Eng v Mexico KO @ 9pm – BBC3 if anyone interested.

@theotherjonv I read that book about 3 months ago. Some fascinating stuff in it which has made me look at games differently.

I’ve always enjoyed the technical aspects, both in terms of the skills of the game but also the theoretical side, which players are really valuable. And I can also predict the responses of the traditionalists on here who haven’t read it.

I thought the section about corners was good and take a more than is healthy interest in them now. I participate in a football forum and there are normally sensible folk on there who just will not accept it.

Enjoying this match. Worst thing about it is the crowd, who seem to be out for a picnic rather than actual fans.

Aluko has impressed apart from her first touch, she controls it further than I can kick it!

And again!

But the Reading player sorts it out!!

Some cracking shots being made here. How is it still only 1-0?

Offside 2nd, but deserved scoreline.

This is more entertaining than the men have been for a while 😀

Women’s football, Ya!

Let’s chest bump …

Rather ride a bike with flat tyres!

Perfect example.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/33144287

The Norwegian goalie’s 5’8″. That’s the only reason she’s been beaten from there. her position was good, footwork was good, and she’s been beaten by a shot that I’d have saved simply because I’m 4″ taller than her.

Why you’d have goalie of only 5’8″ is beyond me. Surely you’d want someone of a minimum of 6′?

The Numbers Game is an okay book, but really starts to loose it’s way with a third left, to the point there is even incorrect info near the end that they base some of their conclusions on. The analysis of corners is the bit that I found most interesting, and probably should have been required reading for Juve in the Champions league final.

Perfect example.

Of what?

Side picks short goalie based on performance. So what? What’s this got to do with women?

I never realised that the goals in the mens game have been changed over time to keep up with the increase in size and athleticism of the men – or have they always been the same ?

I would guess the average keeper in the men’s game 100 yrs ago was less than the women now – and poss slightly less athletic, so the whole argument of the goal being just the right size to give a good balance between attack and defence is quite frankly pish.

I would guess the average keeper in the men’s game 100 yrs ago was less than the women now – and poss slightly less athletic

Yeah but the ball was way worse. No-one complained about advances in ball tech making it easier to curl into corners and so on.

For those complaining about the 10-0 scorelines – some Estonian team recently lost 36-0 in their league. I think they were men.

Yeah but the ball was way worse

Good point, I hadn’t thought about that

No-one complained about advances in ball tech making it easier to curl into corners and so on.

Goalkeepers did. And not just goalkeepers.

http://www.whoateallthepies.tv/lists/29792/top-10-complaints-about-the-adidas-jabulani-world-cup-match-ball.html

and they completely redesigned it with the Brazuca.

some Estonian team recently lost 36-0 in their league. I think they were men.

It wasn’t their league, it was the estonian Cup, broadly equivalent to the FA cup but without 6 qualifying rounds and the premier league only entering once the competition’s whittled down to R3.

I bet if Chelsea played Stoke D’Abernon that too would be a cricket score. we’re not talking about complete mismatches here, we’re talking about a minor adjustment to rebalance the game properly.

we’re talking about a minor adjustment to rebalance the game properly.

You really think the game is noticeably worth with slightly more goals? I certainly don’t. Apart from the mismatches I’ve not noticed any difference – certainly not enough goals to reduce their value.

Women’s football? Nah….

Personally I find watching either flavour of football extremely dull, but I have to say the women game without the diving, ankle clutching and ref abuse is a much better game to watch

You really think the game is noticeably worth worse with slightly more goals?

Yes, I think the game is worse as a result. To the extent it’s ruining my pleasure of the WC. No. I said above it’s a different game to the men’s game; a variant of it, but different.

Makes me wonder what happens if it gets to a penalty shootout. It’s known that even a 6’6″ male goalkeeper cannot cover the whole goal in the time it takes the ball to get 12 yards. Hence if a penalty is struck well and put in the areas he cannot physically reach, there is no way he can save it. The only way he can save it is if the penalty is not good (badly hit / poorly directed) or he anticipates and dives before the ball is actually hit, giving him more time to reach further across.

In the first instance – that’s what pressure does, makes the taker fluff it.

In the second – that’s where a good penalty taker can wait for the move and then act on it. Unless he’s bluffed, or double bluffed.

In a women’s shootout – the area to hit is going to be bigger due to size. OK, women aren’t as strong so shots may not be as hard hit, equally the spring is less so the area covered is smaller still than even that allowed for by the difference in size. Which broadly even out. So, the pressure on a penalty taker in the women’s game is less. Assuming they can handle the pressure the same – maybe even better because the game isn’t worth as much as a CL or EPL playoff (opens up to a new level of flaming here) – but there’s no reason why they’d be any less capable of being precise…..there’s no excuse to miss.

I wonder what the conversion rate is mens vs womens??

I love the ball control on display. Seen loads more fantastic shots and crosses, they seem way more accurate; also there’s a lot of deft skill one-on-one rather than just clattering the guy with the ball followed by a whistle.

What is worth ? Money ? Prestige ?

Assuming they can handle the pressure the same – maybe even better because the game isn’t worth as much as a CL or EPL playoff

Ok I will bite, are you really saying the pressure of playing for your country is less than playing for your club ? I guess it maybe for the men but this is the pinnacle of the women game and where they are all desperate to play – go I am going to call tosh on this one as well

Seen loads more fantastic shots and crosses, they seem way more accurate;

That’s because there is so little pressure on the player with the ball.

are you really saying the pressure of playing for your country is less than playing for your club ?

I think that’s definitely an issue in the men’s game – getting into Champions League / the Premier League, winning domestic and international titles, etc., are all more important than playing for the national team. We’ve seen it on here – ‘I don’t care about England as long as Chelsea / Man Utd / delete as applicable win the Premier league’ – and i think it exists in the professional ranks too (particularly looking at players who play for clubs that have a chance of winning the highest honours, but countries that are no hopers. Does Gareth Bale feel as much pressure playing for Wales as he does playing for Real? There’s honour involved but realistically it’s much closer to being ‘just a game’ when he plays for Wales)

I don’t know in the womens game. There certainly isn’t the money in it that there is in the men’s game, so proportionally at least the prestige aspect is that much greater. Does that lead to the same amount of pressure? How do you compare the relative pressure of a sudden death penalty situation, to win the Champions League vs winning the Women’s world cup?

We always say it’s just a game, but the men’s professional game is big business too. The women’s game much less so. The pressures are therefore different, whether in the end they amount to the same effect, I don’t know.

Just turned the game on.. sounds weird.. is it indoors? Pitch looks really slow too.

All this talk of no theatrical diving in the women’s game.. this Colombian goalie is trying to redress the balance all on her own.

In the corner my arse 😉

(Not bothered tbh, 2-0 will do for now)

molly: ground has a roof. turf is artificial

Commentary’s **** awful mind.

Goalkeeper won the tackle, not even a foul let alone a sending off that they’re shouting for.

Today, I’m of the opinion that big goals and small goalkeepers is A VERY GOOD THING.

Pick that out, Mrs.

Great strike and the header for the first was pretty pinpoint too.

Lol.. Missed the match, saw the replay on the news. Fantastic strike.. Would have raised the roof if there’s been 80k spectators.. Seem to see more of these beautiful shots in this tournament than I’m used to.

I would have saved it though.

Australia – Japan on earlier and I wasn’t too impressed with the standard of play. Sure it’s never going to be as fast or as physical as the mens game, but the quality of the technical skills was below what I’d expect from the current holders especially. I can only hope that given more coverage, time and money that the skill level will rise.

Hopefully the England – Canada game coming up will be a better showcase for the game with a full stadium.

Woo!

And woo again!!

A much more entertaining game! England defense looks a tad suspect but very poor Canadian finishing, but lots of decent build up play. Two major defensive errors for the England goals.