The Final Thread?

[Foot of Astaire's]

Well I'm happy. It was a decent game of footy and as far as I could tell, the best team in the tournament won.

There's this weird anti English/anti England thing that I knew I'd see a bit of on here that usually leaves me perplexed but quite amused me today. It's like reverse gammonism with folk trying to cover up their prejudices by finding any reasons they can to discredit an English victory - " They were waving flags, singing songs and their media is biased, the utter bastards!"

[Ray de Galles]

I only realised today that last night was the tenth anniversary of my seeing GB beat Brazil 1-0 at Wembley in the Olympic Womens tournament.

At the time that seemed like quite a milestone for Women's football in Britain but it was obviously thoroughly smashed last night, if not before.

Jill Scott is the only player to appear in both matches that I can recall.

[Bizarre Löw Triangle]

That's a very good point- especially when some of the most unpleasant people in the country are representing it as a victory over Germans or trans rights

I am very annoyed i had to see those tweets so thanks.

Guess we should be proud of the progress women's sports have made that the "nObOdY cArEs aBoUt WiMmInS fOoTbAlL" brigade are now trying to crowbar in their right-wing talking points.

It would be nice if there was an English Rapinoe (or an Ashlynn Harris or an Alex Morgan, or a Becky Saurbrunn) who are able to prevent the achievements of their team being co-opted in the service of fascism but I don't think there is. Leah Williamson is obviously sound - based off her social media - but also idk if she'd be willing to put her head above the parapet in the way that those US players have.

Then again, part of the reason that US players have been able to do what they have done is that players like Rapinoe forced the issue and sort of created the space* where others could be outspoken politically - in part because she became a culture-war lightning rod. And I don't think it's necessarily fair to ask or expect others to do that.

*and in turn her actions built on other athletes like Colin Kaepernick sacrificing their careers taking a political stand.

[Sunderporinostesta]

I only realised today that last night was the tenth anniversary of my seeing GB beat Brazil 1-0 at Wembley in the Olympic Womens tournament.

At the time that seemed like quite a milestone for Women's football in Britain but it was obviously thoroughly smashed last night, if not before.

Jill Scott is the only player to appear in both matches that I can recall.

The Mrs said that as we were both at that game as well. Was Bronze not in both games?

[The Awesome Berbaslug!!!]

I'm a bit confused by TAB's insistence that decisions checked by VAR should be debated at length by commentators because usually the opposite position is held.

Eh? There's a difference between debating every var decision at length, and refusing to mention a decision so inexplicable, that match fixing has to be on the table as an active possibility.

[Patrick Thistle]

Eh? There's a difference between debating every var decision at length, and refusing to mention a decision so inexplicable, that match fixing has to be on the table as an active possibility.

I think your tinfoil hat is on a bit tight.

[Nefertiti2]

I am very annoyed i had to see those tweets so thanks.

Guess we should be proud of the progress women's sports have made that the "nObOdY cArEs aBoUt WiMmInS fOoTbAlL" brigade are now trying to crowbar in their right-wing talking points.

It would be nice if there was an English Rapinoe (or an Ashlynn Harris or an Alex Morgan, or a Becky Saurbrunn) who are able to prevent the achievements of their team being co-opted in the service of fascism but I don't think there is. Leah Williamson is obviously sound - based off her social media - but also idk if she'd be willing to put her head above the parapet in the way that those US players have.

Then again, part of the reason that US players have been able to do what they have done is that players like Rapinoe forced the issue and sort of created the space* where others could be outspoken politically - in part because she became a culture-war lightning rod. And I don't think it's necessarily fair to ask or expect others to do that.

*and in turn her actions built on other athletes like Colin Kaepernick sacrificing their careers taking a political stand.

apologies -wasn’t sure whether to share or not or issue a content warning. I have seen more unpleasant examples both extolling their ethnic purity and their “ absolute femininity” as seen through TERF . but there are clearly dangers about a victorious all white team that succeeds where their predecessors failed- especially when there is considerable evidence that some at least of the current team have been complicit in the exclusion of non white players

[Nocturnal Submission]

Eh? There's a difference between debating every var decision at length, and refusing to mention a decision so inexplicable, that match fixing has to be on the table as an active possibility.

Wow, that must be six or seven times now that you've mentioned the possible handball on this thread alone, but you've now gravitated towards a conspiracy theory.

That's a bit excessive even for you.

[Janik]

the deliberate holding of Jill Scotts leg to trip her up

That one (the "fuck you, you prick" challenge) wasn't a foul because Scott had fouled first. Indeed the German player committed the apparent counter-foul because Scott had just deposited her on the deck a second before and appeared to be getting away with the ball as a result of it. That Scott had committed the initial foul was why the resulting free-kick from the incident went to Germany. The ref may have made some mistakes in the match - this wasn't one of them.

[Snake Plissken]

I'm not saying it was a mistake, the ref made the right decision, but the deliberate trapping of her leg was indicative of the sort of little "extras" that both sides were indulging in, and more potentially dangerous than the initial foul.

I think the challenge that led to Beth Mead coming off was a similar example of both sides attitudes towards the physical side of the game. IIRC, they both went after a loose ball by flying in from distance and it was definitely old-school (I seem to remember Stuart Pearce and someone else doing the same) and while both went in after the ball, it was certainly wince-inducing.

[Satchmo Distel]

It was like numerous men's games we've seen (2010 WC Final?) where they test the ref early to see if they're soft and then gauge their approach from that.

[Ray de Galles]

The Mrs said that as we were both at that game as well. Was Bronze not in both games?

Not that I can see, she certainly wasn't in the starting line up. Having looked up a report, Ellen White did come on as a late sub.

I was thinking today that I also saw White play for Chelsea against Cardiff City Ladies (featuring a teenage Jess Fishlock who was the best player on the pitch) a couple of times in 07/08.

There would have been a couple of hundred people in attendance at Met Police's Imber Court ground for those games.

Quite the contrast from last night, though I'm sure a few of the more regular watchers of the Women's game will have a lot of examples of that.

[Sunderporinostesta]

We’re just about to rewatch the final as we’ve both seen mention of this handball but don’t recall it. Was it the reason a VAR check message went up on the score board?

[Ray de Galles]

We’re just about to rewatch the final as we’ve both seen mention of this handball but don’t recall it. Was it the reason a VAR check message went up on the score board?

Yes.

[Tony C]

It would be nice if there was an English Rapinoe (or an Ashlynn Harris or an Alex Morgan, or a Becky Saurbrunn) who are able to prevent the achievements of their team being co-opted in the service of fascism but I don't think there is. Leah Williamson is obviously sound - based off her social media - but also idk if she'd be willing to put her head above the parapet in the way those US players were.,

Not absolutely sure that English players are not “willing” to use their new found elevated status as a political platform but it’s just that they are not overtly political animals. I know lots of people like that, not instinctively analytical of the broader political landscape. Many of the players seem happy today to simply see their achievements as raising the profile of the woman’s game in Britain and by extension opening doors for young female players of the future. It might seem a little churlish to suggest that isn’t enough, even if the likes of Rapinoe do more.

[Tony C]

Eh? There's a difference between debating every var decision at length, and refusing to mention a decision so inexplicable, that match fixing has to be on the table as an active possibility.

Ah stop it, TAB.

[Bizarre Löw Triangle]

Not absolutely sure that English players are not “willing” to use their new found elevated status as a political platform but it’s just that they are not overtly political animals. I know lots of people like that, not instinctively analytical of the broader political landscape. Many of the players seem happy today to simply see their achievements as raising the profile of the woman’s game in Britain and by extension opening doors for young female players of the future. It might seem a little churlish to suggest that isn’t enough, even if the likes of Rapinoe do more.

Yeah but point was more - i picked Leah Williamson cos going by her social media she does care about politics but isn't outspoken about it and as repugnant political forces seek to co-opt England's triumph those tensions are maybe gonna get more interesting.

Anyway the co-option of a load of queer players/allies by an increasingly virulent anti-trans political class is possibly going to force players to be political or complicit.

[Nefertiti2]

Not absolutely sure that English players are not “willing” to use their new found elevated status as a political platform but it’s just that they are not overtly political animals. I know lots of people like that, not instinctively analytical of the broader political landscape. Many of the players seem happy today to simply see their achievements as raising the profile of the woman’s game in Britain and by extension opening doors for young female players of the future. It might seem a little churlish to suggest that isn’t enough, even if the likes of Rapinoe do more.

Yes…
Except some of them showed solidarity with a racist coach who forced black players out of the team.

[Ray de Galles]

May have blotted my copybook for a lot of those around me by booing William Saxe-Coburg-Gotha though.

He appears to have retaliated by posting a photo of myself looking flabbergasted (and my children & friends being delighted) by England's winner on his Instagram.

Feel free to play spot the Welshman :

[Patrick Thistle]

This raises all sorts of questions about who you follow on Insta.

[Janik]

Not absolutely sure that English players are not “willing” to use their new found elevated status as a political platform but it’s just that they are not overtly political animals. I know lots of people like that, not instinctively analytical of the broader political landscape. Many of the players seem happy today to simply see their achievements as raising the profile of the woman’s game in Britain and by extension opening doors for young female players of the future. It might seem a little churlish to suggest that isn’t enough, even if the likes of Rapinoe do more.

Williamson gave an overtly political interview in the aftermath of the final whistle, but it was all about raising the profile of the Women's game and not on wider socials issues. The points she raised were worthy, though.

[Ray de Galles]

This raises all sorts of questions about who you follow on Insta.

Ha ha, my children alerted me and it came to them via one of the friends they brought along to the match but I am wondering who initially discovered it.

[Uncle Ethan]

Well I'm happy. It was a decent game of footy and as far as I could tell, the best team in the tournament won.

There's this weird anti English/anti England thing that I knew I'd see a bit of on here that usually leaves me perplexed but quite amused me today. It's like reverse gammonism with folk trying to cover up their prejudices by finding any reasons they can to discredit an English victory - " They were waving flags, singing songs and their media is biased, the utter bastards!"

It is an OTF staple at every tournament, now including women's football. Now with added suggestions that supporting England in any way makes you a racist or a racist enabler and that any game England wins must be considered as a potential fix.

[Bizarre Löw Triangle]

It is an OTF staple at every tournament, now including women's football. Now with added suggestions that supporting England in any way makes you a racist or a racist enabler and that any game England wins must be considered as a potential fix.

Oh come on

[G-Man]

Eh? There's a difference between debating every var decision at length, and refusing to mention a decision so inexplicable, that match fixing has to be on the table as an active possibility.

I don't think match-fixing is on the table. One bad decision doesn't a fix make. I attribute that refereeing/VAR error to good old-fashioned home bias. It happens.