Jump to content

Women's World Cup 2019


ljkeane

Recommended Posts

The Women's World Cup starts tonight so it seems like an appropriate time to start a thread.

I'm not a consistent watcher of women's football, I tend to watch the major international tournaments and the odd other international or WSL game, so it'll be interesting to see how the world game has developed over the last few years. It certainly does feel like the women's game has kicked on a lot over the last few years with growth in the number of professional players in England, the record crowd they recently had in Madrid and Lyon getting a lot of coverage for their European success (it's a shame Ada Hegerberg won't feature).

Regarding the tournament itself I'm not a huge fan of the 24 team and a round of 16 format, it makes it fairly difficult for any half decent sides to get knocked out in the group stages, but on the plus side apparently the number of competitive teams is supposed to be the best it's ever been so when we do get to the knock outs there's the potential for it to be really good. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Good start for France although South Korea were never really in the game. France were the best footballing side at the last World Cup for me, Amandine Henry is great in midfield, but they'll need to turn that into actual results at the key stages this time round.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm not up to speed on the different teams, not quite, so while I say that Germany looks good so far, I'll have to temper that knowing that I have no idea about the quality of this Chinese side.

The Chinese defense looks well organized, and they fight well, but the keeper looks shaky when leaving her line. 

Btw, China really should have scored on a breakaway, but the striker took a touch too many before finishing.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

China raising their game towards the end of the half. 

Germany seems to have a good team, but I would question their defensive solidity. China finds space in attack altoghether too easy.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I watched a bit of the Spain - South Africa match, it was pretty scrappy, Spain were trying to play Spanish style passing football but it wasn’t coming off too well. After I stopped watching they scored 3 goals though so maybe it came together. 

On the basis of what I saw I wouldn’t expect either side to be too much of a threat to the favourites.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

England get a penalty with the assistance of VAR. I suppose it’s down to the new handball interpretation but that should never be a penalty for me. The Scottish defender’s a few feet from the ball being kicked and just because your arm isn’t flat by your side doesn’t mean it’s in an unnatural position.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, ljkeane said:

England get a penalty with the assistance of VAR. I suppose it’s down to the new handball interpretation but that should never be a penalty for me. The Scottish defender’s a few feet from the ball being kicked and just because your arm isn’t flat by your side doesn’t mean it’s in an unnatural position.

We should get me and lacuna in here to start another huge metadebate :)

That said, I agree with you on the handball. But the rules are against us atm.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I’m quite impressed with the Dutch so far.

A lot of the teams do some good things but they seem quite like 90s style teams in that they don’t systematically make it easy for the player on the ball to make a pass. If you watch modern men’s teams, even not particularly good ones, they’re usually set up to have someone consistently trying to find space to offer an easy pass.

The two teams I’ve seen so far who do do it are France and, perhaps not surprisingly, the Dutch. Spain and England tried but they were a bit inconsistent about it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Watching at work, I left to go home with 20 minutes left when it was 7-0.  I jokingly said to my co-workers, "I wonder what the score will be by the time I get home".  I was expecting 8-0, 9-0, maybe an outside chance at 10-0.  Found a radio station when I was almost home, and I almost choked when they said 13-0.  Wow...just wow.  Hope it doesn't go to their heads.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The USA have a good side from what I can see, but in a tournament where the defensive side is often comically bad this was a particularly poor show. The Thai GK seemed terrified to do anything that might keep the ball out of the net and the defence just seemed to back off and stand around. 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...