da luck： The Manchester United star hasn't hit the same heights for the Lionesses since becoming a starter – so what can Sarina Wiegman do to help change that?
da bet esporte： It’s a year since England’s Lionesses made history at Wembley Stadium, beating Germany 2-1 in extra-time to lift the Euro 2022 trophy in dramatic style and win the team’s first ever major tournament. It was a triumph that thrust so many of the victorious players into the spotlight, with murals painted up and down the country in their home cities and requests for photos while they were out doing their normal day-to-day activities suddenly much more common.
One of the more amusing anecdotes that highlighted the new-found fame for these England players came from Ella Toone, who scored the memorable opener in that final. The dust had barely settled on what the Lionesses had done when a picture of the Manchester United midfielder appeared in the papers – eating a pasty. "The absolute laughing stock of England camp," team-mate Beth Mead said with a chuckle when talking to GOAL about that story late last year.
A lot has changed on the pitch in these last 12 months, too. Injuries to players like Mead, Leah Williamson and Fran Kirby, plus the retirements of both Ellen White and Jill Scott, have changed the make-up of this England team. While Toone was a super sub during the Euros, she’s now a starter with a lot more responsibility on her shoulders.
But it’s fair to say that the talented playmaker is yet to make her mark in that role. Indeed, a look at the statistics shows that, with all of her key metrics (per 90 minutes) – touches, touches in the opposition’s box, chances created, shots on target, dribbles attempted, successful passes and successful passes in the final third – down at the 2023 Women’s World Cup compared to the Euros.
As the Lionesses prepare to complete the group stages of this tournament, there is demand on Toone to deliver more, to showcase those game-changing qualities that she so often did last year. With her team evidently struggling in the final third, another factor in her statistical drop-off, can she step up and help them really live up to their billing as World Cup contenders?
Getty ImagesSuper sub
If there are two words that best describe England’s Euros triumph, ‘super subs’ might be them. With head coach Sarina Wiegman not making a single change to her starting XI throughout the tournament, the impact of those from the bench was key and a big reason why they won the title.
Toone scored twice and assisted another from the bench, her first goal also incredibly important as it was the late equaliser that took England's quarter-final tie with Spain to extra time. “Our subs took us to the next level really," defender Millie Bright said after that game. "You need them to come and bring that little bit more energy.”
Then-United team-mate Alessia Russo also netted four times and assisted another in her six sub appearances, while Chloe Kelly claimed the biggest moment of all, scoring the dramatic goal that won the Euros. But there are countless examples in football of the difficulties that can come in stepping up from being a super sub to being an effective starter.
AdvertisementGettyNow a starter
That is the challenge that Toone – as well as Kelly and Russo – have had over the past year for their country. A variety of circumstances have resulted in all three becoming regulars in England’s starting XI, with injuries to Chelsea’s Kirby paving the way for Toone.
The United star has struggled, though. While she’s remained an influential figure for her club, ranking joint-third in the league for assists this past season, her form with her country has dipped. She’s not picking up those pockets of space in between the opposition’s defence and midfield like she has long done so well, which means she’s not creating as many chances or having as many looks at goal.
Described by team-mate Niamh Charles as “one of those players that can produce a moment of magic”, there’s no denying Toone’s quality, but she’s struggled to light games up with it in recent times for England.
GettyLack of competition?
So, why is that? Well, there could be a few reasons. First and foremost, as mentioned before, it’s not easy to suddenly switch from being a super sub to starring in a starting role. Let’s not forget that Toone is still only 23 years old, after all, and is still gaining experience on the international stage.
On top of that, there’s not been a lot of rotation from Wiegman in that No.10 role in the past year. Toone started nine of England’s 12 games in the year between the Euros ending and the World Cup beginning, with the only exceptions being a rare chance for Jess Park in February’s Arnold Clark Cup and the two matches in the October international window that were started by a then-fit Kirby.
Laura Coombs and Jordan Nobbs are the two players in the Lionesses’ World Cup squad that are on the outside looking in at the more attacking roles in midfield. Nobbs has played 91 minutes for England since the Euros. Coombs has played 190, with 52 of those coming when she had to replace the injured Keira Walsh before half-time in Friday’s win over Denmark.
Not only does it feel like there is a lack of competition for Toone’s place in the team, then, but she is also a constant for club and country. No one has played more minutes for England since the Euros than she has and, with her also rarely rotated out of the team at Manchester United, it wouldn’t be a surprise if she was a little tired and burnt out, too.
GettyStruggles for a deadly duo
Another factor could be the fortunes of her close friend and team-mate, Russo. The centre forward, who just left United to join Arsenal, has been Toone’s partner-in-crime in Manchester for the last few years, and the pair have taken their great understanding and on-pitch relationship to the international level, too.
The link-up between them, with Toone able to almost telepathically find Russo’s runs, was a huge asset for England, but the latter has also struggled for form in the past year, scoring just 10 league goals this past season despite United being a genuine title contender as they finished second in the table. She's also netted only once for England since September.
Would Toone’s form for the Lionesses be different with another striker leading the line? It’s hard to know as Russo has, like her team-mate, become first-choice in her position, and though there have been chances given to Aston Villa star Rachel Daly in the No.9 role, she hasn’t had enough to really start forming those strong connections with the players around her.
Russo’s tendency to drop deep and occupy those areas that a No.10 like Toone would often do could also be a factor, whereas the classic No.9 style of Daly – or Beth England – would leave those spaces completely to her midfield team-mate.