Leah Williamson, the captain of the England football team, jokingly suggested the easiest way to mitigate the influence Katie McCabe, her Arsenal co-player, could have in their game in Dublin on a Tuesday evening, is simply by not letting her have the ball. This candid strategy amused not only her, but also her manager Sarina Wiegman, during a press conference at Aviva Stadium on Monday.
Williamson, returning to the pitch for England for the first time since an anterior cruciate ligament injury in April 2023, has partnered with McCabe at the club level for nearly ten years. Her respect for McCabe is quite evident.
McCabe’s charisma, according to Williamson, has always been appealing. She values her authenticity and her pride in her heritage, which resonates with many fans. Her acknowledged strengths are potential game changers and have escalated both her individual game and that of Arsenal. As such, her contributions to the team over recent years have been significant.
Wiegman also praised the Irish team for their compact, physical, disciplined, and well-structured defence which makes scoring off them a challenge. Their counterattacking style of play is indeed a threat. She acknowledged their strength as a unified team.
Wiegman emphasized that taking opponents lightly is not their style, especially when it’s Ireland. However, her claim that Eileen Gleeson’s team’s previous 1-0 loss in Metz was “really good” subtly implied her doubts about Ireland’s ability to pose much of a threat in their group, even though they might be an occasional nuisance. She recognized the challenge would mainly come from England, France, and Sweden – a fair point of view.
The journey has been remarkable: reaching the World Cup, triumphing in their Nations League group, and ascending to League A,” she commented. Williamson shared her sentiments, looking forward to a disciplined defensive approach from Ireland. “We’re likely to face a challenge in manoeuvring the ball, as well as their key forwards and strong defence line. I know the girls very well, so it should be a thrilling encounter.
“This is sure to be an extraordinary event. It’s wonderful that such a large number of supporters will be attending a women’s football match at this stadium. It really is a testament to the strides made by Ireland in recent years. We’re going to revel in it.”
[ Following their restrained performance against France, Ireland must find a way to pose a threat to England ]
Just like Ireland’s confrontation with France, Sweden only managed a single shot on target against England on Friday. However, they capitalised, with Fridolina Rolfö leveling in the 64th minute after Alessia Russo had put England ahead. With an indifferent crowd of 63,000 witnessing an underwhelming performance, England now require a victory in Dublin to fend off France and Sweden’s pursuit in the group.
“We don’t want to label this as a must-win”, declared Wiegman, “but we’re eager to triumph”. Thus, it’s crucial for the visitors. The odds, if they have any relevance, favour them. England has come out victorious in all seven previous competitive and friendly matches against Ireland, scoring 29 and allowing only one goal.
To alter this historical narrative, Ireland will need to put forth a monumental effort.