{"id":300976,"date":"2023-11-30T13:39:45","date_gmt":"2023-11-30T13:39:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportstons.com\/?p=300976"},"modified":"2023-11-30T13:39:45","modified_gmt":"2023-11-30T13:39:45","slug":"keira-walsh-feeling-fresh-before-latest-round-of-womens-nations-league-games","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportstons.com\/soccer\/keira-walsh-feeling-fresh-before-latest-round-of-womens-nations-league-games\/","title":{"rendered":"Keira Walsh \u2018feeling fresh\u2019 before latest round of Women\u2019s Nations League games"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/p>\n
Keira Walsh says she is \u201cfeeling fresh\u201d as she targets a fourth consecutive summer of international football.<\/p>\n
Barcelona midfielder Walsh played for Great Britain at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, and then for England when they won Euro 2022 before finishing as runners-up at the summer\u2019s Women\u2019s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.<\/p>\n
The latter tournament saw the 26-year-old miss a game due to a knee injury, and a subsequent calf problem saw her sit out the Lionesses\u2019 two September matches in the Women\u2019s Nations League \u2013 a competition through which England can secure qualification for GB for the Paris 2024 Olympics.<\/p>\n
Walsh said: \u201cAfter so many tournaments, and somebody actually sent me a thing the other day that I\u2019d played the second-most games in Europe, I think naturally that\u2019s going to take a toll on your body. I think obviously that\u2019s potentially a factor of why I got injured at the start of the season.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut I did my rehab, the club and England have looked after me, we\u2019ve had a camp since then and a lot of games in between.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m feeling good, I\u2019m feeling fresh, and I think that was my little break for me to now go again and push on this season.\u201d<\/p>\n
Walsh says another tournament next summer is something she is \u201cdefinitely\u201d up for, adding: \u201cHonestly, the thought of pre-season is worse!<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019d rather go to a tournament. It\u2019s special. People talk about the winning, but just the feeling of being part of a team for so long, and you spend every day with each other \u2013 I think then when you go home and you\u2019re not with 50 people is also a bit weird. Even off the pitch it\u2019s a special feeling to be part of a group at a tournament.\u201d<\/p>\n
I\u2019m feeling good, I\u2019m feeling fresh, and I think that was my little break for me to now go again and push on<\/p>\n
England need to finish first in Group A1 to have a chance of obtaining the Olympic qualification and head into their final two pool matches in danger of falling short of top spot.<\/p>\n
Sarina Wiegman\u2019s side are currently third, three points behind the Netherlands, 2-1 victors against them in September, and one behind Belgium, who last month \u2013 with Walsh back in the side \u2013 they beat 1-0, then were defeated by 3-2.<\/p>\n
It leaves England needing to win to remain in contention when they host the Netherlands at Wembley on Friday, before they take on Scotland at Hampden Park four days later.<\/p>\n
Walsh said: \u201cI think obviously we want to put the things right that weren\u2019t so good in the Belgium game, and it\u2019s going to be a difficult game for us. We know it\u2019s a must-win.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut I\u2019m hoping we can show the resilient side to us and the character, and put in a good performance.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think (in the second match against Belgium) it was maybe just a slight lack of concentration at times. But let\u2019s not catastrophise it, it wasn\u2019t the worst game in the world for us.\u201d<\/p>\n
Regarding next week\u2019s contest, Walsh said the fact England are in a group with Scotland players holding hopes of making the GB squad is \u201ca little bit strange\u201d, but said: \u201cIf I\u2019m putting myself in their shoes, it\u2019s a big game against England. They\u2019re going to want to win \u2013 and so do we.\u201d<\/p>\n
As well as regular captain Leah Williamson still being out injured, England also have Millie Bright, who has been skipper in her absence, sidelined at the moment.<\/p>\n
Walsh, holder of 67 England caps, believes there are \u201ca lot of natural leaders in the team\u201d.<\/p>\n
On her personal role, she added: \u201cThat\u2019s something that Sarina has also asked of me, to take on a little bit more responsibility in that aspect, especially in the midfield, to try to vocalise and communicate a little bit more, and hopefully that is something that I can work on and improve on.\u201d<\/p>\n