains the ball very well too.
“Even once you noticed her shot hit the crossbar, that was not only a shot, she was aiming for it. If she continues like this she has a really brilliant future”
England’s hand might but be pressured by the health of sure gamers. Lauren James was pressured off injured on the break towards Italy, whereas Lauren Hemp has put an enormous variety of minutes in her legs after solely lately recovering from a long-term harm.
Agyemang’s performances have include England chasing the sport, with Wiegman going all-out and throwing further attacking gamers into the fold. It could be {that a} two-up-top strategy finally ends up being the perfect wager from the beginning on Sunday, by which case it’s exhausting to look previous the Lionesses’ new superstar-in-waiting.
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Wiegman has made it clear along with her alternatives that she doesn’t like altering a profitable components, with 9 gamers beginning each single sport of the match to this point. After Agyemang’s efficiency on Tuesday, although, the supervisor might need been left with no alternative.
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