By setting out to take it as 'a football match' and then criticising the quality, you must surely be making a mental comparison with a mens football umatch. This makes no sense to me.
A bit like going to watch your son who plays in the best team in the local under 15s league and saying the quality is rubbish.

Quality is subjective and in the eye of the holder. Some of the skills on show in the Euros are superb, particularly some of the goals. Some of the defending and goalkeeping is awful. I think it is in these areas that the game needs to improve. They probably will but it will take some time. As others have said, it cannot be compared to the mens game and I think it is right that it shouldn’t.

Exile 1976 wrote: July 21st, 2022, 5:24 pm Ok, these are the best women in the world and it’s still a pretty poor spectacle if you take it as a football match. Not for me just as League 2 football isn’t for most premier league/championship fans.

True, you have to manage your expectations whether watching the women’s game or L2 for that matter! In the women’s game some of the approach play is skilful and watchable but jeez the goalkeeping - they’re like dying swans most of the time! The comparison between L2 and Premiership is a stark one and on occasion appears to be an entirely different game. I’ve never understood people who left before the end of games but Premiership games’ last few minutes are often the deciding ones and the match is a hundred miles an hour. It’s a credit to us that in recent seasons we had good cup runs but it’s no coincidence that the latter part of those games proved our downfall. Having said all that I’m so addicted I’ll watch football of almost any standard and being a lifelong County supporter , I have often had to do so!

lowandhard wrote: July 24th, 2022, 12:01 pm In the women’s game some of the approach play is skilful and watchable but jeez the goalkeeping - they’re like dying swans most of the time!

There are exceptions though. The Dutch 'keeper last night was sensational. Felt desperately sorry for her - the only chance France got past her was from the spot, and she nearly stopped that as well.

Kairdiff Exile wrote: July 24th, 2022, 2:20 pm

lowandhard wrote: July 24th, 2022, 12:01 pm In the women’s game some of the approach play is skilful and watchable but jeez the goalkeeping - they’re like dying swans most of the time!

There are exceptions though. The Dutch 'keeper last night was sensational. Felt desperately sorry for her - the only chance France got past her was from the spot, and she nearly stopped that as well.

Yes I did see that, that pen couldn’t have been better placed but she did almost get there!

England being outplayed by Sweden at the moment. They look very nervous as though up the occasion has got to them.

Just about to agree and...... GOAL........

mad norm wrote: July 26th, 2022, 8:35 pm Just about to agree and...... GOAL........

Norm, was just about to say that England just don’t give up, they keep pushing even though Sweden appear to be the slightly better team. Then, Russo, what a goal, a poachers goal, pure instinct. England keeper very good as well. Good game this.

Good Evening

For me, the sheer pleasure that those supporters are experiencing is what is so fantastic. Take yourself back to County games where we experienced such emotions. Half a dozen memorable games outweigh hundreds of dire performances when you recall the joy and shared pleasure of supporting our team enjoying success. I am so pleased for my daughter who is football mad, loves following the County and enjoys both the mens and womens game in equal amounts. She will be at Wembley on Sunday, as she has been five times with County. For her sake I hope she gets another “ day to remember “.

Phil in Northampton

An exceptionally entertaining game of footy
England dug deep
Immense advert for the Ladies game

I expect there'll be more police on duty at Gander Green lane on Saturday than there were at Sheffield tonight.
Just my opinion

Yes England bossed it after getting the lead.
To me one of the best things about the England ladies is their manager Sarina Wiegman.
She seems to be unflappable, shows excellent signs of leadership, does get over animated unlike a lot of her male counterparts and is not scared to sub leading players for good tactical reasons.
A lot of the male football league clubs could do well to employ her.
(Without sounding sexist or controversial I'm not sure of how a female manager bossing around some of the hotter headed males would work).
It shouldn't be any different to any other level of employment where a lady is your boss.

mad norm wrote: July 26th, 2022, 10:24 pm An exceptionally entertaining game of footy
England dug deep
Immense advert for the Ladies game

I expect there'll be more police on duty at Gander Green lane on Saturday than there were at Sheffield tonight.
Just my opinion

And there is the nub of many of my argument(s) - [mainly male] fans of men's football and its fan culture is demonized and the game itself criticized at the slightest opportunity - women's football however is beatified...regardless of the quality or otherwise it just grates, and when the ‘girls’ win its good on them and two fingers to the [alleged] ‘misogynists’ (for ‘misogynists’ read anyone, especially men, who dare to even remotely criticize it) as women are ‘doing it for themselves’ but when they lose its somehow still all the fault of the ‘misogynists’ – odd given that without the hugely successful men’s game and its [mainly male] fan’s the women’s game would simply not exist in its current form as the men’s game funds it at a huge loss.

As for the actual result - gawd help us if England win the whole thing! - gender aside they still bang on about '1966 and all that' if they won this one it'll be unbearable! There’s enough fuss already (although in fairness Wales’ men had an open top bus parade for losing a semi-final so can’t complain too much!).

To make it worse, it’s England v Germany so it’ll be jingoism central and hyper hype. Can’t see Germany matching England tbh but I hope it’s a great game.

lowandhard wrote: July 28th, 2022, 8:14 am To make it worse, it’s England v Germany so it’ll be jingoism central and hyper hype. Can’t see Germany matching England tbh but I hope it’s a great game.

Ah but it won;t be 'jingoism' it'll be 'friendly banter' because the women's game can do no wrong - I think there could be full on pyro and pitch invasion and it'd be 'you go girls' and a government minister would come out in support - I just hope Germany can win it but England seem to be on one and almost unbeatable

I've quite enjoyed what I've seen of the tournament but must say last night's match was poor. Both sides seem to work on the principle of 'kick it forward and let's see what happens'. Alex Scott thought it was a terrific game. At least England mostly seem to have a purpose to their play.