Former Arsenal attacker Nikita Parris notably absent from Lionesses World Cup squad | OneFootball

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·4 June 2023

Former Arsenal attacker Nikita Parris notably absent from Lionesses World Cup squad

Article image:Former Arsenal attacker Nikita Parris notably absent from Lionesses World Cup squad

Former Arsenal attacker Nikita Parris notably absent from Lionesses World Cup squad by Michelle

Former Arsenal attacker Nikita Parris is notably absent from the England Lionesses World Cup squad. Despite her brilliant end-of-season form (two goals in her last five games), the now Manchester United star was unable to persuade Sarina Wiegman that she was worthy of her squad; her four goals and an assist were inferior to those set by other options such as Lauren James, Katie Robinson, Kelly, and Hemp.


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Sarina Wiegman on why she overlooked her claimed: “She has a very good end to the season, but her competitors also had a very good season too, so sometimes someone doesn’t get picked, not because she didn’t perform, but others performed really well, and we make other choices.”

One might wonder if Parris had stayed at Arsenal, would she have had the best chance to make it to the England World Cup squad? I think she could; she made the Euros squad coming from a season where she played at Arsenal.

Looking at the Arsenal women last season with injury troubles, everyone stepped up. Let’s say Parris was in Eidevall’s squad; she may not have been a starter, but injuries to Beth Mead, Vivianne Miedema, Caitlin Foord and Lina Hurtig would have given her plenty of chance to play. With her aggressiveness and tenacity being what Arsenal needed towards the end of the season, she would have thrived as she would have brought the fight to Arsenal’s opponents.

In the official tweet from Nikita below, she is very philosophical after the Lionesses announcement..

We will never know how good Nikita may have been as she opted to go to Manchester United last summer; I guess she wasn’t as lucky as Jordan Nobbs whose bold move to depart Arsenal after 12 years and join Aston Villa in January, earned her a spot in the 23-woman Sarina Weigman World Cup Lionesses squad.

The FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 is being staged across Australia & New Zealand this summer, with the Lionesses kick starting their World Cup campaign on 21st July 2023 when they face Haiti in the opening group stage match.

Go Lionesses!

Michelle Maxwell

Follow Michelle on Just Gooner Women on Twitter for regular updates on the Arsenal Womens Team!

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