Tidbits from the England Women’s National Team, the FA Women’s Super Leagues (FA WSLs), and behind-the-scenes looks into women’s football in England, both on and off the field. This installment checks in on the team while it prepares for international friendlies against Norway and Sweden in La Manga, Spain.
It was a scene you’d expect to see at St. George’s Park rather than La Manga, Spain: England players wrapped up in jackets, gloves, and other warm-weather clothing as they trained on Saturday morning ahead of their opening match of 2017.
Twenty-two players took part in an open 11-a-side match while others undertook individual routines as Head Coach Mark Sampson tries to find the right balance between work on the ball and not overdoing players who have just spent more than a week doing plenty of fitness testing with their clubs.
It’s back to where it all started for Sampson — Eni Aluko scored the first goal of his reign in La Manga against the same opposition in 2014 but being a perfectionist, it’s unlikely Sampson will accept a 1-1 draw tomorrow.
A repeat of the 2-1 victory at the Women’s World Cup would be more welcome but the games against Martin Sjogren’s Norway and Pia Sundhage’s Sweden are as much about fitness as they are results.
Of the 28 players in La Manga, it’s a particularly good chance for Liverpool goalkeeper Siobhan Chamberlain. Games have been tough to come by for any goalkeeper with Karen Bardsley the clear number one but a thigh injury means the Manchester City keeper didn’t travel to Spain.
Chamberlain started England’s qualifier against Estonia last year but only got a handful of touches and could be much busier should she be chosen to start both matches over the coming days.
“We’ve got to take every game as it comes,” said Chamberlain. “We’ve got our game plan and they’ll have theirs. I watched a bit of the Norway versus Sweden game and obviously they’re two good teams and they’ll be tough tests.
“They’ve got some clinical finishers but we’ll keep analyzing them and what we think they’re going to do so that we’re ready for the game tomorrow.”
Discussing the camp in general, Chamberlain was able to laugh off the various weather conditions the team has faced so far.
“The camp’s been really good and it’s always good to get together, the weather’s not been ideal but you get used to it coming from England!”
With Carly Telford back in the squad after a lengthy layoff, last year saw call-ups for the likes of Rachael Laws, Mary Earps, Sophie Baggaley, and Becky Spencer.
With options in goal at an all-time high, Chamberlain admits there’s big competition now for the three spots at the Euros.
“It’s a really strong union!” said the goalkeeper. “We all work well together, there’s a real competitiveness because there’s only one spot but because you’re so close you have to push the others on and it’s a great opportunity for all of us.
“The 6, 7, or 8 of us maybe in contention will all be working hard to make sure we get one of the three spots.”
The last few months have also presented their own opportunities for Jo Potter. Games have been limited with England for the Notts County midfielder since the World Cup but the 32-year-old has since found herself at home playing in a back three.
Despite naturally making a career for herself in the middle of the park, Potter says she enjoys playing at the back.
“I like it,” said Potter. “3-5-2 is a nice attacking formation and I think playing with an extra player at the back gives us more time and more options on the ball. It also gives us extra options up front and from wing back to get forward.
Toward the end of 2016, Potter formed a partnership in defense with captain Steph Houghton and right back Lucy Bronze, and while the personnel may seem odd to some, Potter believes it’s important to form a stable partnership.
“We’ve played the last handful of games there together, it’s nice to get some consistently and form partnerships with other members of the team.”
And despite a lack of games coming into the camp, Potter admits the team want to win both matches rather than solely focus on fitness. “We’d definitely be happy going home with two wins,” she said.
“We’re playing two tough games but there are two elements to this camp. We want to get players fit because for us it’s preseason but ultimately we want to win games.
“This camp is more about us, turning the focus onto us and that’s nice for us going forward because we can cause teams problem. We know what strengths Norway have and Sweden have but we have to look at ourselves.”