How Does England's Euros Progress Compare To 2022?

Trending 2 days ago

Chloe Kelly and Beth Mead observe arsenic England people against WalesImage source, Getty Images

Image caption,

England hit Wales 6-1 to scope nan quarter-finals

Adam Millington

BBC Sport journalist

England person booked their spot successful nan Euro 2025 quarter-finals, pinch 2 awesome displays rounding disconnected their group-stage run and bringing backmost memories of their Euro 2022 campaign.

After defeat by France successful their opening game, nan Lionesses person enjoyed large wins against the Netherlands and Wales.

Now that Sarina Wiegman's broadside are opening to look much for illustration their accustomed selves, nan imaginable of them successfully defending their title looks a chopped possibility.

BBC Sport person analysed nan numbers to spot really England's commencement to Euro 2025 compares to 3 years ago.

England are still scoring - conscionable not arsenic good arsenic successful 2022

England whitethorn not person been arsenic impactful successful beforehand of extremity arsenic they were successful 2022, but that decidedly doesn't mean they person performed severely successful that department.

It took until nan 2nd crippled for nan goals to commencement flowing for nan Lionesses, but, erstwhile they did, they person had much players get involved.

Six players scored their 14 group shape goals astatine Euro 2022, while 8 person netted their 11 this clip around.

Beth Mead was nan cardinal subordinate 3 years ago, claiming 5 successful nan group shape - including a hat-trick successful nan 8-0 thrashing of Norway. This time, though, nan astir immoderate England subordinate has scored is two.

Lauren James has besides made a clear effect for Wiegman's broadside this summertime and moreover altered nan wide attraction of nan attack.

Far much of their play is being directed down nan right-hand broadside to beryllium capable to get nan champion retired of her operating connected that flank, compared to a much balanced attacking attack successful 2022.

 29.5% connected nan left, 22.1% successful nan mediate and 48.4% connected nan rightImage source, Opta

 36.0% connected nan left, 29.8% successful nan mediate and 34.2% connected nan rightImage source, Opta

Lucy Bronze has ever been an important beingness connected nan correct flank, offering attacking support from full-back, but she has had 87 touches successful nan last third, compared to her 102 astatine Euro 2022.

Interestingly, England person performed amended successful beforehand of extremity than would beryllium expected fixed nan chances they person created. They produced 13 expected goals (xG) successful 2022 and scored 1 much (14), while their tally of 11 this twelvemonth is 1.5 much than their xG of 9.5.

Given it was ever going to beryllium much tricky to nett arsenic galore successful a tougher group, nan stats make for bully reading.

Defence has dipped, but it's improving

England person already shipped much goals than they did successful nan entirety of Euro 2022.

They person conceded 3 times successful nan group shape successful Switzerland - doubly against France and erstwhile against Wales. They only conceded 2 successful 2022 - to Spain successful nan quarter-final and past Germany successful nan final.

They didn't fto successful immoderate goals successful nan group shape past time, pinch only 0.8 expected goals against being registered, while that fig is 3.2 astatine this tournament.

The crippled against France is what plays nan biggest portion successful that, pinch England's backmost statement improving considerably for their last 2 games. France managed 2.34 xG arsenic they hit England 2-1 successful their opening game.

The 14 shots they faced successful that lucifer was only 1 less than nan full of nan group shape successful 2022.

They have, though, won much duels than they did successful 2022 - 56.1% v 47.1%. The Lionesses won conscionable 41.6% against France, truthful nan different 2 group-stage games person played a important domiciled successful boosting their stats.

Wiegman's defence haven't done arsenic good arsenic they did past time, but they person turned things astir aft a mediocre opener.

How Wiegman is utilizing her players

Substitutes were a cardinal facet of England's travel to winning Euro 2022, pinch Ella Toone and Alessia Russo often proving to beryllium a trusty duo disconnected nan bench.

Wiegman has opted to make much changes this year, pinch 15 substitutions made compared to 13 successful nan opening information of 2022.

She's besides opted to alteration her line-up, thing she didn't do past clip but which has paid dividends successful Switzerland.

Bringing successful Toone successful spot of Beth Mead helped considerably pinch their improvements successful their last 2 games, allowing James to move retired to nan wing.

While she couldn't find a measurement to rescue thing against France, changes person worked good successful nan different 2 games.

Mead and Aggie Beever-Jones some scored aft emerging from nan chair successful nan 6-1 triumph against Wales.

Chloe Kelly, who besides came disconnected nan chair successful each group-stage crippled successful 2022, has been brought connected arsenic a substitute successful each lucifer astatine Euro 2025, arsenic has Niamh Charles.

As was nan lawsuit successful 2022, Wiegman's first substitutions person ever addressed nan attacking line, pinch either Kelly aliases Mead being among nan first players introduced.

The changes thin to travel somewhat later than they did successful 2022, but galore are clustered astir nan 60th-minute people - thing which made a large quality astatine nan past Euros.

A slow commencement isn't thing new

Losing to France successful their opening crippled caused overmuch consternation astir nan Lionesses' expertise to take sides their title.

However, an underwhelming show successful their first fixture is thing nan Lionesses are utilized to.

At nan 2023 Women's World Cup, they scraped to a 1-0 triumph against Haiti, while they only managed to beat Austria 1-0 successful their Euro 2022 opener.

The quality this clip is that they played a overmuch higher calibre of guidance arsenic France are classed 10th successful nan world.

Arguably, had they been playing nan aforesaid modular of force astatine erstwhile tournaments past nan aforesaid could person occurred.

This year's group includes France, classed 10th successful nan world, nan Netherlands, who are 11th, and Wales, who are 30th.

In 2022, England had 11th-ranked Norway, 21st-ranked Austria and world number 47 Northern Ireland.

England person won their games against location nations successful each of nan past 2 Euros.

The Lionesses are utilized to starting slow and yet uncovering their groove. The quality this clip is that their mediocre commencement was not masked by managing to salvage triumph aliases moreover a draw.

More