Beth Mead, Lauren James and eight Lionesses who need big second halves of the Women's Super League season ahead of England's Euros defence

The fight to be England No.1 is the most talked about individual battle in the team, with Mary Earps and Hannah Hampton going into the New Year neck-and-neck in that race. It has ebbed and flowed for both over the last few months, with each having a perceived lead on the other at various points. Right now, it's arguably Earps in the driving seat, after a strong final camp of 2024 in which her saves helped the Lionesses avoid defeat to the United States at Wembley.

A few days after that draw, Hampton was in between the sticks for the win over Switzerland, but she failed to convince in the same manner as her team-mate. With some shaky moments coming in the defeat to Germany in the camp prior, it all culminates in a feeling that Earps is just ahead at the moment.

But there's plenty of time for that to change. England will have three more camps before the Euros and both players have five months of club action to show Wiegman what they can do, too. While also looking to help Chelsea retain their WSL title, Hampton will also have opportunities in the Champions League that Earps doesn't, and she'll be keen to take them.

While the rest of the names on this list need to impress in order to secure a place in the England XI, or squad, Lauren James' situation is a little different. If she's fit, she is all-but-guaranteed to start for the Lionesses. It's not being fit that has been frustrating for her lately.

Injuries hampered the winger throughout 2024. Indeed, she struggled with them through the final stages of the 2023-24 season, missed England's June camp because of a foot problem and has just now come back from three months out, starting for Chelsea in the FA Cup last week having been absent since mid-October.

The second half of this season, then, is all about getting back up to speed, getting back into form and, crucially, avoiding any other setbacks. It's important for Chelsea's fortunes and also for England's.

After a rather promising first full season back following her ACL injury last term, things have unfortunately been a little trickier for Beth Mead this time around. With just four goals in all competitions so far, and no assists, she is one player that Wiegman would love to see find some more dangerous and consistent form before the Euros, in order to bolster the potency of the England attack.

Some wingers would be pleased with that goal return, but that it is seen as below-par for Mead is an indication of her ability and the standard she has set over the years. As the old saying goes, form is temporary, class is permanent, and the 29-year-old will be keen to remind everyone just what she is capable of in the second half of this season - particularly Wiegman, as she looks to cement a place in her starting XI.

Worries about Mead's form are only intensified because of the lack of playing time for another England winger, in Kelly. With Lauren Hemp currently sidelined after knee surgery and James herself only just back, the Lionesses' wide areas are suddenly not looking as well-stocked and strong as usual.

Kelly's situation has admittedly caused concern for Wiegman, with her struggling massively for game time at Manchester City. That lack of minutes comes while her contract is set to expire this summer, making a January move a little trickier. Instead, it looks like the 27-year-old will have to make the best of things with the Cityzens in the second half of this season and take advantage of whatever opportunities she can get in order to be included in that England squad.

City boss Gareth Taylor said last week that Kelly looked "sharp" and "fresh" in the team's winter training camp, while brushing off talk of a January move for her. Is that a sign that more minutes could be coming her way? Only time will tell.

One of the most open competitions in the England XI is in the third and final midfield spot, ahead of the sturdy base provided by Keira Walsh and Georgia Stanway. There are a whole host of names who could play in the more advanced role, and one of those who has been staking her claim to get the nod with her performances over the past year is Jess Park.

After breaking into the Man City team on a consistent basis last February, the 23-year-old hasn't looked back, and her form at club level has helped to earn her more opportunities with England, too. Wiegman has clearly been impressed by what she has brought to the table in that time, so much so that if the Euros were to begin tomorrow, Park would probably be the favourite to start in the No.10 role.

There's a lot of time left for others to show that it should be them that starts in that position instead though, so Park will certainly be keen to keep up her good form to beat out the competition.

Also in the hunt to be England's No.10 at the Euros is Grace Clinton, who was incredibly impressive through the first half of the WSL season for Manchester United. Clinton broke into the Lionesses team last February, having shone on loan at Tottenham, and is now only building on that after returning to Manchester.

The big difference at the moment is that Clinton is playing more regularly in that attacking midfield role, whereas at Spurs she was sometimes played out wide. That appears to only be aiding her in her quest to secure the spot with England, going by how comfortable and impactful she looks when she plays there for her country.

What will be interesting to monitor in the second half of the season is the return of Ella Toone from injury and how that affects the position of Clinton at United, given both are No.10s, and how that also affects the form of both as the Euros nears.

There are a number of others who are also in the frame for the No.10 role - including a rejuvenated Fran Kirby, recent debutante Laura Blindkilde Brown and even some of the more versatile forwards, like James - but it does feel like Park, Clinton and Toone lead the pack here.

After the Euros in 2022, amid fitness struggles for Kirby, Toone inherited the starting role and had some big moments, such as her goals in the Women's Finalissima and the World Cup semi-final. But the competition has increased massively in that role, meaning a strong second half of the season could go a long way towards helping the 25-year-old grab hold of it again.

It's been a tough season so far for Toone, who lost her father back in September and then, in November, suffered what she believes is probably her first proper injury in about seven years. She made her return from that two-month lay-off at the weekend though and spoke positively about being fitter, stronger and in a better place mentally as the second half of the campaign begins.

Delivering some top form would go a long way towards helping United achieve their goals, as well as potentially allowing Toone to have a starring role in Switzerland this summer.

There's not a great deal of depth in England's striker department, especially not since Rachel Daly's retirement back in April. There's an opportunity, then, for someone to emerge as a back-up to Alessia Russo and become a valuable super-sub in the No.9 role for the Lionesses through the Euros and beyond.

At the moment, Wiegman appears to have taken a real liking to Tottenham's Jess Naz, who played through the middle against South Africa in December but primarily plays as a winger and has only scored once in the WSL this season. While Naz can certainly be an asset in attack, it's Aggie Beever-Jones who feels the more natural option to back up Russo, given she adapts better to the central position and has been more prolific in the WSL this past year. However, she's made just two appearances and one start under Wiegman.

If Beever-Jones can enjoy a fruitful second half to the season, it could well help her earn more chances in her country's colours and get the opportunity to present herself as a valuable option behind Russo going into the Euros.