Arsenal’s Leah Williamson has hailed the impact of fellow defender Lotte Wubben-Moy since her return to England in September.
The 22-year-old centre-back started out with The Gunners in 2017 before going on to spend a three-year spell combining her football with her studies in the United States.
Wubben-Moy completed her return to English football by joining Arsenal in the early stages of this season and teammate Williamson says that she has returned a top quality footballer who has the attributes needed to succeed at both club and international level.
“Obviously, Lotte was around in the Spring Series (in 2017), her and Anna Patten broke through then and they were unbelievable,” said Williamson when speaking to FAWSL Full-Time in an England press conference. “She was a great asset to the team. I am glad that she has come back from America and has picked straight up from where she left off.
“Looking back on my own career, I wish opportunities were handed to me at the right time to be ready and I think that Lotte has come back, she has made herself this incredible athlete and footballer from America and it is the perfect time for her to get these opportunities to come in because she is a great footballer and she is showing that.”
Both Williamson and Wubben-Moy feature on a 35-player shortlist for Team GB head coach Hege Riise’s final squad for the Olympic Games in Tokyo this summer, although just 18 of those players shortlisted will be on the plane to Japan. Williamson went on to say that she will always support teammate Wubben-Moy in developing her game but it is very much every player for themselves when it comes to the fight for a Team GB place.
“This is one of the most competitive camps,” said Williamson when discussing the Team GB competition within the current England squad. “There has been a lot of match play in the training sessions which is allowed for things to get quite competitive because you are literally going 11 v 11 and battling it out.
“Everyone knows that they are almost auditioning for their spot, that’s no secret. Between me and Lotte, there couldn’t be more support between us in terms of whatever she needs. I am there to help make her better but we all had this conversation that you don’t want to be on the plane because someone else was bad, you want to be on the plane because they were good but you were better.
“That is the mentality which we are taking to help us chase our spots.”
Williamson and Wubben-Moy’s auditions for Team GB places continue on Tuesday evening when the pair could feature for the Lionesses against Canada in Stoke. The game is scheduled to kick-off at 7.15pm and will be broadcast live on BBC Four.
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