Alessia Russo's possible Lionesses absence highlights England's lack of striker depth heading towards Euros defence

When England triumphed at the Euros two years ago, this absolutely wasn't a problem. Ellen White led the line for the Lionesses, Russo provided an option off the bench, Bethany England and Nikita Parris were also in the squad, and there was even Rachel Daly available should any of those four be unavailable, the Aston Villa star playing at left-back in every game of that tournament.

But White hung up her boots shortly after the title win, England and Parris haven't been in Wiegman's squads all season long, and Daly dealt the team a blow last month when she announced that she would be retiring from international duty. The versatile veteran had been relieved of her duties in defence in recent times and become Russo's back-up, but a struggle for minutes made her decision less shocking than first appeared.

It's left England in more of a pickle than some might've thought, though.

That's because Daly has regularly been the only other recognised centre-forward that Wiegman has picked. The squad for these games against France was always going to be interesting in that regard, to see whether the Dutchwoman chose to bring someone like England or Parris back in, or gave a maiden call-up to Aggie Beever-Jones, the young Chelsea starlet who has had a breakthrough year but is still getting used to being a No.9, having come through as a winger.

In the end she picked the latter, who is certainly not unfamiliar with the central role, but joins a whole host of players in the England squad who have traits more used to the wide areas at this stage - such as Chloe Kelly and Beth Mead, who started as No.9s but are now almost exclusively wingers; Lauren Hemp, who plays both positions more frequently than most; and Lauren James, who prefers her wide role but has been used as a false nine when needed by Chelsea.

Having such versatility throughout the squad is good, of course, but if you are throwing a player in as a No.9 sporadically, they can struggle to build the connections needed with the players around them. It's something that was apparent with Daly in her final year or so as an England player. Here was a natural No.9, someone who played there every week for her club, but it was evident that she could've done with more time on the pitch to develop relationships with the likes of Kelly, Hemp, James and Mead.

So often, Daly could be seen making a run that her team-mate didn't read, such was her different wants to Russo. And this was a real centre-forward. So while putting someone like Hemp in for a game or so can plug a gap, if England want another genuine option in that role, someone for rotation or to impact from the bench like Russo did when White was still playing, they need to identify who that player is and how to let them get to that point where they can make a real difference more often than not.

Beever-Jones could be that option Russo was two years ago. The Chelsea youngster has thrived across the frontline for the Blues this season and has played a lot as a No.9 for England's Under-23s, too, suggesting Wiegman does indeed see her in that role given how joined up the pathway is.

Of course, there is still a chance that someone like England or Parris could come back into the team. While Parris hasn't been involved since late 2022, England was called-up as recently as the World Cup and has spent most of the past season returning to fitness from hip surgery, hitting good form towards the end of it.

Alternatively, Wiegman may believe that, with the crop of wingers the Lionesses have to choose from at this time, utilising their versatility is an option to explore.

Yet, to really mark Beever-Jones out as the next No.9 coming through, to slowly give her that experience of playing there in this team, and help her become the kind of super-sub that England have really lacked since the Euros could be an excellent plan for this moment, if Wiegman believes she can play that role.

She will need game time to get there, especially as a young player with no experience of senior international football, but Beever-Jones has shown that she is capable of coming into big games and delivering under pressure for Chelsea. In the build-up to next summer's Euros, there is no reason why she shouldn't be given the chance to prove she can do so with England, too, just as Wiegman has given Grace Clinton, for example.

On Friday, it probably won't be Beever-Jones who starts. If Wiegman does opt to rest Russo, which is even more likely given there is a return game in France on Tuesday, it'll probably be Hemp who steps in and plugs the gap, given her experience, how often she has done that when needed for club and country, and the importance of the game.

But if Wiegman was to ever need a replacement in the No.9 role for more than a one-off game, what would the plan be then? Looking ahead to 2025, the lack of that player should be addressed.