England’s head coach, Sarina Wiegman, has made it clear that her sole purpose in Switzerland is to win the UEFA Women’s Euro 2022. With the tournament opener against France just a few days away, Wiegman and her team have only one thing on their minds, and that is victory. The recently expanded team has occupied an entire wing of the famed Dolder Grand hotel. At the other, Wiegman is sweating to perfect strategies to ensure they beat their opponents in strategy, creativity and even physicality.
For the last three weeks, building up to the opening match, an imbalance evident within all preparations for England’s first game on the world stage. This strategy has opponents constantly playing defense. The entire squad has expressed a strong desire to not repeat their lackluster openings in the last two big competitions, both parts of 1-0 wins.
Wiegman, meanwhile, guided England to European championship glory on home soil last time. Now, she will have the tough task of striking the proper balance within her veteran back four. Lucy Bronze is easily the best player on England’s side and she is becoming an icon. In terms of attacking players, Lauren James, in spite of her recent absence from the side, is a game-changer. Wiegman said she has a lot of faith in James’ creative abilities and that she’s happy to have someone like her to turn to as an impact sub.
Every other team entering the tournament knows exactly what England’s starting XI is going to be. Wiegman is adamant that her team isn’t afraid of their illustrious opponents, who likely have the most attacking talent on the planet. She hated the thought of a late launch. Going up against a daunting prospect like France, one of the best teams in Europe, would be intimidating enough.
“We know their strengths but we also think they have some weakness and we’ll try to exploit that,” – Sarina Wiegman
As England prepares to face France, other teams such as the Netherlands and Wales will be watching closely, ready to capitalize on any misstep. England are the rightful holders of the men’s European champions title. For Wiegman, it’s a chance to extend the USWNT’s winning streak against another top 10 team.
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