So, we’re through to the Final and I’ve got to say I’ve enjoyed every one of our games so far.
To see football played by a team with smiles on their faces, battling back when they’ve gone behind and obviously having the times of their lives, has been such a contrast to the snark of the Premier League. Let’s hope they can get over the line on Sunday.
I have just been to the the fish+chip shop to buy today's lunch. A chap who came in was having a really enthusiastic discussion about England Women's team with the lady behind the counter. (1) I noted he referred to the "England match" several times before it became obvious he was referring to the women's match. (2) He obvioulsy enjoyed the game. (3) He later said he preferred it to the men's game because it was "more honest" (by which I assumed he meant that if there was contact between two players, you wouldn't see three spins and a pike before the player punches the ground several times "in agony" once back on the floor). Or if one player's hand brushed the front of another player, the second one doesn't cover the eyes as if the contact was there or fall over as if punched by Mike Tyson as his peak.
I enjoyed watching the game with my son. Some good goals scored. I thought someone (out of the 2 backpeddling England defenders nearby) might have attempted a tackle on the Aussie striker as she advanced unhindered nearer and nearer and nearer to the England box before unleashing a crashing and successful srike on goal but, all in all, it's hard to criticise a team which is current European Champions and has now just reached the World Cup Final. Well done ladies. The Final will probably get a bigger TV football audience in England than any other game this season with the (possible) exception of the FA Cup Final and Champions League Final. But I wouldn't be surprised if it got the biggest audience of the lot.
The game set a viewing record here in Australia with over 11 million people watching it on free to air (nearly half of the population) and possibly more on the Pay channel that has rights to all matches. I was lucky enough to be there with Mrs Oz and my two sons and it was an amazing atmosphere. England were very controlled and professional - to be fair they were not above a bit of sh*******ry from time to time - but they are tremendously well coached and always seemed to have options available for them except, perhaps, for the ten minutes after Sam Kerr's smashing goal when the stadium went absolutely crazy.
There are some really good technical players in the England side with quite a lot in the squad having a link both to MFC and the North East in general. Players such as Lucy Bronze, Jordan Nobbs and the injured Beth Mead come to mind and I'm sure that there are others. I look forward to a rapid ascent for the new MFC ladies team.
Now for the final
UTB .... and the Lionesses
I’ve seen all the games and I agree about their technical ability. Toone’s goal was a cracker although she may lose her place to James in the Final.
I often don’t care about the men’s England games, but somehow I’m fully invested in the Lionesses’.
So the World Cup was won by Spain. They deserved it.
England in Sky Blue played like Huddersfield and Spain in Red like Boro under Carrick.
Pity the results were as they were. Boro drew after playing well, but Spain was more complete than Boro.
Up the Boro!
@jarkko - Spain kept possession better than England and regained possession, when they had lost it, quicker than England. England, until the final stages when they were chasing the game, kept giving the ball away by poor passes. Lucy Bronze will have nightmares about that game in the weeks to come. She ran from right back to the centre spot and beyond with the ball and instead of passing to a colleague she ran straight into a group of Spanish players with the inevitable result that she lost the ball. As she jogged gently back, Spain scored a good goal. The penalty for Spain seemed fair enough to me and if it had happened at the other end of the pitch the English players would have complained if a spot kick had not been given. The bright spot is the performance of the England keeper who won the Golden Glove award, no doubt aided by her save from the Spanish penalty kick.
(*Apologies to any deaf views or those with lip-reading skills, for Earp's outburst of Anglo-Saxon invective follwing her save*).
As with promotion for Boro last season, England's women may regret not being able to convert the opportunity to win the Cup. There is no guarantee that England (or Boro) will be in a position to challenge next time around. You have to take the opportunities when they are offered.