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Sarina Wiegman is confident England are ready for the task ahead of them as they prepare for Friday\u2019s must-win Nations League clash with the Netherlands at Wembley.<\/p>\n
The Lionesses are third in Group A1 after four games, having been beaten 2-1 in September by the Dutch and 3-2 last month by Belgium, who they trail by three and one point respectively.<\/p>\n
Failure to beat the Netherlands in their penultimate group fixture will end their hopes of the first-placed finish they require to have a chance of securing a Paris 2024 Olympics qualifying spot for Great Britain, and boss Wiegman told a press conference: \u201cI think the team is ready.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re really excited to play at Wembley tomorrow. I think the camp so far from Monday to now has gone really well.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re very clear on how we want to play and what we want to do; I see good things on and off pitch, and that gives me confidence that we\u2019re really ready for tomorrow, and of course we all know what we have to do.\u201d<\/p>\n
She added: \u201cIf you look at the games I don\u2019t think we played really poor, just in moments we didn\u2019t get it over the line and then we got some losses \u2013 which is not good, we want to do better.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn football, just as in life, you have ups and downs, and what we want to do is get to the high again, and that is what we are going to try to do.\u201d<\/p>\n
With Millie Bright having withdrawn from the squad last week due to a knee injury, goalkeeper Mary Earps is set to captain the side.<\/p>\n
There are a number of defenders in the squad with only a few caps between them, and when asked about a lack of experience at the back, Wiegman said: \u201cWith the World Cup, you played the team you think are going to win, and then you change to win the game.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat has also been the case in the Nations League, so we didn\u2019t have that many opportunities at international level to try out things. Of course we do that in training sessions, and we see the players in the Women\u2019s Super League.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think if it\u2019s needed, they\u2019re ready, and they know what is being asked of them. I hope in the future of course they get the opportunity to play.<\/p>\n
\u201cLast year around this time we had friendlies, we played lots of players. We are not in that situation right now. \u201c<\/p>\n
An experienced player Wiegman has back in the fold is Beth Mead, the Golden Boot winner when England won the Euros in 2022 who, having missed their run to the World Cup final during the summer, has been recalled after recovering from an ACL injury.<\/p>\n
Wiegman said it was as if Mead \u201chasn\u2019t been away\u201d without confirming whether she would start or not on Friday.<\/p>\n
Mead has 50 caps \u2013 a landmark fellow forward Lauren Hemp will reach if she plays a part against the Dutch.<\/p>\n
And the 23-year-old said: \u201cIt would be a surreal feeling. To do it at Wembley \u2013 there\u2019s no better place. It would be an incredible feeling.<\/p>\n
\u201cLooking back, a lot of the big games I\u2019ve had have come at Wembley. There\u2019s a lot at stake (on Friday). We know as a group what\u2019s expected of us. I feel like when we\u2019re put under pressure, a lot of the time, we do the job.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve been to an Olympics before so I\u2019ve experienced it once. I want to experience it again.\u201d<\/p>\n
After Friday\u2019s contest against Wiegman\u2019s former side, England conclude their group games by playing Scotland at Hampden Park next Tuesday.<\/p>\n