Women's football

[Durhamfootman]

here we go again

another equaliser ruled out

I like these water breaks. England were getting creamed before it, absolutely creamed, but then they score 2 in 2 mins straight after... before VAR stuck his nose in again

England have finally started playing and just as well too because they were playing like a team about to get a 5-0 hammering

defending has been woeful..... woeful

I applaud the intention to always play out from the back, but it's no good if you always give the ball away in dangerous areas trying to do it. Sometimes there's nothing wrong with a good old fashioned lump up the pitch

playing much better atm though.

[Durhamfootman]

harsh ruling out of the second goal. at the time the VAR only showed the fractions of a second either side of the ball touching White's arm. The whole replay shows her controlling the crossed ball with her chest, letting it drop to the floor, with the ball bouncing up onto the defender and then onto White's arm, which she can't move because the defender is all over her like a rash, yet she wrests the ball back under control and slots it home. It was actually a terrific goal, really well taken, under extreme pressure from the defender who was practically climbing all over her.

no wonder she looked distraught

[Durhamfootman]

4th it is, then

can't play that badly for 25 mins and expect to win. England dominated for the last 65 mins, but by then the damage was done.

Kirby was excellent today. With England looking down and out she was the player who took the game by the scruff of the neck and she was pretty much the conduit through which everything that England did well happened. Her best game of the tournament by far

disappointing end to a good campaign, but England were the architects of their own downfall early on and after that Sweden were able to just soak everything up. Once that second goal was ruled out it was obvious that it was going to be one of those games for England..... something England football teams have specialised in for decades

[mikesiva]

The Americans win 2-0 in a final they dominated.

[Alviro Patterson]

what wouldn't help is selling TV rights to Sky. Making big bucks by selling TV rights won't be the answer if it hides the game away in the corner of another subscription box

There is no other option but to collaborate with Murdoch if women footballers want a quick pay rise. Those on the equal pay bandwagon need to think carefully about their next course of action because prospective investors will want a return on their money. Womens football as a product is of a poor quality compared to other sports, so it will be off-pitch and outside of football activity where the money is truly earned.

I have more respect for women cricketers because all they want is professionalism and increased participation in their sport. For example you don't hear Stefanie Taylor bad mouthing WICB for poor pay.

[Durhamfootman]

Man City are letting the women play their derby match at the Etihad and Chelsea are doing the same.

Chelsea are letting everyone in for free, seemingly

This is very helpful, I think. Surely Chelsea will fill their ground

[Durhamfootman]

I watched the Lionesses in action last night.

Very disappointing performance. I'm still trying to fathom why, when you have the best right back in the world who is also the current European player of the year, you'd play her in centre midfield where she gets few touches and makes very little impact on the game. Seems like madness to me, but then I am very dim, of course. She played in that position in a friendly with Belgium last week too with a similar result

Same problems persist for the team...... an inability to play for more than a few minutes without losing concentration, followed by sloppy passing, giving the ball away in dangerous areas and compounded by a complete inability to clear their lines under pressure

lots of work for the bravest manager in the history of the game to get his teeth into

[Durhamfootman]

Man City are letting the women play their derby match at the Etihad and Chelsea are doing the same.

Chelsea are letting everyone in for free, seemingly

This is very helpful, I think. Surely Chelsea will fill their ground

31,000 crowd at ManC

Chelsea were expecting a bigger crowd but had to settle for 24,000

still....... progress

in more down to earth news, Durham wildcats maintained their 100% start to the championship by beating Charlton 2-0 to sit on top of the league with a maximum 9 points and a much better GD than Villa

[Gingerfinch]

Went to the Chelsea game. They should have won by more really, as Spurs were pretty poor, as was the ref who never played the advantage. My only criticism was they ran out of hot food by half time, so I had to settle for a bag of crisps!

[Durhamfootman]

are Spurs a new side?

[Gingerfinch]

Promoted from the 2nd tier last season, along with Man Utd.

[Durhamfootman]

I'm not sure how that works, tbh. Does relegation apply if the promoted sides are full time, or do they escape the drop if the top 2 Championship sides are part time?

[Durhamfootman]

or are all the championship side full time too these days? Is that why Sunderland were relegated to the 3rd tier?

[Gingerfinch]

I'm not sure how that works, tbh. Does relegation apply if the promoted sides are full time, or do they escape the drop if the top 2 Championship sides are part time?

Have not got a clue, Footman, sorry!

Off to Reading vs City this weekend, and at £6 for four tickets, why not? My daughter is going to be either a flag bearer or mascot, also.

[Durhamfootman]

that'll be nice for her. Enjoy the day