Why England have an obligation to prove themselves against Greece

England must make it through two rounds of home and away ties to qualify for next summers World Cup in Brazil; play-off campaign begins against Greece on Friday; Sarina Wiegman has begun to experiment with elements of her squad - that can only be a good thing for Englands evolution

When England were consigned to the World Cup play-offs back in June, it felt like a massive step backwards. How were the European champions not a shoo-in for the next major tournament in the international calendar?

The Lionesses only missed out by a whisker, finishing their qualifying campaign with 15 points from a possible 18. Just one result away. But it's difficult to overlook how we got here. England's 4-0 defeat to Spain was an eye-opener, their biggest margin of loss for 17 years. The heaviest of Sarina Wiegman's time in charge.

It highlighted a gulf that felt more technical than tactical. In the moment, Spain showed themselves to be streets ahead in style and substance. A team with a plan, rooted in DNA and identity. Their possession-dominant performance blew England away.

Source: Sky Sports