England Playing Catch-up - What Went Wrong Against France?

It did not spell to scheme successful England's Euro 2025 opener arsenic nan holders fell to conclusion by France. So wherever did it each spell wrong?

Pundits said nan Lionesses were "bullied" and "played into France's hands", while head Sarina Wiegman felt they "created their ain problems" and defender Jess Carter said they "played for illustration they were a small spot scared".

First-half goals from Marie-Antoinette Katoto and Sandy Baltimore were capable to transportation nan French to victory, contempt a precocious consequence from Keira Walsh.

Overloaded successful midfield, outpaced successful defence and 2nd champion successful one-v-ones, England were fixed a sensation of nan level they request to scope if they are to clasp their crown.

The bulk of England's issues seemed to stem from midfield arsenic Georgia Stanway and Walsh were overrun and their opponents were devastating connected nan break.

Wiegman admitted sloppiness successful possession played into France's hands arsenic they pressed difficult and took advantage of individual errors.

Captain Leah Williamson was visibly disappointment astatine full-time and described nan errors arsenic "some inexpensive benignant of affectional defending".

France winger Sandy Baltimore won her individual battles pinch her Chelsea team-mate Lucy Bronze - nan England defender losing six duels, nan astir by immoderate player.

And until Walsh's 87th-minute strike, nan Lionesses had not achieved a changeable connected target.

"I deliberation we played for illustration we were a small spot scared," said Carter.

"Maybe we weren't fierce enough, possibly we were worrying astir their threats successful down and what they tin do alternatively than doing what we tin do.

"We didn't do arsenic good connected nan ball, aliases disconnected nan ball. The only affirmative to return is nan past 10 minutes. I really believed we would get a [second] goal."

England's level seemed to astonishment French media, who had mostly written disconnected their side's chances erstwhile cardinal centre-back Griedge Mbock was ruled retired done injury.

"I didn't deliberation nan French could play astatine this level already and I didn't deliberation England could beryllium truthful disappointing for illustration they were for an hour," French journalist Julien Laurens told BBC Radio 5 Live.

France head Laurent Bonadei admitted England's explosive start, that saw Lauren James create a fistful of chances, took them by surprise. But he felt his broadside controlled proceedings aft that and "physically it was not easy for England".

James' evident free domiciled surely looked breathtaking astatine nan commencement - but did it time off her broadside exposed successful midfield?

Wiegman's consequence to that mobility was emphatic.

"[James] didn't person a full free role. We sewage exposed by losing balls successful moments wherever we didn't want to suffer nan ball," she said. "That was nan main taxable we wanted to find a solution for."

Following nan introductions of Chloe Kelly, Grace Clinton and Michelle Agyemang, nan Lionesses responded, but excessively precocious to alteration nan outcome, and erstwhile midfielder Karen Carney was acold from impressed.

"It wasn't bully enough. We were bullied each complete nan pitch. We didn't triumph capable duels. We looked for illustration we've ne'er played together," she told ITV.

"This is our trophy and that wasn't bully enough. We played into their hands a small spot excessively much."

Williamson said England near themselves "open to waves" of France's attacking onslaught owed to their sloppiness successful possession.

But she is assured their gameplan was nan correct one.

This was their toughest lucifer connected insubstantial of nan group shape and erstwhile battles pinch France successful Euro 2025 qualifying highlighted their opponents' pedigree.

Ranked 10th successful nan world, France person mostly underwhelmed astatine awesome tournaments but head Bonadei is starring a caller era and they are quiet for success.

"I'm conscionable disappointment because I deliberation nan shot that we played adjacent nan end, and nan gameplan, could've worked," Williamson told BBC Sport.

"We conscionable didn't execute [the gameplan] exceptionally well. It doesn't look awesome from nan array constituent of position - but it was 2 heavyweights going up against each different and we came up short.

"There's still each chance [of winning]. The extremity doesn't change."

Defender Alex Greenwood described England's adjacent 2 matches against nan Netherlands and Wales arsenic ones they "must win" - truthful tin they?

They looked overmuch amended successful nan last 10 minutes erstwhile they were capable to play done France's midfield.

With Baltimore, Katoto and Delphine Cascarino disconnected nan pitch, on pinch their electrical gait and skill, England's full-backs were little exposed.

Midfielder Clinton looked assured successful her short cameo, teenage guardant Agyemang was a menace and Manchester United's Ella Toone played pinch patient vexation having been near retired of nan starting XI for James.

And nan bursts of productivity displayed by James successful nan opening 15 minutes will person fixed supporters a glimpse of what they tin do erstwhile it comes together.

Had Clinton replaced Stanway and Toone replaced James earlier, could England person recovered much information successful midfield? If nan shot had fallen for Agyemang successful stoppage-time, could they person grabbed an equaliser? Had Alessia Russo's disallowed extremity stood early on, would England person played little 'scared?'

Defeat leaves England already playing catch-up successful Group D.

With 3 points connected nan committee for some France and nan Netherlands, who hit Wales 3-0, nan Lionesses must respond if they dream to scope nan quarter-finals.

Only nan apical 2 suffice for nan knockout stages and England will look 2017 champions nan Netherlands connected Wednesday, knowing France will beryllium dense favourites to declare triumph against nan lowest-ranked federation successful nan tournament, Wales.

If teams decorativeness connected nan aforesaid points aft 3 matches, it will travel down to head-to-head records, putting greater accent connected England's adjacent match.

"If we play our crippled to nan best, everyone knows that sometimes we're untouchable," said Clinton.

"Obviously getting our passes wherever they request to go, conscionable nan small details, past that would person been capable to break down France a small spot more.

"It's tourney shot and these things are going to happen."

It was France head Bonadei, though, who reminded everyone not to constitute disconnected England.

"England are a really bully team. They are 5th successful nan world rankings and won nan past Euros, truthful we person to respect this team," he said.

And midfielder Toone added they person a "strong mentality" that puts them successful bully stead for their last group matches.

"We cognize what it takes to triumph tournaments and to get to finals successful tournaments. We cognize really to play nan game," she added.

"We knew that we ever had to triumph 2 of these group games to get out, truthful thing changes.

"Obviously you want to triumph each three, but France were good. We conceded goals that by our standards aren't bully capable but we person nan mentality to spell again."