Lionesses legend tips Keira Walsh and Lauren James to be World Cup stars for ‘depleted’ England who could ‘fall short’

Fara Williams, the record caps holder for England, has expressed concerns about the Lionesses’ chances of winning the Women’s World Cup this summer due to injuries. She believes that the team may struggle to make it past the quarter-finals and has labeled France as the underdogs to watch out for in the tournament.

Williams highlighted the absence of key players such as Beth Mead, Leah Williamson, Fran Kirby, and Millie Bright, who have all been ruled out of the World Cup due to injuries. She mentioned that England has lacked creativity without Fran Kirby in the team and emphasized the importance of Millie Bright, who is the team’s captain.

The former England midfielder acknowledged that the pressure and expectations on the Lionesses will be higher this year compared to the previous European Championships. However, she expressed her hope that England can go all the way in the tournament, but realistically sees them falling short in the quarter-finals.

Williams also mentioned that she will be writing a weekly column on the LiveScore App throughout the Women’s World Cup. She highlighted midfielder Keira Walsh as a key player for England and expressed excitement about watching her perform, considering her impressive season at Barcelona.

In conclusion, Williams believes that injuries will hinder England’s chances of success in the Women’s World Cup, and she sees France as the underdogs to watch out for. She hopes that England can go far in the tournament but realistically expects them to fall short in the quarter-finals.
England is set to enter the Women’s World Cup this summer with a depleted squad, leaving former Lionesses legend Fara Williams to call on two of her teammates to step up and take the lead. Williams, who helped England win the Women’s World Cup back in 2009, has tipped Keira Walsh and Lauren James to become World Cup stars for the national team.

Discussing the squad’s current state at the tournament, Williams told BBC Sport last week that “there could be scenarios where we fall short” and that “the squad is maybe not as strong as it should be” due to injuries and suspensions. Williams mentioned midfielder Keira Walsh and forward Lauren James in particular as top contenders to be the standout players of the tournament.

Walsh, 22, has been tipped for international stardom since her days in the Manchester City youth setup and has already made 21 appearances for the Lionesses to date. Injuries have hampered her development, but she recently signed a profitable contract extension with Manchester City and is lauded for her impressive range of passing and aggression in midfield.

James, 19, is tipped to be the next big breakout star for England. She rose to prominence since joining Manchester United from Chelsea in 2018 and has since made five appearances for England. She has been praised for her crafty running and awareness in front of goal – a trait that helped her record 20 goals in the FA Women’s Super League this season.

Despite England’s injury issues, Williams is confident the team can achieve success with the right leadership from stars like Walsh and James. “We need the youth in the team to really push ahead and make sure they’re shouting and telling their teammates what they need to do,” Williams said. “The whole nation is counting on them.”

The Women’s World Cup starts on June 7th 2019, where England will enter the tournament as heavy favorites. But with the lack of experience within the squad, the country will turn to Walsh and James to help guide them to glory at the tournament.