New beginnings - 25% Truth, 80% Bollocks

[donkey]

I keep on saying this though Donkey...it's not the actual VAR tech [or other tech] that is the problem though - it's the fucking idiots using and applying it. They're applying it almost literally in a way that is akin to a Neurodivergent person with extreme hyperfocus. Eg..handball - any way the ball touches the hand regardless of any context.

Where as we actually see conext being used quite well. For example in the cricket. And rugger copes fairly well and that a faster sport than footy. I just don't know why footy has to feel so precious about using technology [and applying it properly]. It's like they aren't applying it properly so folk will go ''ahh fuck this, it's a pile of wank...footy don't need tech''  and it doesn't take many tanked up blokes and a 'wrong' decision to make them decide...I mean, they are going to find adapting to many things difficult anyway

I take your point, and as a keen cricket and NFL fan I've seen it used well.

You're right about the people using it and how badly they apply it. The whole hand ball thing is nonsense.  Refs need to be able to come over, see the ball hit the hand, decide it wasn't deliberate and not award.  But they don't, ball hits hand, it's a penalty. They've even changed the rule to accommodate VAR... tail wagging the dog.

Not being able to celebrate a goal, whilst waiting for people with all the tech to get it wrong anyway (sometimes), is unacceptable.  VAR should be infallible.

Finally, I'd give VAR 15 seconds to make a decision.  If they can't, the ref hasn't made a clear and obvious error, so the refs decision stays.  We were told VAR was for clear and obvious errors... that's not how it's being used.

[Bob's Orange]

I love it, plenty of drama and excitement. The standard of women's football has improved massively over the last few years and I'm sure it will continue to do so.

I've only seen a handful of games, but it's generally been pretty enjoyable. I think your last point is a good one, the standard is so much better than it used to be, clearly professionalism has aided that.

[Tails]

Again, convince me otherwise. I’ve watched a fair few of the WC games - including the semi final on now - without exception every game has been poor.

All of this is still your opinion. It's not anyone's job to convince you, clearly you don't like it. Plenty do, millions of people watch it so clearly a significant number of people enjoy it.

[Nemo]

If football was all about maximising the level of quality and excitement, none of us would still be watching Swindon obsessively. It's about emotional attachment, and some people feel more towards the women's game (particularly at an international level, club level is definitely far lower) than you do, clearly. Which is fine! I think the people who are pushing women's football are more interested in converting young girls that don't currently watch football at all than they are in converting middle aged men like you or I who already consume a ton of men's football.

[Mooneyraker]

The biggest turn off for me is that we have reached a position where you actually can't criticise any Women's football, which is ridiculous.

I saw a pundit saying that the lady with the purple hair "did everything right" with her penalty when she missed for the Yanks. Evidently she didn't.

Similarly, someone has just scored a 'screamer' for Spain, so I thought I'd have a look. The BBC are all 'Goal of the Tournament' 'What a strike' 'she absolutely smacks it!' yet when I watch it with my eyes it looks like a half lofted miss-hit cross that floats over the goalkeeper, who if they were playing in the men's Premier League would get absolutely hammered. It is abject goalkeeping!

I find that aspect very odd. The entire sport seems to be beyond criticism, which I don't think is hugely healthy.

Women's cricket I really enjoy. Women's football I really struggle with, particularly the punditry. But each to their own. It's great that so many people are enjoying it, it just isn't for me.

[horlock07]

I love it, plenty of drama and excitement. The standard of women's football has improved massively over the last few years and I'm sure it will continue to do so.

Thing is its actually comparing apples and pears, they are basically two different things/sports.

I watch a lot of cycling (probably more than football these days TBH) and women's cycling is a totally different thing and as exciting to watch in different ways as its less cynical, less contrived, les formulaic etc, and the difference between men's and women's football is the same.

I've only seen a handful of games, but it's generally been pretty enjoyable.

Which is why one watches any sport, albeit looking at the angst, abuse and misery on social media many watchers of men's football seem to have rather lost that focus. Look at STFC fans on Twitter, in the main its misery 'cos player x is shit or that the team didn't win, if it makes you that miserable go and support Man City or something, it's supposed to be fun!

[Nemo]

Women's cricket I really enjoy. Women's football I really struggle with, particularly the punditry. But each to their own. It's great that so many people are enjoying it, it just isn't for me.

I actually agree with that - I watch a lot more women's cricket. But isn't that just the general standard of punditry in football? Like, how many good pundits are there of the men's game - probably a handful at most? The standard of punditry on live games is bloody awful outside of Neville/Carragher. After the fact punditry on Podcasts/written stuff tends to be a lot better - and a lot more willing to criticise poor play.

[Mooneyraker]

A mate of mine who works in sport actually had a great idea for a revised Nations League format where each 'fixture' between countries involves 3 games over a weekend: a men's, a women's and a men's U21s. There would then be an overall winner of the tie based on all three results.

I thought that was quite a clever idea and would grow interest in all 3 levels.

[Batch]

surely standard of football argument is a bit like the argument that league 2 is more shit than the premier League?

we still bloody love it

[ChalkyWhiteIsGod]

The biggest turn off for me is that we have reached a position where you actually can't criticise any Women's football, which is ridiculous.

I saw a pundit saying that the lady with the purple hair "did everything right" with her penalty when she missed for the Yanks. Evidently she wasn't.

Similarly, someone has just scored a 'screamer' for Spain, so I thought I'd have a look. The BBC are all 'Goal of the Tournament' 'What a strike' 'she absolutely smacks it!' yet when I watch it with my eyes it looks like a half lofted miss-hit cross that floats over the goalkeeper, who if they were playing in the men's Premier League would get absolutely hammered. It is abject goalkeeping!

I find that aspect very odd. The entire sport seems to be beyond criticism, which I don't think is hugely healthy.

Women's cricket I really enjoy. Women's football I really struggle with, particularly the punditry. But each to their own. It's great that so many people are enjoying it, it just isn't for me.

There is a lot of merit to this post.

The biggest issue with a lot of goals that go in, is that the keepers simply aren't big enough. Even the goal England conceded Saturday, just not tall enough to get to it and it just kind of lobs over despite the keeper being on the line or close to it.

You suggest that there should be concessions made for the women and that the goals and pitches should be smaller for women proportionate to size difference between men and women and some see it as being misogynistic.

What even less sense though, is that concessions are made for women in other sports that make absolutely zero sense.

Can anyone tell me why women can't do 12x 3 minute rounds in boxing for championship fights? Can anyone form an argument that women cannot possibly do best of 5 sets in tennis at grand slam tournaments? (despite demanding equal pay).

Ultimately the standard of the womens game is overall pretty poor even when compared to the skill level of some other womens sports. A lot of people won't like hearing that, but it is what it is.

Forget if they were playing premier league, the US Womens side got beat 5-2 to FC Dallas Under 15s a few years back. The best women in the world getting beat by a bunch of 14 year olds....and not even a top academy, am MLS academy.

The womens game is definitely improving though, but its got a long way to go before its something I'd be interested in watching outside of jumping on the England bandwagon when they're doing well and I say this as someone who enjoys top womens combat sports.

[ChalkyWhiteIsGod]

A mate of mine who works in sport actually had a great idea for a revised Nations League format where each 'fixture' between countries involves 3 games over a weekend: a men's, a women's and a men's U21s. There would then be an overall winner of the tie based on all three results.

I thought that was quite a clever idea and would grow interest in all 3 levels.

That's pretty interesting actually. Would get more people interested in the womens game at least. And the Under 21s for that matter.

[BambooToTheFuture]

Women’s football is, by and large, boring shite - as borne out by the present WC. It’s a dreadful spectacle, devoid of excitement.

Shocker that a white cis male pensioner has no time or interest in the promotion of women's footy.

Does your wife put your tea on the table at exactly 4.30pm [and not one minute later] as well?

 

[4D]

What's colour got to do with it? Racist.
Or age for that matter? Ageist

Don't bother with a thousand word reply, I won't read it anyway   

[The Artist Formerly Known as Audrey]

Shocker that a white cis male pensioner has no time or interest in the promotion of women's footy.

Does your wife put your tea on the table at exactly 4.30pm [and not one minute later] as well?

 

Just about sums up wonderfully the woke culture of not being allowed to criticise anything that might upset the feeble minded.

[joeydubya]

I enjoy women's football, particularly the main tournaments, although the late times this year have made it difficult to follow live... I enjoy following along with the performances and exploits of all teams under the Town banner, and it's a good cheaper alternative and very accessible... can be a good boost for a non league club to host a higher level women's team. However I think there's a valid point about criticism - the game has come along so much in the last decade or so but it will be real acuity when they have the same scrutiny as the men's teams.