The Live Match Discussion Thread: 2019/2020

[Alan]

Yikes, this thread got... Combative.

I don't even know what to say to some of that.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

You say what you like, but I've watched football for over 30 years and I played for over 20 years before I totally broke, and like I say, I've done a decent standard in my time.

I know what I see and this is appalling.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

GOOOOAALLLLL!

Fucking elite goalkeeping there. Straight down the middle, not even near the bar. Nowhere near it. Goal. You wouldn't have it in a U10s game (nor would you accept the poncing out the way that the #5 pulls, shameful). And this is a World Cup where we've had a fucking 13-0 win too.

In fact I'd rather you have your own thread for this nonsense so I can ignore it like Dr Who or Game of Dragons. And let the grown ups talk about real football.

 

[Alan]

The condescension does your point of view no favors.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

I'm all ears Alan. Tell me how women's football is really good to watch.

Because I have tried. Bear in mind the evidence is not in your favour.

I mean, talk me through that goal for a start. I guarantee you Kenny saves that 100 times out of 100. Kenny is 43, has arthritis in his shoulder and hasn't played in 10 years. And he wasn't that good to start with (love you man).

 

[Alan]

It's not even about the standard of play, really. I can't change your mind on that. It's not high, although I don't find it to be less entertaining because of that.

What rankles is the ferocity with which you're approaching it. You're well entitled to your opinion, truly; Lord knows there have been times that the US women's team has been soundly beaten in scrimmages with really poor U21 US men's teams.

But the way the discourse in this thread has gone almost paints women's football as degenerate, unworthy of time or thought. And those of us who enjoy it? Probably also degenerate given our obviously low standards for entertainment.

If you come out swinging that hard, over something as ultimately insignificant as the standard of football the BBC is showing, it's going to ruffle some feathers.

 

[The Bear]

It IS ultimately about the standard of play though. If rubbish football was entertaining and attracted viewers then non-league games would be on Sky every weekend.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

I'm not overly bothered what the BBC do or don't show. I don't watch women's football on there the same as I don't watch The One Show, Masterchef, Dr Who or whatever else.

I'm just telling you it's fucking rubbish. It's a farce. Don't be cluttering up football threads with this nonsense.

We're about to play Crusaders (probably) who are terrible. Would struggle to get 20 points in the Conference. They would beat any team in this competition 10-0 without breaking sweat.

Give me elite sport and I don't care about the gender. Give me nonsense and I'll call it for what it is.

 

[Alan]

It IS ultimately about the standard of play though. If rubbish football was entertaining and attracted viewers then non-league games would be on Sky every weekend.

The WWC does attract viewers, to be fair.

 

[jd1981]

I'm not overly bothered what the BBC do or don't show. I don't watch women's football on there the same as I don't watch The One Show, Masterchef, Dr Who or whatever else.

I'm just telling you it's fucking rubbish. It's a farce. Don't be cluttering up football threads with this nonsense.

We're about to play Crusaders (probably) who are terrible. Would struggle to get 20 points in the Conference. They would beat any team in this competition 10-0 without breaking sweat.

Give me elite sport and I don't care about the gender. Give me nonsense and I'll call it for what it is.

Find the it’s shit so stop talking about it attitude a bit confusing, at what cut off point is this thread going to be set at? Mens professional game only?
Imo if you compare men’s football v women’s then yes agreed it’s way way below.
If you say women’s football is shit in comparison to what?
I’ll agree there’s some teams at this World Cup who are way out of their depth ie Thailand and Chile and it should be 16 teams only.
I don’t mind the women’s game and I wasn’t expecting it to be anywhere near the level of the men’s game.

 

[Tredman]

Find the it’s shit so stop talking about it attitude a bit confusing, at what cut off point is this thread going to be set at? Mens professional game only?
Imo if you compare men’s football v women’s then yes agreed it’s way way below.
If you say women’s football is shit in comparison to what?
I’ll agree there’s some teams at this World Cup who are way out of their depth ie Thailand and Chile and it should be 16 teams only.
I don’t mind the women’s game and I wasn’t expecting it to be anywhere near the level of the men’s game.

Agree with all this, only watched a couple of games but they have been enjoyable.

It's also worth noting you get proper shit teams in the men's WC too.

 

[Tony Towner]

To address a few of the points.
The Top 200 men maybe more would all beat the Top 10 women tennis players so you are picking and choosing based on what entertains you. That's your prerogative but doesn't make your attitude towards football acceptable. I'm not watching the Womens World Cup, it doesn't particularly interest me but when 6m or so are watching then it clearly does have an audience. Your pomposity and superior attitude to deny anybody else this stinks. If James had come out with that he'd be buried on here for the sexist shite it is. I'd hate to think my daughter would think anything she does is second class because she was born without a dick. It's womens football and shouldn't be judged against the mens game but on it's on merits.

As for the goalkeeping howler, you know as well as I you could find thousands of similar or worse clips at any level of the mans game, Ruddy against Shrewsbury would be a fair start, Englands number one versus Everton wasn't that dissimilar to the Scotland one.

It's not about whether you watch, care, criticise or avoid it. It's about you suggesting it shouldn't be on TV that's just wrong

 

[YoungWolf]

Again Steve you are spot on.

Also easy (or convenient) to neglect that women’s football in england was literally banned from being played at football league grounds for 50 years, and the FA only took responsibility for it in 1993. So if your argument is to compare it to the men’s game, I find the attitudes bizarre when the reason the level is so disproportionate is because of sexism in the first place. More sexism isn’t going to help, I reckon.

 

[YoungWolf]

It IS ultimately about the standard of play though. If rubbish football was entertaining and attracted viewers then non-league games would be on Sky every weekend.

They are on BT every weekend

 

[Tredman]

They are on BT every weekend

 

[Tyrannosaurus Dan]

If you take that view though then it applies to pretty much any female support including Athletics. Saying you are female so you're not worthy of national exposure isn't a good message particularly when it's shown on a publically funded network. The England games are getting 6m+ viewers which is more than any other channel at the same time and more than the BBC would get in a typical slot.

I agree with this.

I'd hate to think my daughter would think anything she does is second class because she was born without a dick.

And especially agree with this.

The Women's World Cup should absolutely be televised and getting media attention. I deliberately put a match on while the kids were watching TV and they both looked confused and said '...but girls don't play football?' I don't want my daughter to grow up thinking there are things she can't aspire to just because she's female and I want my son to be the same. The more coverage and development in the women's game the better as far as I am concerned.

 

[machin05]

I agree with this.



And especially agree with this.

The Women's World Cup should absolutely be televised and getting media attention. I deliberately put a match on while the kids were watching TV and they both looked confused and said '...but girls don't play football?' I don't want my daughter to grow up thinking there are things she can't aspire to just because she's female and I want my son to be the same. The more coverage and development in the women's game the better as far as I am concerned.

I'm on this side of the debate, 100%

I actually quite enjoyed the England match last night. There have been plenty more boring men's international games, tbh.

 

[YoungWolf]

The Women's World Cup should absolutely be televised and getting media attention. I deliberately put a match on while the kids were watching TV and they both looked confused and said '...but girls don't play football?' I don't want my daughter to grow up thinking there are things she can't aspire to just because she's female and I want my son to be the same. The more coverage and development in the women's game the better as far as I am concerned.

This is the most important thing for me - whether people like that or not I don't care

And I agree Machin. I switched over for the last 15 minutes of the Scotland game and thought it was fantastic entertainment personally. Absolute chaos but I really enjoyed it. I've watched as many games as I can in this tournament and enjoyed most games.

 

[Johnny75]

I agree with this.



And especially agree with this.

The Women's World Cup should absolutely be televised and getting media attention. I deliberately put a match on while the kids were watching TV and they both looked confused and said '...but girls don't play football?' I don't want my daughter to grow up thinking there are things she can't aspire to just because she's female and I want my son to be the same. The more coverage and development in the women's game the better as far as I am concerned.

I agree that the women's game should be on the TV and my daughter has watched some and enjoyed it.

But that's not to confuse it with being either entertaining or good quality. Plenty of people watch Mrs Brown's Boys and that's terrible on both counts.

It bothers me that the commentators and pundits are worse than shite, trotting out such illuminating lines as 'thats what you'll get all day from her' and 'she'll run and run'.

There's also plenty of comparison between the men's and women's game by pundit and commentator too. It shouldn't happen as the two aren't comparable and it does the women no favours by saying it.

You then have the shambles of Gabby Logan and other presenters saying that the aim is to get pay parity with the men. The BBC eulogising like it's the biggest sporting event ever isn't helping either and the website coverage is an embarrassment.

My daughter likes it so I'll have it on the TV but I'm not pretending it's anything but a pretty poor standard where the goalkeepers and most players can't kick the ball more than 20 yards.

 

[jd1981]

As said before if you’re comparing the women’s game to the men’s, why? It’s an absurd thing to do we all know men are quicker, stronger and bigger.
Saddest thing for me is my daughter is starting to play at school and loves it but I know for a fact if she ever reached a good level she’d have the attitude your sports crap don’t bother.
The women’s game is developing so let it do that instead of pushing aside.
Don’t like don’t watch it, do what none football fans have to do during a World Cup.