Vocal Voices

I have been watching the 2017 Euros this last week and what a refreshing change!

I probably started watching the women around the time of the last Euros and then the World Cup in Canada and the step up in quality is amazing.

In the early days there was no spatial awareness, plenty of "air kicks", going for headers before the ball got there or had gone past, tackling the grass rather than the player, waiting for the ball instead of going to it.

Most of that has disappeared and in has come tactical awareness and good ball skills. It is fair to say that it is not as fast as the men's game, and it is slightly old fashioned in the way it is played, but to me it is all the better for that.

I have even seen wingers getting to the bye line and putting crosses into the box for the forwards to do their jobs - what is all that about?


BTW England beat France last night to reach the semis and Germany are out having lost to Denmark. So it's Eng V Netherlands and Austria v Denmark

Yes, congratulations to England on defeating France last night.

The standard of the top teams in the WSL (Women's Super League) is indeed high, but deteriorates pretty dramatically below that. I guess you could say much the same about the Premiership, and of course it's money that talks, and the FA have thrown shedloads at the England team whilst the top English clubs benefit from massive sponsorship. Having suffered two seasons watching Aston Villa Ladies in Division 1, most games were rather unedifying midfield battles with poor skills, especially when it came to passing. But when they played the recognised top teams like Manchester City and Birmingham City in Continental (the tyre firm) Cup ties, the contrast in approach and class was undeniable.

Nevertheless, I'm quite amenable to watch the womens' game, but with two provisos - (1) the razamatazz designed to attract families is a bit OTT for me and (2) back in 2014/15, seeing just 20 goals across 9 matches tells you all you need to know about the entertainment factor. As I commented after one game at the time, my only high spot in the whole affair was high-fiving Villa's "Bella the Lion" mascot during the interval .....

I was reading an article by Alan Hansen some time back where he claimed that purely from a skills perspective some of the WSL teams could hold their own in the bottom tier of the EFL or the National League. Of course they would not have the physicality of the men, and the rules would never allow it, but it is an interesting point.

Anyway, the semis are on Thursday and England take on the hosts, Netherlands, so that's the evening's TV sorted.

Workingman wrote:I was reading an article by Alan Hansen some time back where he claimed that purely from a skills perspective some of the WSL teams could hold their own in the bottom tier of the EFL or the National League. Of course they would not have the physicality of the men, and the rules would never allow it, but it is an interesting point.

The top teams like Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester City possibly, Purely based on skill (lack of) and enthusiasm (boundless), however, the lower WSL Division 1 clubs like Reading, Sunderland and Yeovil down here would be sort of at the level of Northern Premier League Division 1 level (Step 4), I conjecture .... I think they'd give Ossett Albion a reasonable game .....

It's a shame that the WSL is being turned into a winter league this 2017/18 rather than leaving it as a summer sporting event. I don't know why the FA have done that, to be honest. I think it will depress attendances (Villa Ladies used to get around 300-400 but it was pretty much all families - I'd be surprised if they'd want to turn out in the bad weather).

What a final! Netherlands 4 - 2 Denmark

As good a game of football as you will see anywhere.

Goed gedaan naar Nederland en harde geluk naar Denemarken.

Some nice goals in there. The best side won but I did feel for Denmark, they looked so upset.

I'm not a football fan these days, but what I've seen of the women's game,
I would saw it is much more interesting to watch than the men's, and they
don't make fools of themselves as some of the men do.