OOO great post, lots of interesting things here

First and foremost - YES, I agree. This tournament has been brilliant fun (OK I've only actually watched the England matches), it's fantastic to see women's football emerge and get exposure and interest and crowds and funding, all the teams should be admired for what they're putting in and we should definitely be behind our national team.

That doesn't mean I agree with everything you've said though!

Quality - quality DOES matter unless you are super-engaged with a team (like I am watching my son's Old Boys team). In the very early days of women's football the quality was so poor that I didn't enjoy it at all - seeing an England team that was so much worse, technically, than even Tonbridge Angels really detracted from it.

The reasons for lack of quality were as you say - lack of encouragement and investment - and they're being addressed. That's great, because now the quality is really good (I think). It's very different from the men's game, because of the physiological gap - even these women will never be anything like as fast or strong as very fit men. That's just biology. But they are now not only really fit women, they are also really skilful. The amount of flick/fart/fanny is brilliant, I love seeing it. They can't rely so much on sheer raw strength so they rely more on vision, movement, control, tricks. And now they're pretty damn good at it and it's a good watch.

It's true that if you change channel straight from a top women's game to a top men's game you can't help but notice the gulf. The pace and power are just totally different. But I don't think that matters - the women's game is a really good watch in its own right, now, regardless. I don't think that that was always the case but it is now.

I couldn't care less about the penalties, as you say plenty of men have missed plenty of penalties.

"England men? Boring, mostly." 100% disagree with this, you don't have to rubbish men's football in order to big up women's. I always find it exciting to watch the very best our country has got to offer, even when they're playing badly. Which they mostly are now. Booooo! Tuchel Out!!!!

"Let’s not be all Talksport over women’s football." 100% agree with this, I've loved this England team because they never, ever give up and they never, ever believe they're beaten. We shouldn't talk them down just because they'd lose to pretty much any men's pro team.

However, I do find some of the hype excessive. I think fundamentally it's the same issue as with women's golf, which I also like watching - however good they are you know that they would all lose to all the male pros, so I find some of the hyperbole annoying.

Anyway, see para 1. If you've got this far.

Posted By: Old Git on July 23rd 2025 at 12:43:50

Message Thread

In Defence of Women's Football (Too Many Words) (Other Football) - tim berry, Jul 23, 11:44:27
- criticism not allowed? (Other Football) - Tombs, Jul 23, 13:54:53
  - I think there is a difference between valid criticism of performance (as per last night) (Other Football) - Knitted Jesus, Jul 23, 14:19:20
    - I've been criticising Lucy Bronze and Leah Williamson all tournament (Other Football) - tim berry, Jul 23, 14:41:07
      - Bronze’s penalty against Sweden smashed down the middle was perfect though (n/m) (Other Football) - footymadman, Jul 23, 19:23:28
      - Morgan was shocking for the Italy goal (Other Football) - Old Git, Jul 23, 15:47:40
      - Some of those shootout pens were hilariously shit tbf (Other Football) - jamesward, Jul 23, 14:48:44
        
        It was a bad penalty shootout, for sure. (Other Football) - tim berry, Jul 23, 15:01:57
  - If this was the men's game there'd be a big old mass debate (Other Football) - jamesward, Jul 23, 13:57:33
    - What, like an article on the BBC? (Other Football) - Old Git, Jul 23, 14:35:29
      - You think I'm reading an article about women's football? (Other Football) - jamesward, Jul 23, 14:36:33
- ITV got thier highest viewing figures of the year last night. People are watching it (Other Football) - megson, Jul 23, 13:37:44
- I enjoy watching the Lionesses (Other Football) - strap_on sally, Jul 23, 13:02:36
- Dunno if anyone agrees... (Other Football) - BigGrantHolt, Jul 23, 12:57:17
  - Hear hear (n/m) (Other Football) - footymadman, Jul 23, 19:24:26
- I wouldn't disagree with any of the above. The issue in part however (Other Football) - seminated_woolly, Jul 23, 12:57:07
- You're quite right (Other Football) - camcan, Jul 23, 12:54:18
  - Agree 👍 (n/m) (Other Football) - APB, Jul 23, 15:43:25
- OOO great post, lots of interesting things here (Other Football) - Old Git, Jul 23, 12:43:50
  - ^^^ VMT ^^^ (n/m) (Other Football) - The Gaffer, Jul 23, 13:35:46
- Good post (Other Football) - jamesward, Jul 23, 12:42:46
  - of course. as Tombo said ^ , criticism is valid (n/m) (Other Football) - Milko, Jul 23, 14:27:50
- Ace post (n/m) (Other Football) - Lentil Weaver, Jul 23, 12:22:36
- I agree with this... but can they not put Poland v Netherlands on when The Chase should (Other Football) - Pixelman, Jul 23, 12:21:45
  - I can't watch The Chase (Other Football) - Ken Dodds Dads Dog, Jul 23, 12:28:53
    - That's certainly an issue. (n/m) (Other Football) - Pixelman, Jul 23, 14:59:39
- Very well said (Other Football) - Knitted Jesus, Jul 23, 12:17:49
- I agree (Other Football) - APB, Jul 23, 12:14:59
- 100% agree (n/m) (Other Football) - Milko, Jul 23, 12:05:22
- Girl (Other Football) - Jumbo1, Jul 23, 11:50:21

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