Surprised there is no thread on this (apologies if I have missed it!). Is nobody watching? I have seen some bits and pieces, certainly the brief highlights at the end of each day, but hardly any live footage due to the timing of it. I generally do enjoy women's football and find the difference in pace and physicality interesting in terms of how it changes the dynamics of the game, and generally speaking I think the skill (technical ability) level is really good, certainly amongst the teams you might expect that higher level from - the likes of France and USA. I do hate the commentators feeling they have to talk it up though. There certainly are instances of play which are embarrassingly bad, often related to goalkeeping I'm afraid. I'm not an England fan so can't comment specifically on them as I didn't see anything of their game, but I believe they were underwhelming.
I'm watching when I can. I think the Lionesses are missing three key players in Williamson, Kirby and Mead. Bright is clearly unfit or not match fit. However a win is a win. Any game where Sam Matterface is commentating requires the mute button.
Watched highlights again tonight. Brazil scored a brilliantly worked goal v Panama. Again, some of the defending from the weaker teams (Morocco tonight) really was Sunday league at best.
What a robbery that England supposed win v the gorgeous Haiti ladies. So, so fortunate. The English Sally Jockstraps - all unanimously sporting 'Essex facelift' blonde ponytails, (including manager, subs and ex-players interviewed post match) and backed by millions in sponsorship futuristic training and medical facilities, dieticians, psychologists and gord knows what else. The European champions and hot (but not in that way) favourites. Against the gallant and fragrant ladies from the poorest country in tbe Western hemisphere. Poor riot torn gang warfare Haiti. Devastated by an earthquake not so long ago who's ruins are still visible. Their 1st ever appearance at a world Cup. For the pink-cheekd English ponytail brutes, it was simply a question of how many they'd score. As the minutes ticked by, the Haitians started opening their legs and showing their class and had the best chance. The anxiety in the commentators' voiced started to be heard. Demmis Russo's sister playing up front scuffed any number of chances. The Haiti keeper lady was excellent - I'd be happy if we signed her to replace Bert Bachman. Eventually though there was an urgent phone call I suppose from WFIFA headquarters relayed through to the ref via the earpiece and the gallant England gals were awarded a penalty for the faintest of brushes of an elegant Haitian false fingernail to ball. Booooooooooo! Scandal! Ref didn't give it. Bloody VAR. Haitian keeper lady brilliantly saved the penalty, but following more urgent conversations via the earpiece it was decided that England could keep taking the penalty until they scored it. Which eventually Pammy Ponytail managed to do. Boooooooooo! Fackin' robbery! Right towards the end one of the Haitian beauties got in 1 on 1 with the podgy English keeper woman. A brilliant shot, but Kelly Keeper shot out a flabby, mottled, cellulite covered leg and it ricocheted off the thigh equivalent of her bingo wings. Booooooooooooo! Afterwards there were interviews with various English Karens who admitted they expected to win much more easily but complained that Haiti had unfairly deployed 'youth' and 'athleticism' during the match. There was no time to hear from anybody from the Haitian team about how they thought the game went. Seriously - why not? Translators are available. Booooooooooo! Further disappointment later when the gallant Vietnamitas were cruelly defeated by the elephants of the USA. More booooooooos.
Knowing the problems in obtaining sporting goods,due to Covid restrictions in China,I imagine they're in production but delayed like everything else. We definitely should have scored a second in those first twenty minutes and look vulnerable to an equaliser now. Sounds familiar?!
We started off really well but soon fell into sloppy passes, dozy defending and bad decision-making. The (female) commentators aren't holding back. We're really missing four of our best players. I've never been convinced by Bright or Daly, but I suppose they have to be in. At least we've got the best female keeper I've ever seen, even if Clive thinks Twiggy* would do better. * Showing my age
So your classic England group stage at a major tournament? Make it hard work and suffer an injury or two along the way !
Yes three becomes four and MB is clearly rusty and being cumbersome at the best of times this makes the defence extremely vulnerable. 'Arthur' did at least did make up for her laxity by tracking back a few times but the better teams will punish us if we don't either score more or tighten up at the back. However a win's a win!
Haiti 'beaten' 1-0 by China. Another dodgy penalty. So that's two games played, 2 defeats and each by a dodgy VAR penalty. Reviewed and decided via instructions via the ref's earpiece. Add in any number of clear, blatant and obvious Haitian penalties denied - all after lengthy consultations via the earpiece - and it's no wonder that even cool and chilled Haitian coach Nick Delopine exploded with outrage and got booked. What a crappy way to get cheated out of qualification for the next round. A bit of this surely on the way for the referees and WFIFA officials in the weeks to come.
But before they depart the competition, let's admire the athleticism of the Haitian team one last time! Well done ladies! Toutes nos félicitations! Bethina Petit-Frère. Crazy name, crazy lady Nérilia Mondésir. The Haitian Terry Butcher. Ruthny Mathurin. Délicieux
Wonder how much interest there will be from the locals now one of the hosts are out? Knocked out on 4 points too. Pretty gutting for New Zealand.
My neighbour he who washes his car every day hasn't a St George's flag out for the women yet does for the men. Explain please?
Is the flag a little flappy plastic one attached to his ever-shiny car, or a full-size one on a pole in his front garden?
Mao Zedong, Chiang Kai -shek, really tall sprinter bloke,pandas,rice,the tea pot,your girls took one HELL of a beating!
Yes Mr Shadbolt told us that at Mount Pleasant Lane,all those years ago. 1975 to be precise. Soppy tart!
Starting to get exciting as it moves to the knock out phase. Been a mixed bag for the expected favorites with Canada, Brazil and (in particular) Germany out, and the likes of Norway, France and (in particular) the US having gone through but looking a bit ropey. All points to England going quite deep. Japan, Sweden and the Netherlands also look poised to do well. It's been pleasing that there haven't been too many one sided matches and suggests the standard globally is on the up, rather than a handful of countries with what might be considered to be more progressive attitudes to women in sport dominating as appears to have been the case in past tournaments.
Yes - not so many surprises in that half of the draw . Japan/Norway/USA and Sweden on that side too .
That was a good penalty shootout between Sweden and USA. Loads of dramatic misses and then goal line technology needed for the winning penalty in sudden death as the keeper parried the ball into the air and then tried to claw it back as it span in the air towards the net. Over the line by a couple of mm and the USA out.
