Women's World Cup

[Workingman]

I have watched most of the matches and I am impressed and unimpressed at the same time.

It is patently obvious that some teams are just making up the numbers, even more so than in the men's game - USA 13-0 Thailand - but it is also obvious that many of the lesser teams are rapidly closing the gap on the big five. There have been some good close games.

However, VAR and the new rules need looking at. VAR is breaking up the game. It takes too long and it patently has not cut out dodgy decisions. Scotland suffered a very weak handball decision and penalty against England yet got nothing from an even more obvious one today against Japan.

[cromwell]

Agree with all that. Some teams are way off the pace but the good teams have players with real skill.
It would be good if tv had a highlights show but I can't find one.

[Workingman]

Cromwell. there are some highlights and games on BBC iPlayer and Red Button1.

Every single game is being shown somehow, but strangely for the BBC there are no times or locations given on the WWC web pages. Only the big games are getting on the main TV channels.

[cromwell]

That Beth Mead can play a bit.

[TheOstrich]

That Beth Mead can play a bit.

Research shows I saw her play for (her then club) Sunderland Ladies, back in April 2014 against Aston Villa. She scored twice in the first half in a 0-3 victory, two well-taken goals from close range according to my notes! . She was already an England U19 International at that point, I believe.

I haven't seen any of these World Cup games, to be honest, so I can't really comment about the quality of the teams, but I was interested in your thoughts, WM, about VAR and the standards of interpreting it. If it's going to create a constant 'stop-start' effect throughout the game, it wouldn't be to my taste. Half the fun of watching the game is chuntering about those dodgy decisions .....

[Workingman]

One thing is clear - the goalkeeping has improved no end.

Tonight Elder kept the Chile score well down to single figures against the USA. She was magnificent, and she is not the only one.

It will be interesting to see how good the goalies of the top sides are once they are tested - and they will be in the later stages. They could be the key to who wins.

[Workingman]

So England came fourth, which is a let down.

I so loved the in commentary excuses: I was hot. It was humid. It was a tough match against the USA. Well it was the same heat and humidity for Sweden and their semi went to extra time.

The truth is that some players didn't turn up for this world cup and it looks like Neville is going to have to do a Southgate and get rid of some of the "names". Duggan and Bright were appalling and both Scott and Bronze blow hot and cold and when they are both cold England effectively go down to nine players. Greenwood and Kirby are probably safe, but neither has been convincing.

Maybe it was all the swapping and changing that was to blame, but I have to say the system does not look right for the types of players we have.