[0762]

But she is actually one of many poor referees who have played a big part in ruining this WC tournament, which is a FIFA "guinea pig" competition as rightly pointed out by LS! IMO these referees have not been fully indoctrinated on the use of VAR and also how can you possibly prepare a poor referee anyway??? IMO with great difficulty!!

[Lord Snooty]

Not seen all the matches but yes I agree. Some of these refs are almost as bad as some of our Premier League referees.

[Ska'dForLife-WBA]

But she is actually one of many poor referees who have played a big part in ruining this WC tournament, which is a FIFA "guinea pig" competition as rightly pointed out by LS! IMO these referees have not been fully indoctrinated on the use of VAR and also how can you possibly prepare a poor referee anyway??? IMO with great difficulty!!

I do, however, draw a distinction between refs who struggle to get to grips with new laws and new technology - which will always be a struggle, even for the very best - and those who can't do something as basic as stamping their authority on a game. Once players start taking the piss out of you, you're done at this level.

[Devongone]

I know this will be an unpopular thing to say but ......... Womens' Football reminds me a Youth Football. They play the game properly, please the coaches, pass nicely, work openings ........ do stuff right. Cameroon approached the game like men. They knew they were less experienced and certainly had received less coaching, but they had talent and some physical ability. They approached the game like a mid-table team from Division One playing Arsenal. They conceded a VERY unusual first goal to their disappointment, then when they conceded a second were shown a huge screen of a player in an "offside" position. Bill Nicholson would have asked, "if you're not interfering with play what are you doing on the pitch?" They felt aggrieved.

Then they scored and that same VAR which they thought had earlier portrayed injustice, ruled against them.

Do we really think a mens' team would have behaved better? What is everyone saying, Cameroon were unladylike? Isn't that sexist? Would commentators have said the same if Cameroon perhaps looked like Norway?

The whole thing was a clash of styles and approaches to the game. The best team won, but Cameroon don't deserve all the crap being handed out because they wouldn't lie down and die. Like the ref' they lack experience. They did things wrong. But before Saint Neville puts in his two-pennyworth he should perhaps look at some of his behaviour when on the field. He was nobody's Gary Lineker.

[0762]

I'd just add that my "take" on this level of footie is that I'd call it "frenetic soccer" - not in all the matches but a lotta them are almost non-stop, frenetic games when hardly any lady can "stand on the baw" and "slow the game down"!! Also there are far too many missed passes!!
Youth footie is a reasonable comparison but I'd comment that some of our best teen youth sides (not international ones!) would actually beat some of these ladies teams - obviously won't happen as it is a different style of footie and the "physicality factor" is hugely different!

[Lord Snooty]

Well how good was that last night?

Lucy Bronze. What a brilliant all round performance. Must be the player of the tournament.

And as for Steph Houghton. Best England captain since Bobby Moore. Watching her cool unflappable style reminds me of the great man. Would love to see her holding that cup aloft.

And Ellen White. Proper fox in the box.

[0762]

Well how good was that France v USA game last night? Definitely the best match of the tournament and it was a great pity that either of these sides would be eliminated from the tourney. Quality is the key word and the USA break the WWC record by winning ten consecutive matches and have only lost once in their last 43 games.

[Ska'dForLife-WBA]

VAR, if you could kindly xxxx off and find another sport to ruin, that'd be just grand.

[0762]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/live/football/47323603
England beaten by a superior USA team and "football is not coming home" after all!! But England was never the home of footie anyway and that's a fact no matter what gender of footie I am referring to!! After listening to some of the most ridiculous partial comments AGAIN in a bbc tv commentary, I must say that it was amazing to see a VAR decision finally go against the England ladies team for the first time and as for their highly debatable VAR pk (????), the Houghton lassie "choked" on its conversion with the equivalent of a pass back that rendered the USA goalie as a World Cup heroine - it was an easy save!! As for the England CB , Bright, why on earth was that second yellow card not a straight red because her leg-breaking lunge on Morgan was outrageous - a shocking piece of poor refereeing but no surprise as refereeing and the use of VAR have been consistently debated/criticised from day 1!!! I must also add it was good to see that smug demeanour finally eradicated from Phil Neville - Mr Smug finally "brought down to earth" with a thump!!

[Lord Snooty]

Like I've said before, there has to be an umpire's call margin for offsides. And that's not just because we got one disallowed, I've said it all along.
But putting that aside, the Americans were the better team. And if you get beat in the semi final by the best team in the world, you've not done too bad.
Sad to see the lassies in tears afterwards.