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Women's Euro 2022: The key questions facing Sarina Wiegman as England prepare for opener against Austria

England begin their 2022 Women's Euros campaign against Austria at Old Trafford on Wednesday; Norway and Northern Ireland make up the remainder of Group A; The Women's Euros runs until July 31 with the final taking place at Wembley

England
Image: Sarina Wiegman is yet to lose a match as England manager

England's best starting XI, Leah Williamson's role, goal-shy first-half displays and plenty more talking points exist ahead of Wednesday's Euro 2022 opener vs Austria at Old Trafford. So where does Sarina Wiegman need to concentrate her attention most?

What is plan A and does it work?

A matter of hours away from England's opening group stage game against Austria at Old Trafford, question marks around team selection persist. The Lionesses three warm-up ties arguably posed more questions than they solved - and many remain open-ended.

Sarina Wiegman is a planner and a strategist. She will have entered England's pre-tournament camp with an idea of who plays and who doesn't for the July 6 opener. Yet it feels as if we've moved further away from an established starting XI than before.

That isn't necessarily a problem. It retains the element of surprise, ensures England do not become predictable or stagnant and speaks to the squad's impressive depth. Each position almost has two capable starters, with competition for places at an all-time high. It also guards against fatigue in the latter rounds, or the need for a tactical switch - talent is stacked and can be rotated at will.

What is England's best XI, though? Or rather, which 11 players best complement one another from the get-go? There is room for manoeuvre as England, hopefully, progress through the rounds but Wiegman will want to settle on her most effective line-up prior to the knockout phase - if she doesn't know already.

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A special documentary with archive footage and exclusive interviews profiling England manager Sarina Wiegman who hopes to inspire the Lionesses to glory at Euro 2022.

Most troubling is that no England performance of late has been convincing from the off. Just the solitary goal, scored by Lucy Bronze against the Dutch, has been registered prior to the half-time whistle. Against Spain or Germany - England's likely quarter-final opponents - the same level of first-half performance could prove fatal.

The Lionesses training camp began a week before most other nations, in an attempt to iron out any creases before the tournament was in full swing. Perhaps, viably, they've been holding back during warm-up ties to ensure optimum energy levels when it really matters. Ultimately, if England go on to lift their first international silverware this summer, no one will remember three first-half friendly displays where Wiegman's side underperformed. Peaking too soon would be equally as damaging.

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Most pressingly, the centre-back duo needs balancing with the midfield pairing. Millie Bright will partner either Alex Greenwood or Leah Williamson at the back, while the latter could also step into midfield with Keira Walsh. Should the captain line up next to Bright, Georgia Stanway will be deployed in a slightly deeper role, vacating the No 10 position and providing Fran Kirby or Ella Toone with a chance to start.

Up top, Alessia Russo has proved she can rival Ellen White, while any combination of Beth Mead, Chloe Kelly or even Nikita Parris could mirror Lauren Hemp on the wings. They are all questions Wiegman will have hoped to answer prior to Wednesday's curtain-raiser against Austria, with big calls on personnel having the potential to dictate England's course.

Georgia Stanway
Image: Georgia Stanway battling in midfield against the Swiss

The conditions are favourable, nonetheless. England have drawn a winnable group, they possess a manager with major tournament credentials and are playing on home turf, in familiar stadiums, with the backing of British crowds. They have also won 12 of 14 games under Wiegman's leadership, despite not always reaching the desired heights. It's an optimistic outlook and one that positions the Lionesses, rightly, among the teams tipped to prosper.

Leah Williamson: Defence or midfield?

Leah Williamson, England
Image: Leah Williamson is yet to start a major tournament match for the Lionesses

It's a double-edged sword. The captain is much more familiar with a role in the back four - she plays there for Arsenal week-in-week-out - and has proven to be among the WSL's most effective passers from that position.

But England are short in midfield and given her poise in possession, some might argue Williamson would better serve the team by stepping out of the backline and partnering Keira Walsh. The Lionesses also have a ready-made replacement in Alex Greenwood, another ball-playing defender, should Williamson be deployed further forward.

The middle third of the pitch is certainly an area that requires fresh impetus and options are less forthcoming. But do you risk playing one of England's brightest talents out of her traditional position?

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Image: Leah Williamson's long-range passing prowess ranks top among WSL defenders

When the 23-player England squad was announced Williamson was listed as a midfielder. She also came through the Gunners' ranks playing in midfield, before being converted to a centre-back. The way she reads the game is advantageous in both positions, but her distribution and range of passing suits the playmaker role. She always wants to receive the ball and makes things happen in front of her - she orchestrates.

Because she's equally as adept at playing out from the back - her raking pass into Rachel Daly's feet prior to England's opener against Switzerland a prime example - the conundrum is more complex. Clearly, pushing wide players high and finding them with long-range diagonal balls is something England have practiced - but both Bright and Greenwood are capable of that.

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The real issue with the Williamson-Walsh combination in midfield is that it's untrained. It's only really in its infancy and against Europe's best talent that could be exposing. In possession it works, but without the ball it has its limitations. Against the Netherlands, England's midfield pairing were bypassed multiple times in the opening stages. They were too compact and became overrun as the Dutch created smart angles to pass around the press.

For the future, this dynamic has potential but when the stakes are as high as they are in tournament play, the pragmatic option would be to house Williamson in her most "comfortable" position at the back. Her versatility remains an asset, nevertheless, and something Wiegman can tinker with as the need arises.

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Are England battle-tested?

A clean sweep of friendly wins makes for positive reading ahead of Euro 2022's kick-off. Not only that, England have won each of those ties convincingly, by an aggregate score of 12-1.

But dig a little deeper and no opposition have really tested the Lionesses enough to suggest they will be impenetrable at this summer's tournament.

Alessia Russo
Image: Alessia Russo is one of several striker options for England, alongside Ellen White

Both Belgium and Switzerland - ranked just inside the world's top-20 sides - are unlikely to make deep runs into the tournament, while the Netherlands were missing key players.

It's also true of each warm-up meeting that Wiegman was forced to turn to her bench for reinforcements. In part, these were experimental, but they also served to highlight imbalances in the starting selections. It's no bad thing that the Lionesses came on stronger in the second period of all three ties, with impact subs that energised performances, but against better teams, they need to try and reach an acceptable tempo for the entire 90 minutes.

Eleven of 12 strikes in their pre-tournament phase came in the second half, which can be a weapon, but it's also important they stamp out wastefulness in front of goal. "We had three big chances at the beginning of the game and it would have been easy to score those goals but we didn't," Wiegman conceded, following the Switzerland game. England also had 12 shots on target, and only converted a third of those. On the flip side, encouragingly, goalkeeper Mary Earps did not have a single save to make.

Ultimately, the Lionesses have improvements to make and Wiegman has a multitude of big decisions ahead, but their group is somewhat forgiving. It does include Norway, who are ranked 11th in the world and will be a sterner test than what has come before them. If they come through Group A unscathed, having played to their full potential, they give themselves every chance of making their Wembley final dream a reality.

Follow Euro 2022 across Sky Sports

Keep up with all the latest from Euro 2022 across Sky Sports and Sky Sports News this summer.

Coverage will be anchored by Sky Sports WSL presenter Caroline Barker, alongside Jessica Creighton and Kyle Walker. Meanwhile, Karen Carney, Sue Smith, Courtney Sweetman-Kirk and Laura Bassett will give analysis throughout the tournament.

They will also be joined by experienced England goalkeeper Karen Bardsley and Manchester City defender Esme Morgan.

The pundits and presenters will work from the Sky Sports Women's Euro 2022 Mobile Presentation Bus, which will follow the Sky Sports News team around the country to the various stadiums where matches are being played.

In addition, Sky Sports' Essential Football Podcast will be rebranded for the tournament to Sky Sports Women's Euros Podcast from 21 June. Hosted by Charlotte Marsh and Anton Toloui, it will feature exclusive news and player interviews in addition to a strong programme line-up around the tournament.

Euro 2022: The groups...

Group A: England, Austria, Norway, Northern Ireland

Group B: Germany, Denmark, Spain, Finland

Group C: Netherlands, Sweden, Portugal, Switzerland

Group D: France, Italy, Belgium, Iceland

Euro 2022: The schedule...

Group stage

Wednesday July 6

Group A: England vs Austria - kick-off 8pm, Old Trafford

Thursday July 7

Group A: Norway vs Northern Ireland - kick-off 8pm, St Mary's

Friday July 8

Group B: Spain vs Finland - kick-off 5pm, Stadium MK

Group B: Germany vs Denmark - kick-off 8pm, London Community Stadium

Saturday July 9

Group C: Portugal vs Switzerland - kick-off 5pm, Leigh Sports Village

Group C: Netherlands vs Sweden - kick-off 8pm, Bramall Lane

Sunday July 10

Group D: Belgium vs Iceland - kick-off 5pm, Manchester City Academy Stadium

Group D: France vs Italy - kick-off 8pm, New York Stadium

Monday July 11

Group A: Austria vs Northern Ireland - kick-off 5pm, St Mary's

Group A: England v Norway - kick-off 8pm, Brighton and Hove Community Stadium

Tuesday July 12

Group B: Denmark vs Finland - kick-off 5pm, Stadium MK

Group B: Germany vs Spain - kick-off 8pm, London Community Stadium

Wednesday July 13

Group C: Sweden vs Switzerland - kick-off 5pm, Bramall Lane

Group C: Netherlands v Portugal - kick-off 8pm, Leigh Sports Village

Thursday July 14

Group D: Italy vs Iceland - kick-off 5pm, Manchester City Academy Stadium

Group D: France vs Belgium - kick-off 8pm, New York Stadium

Friday July 15

Group A: Northern Ireland v England - kick-off 8pm, St Mary's

Group A: Austria vs Norway - kick-off 8pm, Brighton and Hove Community Stadium

Saturday July 16

Group B: Finland vs Germany - kick-off 8pm, Stadium MK

Group B: Denmark vs Spain - kick-off 8pm, London Community Stadium

Sunday July 17

Group C: Switzerland vs Netherlands - kick-off 5pm, Bramall Lane

Group C: Sweden vs Portugal - kick-off 5pm, Leigh Sports Village

Monday July 18

Group D: Iceland vs France - kick-off 8pm, New York Stadium

Group D: Italy vs Belgium - kick-off 8pm, Manchester City Academy Stadium

Knockout phase

Quarter-finals

Wednesday July 20

Quarter-final 1: Winners Group A v Runners-up Group B - kick-off 8pm, Brighton and Hove Community Stadium

Thursday July 21

Quarter-final 2: Winners Group B v Runners-up Group A - kick-off 8pm, London Community Stadium

Friday July 22

Quarter-final 3: Winners Group C v Runners-up Group D - kick-off 8pm, Leigh Sports Village

Quarter-final 4: Winners Group D v Runners-up Group C - kick-off 8pm, New York Stadium

Semi-finals

Tuesday July 26

Semi-final 1: Winners quarter-final 1 v Winners quarter-final 3 - kick-off 8pm, Bramall Lane

Wednesday July 27

Semi-final 2: Winners quarter-final 2 v Winners quarter-final 4 - kick-off 8pm, Stadium MK

Final

Sunday July 31

Winners semi-final 1 v Winners semi-final 2 - kick-off 5pm, Wembley

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