The Lionesses World Cup squad is due to be announced in a few days which got us thinking with a lot of those players who could have been guaranteed a spot on the plane to Australia & New Zealand now being ruled out for injury who would we love to see take their place and actually get some game time? With no Leah Williamson there is a centre back spot opener right up and with Kirby ruled out we need another attacking option for sure. Who even knows if Millie Bright and Beth Mead will have recovered in time to head on over for the World Cup, it has been very quiet on the Bright front and we all need to remember just how bad Mead's injury was, do you risk taking her and possibly cause her a setback if she picks up even the slightest of knocks? The risk would definitely be using spots for those carrying injuries or just finishing recovery getting injured again and us not having the back up for the rest of the tournament due to us only being able to take so many players in the first place.
With those injuries there is a real chance that we can see players break into the team after losing their spot previously or even those who have yet to have a chance really step up and prove what they are capable. We have seen a really competitive WSL season this time around and honestly for us there have been a lot of English players that have shown up week in week out and really made a difference for their clubs. I am not sure if it is the upcoming World Cup that has spurred these players on or just the quality of the game improving but they have all certainly made a case for a spot to this summers World Cup.
So here are those players who we think have had an impact at their clubs this season who we believe deserves a spot on the plane to the World Cup...
We weren't too sure about Nikita's move to Man Utd at the start of the season but it is safe to say she 100% proved up wrong. She seems to have slotted right into the United team and we honestly think she has had her best season in a long time and it is nice to see just how much of an impact she is making for club. Parris didn't get much game time at the Euro's and hasn't had the chance to play for her country lately however, with her form at United we would love to see her called back up and actually get game time as we think we are really starting to get the best out of her after a few hit & miss seasons.
To say how young Maya is she is showing a whole lot of potential to become one of the greatest English centre backs, we have seen her keep Man Utd in the game plenty of times this season with some brilliant blocks and perfectly timed tackles. Maya does get called up to the England squad these days and I hope that she gets called up to show us all what she is capable of in a major tournament. With Williamson out injured I would love to see Le Tissier paired up with Bright or Greenwood at the back to show what future centre back partnerships could look like for the team. With her age I think Maya Le Tissier could be a name we see on plenty of future Lioness squad lists and fingers crossed it is on this World Cup one.
Now this one incredibly unlikely to happen due to Leah's personal choices however, she would 100% be a perfect addition to the Lionesses squad. Galton has been in absolutely fantastic form this season and we have all seen she is very capable of scoring goals and also creating them for her teammates so she would definitely be a huge asset to the Lionesses squad. Galton's pace certainly causes problems and it is safe to say she has been an key player for United's success this season and is one of the reasons they are entering the Champions League for the first time, she could bring so much to the England squad.
Coombs has really made a name for herself this season at Man City and has really helped them get back into things after they had a rough start to the season. We have seen Coombs get called into the Lioness camps post Euros and it is safe to say we would love to see her on a plane to Australia & New Zealand. The midfielder would add a bit of experience to the team and would have a brilliant chance to show everyone just what she is made of and why she should be getting that game time for her country, even if it is as a substitute she can still bring so much to the squad.
Manchester United's captain Katie Zelem always seems to just fall short of making it into the Lioness squad however, surely this time around she should be on the plane ready to make an impact in the World Cup? She has been a key player in Man Utd's success this year just like Galton has and we think it about time she got the chance to shine for her country too. Zelem has a great ability to hold the ball up when needed but her vision for her passes is absolutely fantastic too. She can bring so much to the squad and even her set pieces could prove a big difference in the tournament as she has shown at United she can find a team mate in the box really well especially from corners.
There was a bit of heartbreak here at Edge of the Area when Staniforth left Man Utd for Aston Villa but we soon got over that when we realised just how good of a move it was for Staniforth. She is finally getting the game time she deserves and surely with some of the performances she has had at Villa you would think Wiegman would definitely be considering putting her on the plane but I guess only time will tell. In the end we are actually quite glad Staniforth left United as it has really given her the chance to get valuable game time and show us all what she is capable of.
It is quite unbelievable to that Turner spent a lot of last season out with what can only be described as a life threatening injury as she has really bounced back this season and again with her in central defence Man Utd have looked absolutely solid at the back. Turner has put in some great defensive work but she has popped up at the opposite end of the pitch when needed too with some brilliant headed goals to give United a very late and crucial lead. With the defensive injuries that the Lionesses already have in the back line Turner could be the perfect addition to the squad to strengthen that back line.
If Wiegman wants to replace those injured in the back line with a bit more major tournament experience she is hopefully looking towards ex captain Steph Houghton. Steph has had a bit of criticism lately due to comments about previously being left out of Lioness camps however, if the season is anything to go by then Wiegman definitely needs to be looking in her direction especially with a back line that could be just coming back from injury. Steph has 100% made a difference since becoming a regular feature for City again this season and her return from injury really helped City get back to winning games plus that experience could come in really handy in the dressing room if things aren't going quite to plan for the team.
It is no secret on how much we love Jordan Nobbs here at Edge of the Area and we have our fingers crossed that she gets the chance to represent the Lionesses at this World Cup. She is so deserving of a chance as since her move to Villa we have seen her really make a difference to the squad whilst also showing everyone why she is such an underrated player, she deserves a lot more credit than she gets as she is a game changer and the minutes she is finally getting at Villa goes to show that. We are just hoping that the injury curse she seems to be under before every major tournament has finally gone and that she really gets a shot this time around, she could be key in the middle of the pitch for the Lionesses with some fantastic defending and brilliant attacking abilities.
A lot of these players in our eyes are so underrated and don't get the recognition they deserve so it would be great to see them head to the World Cup and really show everyone what they are made of and just how much impact they can have in the team. The countdown is on now to see who has and hasn't made the cut from Wiegman, let's just hope a few of these names have made it.
Who would you love to see called up to the Lionesses World Cup squad for this summer?
