Sarina Wiegman’s Lionesses have a knack for showing these fans in Leicester a good time.
The last time England played here was for their Euros send-off in June last year, when they thumped seven past Jamaica to kick off their summer with purpose, and it was a similar story again on Tuesday night.
After a lacklustre 3-1 victory by their standards at the weekend, England responded with a vengeance, taking the aggregate score to 8-1.
The Lionesses will face Ukraine, whom they beat decisively home and away earlier this year, across two legs in December.
Win those, and these Lionesses are Brazil-bound.
Daily Mail Sport’s women’s football reporter TARA ANSON-WALSH was at the King Power Stadium to bring you the things we learned…
After a lacklustre 3-1 victory by their standards at the weekend, England responded with a vengeance, taking the aggregate score to 8-1
The Lionesses will face Ukraine, whom they beat decisively home and away earlier this year, across two legs in December
That’s more like it
Wiegman had called for more ruthlessness in the wake of their 3-1 victory in Crete, and her troops had clearly spent the three-day interval sharpening their knives.
The clock had not even reached the half-hour mark at the King Power Stadium and England had already put three past Greece.
Alessia Russo got England off the mark in the third minute. Georgia Stanway intercepted the ball in midfield and Lauren James picked it up before threading it through to the Arsenal striker, who motored towards goal and fired home. Wiegman thumped her fists on the touchline.
Greece enjoyed their best spell after Russo’s opener, and there was a nervy moment when Hannah Hampton’s attempt to play short was intercepted. The shot lacked conviction, however, and England recovered.
Lauren James fired home a lovely curling effort just over 10 minutes later, and from there England cranked through the gears.
Lauren Hemp was relentless all night on England’s left flank, setting up Georgia Stanway and James’ second with two pinpoint crosses.
Arsenal’s under-fire manager will be sending her thanks to Wiegman after Russo scored her second goal of the night, and third of the international break, in the 75th minute, bringing an emphatic end to her early-season goalscoring drought.
Arsenal’s under-fire manager will be sending her thanks to Wiegman after Russo brought an emphatic end to her early-season goalscoring drought
Potter shines on her first start
If there is one thing that has defined the Sarina Wiegman era, it has been the predictability of her midfield, with the Keira Walsh, Georgia Stanway and Ella Toone axis forming the cornerstone of England’s 2023 World Cup and 2025 Euro campaigns.
It is precisely that area which now looks most unsettled, although with the emergence of Lexi Potter, that is becoming more of an exciting problem than a concern.
The 20-year-old’s rise to prominence at Chelsea this season alongside Keira Walsh earned her a first cap here on Tuesday night, and her involvement gives Walsh more licence to roam forward, an exciting prospect, particularly against sides that are difficult to break down.
On her debut, initial nerves were apparent as she lost the ball in a dangerous area early on, but where a better team would have punished England, they were let off. Despite the shaky start, the youngster recovered well and grew in assurance throughout, making a couple of important interceptions. She was also denied her first goal after VAR awarded Greece a soft foul against Georgia Stanway.
‘It took a bit of time to grow into the game but I feel like once I did, it was better. There’s definitely more to come,’ Potter promised after the match.
Whether Wiegman will fully move away from Toone will likely be decided by how the Manchester United midfielder responds to the setback of being dropped for the first time by the Dutch coach. She was left unused after replacing an injured Lucy Bronze at the beginning of this camp.
But with a surfeit of No 10s, and 18-year-old Erica Meg Parkinson and Toone’s United team-mate Jess Park both making their cases this window, Wiegman will relish being spoilt for choice.
On her debut, initial nerves were apparent as she lost the ball in a dangerous area early on, but where a better team would have punished England, they were let off
Questions remain at the back
Defensive questions continue to linger over this England team, with this five-goal rout against a side significantly behind them in terms of development going some way to mask those frailties.
Against a more clinical opponent, England would have been punished at times, particularly early on when playing out from the back.
Wiegman appears yet to decide who should partner her captain Leah Williamson, with Jess Carter coming in for Esme Morgan on Tuesday after a couple of shaky moments at the weekend.
There also appears to be no obvious deputy to Alex Greenwood at left back. Taylor Hinds, for example, was watching from the stands here.
Maya Le Tissier has done well in Lucy Bronze’s absence but is, as yet, untested against a tougher opponent in that unfamiliar right-back role.
