Women's Football

I have been watching the Women's World Cup in Germany on the BBC, some of the games have been quite good, but some of the refereeing decisions are so bad it is in danger of making the game a mockery -a player with Equatorial Guinea picked up the ball in the penalty area and held it quite brazenly for a few seconds before dropping it -no penalty! Bizarre. England-v-France should be an England victory. Anyway, it's an improvement on that sport where kit cars go hurtling around a strip of tarmac, assuming they can get to the end. Or cricket...

Agreed, Stavros. What the women's game lacks in physical impact, it makes up for in movement and dare I say it, sports(wo)manship. And the skill level of some of the players is quite astounding - with sufficient refereeing protection Kelly Smith, the marauding English midfielder, could grace any men's team. She has a real football brain, as does Jill Scott, the more defensively minded of the midfield partnership.

And we've yet to see the brilliant Brazilian women, no slouches in comparison to their male counterparts.

It's a great competition, and I'll certainly be glued to the screen this afternoon for the England vs France quarter-final.

England went out last night after a thoroughly exciting and gruelling game against France, which went through extra time and into a penalty shoot-out, which, of course, being English, they lost.

Watching those girls at the end of the game, inconsolable and in tears, having run themselves ragged for 120 minutes - and these are part-time professionals at best, without access to the training or support services which their obscenely overpaid and over-pampered male counterparts enjoy - was a stark reminder of what the true meaning of sporting sacrifice is all about. I sympathised with them in a way I certainly didn't after England's men's team's disgraceful capitulation in South Africa last year.

Hope Powell made the fatal assumption that England had their 1-0 victory and took off two experienced defenders -not only did they they concede but it was one of the inexperienced defenders who shot wide in the penalty shoot-out. The substitutions also meant that when Smith was injured there was no replacement even if she did take a vicious penalty to score -I am amazed they were all still on their feet by the end; a great pity, but a great performance too, so its not all doom and gloom -ultimately someone has to play Brazil....

According to press reports Hope Powell is likely to step up to a strategic role within the FA with total responsibility for women's football development but continuing oversight of team and squad activities through a replacement manager. She has been a wonderful servant to women's football and indeed football in general in the UK and deserves a rest away from the direct involvement with the team.

Interesting and sad to hear that a lot of the girls bottled out of taking a penalty on Saturday. Kelly Smith, who could hardly stand, slotted the first one in magnificently and that should have encouraged the others. Where were experienced players like Farah Williams, Jill Scott, Ellen White and the rest?

It also seems that with England out, we're unlikely to see any of the remaining games on the BBC. Shame, especially since Japan, whom England beat in the Group stage, beat Brazil in their quarter final.

You are a charitable sort of guy Monsieur Louis -I thought Hope Powell calling her players cowards was a low blow from someone who played a major role in the problem by withdrawing experienced defenders whom we needed to prevent what happened: a French goal and defeat. Anyway, at least the team played with passion and conviction and looked liked they wanted to be there, unlike the useless bunch of tossers who showed up somewhere in South Africa last year.

USA look like favourites now...

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Originally Posted by Stavros

You are a charitable sort of guy Monsieur Louis -I thought Hope Powell calling her players cowards was a low blow from someone who played a major role in the problem by withdrawing experienced defenders whom we needed to prevent what happened: a French goal and defeat. Anyway, at least the team played with passion and conviction and looked liked they wanted to be there, unlike the useless bunch of tossers who showed up somewhere in South Africa last year.

USA look like favourites now...

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On the night, I agree, Stavros, it was a petty thing to say. But her overall record as England manager is outstandingly good, especially given the resources and finances she's had to work with.

Although her despairing touchline cries of "Hit it over the top!" during the French game didn't do too much for her tactical reputation! :)

BBC3 is broadcasting the final in full this evening at 8:30. I'll be watching.

USA vs Japan. I thought it would be Germany vs Brazil, so it should be very interesting.

Sad that nobody from the US has posted on this thread, particularly when you have a very good team, and you've made the final.

Or is women's soccer just too girly for you?

I can only get a clear picture on BBC1, the other three channels are a bit cloudy; all those other ones, threes and fours are out of the range of my obscure building....I expected the USA to win, but it was penalties although I think when the US won this in the 1990s it was an heroic performance by their goalie in a penalty shootout that won it for them.

congratulations to the Japanese team - I am not much of a football fan - however I did enjoy this exciting contest. It looked to my inexperienced eyes that the US team was dominating play for most of the game. Yet the Japanese girls were tenacious and would not be denied - every time they got knocked down they got back up and evened the score. I was happy for them considering what Japan has endured recently I hope this victory can lift their spirits.