England had covered the gaps, they had filled the holes. They had adjusted, adapted, repositioned, created a new formation, and reached a first World Cup final. Then England changed again. Down 1-0 at half time in the World Cup final, Sarina Wiegman went for a last roll of the dice, a double substitution that saw Alessia Russo and Rachel Daly brought off and Lauren James and Chloe Kelly come on. That 3-5-2 that was England’s revelation of the tournament, that changed their World Cup? It was binned. England went back to 4-2-3-1. They disposed of the wing-backs and brought on the wingers. They stopped pressing Spain and abandoned their plan. With it, and for the first time at the World Cup, the Lionesses did not find the change that was required. James and Kelly brought moments of improvement, but the truth is that England were at their most dangerous when Lauren Hemp and Russo were combining as a front two. Hemp’s switch to a central role took away the threat that was everywhere in the first half and left Wiegman searching for something else. On came Beth England. Up went Millie Bright. But this was a situation England could not overcome. In a tournament that has been defined by England’s ability to adapt and solve the problems they have faced, the changes that were required against Spain were a step too far. Mary Earps’s save from Jenni Hermoso’s penalty gave England some momentum, but this was a final that stuttered and in the second half never found its rhythm, where stoppages played into Spain’s hands and covered the defensive frailties they had previously shown through the tournament. “When Mary saved the penalty I thought we’d go on and score the goal,” Wiegman shrugged. “But we didn’t.” Wiegman felt England improved with the changes and they certainly played with a better balance. But by then the game had changed and in its final moments, Spain managed to stay in control. While England never found the right combinations, Spain never quite felt threatened. While England played with two systems, neither one quite arrived at the right time. Perhaps this was always the natural conclusion for a World Cup that hit its first hurdle in November when Beth Mead suffered a torn ACL, then when England lost Leah Williamson, and then Fran Kirby; the deflating end to a tournament where Wiegman has not had the same consistency or continuity of last summer’s Euros, and where winning the final was beyond the resilience of this side. Perhaps it’s also the rebalance from last summer’s quarter-final in Brighton, where Spain were the better team and lost after England found a moment of magic through Georgia Stanway’s equaliser. England couldn’t produce another one; despite the introductions of Kelly and James, England were at their most threatening when they played into an open, frantic match, even if it left them more vulnerable at the other end and, ultimately, led to Olga Carmona’s winning goal. It was a quality finish, the moment to crown Spain’s golden generation, a magnificent team of sharp passers and quick minds. Aitana Bonmati was the clear player of the tournament and no one will be surprised when the Ballon d’Or follows at the end of the year. They looked a class above England, but the regret is that a head coach who appears to have no impact on how his team plays in Jorge Vilda did not need to have a tactical approach to beat the Lionesses. England gave Spain what they wanted. Wiegman committed to a brave plan but it gave England a hard time. They had pushed high and pressed Spain, hoping to force the error, with Lucy Bronze and Daly defending as forwards as much as wingers, gambling on a misplaced pass. But Spain were too good. They responded by playing through England, isolating a back three that had found strength in its unity. Spain pulled an already stretched team further out of shape and created another problem for England to solve. Bronze’s misadventure then led to another one. As Carmona fired past Earps, Bronze immediately sank to the pitch, as if her legs had been cut from beneath her, the sort of reaction that told you everything about where the goal had come from. It was a run that was too ambitious when what England needed to do was move it faster. Bronze was crowded out, England were outnumbered, and suddenly it was left to Russo to follow Carmona’s run. That was a gap in the team that England could not cover. There had been such a fine balance to it, an open game where the first goal was always going to be crucial. While the final was goalless, England had chances that came from their high press and then found spaces to hit Hemp down the channels. But when Spain scored, the space vanished and Wiegman needed to try something else to protect her side, even if it meant England lost some of their unpredictability. To reach this stage was a triumph of the team’s approach and its mentality; a campaign that always managed to deliver answers. Eventually, and on the biggest stage of all, England were unable to find another. Read More England suffer World Cup heartache as brilliant Spain show Lionesses what’s missing Jorge Vilda: Spain’s World Cup coach at the heart of a civil war England v Spain LIVE: Women’s World Cup final result and reaction as Lionesses suffer heartbreak England players ‘heartbroken’ after World Cup final defeat to Spain England suffer World Cup heartache as brilliant Spain show Lionesses what’s missing Sarina Wiegman has already made the biggest decision of England’s World Cup

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The formula for the perfect fish finger sandwich has been revealed: it's made with four fish fingers, 'real' butter, two slices of white bread, ketchup... and cut sideways.  A poll of 2,000 adults who eat fish finger sandwiches found that 42 per cent said it was their sandwich of choice.  According to those polled, the optimum fish finger sarnie is also made with lettuce (21 per cent), cheese (15 per cent) and tomato (12 per cent).  Nearly half (43 per cent) like their sandwich to be cut sideways, so there are whole fish fingers on both sides of the bread. But 30 per cent like to cut their sarnie lengthways, so all fish fingers are in half, and nine per cent go as far as cutting everything into triangles. Commissioned by Birds Eye, The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), and Iceland Foods, which sells MSC certified products like Birds Eye fish fingers, the study found 76 per cent would opt for a fish finger sandwich made from sustainably sourced cod.  A spokesperson for the supermarket chain said: "We know our fish fingers are not only great value, but they taste good too - making them a quick and easy meal that is guaranteed to be a crowd pleaser for families. "With one third of the world's fish stocks overfished, it is more important than ever for shoppers to choose seafood from sustainable sources." Exactly nine in 10 said the fish finger sandwich is a quick, easy and affordable meal that tastes good. In addition, just over two thirds (68 per cent) said they care about making mealtimes more sustainable. But 62 per cent claim they only have a vague idea of what sustainable fishing is. Encouragingly, 80 per cent correctly believe the process of sustainable fishing ensures fish are left in the ocean, impact on habitats and ecosystems is minimalised, and fisheries are effectively managed. However, one in 16 mistakenly think sustainable fishing happens once a year so there is enough fish left in the ocean for everyone else. When asked to describe the meaning of the blue MSC label, 42 per cent were “unsure”. However, 44 per cent rightly said it is the symbol of sustainability for wild-caught fish and seafood. More than half (55 per cent) said they care about the impact their food choices have on the planet but find it confusing, while 39 per cent of those who took part in the OnePoll.com study simply can’t afford to make the necessary changes. A spokesperson for MSC said: "The creators of the fish finger, Birds Eye, helped to co-found the MSC to help protect seafood supplies. While Iceland, who won MSC UK Newcomer of the Year in 2020, has made great progress in increasing the availability of sustainable seafood to its customers. "And now offers the highest percentage range of MSC certified wild seafood among all UK retailers.” A spokesperson for Birds Eye added: “We are very proud to be working closely with the MSC. Fish is good for our health, and so for the good of our oceans the Birds Eye fish range is 100 per cent MSC certified to make sure future generations can enjoy fish too.” SWNS Read More Order a bagel and schmear at Feltz Bagels, and you'll be fed an original piece of art Kale, crispy bacon upgrades grilled cheese to an adult level Six healthy recipes that both you and your gut will love Being vegetarian may partly be in one’s genes, study finds Jamie Oliver says he’d choose anonymity over fame if given the choice again

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CINCINNATI--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sep 28, 2023--