England take on US, Japan and Brazil
Wednesday 27 February 2019 08:03, UK
With the SheBelieves Cup getting underway this week, we pick out five Lionesses to keep an eye out for in the US with the help of former England international Sue Smith.
England manager Phil Neville has taken 23 players out with him to Philadelphia to face the hosts, Japan and Brazil in a round-robin tournament.
She [Lucy Bronze] is arguably the best full back in the world
So, ahead of England's opening clash with Brazil on Wednesday night, Smith - who won 93 caps for her country - runs her eye over five players she expects to shine across the Pond.
"It shows the quality of England at the moment and the strength in depth they have got that I actually struggled to pick out five players because of the quality they have got," Smith told Sky Sports News before making her picks.
Plays for Chelsea and is massively in form. She is that player you look to when you want something to happen, that little spark. She burst on to the scene at the last World Cup in Canada when they called her the 'Mini Messi'. What a name to live up to, but I think if anyone can live up to it, it is her. She scores important goals and has that low centre of gravity, won the PFA Player of the Year last year, so I think she is going to be a huge star. She plays in the No 10 role, so is always involved and making things happen, so I think she will be the standout performer in the SheBelieves Cup and the World Cup. She is coming into her prime now, but you tend to think of her as having been around for ages because she burst on to the scene at the World Cup four years ago and has constantly been winning awards and been the star player. So you think she has many more years to go.
She plays for Lyon, which in the women's game is one of the biggest clubs in Europe and is arguably the best full back in the world. She has a really good engine, gets forward to create opportunities, but she will also get back to defend. You look at a lot of full-backs and wing backs in this day and age and they are very attack-minded, but can also defend these one v ones. She has turned into a real leader and because she plays her football at Lyon, she has got that experience when she comes back to England and she helps the younger players coming through. So, she is useful both on and off the field and her middle name is 'Tough', which is absolutely brilliant as she is a really tough player who gets stuck in. As with Fran, she makes things happen by putting in that big tackle that will then set the rest of the team going.
Massively in form for Manchester City, so you think she will be taking her club form with her into the international arena. Really, really quick and direct, can beat players and deliver a cross, while she has also added goals to her game. So she will be key again, making things happen and creating things and when you talk about players who get fans off their seats, then she does that - when she gets the ball, you think something is going to happen. And her sister is the boxer Natasha Jonas, so sport obviously runs in the family.
She is probably not as well known as the others in the international setup in women's football. You will know she is a regular starter for Manchester City, a young and up-and-coming player, but she probably does not get enough plaudits in my opinion. She is a holding midfielder, so does all the dirty work, can put in a real good challenge, but she just reads the game so well. She is mature beyond her years, has that different range of passing, both short and long passing and she sets things up and has been vital in City's performances this season. So I think looking forward for England, she will look to be that regular starter in that holding midfield role.
She is an absolute star and a great character on and off the field, the type you want in your dressing room and who will be dancing and getting everyone going. But on the field, she brings that energy to her play, can beat a player and get deliveries into the box and can come inside on to her right foot and have a go at goal. And she can go outside on to her left foot and have a go. She is a real technical player with great awareness and vision and her interesting fact is her grandad Ken is almost as famous as she is, he is on Twitter and goes to every single game to watch her.
