Wiegman Omits Toone and Kelly From Lionesses Squad — SkimNews
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- Sarina Wiegman omitted Manchester United's Ella Toone and Arsenal's Chloe Kelly, telling BBC Radio 5 Live the pair 'have not been playing to their potential' in recent weeks and that she had 'very hard' conversations with them about the decision.
- Chelsea forward Aggie Beever-Jones and Arsenal duo Lotte Wubben-Moy and Taylor Hinds were also left out of the 23-player squad.
- Arsenal captain Leah Williamson returns after missing June's 4-0 defeat by Spain and 3-0 win over Ukraine, with Wiegman saying 'she has played really well in the last few weeks and at the start of the season.'
- Chelsea midfielder Lexi Potter earns a first senior call-up after starting three of Chelsea's opening four WSL matches and starring in their 1-0 win over Arsenal on Sunday; Wiegman praised her 'courage' and 'decision-making'.
- Uncapped trio Erica Meg Parkinson (North Carolina Courage, 18), Freya Godfrey (London City Lionesses) and Grace Fisk (Liverpool) are also named, with Manchester City's Niamh Charles included after returning from injury as a substitute in City's 1-0 win over Charlton.
- England face Greece in the World Cup qualifying play-off first leg in Crete on 9 October (17:30 BST) and the second leg in Leicester on 13 October (19:30 BST), with the winner advancing to round two for a place at the 2027 Women's World Cup in Brazil.
Why it matters: Wiegman sidelining two players central to back-to-back European Championship titles in favor of current form signals she is willing to sacrifice tournament pedigree for weekly sharpness, with the squad now leaning on a debutant (Potter) and three uncapped players in a two-legged play-off that determines whether 2027 World Cup qualification stays alive.
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