OT: Association Football

[T-Boon]

Im sure there is a huge difference between men’s soccer and women’s soccer, but not being a fan of the sport it all looks the same to me.

I’m not about to go attacking the women’s version without also doing the same for the men’s though.

Thats okay. I am more than happy to attack the quality of women's soccer. Leave it to me.

 

[Suitman]

Woman's football is actually quite excellent.
Anyone who suggest's otherwise really has no idea about the game.

 

[the phantom menace]

I enjoy watching it (at this national level) more than watching the men (at their European club level). So many of the men players come across on field as arrogant merkins that I'd not respect in life if I met them off field, but hardly any of the women come across like that at all.

 

[Ride the Lion to Zion]

Woman's football is actually quite excellent.
Anyone who suggest's otherwise really has no idea about the game.

It can be, but you're deluded if you think this WC has been excellent on the pitch. Major tournaments are rarely great to watch objectively. This isn't week-to-week club football.

As with the men's WC, most players from lesser nations play in minor leagues. The gap between the best and the rest determines how many of the games are played. It's in the nature of Soccer that poor teams can still make a game of it. Similar imbalances in RL result in massacres.

Standards should improve through the knockout stage. Although not necessarily. Apparent no-hopers can go deep into a comp. The Greek team who won the men's Euros in 2004 were truly awful. Transplanted into EPL they would have been relegated for certain.

Soccer fans following their national team at a WC are not interested in inherent quality. The event is the pull.

 

[Ride the Lion to Zion]

I was going to post this morning how impressed I was with the dutch and how they were my pick for the cup outside the Matildas. Derp.

The Dutch have gone backwards since they won the women's Euros on home soil in 2017.

Spain are looking pretty good. Sometimes struggle to turn a mountain of possession into goals, but probably the best side they've ever had.

 

[Suitman]

 

[the phantom menace]

Panama got quite a few goals against France (3?) so there's some hope we can break through for some too.

 

[hindy111]

Woman's football is actually quite excellent.
Anyone who suggest's otherwise really has no idea about the game.

It's come a long way. The quality isn't that far off the men's. I mean we'll it is not that standard yet but it's still very high quality.

 

[hineyrulz]

It's come a long way. The quality isn't that far off the men's. I mean we'll it is not that standard yet but it's still very high quality.

I’ve watched the first half, I have to admit it’s been amazing.

 

[the phantom menace]

The Matildas are playing awesome, against the higher ranked opponents.

Second half will be captivating, as this game can turn on a moment.

 

[Gronk]

iconic and powerful. Go girls.

 

[the phantom menace]

Doing so f**king well, defending the French and in our periods of attack.

Nailbiter.

 

[Suitman]

I have faith.
Fowler has had 3 clear chances. I don't blame her but we could have been winners by now.
Let's go!!

 

[Gronk]

A wild ride that !

 

[the phantom menace]

f**king A. That shootout was intense. Well done Mackenzie Arnold, and all the players.

But the 120mins of the game - the Matildas did so darned well against a French team that attacked and defended well and are/have been higher ranked. Fantastic effort to get to the final 4 teams in the World!

 

[Gronk]

BBC UK live blog from a few mins ago. 51,000 people on line. Anyone who says women’s football is not huge is a twit.

 

[T-Boon]

Womens football is not huge

 

[T-Boon]

That was one of the worst penalty shootouts I have ever seen.
But enthralling.

 

[Suitman]

Womens football is not huge

Just. SHUT UP.

 

[Gronk]

Not sure who this jerk is, but she’s quite popular on twitter right now.