Could changing Lucy Bronze’s role be gold for England’s Euro 2022 chances?

In Pythagorean numerology the number eight represents victory, prosperity and an ability to overcome adversity. Given such associations it seems appropriate that players deployed in the box-to-box central midfield role known as the No 8 position often hold the key to winning football matches.

The bad news for Sarina Wiegman is that, immensely impressive as her England team have looked during their canter towards the Euro 2022 quarter-finals, their principal potential weak link is sited alongside the Lionesses’s midfield anchor, Keira Walsh. In other words, Wiegman lacks a suitable Steven Gerrard or Frank Lampard equivalent.

Although Leah Williamson wears the No 8 shirt – not that squad numbers necessarily equate with actual positions these days – the Arsenal defender is a natural centre-half and has been deployed in that role by Wiegman during these Euros. Perhaps significantly, England’s manager fielded Williamson alongside Walsh for some months before experiencing a last-minute change of heart and relocating her captain to the rearguard.

That pleased those critics who believed it unnecessary for the Lionesses to field a double 6 pivot, with both players sometimes prone to duplicating each other’s jobs. Moreover Williamson’s reversion to the rearguard created room to accommodate the talented Georgia Stanway, newly recruited by Bayern Munich, in midfield.

The only problem is that Stanway’s preferred position is the No 10 role just behind the central striker, which is currently filled by the Lionesses’ brilliant attacking playmaker Fran Kirby.

Stanway has shone in a box-to-box capacity during the group stage but she harbours a certain penchant for cheap concessions of possession against high-calibre opponents and tackling