Defensive doubts, blunt finishing and Wiegman's future: six questions facing England before Greece decider

England have two jobs to do on Tuesday night. The first — converting a 3-1 aggregate lead over Greece into a place in the final round of Women's World Cup qualifying play-offs — should be a formality for one of the world's best-resourced teams. The second, honing their style into that of genuine contenders for next summer's World Cup in Brazil, is a far trickier but crucial challenge.

Friday's first-leg victory in Crete — secured through goals from Georgia Stanway, Maya Le Tissier and Alessia Russo — was relatively uninspiring, and England had plenty to work on as they trained at St George's Park on Monday under gloomy-looking clouds. The Lionesses are chasing a fifth major-tournament qualification via the play-off route, having been pushed into the postseason after finishing level on 15 points with world champions Spain at the top of their qualifying group but being edged out on head-to-head record following June's 4-0 defeat by their rivals. The win in Crete also maintained a remarkable record: England are now unbeaten in 42 fixtures against opponents they are facing for the very first time, with 35 wins and seven draws.

Can England defend well enough to win a world title?

The numbers from Crete made uncomfortable reading despite the dominance: England had 58 touches in Greece's box and turned that into three goals, whereas Greece needed only two touches in England's box to score once and hit the crossbar. Sarina Wiegman said she was not happy her team had conceded.

It was not an isolated concern. Their defending in June's 4-0 defeat by Spain also left much to be desired, and it still feels as if England are not certain who should partner the captain, Leah Williamson, at centre-back. Wiegman mentioned on Monday that stopping counterattacks was something they must fix — they also struggled defending quick breaks when losing in Belgium in April 2025. That summer they found a way to win the Euros, but England must tighten up defensively if they want to win a first world title at the Maracanã in July.

Why are the forwards not clicking?

England were wasteful in the final third in Greece, and not for the first time in recent months. In World Cup qualifying they won 1-0 and 2-0 against Iceland in games where they should have scored more; a ruthless Spain, the world's No 1 side, secured 6-1 and 3-0 wins over the same opponents.

Asked on Monday what one element of Friday's performance she would most like improvements on, Wiegman replied: "The execution in the final third. We got in good positions but then it's [about] staying onside, having the final pass, the right pass at the right moment, the run at the right time, and deciding what cross or cutback you're going to choose."

Who should start in attacking midfield?

For the past year, it has repeatedly felt as if Wiegman does not know who should start as the No 10, with Jess Park, Lucia Kendall and Laura Blindkilde Brown given chances along with Lauren James. Dropping — and recalling — Ella Toone, plus the late addition of Grace Clinton to this squad, adds to the mystery. Erica Meg Parkinson's debut on Friday introduces another youngster into the mix, and Beth Mead can also play as a 10.

Asked on Friday whether the No 10 position had the most question marks surrounding it, Wiegman said: "There's a lot of competition on that position, where we have a lot of options, which also means, tactically, we can do different things. You can call it a 'question mark' — I call it many options."

What about the right wing?

England's left-wing starting position feels nailed on for Lauren Hemp, who has been in tremendous form for Manchester City. The right side, however, looks uncertain, not least because Chloe Kelly has been left out. James, England's most technically gifted player, would be the first choice for many, but she can also play centrally, and the uncapped Freya Godfrey has impressed for London City Lionesses. On Friday, Blindkilde Brown started on the right before being replaced at half-time by Mead. Whoever starts, there are only a handful of matches before next summer to build fluidity.

Which youngsters should be given a chance?

There have been growing calls for the 20-year-old Chelsea midfielder Lexi Potter to be handed her debut, and the 21-year-old Godfrey could be in line for her debut on Tuesday. If England held a greater first-leg advantage, they would surely be more likely to experiment in Leicester, although Wiegman has confirmed she will make changes.

Keira Walsh said of her Chelsea teammate Potter: "It's a really good thing that she's finally being appreciated for how good she is. Her intelligence gives me confidence, knowing that she's perfectly capable of stopping the counter."

Parkinson has also earned praise, with Esme Morgan, who has played against the 18-year-old in the NWSL, describing her as "a smart player, really tidy on the ball, with incredibly good movement". The debate over youth is sharpened by a sense of stagnation elsewhere — reporting in September noted that seven of the team who started against Spain in June also started the Euro 2022 final against Germany, with little changed across three major tournaments. It remains to be seen whether Wiegman will opt for youth or experience as the season progresses.

Do England need clarity over Wiegman's future?

Off the pitch, the biggest unknown facing England is the future of Wiegman, whose contract runs until the end of the World Cup. There have been no reasons to suspect the squad are unsettled by the uncertainty, but the topic is likely to be mentioned in every England press conference until there is clarity.

Walsh said on Monday: "Obviously I'd want her to stay. I think everyone in England would love her to stay. I really appreciate her as a manager but it's her decision."

Wiegman did not wish to discuss the matter: "We're only focused on Greece and I don't want to talk about me."

First comes the formality in Leicester. Then come eight months to answer the six questions that could decide whether England's summer ends with a first world title at the Maracanã — or more tournament heartbreak.

Additional match detail from reporting after Friday's first leg in Crete (10 October) and context on England's qualifying exit from September.