England's Rising Star: Lauren James Shines Yet Again as Sarina Weigman Makes Tactical Masterstroke

New system, new-look England

In their final group game at the Women's World Cup, Maryam Clark delves into England's commanding 6-1 victory over China, highlighting the exceptional performance by Lauren James and the strategic adjustments made by Sarina Weigman.

But the confusion paid off, and so did the 3-5-2 formation.

Katie Zelem, Georgia Stanway and Lauren James made up a midfield trio that caused their opponents so much damage.

In defence, Millie Bright, Alex Greenwood, and Jess Carter replicated the successful triumvirate, ensuring a compact and organized defense that allowed the attacking wingers to make powerful runs on the flanks. The outcome? Three goals in the first half, two disallowed goals, and a highly impressive second-half performance driven by each player excelling in their designated positions.

The new setup not only compensated for the absence of midfield stalwart Keira Walsh but also reorganized the line-up in a manner that completely confused China's defense - a brilliant move by the England manager.

"I'm extremely pleased. It demonstrates how versatile this team is, and I believe they are enjoying their time on the field," she stated following the match.

"I wanted to explore other options for players, while also providing Katie Zelem with more freedom in the midfield to generate numerous opportunities. The strategy became quite assertive when Lucy Bronze and Rachel Daly were able to swiftly advance, both on and off the ball. Today, this tactic proved to be highly effective."

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Lauren James delivers - again

Emma Hayes, commenting on ITV, remarked that it is more effective to say less when attempting to describe James' remarkable talents.

On this grand occasion, the Chelsea winger impressively showcased her abilities in front of her manager, reinforcing the fact that she is indeed everything the hype surrounding her suggests.

Her initial objective was a powerful shot unleashed from the outskirts of the penalty area. She remained unattended as the ball reached her feet, originating from a corner play - an error that the Chinese defenders would learn from and avoid repeating.

A contentious offside decision disallowed her second goal right before the end of the first half; it would've been an extraordinary strike if not for Lucy Bronze's minor contribution in the preceding sequence.

In the 68th minute, she achieved her revenge and more with a magnificent curling shot from the left, resulting in two goals and three assists. Undoubtedly, she is an exceptional player.

"I experienced a sense of liberation, whether I'm positioned on the wing or in the center. I feel delighted to be out there on the field, playing and relishing the game. It brings me joy knowing that I can also make significant contributions in scoring goals," James remarked post-game.

"Each day I'm looking to improve and get better, there's many more years of improvement and I can always get better. I just need to stay focused, and hopefully that can happen."

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Second half sloppiness

China did, however, manage to make a comeback, and this particular achievement deserves some attention, especially since it was a result of England's own carelessness. Shui Qingxia's team entered the second half with great energy, while the Lionesses struggled to keep up with their pace.

In a nutshell, they discovered that they were capable of circumventing England's strong defensive strategy, and Yang and Wang played a crucial role in the cunning midfield trio that successfully accomplished this.

It is slightly concerning as it brings back memories of the second-half decline against Denmark, which nearly resulted in a late goal for them.

Tonight, that unrestrained disorder emerged once again, causing Bronze, who was unintentionally pushed by Mary Earps, to handle the ball in the penalty area.

Bronze received a yellow card and a penalty was awarded after a VAR check, as she had unlawfully prevented James from scoring her second goal by being offside. However, before this situation could escalate further, James once again displayed her excellence by securing the victory.

Peaking at the right time

England took a while to rid themselves of any remaining rust in their initial two matches of the Women's World Cup.

Securing two narrow 1-0 victories against Denmark and Haiti failed to instill certainty that they could successfully progress through the knockout stages in the absence of their injured key players.

But Wiegman made strategic changes in Adelaide, and the Lionesses reversed the situation with an impressive triumph. It was the perfect outcome required before the round-of-16 showdown against Nigeria, who have won the African championship 11 times.

They'll have Asisat Oshoala on hand to cause dismay within England's defensive ranks, but where there's a Lauren James, there's a way.