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Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Should any of England's Euro 2025 finishers be starters in the final?
England are in a major final again, and once more, their substitutes proved the difference. Against Sweden, it was Michelle Agyemang who equalised and fellow replacement Chloe Kelly who played a key role in both of England's goals. Against Italy, Agyemang was the hero who forced extra time again before Kelly scored the 119th-minute winner — which, incidentally, was from a penalty won by Beth Mead, another substitute. England's strength in depth has been their superpower in Switzerland, allowing them to break down low blocks, stretch tired defences and, ultimately, pull off two great escapes. The question now is whether any of Sarina Wiegman's so-called 'finishers' have earned a start for Sunday's final in Basel against Spain. Here, The Athletic looks at each of their cases for a place. Michelle Agyemang In four senior caps, 19-year-old Agyemang has scored three goals — two of which were late equalisers to make England's progress through the knockout stages possible. That is all without coming on before the 70th minute. Naturally, that begs the question of what she could do in 90 minutes instead of 20. The map below shows how Agyemang has made the most of her minutes, taking up dangerous positions while, against Sweden, helping break down opposition attacks early. Against Spain, those attributes — and particularly her strength in hold-up play, allowing team-mates time to get up the pitch and join a counter-attack — could be a great fit. After seeing her latch on to a long ball and lob Italy goalkeeper Laura Giuliani, only to hit the bar and let out a yell of frustration, the idea of her running in behind to exploit Spain's high line is tantalising. Is the time right for her to take the starting spot up top? That would feel harsh on Arsenal team-mate Alessia Russo, who has only scored once but has led the press brilliantly, run tirelessly and been a creative force too, with three assists. Russo is also adept at hold-up play and exploiting a high line (as shown for England's first goal in the 4-0 win against the Netherlands). Will she start the final? Excellent as Agyemang has been, starting her over Russo would be uncharacteristic for Wiegman. There is no guarantee the teenager can replicate over a full game what she has achieved against low blocks and tired defences. Wiegman will opt for experience, and that is the sensible call — but if England need a hero, it would make sense to give Agyemang more than 20 minutes. Chloe Kelly Kelly is the only one of England's super-subs from Euro 2022 who has kept that role, with Russo and Ella Toone having become starters. Had that apparent standstill been put to her two years ago, she might have been disappointed. Now, though, after the gamble of leaving Manchester City in January in search of more playing time at Arsenal, she will be delighted she has even made it to Switzerland, let alone proven to be so crucial. She has been as important as Agyemang in England's progress. Kelly was instrumental in England's goals against Sweden before hammering home her penalty in the shootout. Against Italy, her dribbling and pace on the right wing were crucial in opening up space in the middle and creating opportunities for herself. She almost scored an iconic winner when she skipped away from four Italian defenders and bent her shot just wide of the top-left corner in extra time. In the furore, it went largely unnoticed that she almost scored directly from a corner. Instead, she would seal victory by turning in her saved penalty. She tracked back tirelessly against Italy, and made a key defensive contribution after substitute Giada Greggi had got the better of Grace Clinton. Again, she finds herself vying for a starting spot in a European final. Will she start the final? Kelly has the best chance of any of the substitutes. Her contributions have been slightly less obvious than Agyemang's, but equally as important, and she has more experience than her Arsenal colleague. A lot will depend on Lauren James' fitness. If the Chelsea forward can bounce back from the ankle injury she suffered on Tuesday, she will be hard to displace. If not, Kelly will be first in line. Aggie Beever-Jones The Chelsea forward had a strong build-up to the Euros, planting herself firmly in Wiegman's thinking with a hat-trick at Wembley against Portugal, but has had limited opportunities in Switzerland. Her standout moment was her first tournament goal, England's sixth of the match against Wales — a well-taken but admittedly poorly defended header. The 21-year-old came on in the 85th minute against Italy and helped stretch their tired defence throughout extra time, coming close to turning home a couple of crosses but she could not find a way past Giuliani. Spain, her speed and dribbling on the counter-attack could be a weapon, and her adaptability to play across the front three helps provide cover. However, she is less physically imposing than Lauren Hemp (left wing) and Russo (striker), and has far less major tournament experience. Will she start the final? Beever-Jones' competitors have the edge over her for a starting spot. She is still best used as a 'finisher', testing tired defenders. Grace Clinton Clinton faces stiff competition for a midfield role from Manchester United team-mate Toone, as well as Georgia Stanway and James. When she has got on to the pitch — which has been for no more than 16 minutes at a time — the 22-year-old has shown relentless energy but has not been at her best. Mostly employed to refresh England's midfield and rush opponents with box-to-box running, Clinton has helped stop teams from building attacks. At her peak, Clinton balances reading of the game, movement and link-up play with defensive nous; that has not quite happened this tournament. Against Italy, when she came on in the 106th minute for Keira Walsh, she had to help prevent counter-attacks while simultaneously trying to provide a spark from deep. She looked comparatively sluggish when Greggi intercepted Kelly's loose ball and pulled away into England's half. Clinton has massive potential, but we have not quite seen it at this tournament. Will she start the final? England desperately need to exercise some control over the midfield in the final and it does not feel like Clinton has shown more ability to do that than Stanway, Toone or Walsh. She will stay as a substitute. Beth Mead Mead's Euros has not gone how she, or Wiegman, had planned. She started in her favoured right-wing position for England's opening defeat against France, a performance that prompted a rethink about how England could extract the best from James. The Chelsea attacker was moved to the right, with Toone stepping in behind the forward line and Mead dropping to the bench. Wiegman still seems to trust the Arsenal forward — she has featured in every game, and was the first port of call when James was forced off with an ankle injury against Italy. She showed versatility in that semi-final, moving into the No 10 role when Kelly was introduced, and looked dangerous in the box, not least when she won England's penalty. However, that role change arose out of exceptional circumstances as Wiegman was trying to piece together an unusual number of attackers on the pitch, rather than providing any hints at where she could play in the final. Will she start the final? Right now, the options ahead of her appear stronger. James did not have her best half against Italy but, if fit, would still be first in line to start on the right. Even without James, Kelly's excellent substitute performances would put her ahead of Mead in the pecking order. Given Mead's drop-off in minutes, no matter her experience, she is not best placed to start. This article originally appeared in The Athletic. England, Women's Soccer, Women's Euros 2025 The Athletic Media Company
New York Times
10 hours ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Should any of England's Euro 2025 finishers be starters in the final?
England are in a major final again, and once more, their substitutes proved the difference. Against Sweden, it was Michelle Agyemang who equalised and fellow replacement Chloe Kelly who played a key role in both of England's goals. Against Italy, Agyemang was the hero who forced extra time again before Kelly scored the 119th-minute winner — which, incidentally, was from a penalty won by Beth Mead, another substitute. Advertisement England's strength in depth has been their superpower in Switzerland, allowing them to break down low blocks, stretch tired defences and, ultimately, pull off two great escapes. The question now is whether any of Sarina Wiegman's so-called 'finishers' have earned a start for Sunday's final in Basel against Spain. Here, The Athletic looks at each of their cases for a place. In four senior caps, 19-year-old Agyemang has scored three goals — two of which were late equalisers to make England's progress through the knockout stages possible. That is all without coming on before the 70th minute. Naturally, that begs the question of what she could do in 90 minutes instead of 20. The map below shows how Agyemang has made the most of her minutes, taking up dangerous positions while, against Sweden, helping break down opposition attacks early. Against Spain, those attributes — and particularly her strength in hold-up play, allowing team-mates time to get up the pitch and join a counter-attack — could be a great fit. After seeing her latch on to a long ball and lob Italy goalkeeper Laura Giuliani, only to hit the bar and let out a yell of frustration, the idea of her running in behind to exploit Spain's high line is tantalising. Is the time right for her to take the starting spot up top? That would feel harsh on Arsenal team-mate Alessia Russo, who has only scored once but has led the press brilliantly, run tirelessly and been a creative force too, with three assists. Russo is also adept at hold-up play and exploiting a high line (as shown for England's first goal in the 4-0 win against the Netherlands). Will she start the final? Excellent as Agyemang has been, starting her over Russo would be uncharacteristic for Wiegman. There is no guarantee the teenager can replicate over a full game what she has achieved against low blocks and tired defences. Wiegman will opt for experience, and that is the sensible call — but if England need a hero, it would make sense to give Agyemang more than 20 minutes. Kelly is the only one of England's super-subs from Euro 2022 who has kept that role, with Russo and Ella Toone having become starters. Had that apparent standstill been put to her two years ago, she might have been disappointed. Now, though, after the gamble of leaving Manchester City in January in search of more playing time at Arsenal, she will be delighted she has even made it to Switzerland, let alone proven to be so crucial. Advertisement She has been as important as Agyemang in England's progress. Kelly was instrumental in England's goals against Sweden before hammering home her penalty in the shootout. Against Italy, her dribbling and pace on the right wing were crucial in opening up space in the middle and creating opportunities for herself. She almost scored an iconic winner when she skipped away from four Italian defenders and bent her shot just wide of the top-left corner in extra time. In the furore, it went largely unnoticed that she almost scored directly from a corner. Instead, she would seal victory by turning in her saved penalty. Who else? 🥶 🏴 Chloe Kelly wins it for England in the 119th minute 😤#WEURO2025 — UEFA Women's EURO 2025 (@WEURO2025) July 22, 2025 She tracked back tirelessly against Italy, and made a key defensive contribution after substitute Giada Greggi had got the better of Grace Clinton. Again, she finds herself vying for a starting spot in a European final. Will she start the final? Kelly has the best chance of any of the substitutes. Her contributions have been slightly less obvious than Agyemang's, but equally as important, and she has more experience than her Arsenal colleague. A lot will depend on Lauren James' fitness. If the Chelsea forward can bounce back from the ankle injury she suffered on Tuesday, she will be hard to displace. If not, Kelly will be first in line. The Chelsea forward had a strong build-up to the Euros, planting herself firmly in Wiegman's thinking with a hat-trick at Wembley against Portugal, but has had limited opportunities in Switzerland. Her standout moment was her first tournament goal, England's sixth of the match against Wales — a well-taken but admittedly poorly defended header. The 21-year-old came on in the 85th minute against Italy and helped stretch their tired defence throughout extra time, coming close to turning home a couple of crosses but she could not find a way past Giuliani. Spain, her speed and dribbling on the counter-attack could be a weapon, and her adaptability to play across the front three helps provide cover. However, she is less physically imposing than Lauren Hemp (left wing) and Russo (striker), and has far less major tournament experience. Will she start the final? Beever-Jones' competitors have the edge over her for a starting spot. She is still best used as a 'finisher', testing tired defenders. Clinton faces stiff competition for a midfield role from Manchester United team-mate Toone, as well as Georgia Stanway and James. When she has got on to the pitch — which has been for no more than 16 minutes at a time — the 22-year-old has shown relentless energy but has not been at her best. Mostly employed to refresh England's midfield and rush opponents with box-to-box running, Clinton has helped stop teams from building attacks. Advertisement At her peak, Clinton balances reading of the game, movement and link-up play with defensive nous; that has not quite happened this tournament. Against Italy, when she came on in the 106th minute for Keira Walsh, she had to help prevent counter-attacks while simultaneously trying to provide a spark from deep. She looked comparatively sluggish when Greggi intercepted Kelly's loose ball and pulled away into England's half. Clinton has massive potential, but we have not quite seen it at this tournament. Will she start the final? England desperately need to exercise some control over the midfield in the final and it does not feel like Clinton has shown more ability to do that than Stanway, Toone or Walsh. She will stay as a substitute. Mead's Euros has not gone how she, or Wiegman, had planned. She started in her favoured right-wing position for England's opening defeat against France, a performance that prompted a rethink about how England could extract the best from James. The Chelsea attacker was moved to the right, with Toone stepping in behind the forward line and Mead dropping to the bench. Wiegman still seems to trust the Arsenal forward — she has featured in every game, and was the first port of call when James was forced off with an ankle injury against Italy. She showed versatility in that semi-final, moving into the No 10 role when Kelly was introduced, and looked dangerous in the box, not least when she won England's penalty. However, that role change arose out of exceptional circumstances as Wiegman was trying to piece together an unusual number of attackers on the pitch, rather than providing any hints at where she could play in the final. Will she start the final? Right now, the options ahead of her appear stronger. James did not have her best half against Italy but, if fit, would still be first in line to start on the right. Even without James, Kelly's excellent substitute performances would put her ahead of Mead in the pecking order. Given Mead's drop-off in minutes, no matter her experience, she is not best placed to start. (Top photos: Getty Images)
Daily Mail
16-07-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mail
It's all clicking for Sarina Wiegman's super subs as England's bench becomes their secret weapon, writes TARA ANSON-WALSH, ahead of quarter-final clash with Sweden
One of the quietly revolutionary aspects of Sarina Wiegman 's England tenure has been her treatment of the bench – not as a contingency plan, but as a premeditated second wave. The roots of this emerged during the home Euros of 2022, when there was a clear starting XI with an attack led by Ellen White, Fran Kirby behind her in the No 10 role, and Lauren Hemp and Beth Mead occupying the flanks. And then, on the hour mark, like clockwork, Ella Toone and Alessia Russo would come on. Wiegman's subs during the home tournament were used to great effect, particularly towards the latter stages, with Chloe Kelly 's introduction off the bench in the final against Germany securing the Lionesses' first ever piece of silverware – a moment now etched in footballing legend. As was Russo's memorable cameo off the bench in the semi-final against – fittingly – tomorrow/tonight's opponents, Sweden. Her outrageous backheel goal inspired some fans to sport T-shirts featuring 'The Russo', illustrated like IKEA instructions. All you need is a pair of boots, a football, and a bit of nutmeg, it claims. Today, England players maintain their praise of the Dutch coach for her communication regarding their roles, including continuing to give them clarity over whether they'll start a game or come on as substitutes – or what Wiegman calls her 'finishers'. Wiegman stressed the importance of having adequate strength in depth, adding: 'It's important because you can bring players into the same position that have different attributes. You can change tactics a little bit while still keeping the levels up and trying to harm your opponent. It's key.' And it has clearly worked, with England having scored 48 goals from substitutes in the 67 games under Wiegman's management – an incredible tally, with Russo claiming the largest share of the spoils with seven from the bench. Against Sweden, an incredibly physical, athletic team, Wiegman will need to rely on her 'finishers' to step up when her starting XI – which has remained unchanged for the last two games – begin to tire. The 'finishers' clique have created their own group chat this tournament and have been celebrating each other's achievements on the pitch with a new clicking celebration, the origins of which were revealed by Beth Mead. 'I think we underestimate how hard it can be for the bench sometimes, and players that don't get on the pitch as much,' the right-winger said. 'Before the Wales game, we were all snapping as a little bit of motivation and a little bit of energy, and we actually said if anyone came on and scored, we'd celebrate with each other to show appreciation.' Wiegman has a considerable attacking force in this England squad and keeping everyone happy and match-ready is always a difficult line to tread. And Kelly, who has started from the bench in all three of England's games at this tournament, insisted that despite the negative connotations of a 'clique', this one is not divisive. 'I was actually thinking that earlier – that usually cliques are negative – but it's definitely not one,' Kelly said. 'We support each other very well as a 23-player squad, and it's about what it takes to win a tournament.'
Reuters
16-07-2025
- Sport
- Reuters
England's substitutes have become a tight-knit group at Euro 2025, says Kelly
ZURICH, July 16 (Reuters) - Forward Chloe Kelly, who came off the bench to score a 110th-minute winner in the Euro 2022 final, said England's substitutes had become a tight-knit group at this year's tournament with their own WhatsApp group and goal celebration. With the defending champions playing Sweden in the Euro 2025 quarter-finals on Thursday, Kelly, whose shirt-waving celebration was the defining image of the last final, described the camaraderie among England's super subs. Beth Mead and Aggie Beever-Jones scored as substitutes in England's 6-1 thrashing of Wales, and both made a beeline for the bench, snapping their fingers. "A little group of us have a group chat, the finishers as you called it, and the positive 'clicks' we called it on the bench," Kelly said at England's training base in Zurich. "You've probably seen we all click (our fingers), and everyone's like, 'What are they doing?' "We said if one of us comes on and scores, let's do that as our celebration," she added. "We work really hard on the training pitch and in the gym. Probably this sometimes goes unnoticed, but it's about sticking together, being at our best for when called upon, and training hard to get the best out of each other." The image of the 27-year-old Arsenal forward whirling her shirt above her head after her goal at Wembley is among the most renowned in European women's football. Kelly knows that there are football fans with tattoos of that image. The notoriety she has received since then took some adjusting to, she said. "But I'm just me, a girl from West London enjoying football, and that's what I'll continue to be throughout my career," she said. "I just love the game of football, and hopefully we can have many special memories as England together." Kelly still watches the video of that goal, a tap-in from close range, on YouTube. "I think it's just a special memory for me, one that I watch quite often if I ever need a little smile," Kelly said. "It's an incredible memory for me and my family. My mum sends it to me quite often as well. So it's nice to have such a special memory at an incredible stadium like Wembley." There was concern earlier this year that Kelly might not make Sarina Wiegman's Euros squad because she was barely playing at Manchester City. She publicly expressed a desire to move ahead of January's transfer window, and Arsenal signed her first on a loan spell and then a free transfer after her City contract expired.
Times
16-07-2025
- Sport
- Times
England confident positive clicks won't turn into damaging cliques
Special celebrations, splinter group chats and leaving team-mates in the dark — England's Euro 2025 squad has a clique. However, it could power the Lionesses to a second successive title in familiar fashion. In official terms, this exclusive club are known as the substitutes, or 'finishers' to use the modern variation. For England, the non-starters are called the 'positive clicks', a phrase born out of last Sunday's 6-1 win over Wales, during which England's substitutes clicked their fingers to get one another going. 'We were all snapping [our fingers] as a little bit of our motivation and energy among each other,' Beth Mead, who started England's loss to France before dropping to the bench for the two games since, said. The name was teased during that Wales win. Mead and Aggie Beever-Jones both scored off the bench, and each celebrated by clicking their fingers and embracing their fellow substitutes in the dugout. And as England prepare for their quarter-final against Sweden on Thursday, Chloe Kelly has confirmed the moniker is now established in the camp. 'We have a group chat, 'the finishers' as you call it and the 'positive clicks' we call it,' Kelly, who came off the bench in each of England's three group matches, said. 'On the bench before the [Wales] game we were all clicking and everyone was like, 'What are they doing?' We said, 'If one of us comes on and scores then let's do that as our celebration.' ' The group chat was created by Maya Le Tissier, a defender yet to play at the tournament, so that photos of the celebration could be shared. As well as this practical function, the chat has a symbolic meaning. 'We work really hard on the training pitch and in the gym,' Kelly said. 'It sometimes goes unnoticed but it's about sticking together, being at our best for when we are called upon and training hard to get the best out of each other. We also need to make sure the girls starting are fully prepared. We've got a great group of girls.' Nonetheless, the starters are unlikely to be added to the chat any time soon. Keira Walsh, an ever-present in England's Euros campaign so far, responded blankly when asked about the clicking celebration on Sunday. Walsh's midfield partner, Georgia Stanway, was still confused on Tuesday. 'Georgia was asking Keira and Keira said, 'You've already asked me that and I didn't know,' ' Kelly said light-heartedly. 'I'm sure Keira will be in the loop now.' Meanwhile, Mead touched upon the challenges of not starting on Sunday. 'We sometimes underestimate how hard it can be for the bench and players that don't get on the pitch as much,' she said. Kelly and Mead's comments, alongside Walsh and Stanway's confusion, naturally evoke concerns of a rift between starters and finishers. Sarina Wiegman looks to have found her best XI in the big wins over the Netherlands and Wales, so could the 23-woman squad split into two factions? Might the positive clicks become a damaging clique? Not if this tournament echoes England's triumphant Euro 2022 campaign. Wiegman knows how to identify a consistent XI while keeping her other players ready to perform, and this balancing act was exemplified three years ago. The head coach started the same XI for all six games but her substitutes delivered crucial interventions, such as Ella Toone's late equaliser in the quarter-final, Alessia Russo's famous backheel in the semis or Kelly's winner in the final at Wembley. The quarter-final against Sweden is expected to be tight, so the substitutes could prove vital. And if the 'positive clicks' continue to embrace their role without harming unity, England may have the edge when the two coaches turn to their benches. 'We support each other very well as a 23,' Kelly said. 'It's about what it takes to win a tournament and that's what we're trying to do. In football sometimes cliques are negative but [this is] definitely a positive clique.' Sweden v England Women's Euros quarter-final, Zurich Thursday, 8pm (UK time) TV BBC1
