Let's face it, a Nations League match five months before a big tournament should not be important.
For England, however, the game of Wednesday at home is of Vitaal importance.
The lion ribbons want to be seen as one of the best teams on the planet, but their results and performances tell a different story.
During a boring defeat of Germany, who allows four goals and pulled 0-0 with a USA team that misses half of their best players and the non-inspiring draw of Friday evening in Portugal means the feeling of excitement and invincibility ever with this English team has come disappeared.
Sarina Wiegman has talked for months about how “teams have been overtaken”, how the standard of football all over the world has quickly increased and how her team “tries to adapt” with new players who enter the team.
Beating the world champions for 55,000 fans would give everyone a much -needed trust and send a hair -raising message to their rivals for the euros.
However, if England wins the tournament for the second time in a row, they have to solve some important problems:
How you can best use Lauren James
We saw at the 2023 World Cup, England are better with Lauren James in their line-up. But did Wiegman crack the mystery from where the best to play her?
The Chelsea attacker started on Friday wide against Portugal, but had trouble getting into the game. James has again shown with her club this year that she is a game winner, England has to call a plan to get her the ball if it counts.
How to repair the stuttering attack of England
It is not only the James puzzle that needs to be solved. Lauren Hemp is injured and does not have much time to find shape and fitness for the summer, Chloe Kelly's struggle for game-time is well documented and if she enters Arsenal, it will be mead at the expense of Beth, who has a decent But far from fantastic club season?
Jess Park, now seen as a midfielder in Manchester City, is played more on the wing by Wiegman. Jess Naz and Aggie Beever-Jones are not yet completely familiar and Euro winner Nikita Parris is an outsider to be on the plane to Switzerland.
England has not defeated a team with two or more goals for 10 months. Finding out which attackers that statistics will change is vital.
Fresh ideas
Wiegman is one of the most respected coaches in the world, but it is clear that the vulnerabilities of England have been chosen by opposing tactics in recent months.
Germany benefited from the defensive weaknesses of England by scoring three goals in Wembley in 29 minutes, the US kept England to just one shot on goal by defending rigid in November and the sparkle of Kika Nazareth of Portugal destroyed the collective efforts of the Leeuwines .
If teams have selected England, what is the backup plan for Wiegman that can consistently win competitions?
By answering that question against the world champions, England is again spoken as the team to beat this summer.
But another stuttering display against one of the elite of the world will lead to more souls, which is hardly ideal as Switzerland 2025 approaches.
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