Should Sarina Wiegman change her England attack for the Euro 2025 final? | OneFootball

A meeting with either Spain or Germany awaits the Lionesses after England booked their spot in the Women’s Euro 2025 final.

It was another close call for England after super subs Michelle Agyemang and Chloe Kelly saved the day once again against Italy in the Euros semi-final, with both scoring to complete a 2-1 turnaround victory.

Sarina Wiegman’s England side now look ahead to a meeting with either Spain or Germany on Sunday July 27, but know they have to improve if they are to be sure to overcome either of the European giants.

Wiegman gambling with late substitutes

England left it late once again as Wiegman opted to wait to introduce her substitutes. Apart from Beth Mead’s half-time involvement caused by an injury to Lauren James, Wiegman waited until the 77th minute to deploy Chloe Kelly, who has been instrumental in the Lionesses’ success this tournament.

It took the head coach until the 85th minute to bring on the bright and youthful partnership of Agyemang and Aggie Beever-Jones. At the time, it felt like a last-gasp attempt to salvage a result out of what seemed to already be a lost cause.

However, the 19-year-old Agyemang seized her moment again, firing into the bottom corner to bring the Lionesses level. Kelly later buried the rebound of her missed penalty in the 119th minute to claim a historic third-consecutive major tournament final for England.

England were awarded a stroke of luck, but a squad of such talent should not be reliant on a fairytale finish. With the talented depth that Wiegman possesses, this team need to start games like they have been finishing them.

The Lionesses are less likely to be handed the opportunity to right their wrongs in the dying moments when coming up against the likes of Spain or Germany, meaning it is time for Wiegman to clock in her gamechangers far earlier than usual come Sunday.

Should Kelly and Agyemang start for England?

When a substitute saves the day, it always begs the question of whether or not they should be rewarded with a place in the starting line up.

Kelly made the difference against Sweden in the quarter-final, serving up two pinpoint assists to draw England back level before burying her shootout penalty into the top-right corner with composure and aura. She would have much preferred to bury her penalty against Italy, but she still made the decisive difference and again made England look more dangerous after coming on.

The forward has been in fine form since her move to Arsenal back in January, and has continued to light up the stage for the Lionesses. With Lauren Hemp struggling to find her stride since returning from a long-term knee injury and Lauren James’s fitness now in doubt, it seems as if the starting spot should be Kelly’s for the taking.

As for Agyemang, the vibrant striker fits the bill of the ‘Wiegman Way’. At Euro 2022 it was Alessia Russo who made the impact off the bench as the bright young starlet, and now that mantle has been passed on to her club teammate.

Agyemang embodies exactly what it means to be a super-sub. The 19-year-old injects intensity into the game, working to wear down the tired legs of the defenders. Her role as Russo’s successor, or often complementary when they are played alongside each other, is exactly what the Lionesses need if they are to light a spark in the Euro 2025 grand finale.

It would be a big, and unlikely, decision to make for Wiegman to drop Russo for Agyemang but the Arsenal striker certainly deserves to have a bigger involvement in the final.