Alessia Russo has struggled to cope with the transition from shock replacement to first team player. Photo: Getty Images/Charlotte Wilson
They were England's dynamic, game-changing 'super substitutes' during last summer's European Championship triumph, but Alessia Russo and Ella Thun have since failed to live up to the hype.
Best friends off the pitch, Rousseau's cheeky back heel in the semi-final that defeated Sweden, and Thun's stunning shot to open the scoring in the final against Germany are two of the tournament's most memorable images.
Russo has always been a menacing substitute for Ellen White when she came off the bench in the second half, and Thun also equalized with Spain in the quarter-finals when she replaced Fran Kirby in first place.
But with White retired and Kirby injured, it's fair to say that neither of them managed the transition from striker to first-team player.
Russo has scored one goal in his last eight games for the England team. first place in the 6-1 defeat of China in the group stage of the Women's World Cup.
She may be one of the biggest names on the team, but she's out of shape. Her performance against Nigeria has been ineffective and she no longer seems to know what her role is. Terrible for a centre-forward, she rarely looks capable of scoring, scoring chances or catching on the heels in the penalty area when a better expectation could lead to a goal.
She is not the first striker to score stuck in an uncertain situation when he connects, channels and holds the ball, but doesn't do enough in the penalty area where it matters most.
Telegraph Sport realizes that Bethany England has been very impressive in training, helping coach Sarina Wigman to reflect about Saturday's quarter-final against Colombia.
Last season, the striker scored 12 goals for Tottenham Hotspur's poor Women's Super League team after joining the club in January and looked menacing when she came on as a substitute against Nigeria.
Bethany England held back to score the decisive penalty as England won the shootout over Nigeria. Photo: Getty Images/Patrick Hoelscher
The 29-year-old was the only England outfielder not to have played a single minute on the pitch in a Euro, but has appeared in three of the Lionesses' four games in Australia. There's a good chance she'll start in Sydney on Saturday, given Russo's timid play so far.
As for Tun, the striker looked like she'd lost her bank card as she walked through the mixed zone after China. game after seeing Lauren James replace her in the starting XI and put on one of the best performances by a young English player in a major tournament.
As always, there are twists and turns in football. James will miss the quarter-final due to her irritable red card for stomping on her opponent in the win against Nigeria, so the door is thrown open again for Thun.
The Manchester United player needs to break in. She needs to make an impact in Colombia. This is a test of her mentality. Her confidence has been shattered by being dumped, but she has the talent to make the most of this opportunity.
England have something to think about before the weekend. They haven't played very well for some time and Nigeria has skillfully negated the threat posed by the new 3-5-2 formation in Brisbane.
This could mean a return to their usual 4-2-3 formation -. 1 squad to suit midfield playmaker Kyra Walsh — as long as she's in full form. It didn't look good against Nigeria and didn't feel comfortable in a five-man midfield.
But a defense that conceded just one goal in the tournament — a questionable penalty against China — has become increasingly effective as a unit. Jess Carter, Millie Bright and Alex Greenwood were England's top players on Test night against Nigeria and Wigman knows this area looks strong.
The Lionesses struggled on the attack. mean the withdrawal of Thun and, quite possibly, the replacement of the central striker. A few months ago, Bethany England didn't even know if she'd make it into the roster, but the World Championships have a habit of throwing incredible heroines forward and this could be her moment to shine.
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