FIFA Women's World Cup 2023

[METALMAN]

English commentators doing that thing they do when one of their players crunches into the opposition and it’s apparently the crafty foreigners “swaying the referee to their advantage”.
 

I started watching this with an open mind and no particular preference but this sort of talk always makes it difficult. 

[Twist]

5 minutes ago, therockbox said:

Bronze has been awful. Still wandering into the middle leaving her flank completely exposed.

You can tell she started her career playing further up the pitch and I assume never really wanted to end up playing in the back line.

[Plubby]

Spain just look better. England look like they might have something on the counter, but they can't get enough midfield possession to generate anything better than hitting a long ball into space.

[therockbox]

That'll be a pen.

[Colly]

3 minutes ago, METALMAN said:

English commentators doing that thing they do when one of their players crunches into the opposition and it’s apparently the crafty foreigners “swaying the referee to their advantage”.
 

I started watching this with an open mind and no particular preference but this sort of talk always makes it difficult. 

On a similar note I think this pen will be harsh, but the BBC commentator suggesting it's a natural position because "she's putting her arm out to stop the player" is hilarious. So potentially a foul as well as a handball...

[gunnar hendershow]

It's a harsh pen and the kind of handball call I hate, but better this than leaving handballs up to all sorts of weird nuanced interpretation. Body is made bigger by the hand location and it hits the ball.

[METALMAN]

Yeah if it were down to how I’d like to interpret the rules I’d let it slide but I guess you’ve got to give it based on the way the rules currently are.

[Colly]

I know "women footballers swearing" has been done to death recently, but I'd have loved to have a microphone on Earps there.

[Plubby]

I thought that was a more clear pen than the one called against us last night, and I thought that was a pen.

 

Great save, though replays suggest to me she broke off her line...

[gunnar hendershow]

Well we had all this discussion for naught. Not a good penalty take at all.

Earps did jump off her line early, but the penalty was so poor it probably didn't even affect it.

[Lineker]

Fucking love Earps.

[Colly]

I think I've said before but the "keepers foot has to be on the line as the ball is kicked" rule that's been enforced since VAR is horrific anyway. The striker has always had the advantage for pens, and the fact that hideous stuttery run ups aren't remotely punished anymore means that it's even harder for keepers to manage it. I realise there's a few times keepers have pushed it, but the ref always had discretion, it's a sledgehammer to break a nut.

[gunnar hendershow]

Going to be at least 10 minutes of stoppage time for this half...

[Twist]

2 minutes ago, Colly said:

I think I've said before but the "keepers foot has to be on the line as the ball is kicked" rule that's been enforced since VAR is horrific anyway. The striker has always had the advantage for pens, and the fact that hideous stuttery run ups aren't remotely punished anymore means that it's even harder for keepers to manage it. I realise there's a few times keepers have pushed it, but the ref always had discretion, it's a sledgehammer to break a nut.

Add to that the placing of the ball was in front of the spot with about a millimetre overhang.

Also surely VAR should be checking that elbow?

[Plubby]

😆

 

 

[Twist]

Just now, Twist said:

Add to that the placing of the ball was in front of the spot with about a millimetre overhang.

Also surely VAR should be checking that elbow?

Nevermind.

[Plubby]

Spain taking a few liberties with LJ, probably seeing if they can get her to do something dumb again.

[Twist]

Paralleulo got lucky there and suspect if it wasn't the World Cup final she'd have got a second yellow there.

[Plubby]

Good grief, we're having a whole extra half of added time...

[METALMAN]

England would be winning this if Prince William didn’t destroy their morale by refusing to turn up