I’m really interested to see what the defensive end looks like for the Roses. I’d predict that Thirlby will start Williams at GK and Fadoju at GD but I really don’t think that that defensive circle will work well, especially against the Ferns, who have tall targets holding at the back. I’d start Adio at GK and Fadoju at GD to get that pulse connection going, and have Williams come on at GD as an impact player. She was fantastic as an impact player at the NWC so I don’t see why she can’t start on the bench and come back on later.
As for the WA position… it continues to haunt the Roses. I doubt Metcalf is going through to the next cycle but who would then start at WA for us? Whilst Joseph is steady I feel like she lacks the natural flair a WA has, and she is also imo always teetering with held balls, and she is also around her 30s. I would have preferred to have Scholes in the squad but I think she’s only in the England A squad? I can see her being England’s next WA, and frankly, aside from her, we have few options left. Thirlby doesn’t seem to rate McDonald for some reason so the one most likely to carry the Roses forward should be Scholes.
