Latest news with #substitutes
Daily Mail
7 days ago
- 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
BBC News
28-06-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Replacements to be trialled for 'serious injuries'
Replacements will be trialled in domestic first-class cricket for players who suffer a "serious injury" during a game.A player can be replaced by a "like-for-like" replacement any time during a match, which includes the warm-up six-month trial by full members of the International Cricket Council (ICC) will start in playing conditions for Tests do not allow full substitutes. Teams are allowed to replace injured players in the field, although the "substitute shall not bowl or act as captain but may act as wicketkeeper only with the consent of the umpires".The exception is if a player suffers a injury issue was highlighted last month when Zimbabwe pace bowler Richard Ngarava suffered a back problem on day one of the Test against England at Trent returned briefly later in the day but was unable to bowl because of how long he had spent off the pitch. He looked in discomfort before leaving the field again.
CNA
23-05-2025
- Sport
- CNA
Vaughan says first-innings injury substitutes should be allowed to bat and bowl
NOTTINGHAM, England : Former England captain Michael Vaughan said substitutes who replace injured players in the first innings of a test match should be able to bat and bowl for the remainder of the contest instead of being restricted to fielding duties. Under the current laws of the game, injured players can be replaced during a match but the substitute is only allowed to field, with the lone exception being a concussion substitute. The restriction leaves teams shorthanded with only 10 eligible batters and puts added strain on a bowling corps if the injury was to a bowler. Zimbabwe's frontline seamer Richard Ngarava could bowl only nine overs before being helped off the field due to a back injury on the opening day of their one-off test against England on Thursday. England's top three batters then feasted on Zimbabwe's pedestrian attack, with each of them smashing a hundred as the hosts racked up 498-3. "Injury replacements should be permitted in test cricket in the first innings of the game," Vaughan told BBC Sport. "If there's a genuine injury in the first innings, it affects the game and the entertainment, which fans pay money to watch. The first innings is a good cut-off to make it fair." Former Zimbabwe seamer Henry Olonga said substitutes should be allowed to bat or bowl regardless of when they enter a match. "I'm open to the idea of substitutes, perhaps with a limited number, but not necessarily like-for-like and not only restricted to injuries," the 48-year-old said. "If you want to grow the game globally, then make it more like other sports where subs are allowed. "Think of football, tactically if a game is going in a certain way, substitutes can be used to tweak the direction."
