GOTHENBURG, Sweden -- England manager Sarina Wiegman would have breathed a massive sigh of relief when the full-time whistle blew in Sweden. The Lionesses will get to defend their European Championship title in Switzerland next year, but it was not the glittering campaign that fans expected from the title holders.
A 0-0 draw with Sweden completed their qualifying campaign, with the Lionesses finishing second in Group A3 with 11 points. The score line further illustrated some worrying signs for Wiegman though as they're just under 12 months away from the start of the tournament.
"The only thing we didn't do was score a goal," Wiegman said after the match. "We could have created some more chances if we got more players up front in the final third.
"In the second half, it was a battle. In those moments, when they start pressing higher with more players, then when you have the ball you want to keep it better so we have control of the game more. We had it against France and here, too."
Across the six games, England's weaknesses were exploited and each opponent had clearly figured out their game plan, making the Lionesses far too predictable and easy to overrun. This was the case in Gothenburg where despite the Republic of Ireland gifting England a chance to top the group following their 3-1 win over France, England relinquished their control of the game in the second half and struggled under the intense pressure Sweden began to conjure.
If England had been able to take their chances and be more cutthroat, the cagey ending would not have felt like a calamity waiting to happen. Captain Leah Williamson urged England to be ruthless, speaking ahead of the decisive fixture, admitting England needed to be clinical to defeat Sweden. Her calls fell on deaf ears.
"I think in all of the games that we've played, we have had the opportunity to score a lot more, which then makes those moments that get a bit nervy, not so nervy," she said, speaking ahead of the final qualifier.
"I think that's when sloppiness can come in. I don't mean it's a lack of concentration or trying from our part. I think it's just the way the games have gone. I think we could have put them to bed a lot earlier."
But this is not a new issue for England. A lack of clinical finishing has plagued the side since Euro 2025 qualifying began. England failed to net more than two goals in a single game, netting only eight across six games. They scored the same number of goals in a single game against Norway two years ago during the group stage of the 2022 Euros. There were also troubles at the back. The defence was often caught out of position and struggled to keep tabs on attackers, leaving themselves vulnerable, often leading to conceding goals that Wiegman described as "sloppy."
The start of their journey clearly showed their nerves as first-time defending champions. While England scored three goals in the first two games against Sweden and the Republic of Ireland, they were not the most convincing performances. The midfield struggled for control and players were failing to break into the final third to capitalise on chances.
Since Ellen White's retirement in 2022, there has not been a player who has stepped up to fill her shoes. She hung her boots up as England's top goal scorer following 52 goals in her career. Arsenal's Alessia Russo has struggled since the 2023 Women's World Cup, missing clean-cut chances and failing to be clinical when the team needed her most. The Lionesses goalscoring issues were not aided by striker Rachel Daly's shock retirement following the 2-0 victory over the Republic of Ireland in Dublin.
Facing their toughest challenge, Les Bleues, England were almost out of the running for automatic qualification, falling to third after a 2-1 loss. Perhaps it was the risk of playoffs that kicked the side into gear but that game acted as a catalyst that began to overturn England's fortunes.
A stark contrast to their match in Newcastle, England pulled off an inspired 2-1 victory over France in Saint-Étienne in a controlled and comfortable display. Added to the 2-1 win over the Republic of Ireland on Friday, England were within touching distance of a chance to defend their crown, but once again, the Lionesses did not make it easy for themselves. The stakes were high, and England raised their physicality to match but were unable to create clear-cut chances against Sweden. A lack of conviction and clinical finishing led to only two shots of target.
"We have to improve on the final third in attack," Wiegman continued after the 0-0 draw. "I think today, the first half, I really think we had some great moments in how we played and how we were connected with each other. So that's something, yes, we want to do better.
"In defence, especially the second half and the game continues and after the 60-minute day of forcing a little more, bringing players up and then you want to get more control of the game. So that has to do with decision-making but also being able to do that. It's good you have a year because you're not going to change that overnight."
It felt like this qualifying campaign was an opportunity for England to reset after their failed Nations League performance, which ended in a second-place finish in their group in December, ruling them out of a place in the Paris 2024 Olympics. Instead, it was another series of cagey performances that could have skyrocketed the team's confidence if the defending was tighter and the finishing was more precise.
However, the calibre of the group, which was arguably the toughest group in all of Euro qualifying, would have contributed to some of England's woes. In their friendly camp in Marbella in February, the Lionesses defeated Italy 5-1 and Austria 7-2. In this group, they were facing the FIFA-ranked second (France) and sixth (Sweden) teams. England are ranked third, and while some of their issues can be attributed to the difficult opponents, they will face the best of the best at the Euros, leaving little room for excuses.
There will be many questions plaguing Wiegman's mind ahead of the autumn international breaks. England need to desperately figure out how to be more clinical in front of goal to have any chance of defending their crown. Whether this comes from going back to basics or trailing new starting XIs, Wiegman has a golden opportunity to figure it out in the upcoming breaks. Avoiding the play-offs leaves space for friendlies and a chance try and fix the issues that led to the lacklustre display.
"Every game we play we want to win but you can do things to develop individuals and a team and try out different things," she said of the friendlies in autumn. "We can play more players who knock on the door. Now we put the players on the pitch who I think is the best and you substitute to win."
For now, England have a deserved rest before returning to club football for preseason, with the new Women's Super League campaign beginning Sept. 21. They can relax knowing that they have booked their place in the qualifiers, and whilst that brings an element of comfort, the hard work has to start now if the Lionesses are to retain their title in a year's time.