Things that are a bit rubbish about this world cup

[Patrick Thistle]

Countdowns to kick off.

FFS

[imp]

One thing I‘m missing is brilliant games. I remember at Euro 2017 and at the 2012 World Cup especially there were several cracking encounters. I‘ve been to 11, and while I‘ve thoroughly enjoyed the experience, there‘s not been one game I‘d call really memorable (I missed Scotland-Argentina, thankfully). Maybe there will be a rip-roaring final phase from the QFs onwards.

[Rogin the Armchair fan]

Phil Neville trying to go all Gareth Southgate by wearing a waistcoat and tie. Bet they come off next week when it's meant to be 40 degrees for the semis.

[Patrick Thistle]

Jonathan Pearce

I mean, he knows his stuff and all, but he's often not commentating, he's just blathering on. It's not the game commentator's job to talk about viewing figures FFS (just now). The banter with Sue Smith is dire. And when he gets excited or confused or outraged his voice hits a pitch beyond annoying.

[Rogin the Armchair fan]

During the Cameroon game Pearce went on some weird rambling tangent about British and German colonial history in Cameroon. I said on that thread it was like Peter Alliss at the golf when they'd allowed him at the gin.

[Felicity, I guess so]

...ponytails...

[Diable Rouge]

Jonathan Pearce

I mean, he knows his stuff and all, but he's often not commentating, he's just blathering on. It's not the game commentator's job to talk about viewing figures FFS (just now). The banter with Sue Smith is dire. And when he gets excited or confused or outraged his voice hits a pitch beyond annoying.

Sold out when he started doing Robot Wars.

[Kevin S]

I always thought he was better suited to Robot Wars than football tbh.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FpakWb551OY&t=20s

[imp]

Playing the intros to Rock Lobster and Seven Nation Army before every game and at half-time too for the former. Mexican waves.

[Nesta]

"And you're gonna hear me roooaar- oa-oa-oa-oa-oa-ha-hao etc"

[Jah Womble]

...ponytails...

What would be your alternative?

[Nesta]

The red USA change kit gave Squires an idea, which might appeal to those who like to be prescriptive about womens' appearance...

[Bizarre Löw Triangle]

Jonathan Pearce

I mean, he knows his stuff and all, but he's often not commentating, he's just blathering on. It's not the game commentator's job to talk about viewing figures FFS (just now). The banter with Sue Smith is dire. And when he gets excited or confused or outraged his voice hits a pitch beyond annoying.

Both Pearce and Smith are dreadful. Pearce cos he's a sexist arsehole who appears to think that unsolicited coaching advice is uniquely required from commentators in women's football. Smith cos she laughs along with Pearce's act rather than taking the ample opportunities afforded to put a literal sock in him. I kind of get why Sue Smith's attitude is so relentlessly positive cos she spent her playing career seeing women's football devalued and undoubtedly feels instinctively defensive of it, particularly when she's sat next to someone who refuses to bother to disguise his lack of respect, but it is often very grating.

Robyn Cowen and Lucy Ward are a far better commentary team who appear to realise they're commentating on a football match rather than auditioning for positions as hospital radio DJs. And Cowen doesn't commentate direct from wikipedia either.

[Janik]

What would be your alternative?

It's the near ubiquity thereof that is the frustration. More Rapinoe style cuts would be good. Possible sans the mauve dye.

[laverte]

No more ubiquitous than short-back-and-sides hipster-quiff hairstyles à la Olivier Giroud among the (white) fellers, are they?

It's the blondeness that stands out to me.

[Janik]

Not quite the same that, though. Only one is in line with a traditional expectations of how a gender is expected to style their hair. So potentially feeling exclusionary for those watching on who do not happen to or want to conform.

It's not the fault of any particular individual for doing that, of course. Any more than any Woman whose personal style of dress/appearance is to be 'girly' is a problem. It's just a wish for diversity.


On the blondness, we've got two Scandinavian teams and the Netherlands in the last 8. That is going to up the ratio. Of course, these teams being through isn't random.
Also, isn't there a trend for hair colour of white-skinned people to lighten for those who spend much of their time outdoors? The sun essentially bleaches it. That's going to apply heavily to Footballers. That would mean the proportion of blonde/light coloured hair being higher amongst the US/England/French teams than the general populations those players are drawn from.

[Stobart]

Muted goal celebrations (such as Japan's last night). It's probably due to there being a fair chance it'll be disallowed in 30 seconds time.

[Jah Womble]

I think it comes to something when people are moaning about players' hairstyles.

How does this affect the quality of their play, etc? Certainly no more so than the legion of cuts - from the Nainggolan to the full-on Fellaini - in the men's game.

[tracteurgarcon]

Tattoos, although once again this is something the women's game shares with the men's.

[Sporting]

I'm happy I'm not a blonde ponytailed tattooed female footballer otherwise I might have something to say for myself.

[Hot Pepsi]

Mexican waves.

"I don't know if I've ever loved you..."

[Incandenza]

Any somber concern trolling from people who haven't paid attention to women's soccer for the prior 4 years about what any negative incident "means for the women's game."

[Doraemon]

The player of the match awards (or at least the ones voted for by fans on twitter. Which I assume are the official ones). They have nearly all been for a player who has scored a goal for the winning team. There seems very little appreciation for any other contribution to the game. For example in the Holland v Japan game last night it went to Lieke Martens, who IMO had a poor game apart from her first goal and the fact she was the nominated penalty taker.

[ursus arctos]

You aren't imagining that

[Hot Pepsi]

Any somber concern trolling from people who haven't paid attention to women's soccer for the prior 4 years about what any negative incident "means for the women's game."

Indeed. It's intersectional concern-trolling, combining ignorance about soccer and condescension toward women.