TheBrownBottle

We can’t make any comment on the experience of what it is like in any way shape or form. But it is also very likely that many will have seen more football matches than many of the ‘pundits’ who share their views with us for money. And I genuinely can’t remember the last time one of them offered insight which was truly revelatory. ‘He should have done better there’, or ‘the referee needs to apply common sense’, or ‘the centre half struggles against pace’ tends to be about the level of insight offered. Meanwhile the Dutch used to get Cruyff talking like this:

The idea that the average woman can’t understand concepts that Paul Merson can is fucking crackers, like. I’m not sure when the last time was that a pundit of any type pointed out something that came as a revelation though. Which is why I’ve stopped listening to the cunts altogether, and simply do something else at HT. The idea of turning the coverage on more than a couple of mins before KO is also a no-go.

It’s helped by the fact that we don’t have to use those god awful PL letters and numbers on the back when playing in Europe. The PL official ones have been shite since their inception in 1997.

All dead balls on FIFA have not been the same since FIFA ‘03. That represents the peak - using the second thumb stick to provide spin. They’re more or less a waste of time now. It’s such a depressing state of affairs that I find that my penalties are akin to the old amateur Corinthians side of the late C19th - early C20th.

It has to be said, of all the places to worry about lack of representation in the workplace, the art of talking complete and utter bollocks re twenty two men kicking a ball about strikes me as the least important of all.

More than that, he’s specifically talking about women ex-players talking about their experience as if it directly correlates with the men’s. I’m absolutely all for female voices in the punditocracy - I mean, I’ve heard Souness et al. There’s nothing to suggest that a female pundit would understand the game less, nor would be any less observant. It is only when it becomes ‘when I played for England’ as if it is exactly the same pressure levels etc. It simply isn’t the case - the mens game gets far more attention, scrutiny and criticism. I’m ok with people arguing this point with me on here, though I note that in this forum every single NUFC mens match and player has their own thread, yet NUFC women has one ‘catch-all’ thread, with none on individual players or matches …

Yes, I was here in Sydney during the WWC. A mens WC is a very, very different beast. Australia doesn’t have the stadia at all. The NRL and AFL were acting the silly buggers last time. I mean, I’m sure old Gladys knows a few contractors who can sort out some stadium builds - just as long as we don’t let ICAC know A bid needs a minimum of sixteen 40,000+ all seater stadiums. Australia has 10, and that’s allowing for venues wholly unsuited to football (ie cricket grounds).

I love that it seems to have been picked up by some of the other players, too. Gordon did one right at the start of the game. Great stuff

I’ve no issue with female pundits - though I too don’t like the direct comparisons occasionally offered; the ‘when I was playing for England / Liverpool / Chelsea’ etc, or ‘when I was managing England / Liverpool / Chelsea’. The pressure, scrutiny and technique levels are markedly different - playing in front of a hostile 60,000 crowd or in front of hundreds of millions on TV or in matches which can be worth a nine figure sum carry a much greater level of pressure. Playing for the Arsenal women’s team is not the same experience as playing for the men’s team. Yes, it would be great if one day it is. But at the moment, it isn’t. I quite like having a female voice in the punditry world, in the same way that I like there being journalists and not just ex-professional footballers. But I’m with KK on quite a bit of what he said.

His right pinky did based on the VAR - it was that close

Australia’s 2022 bid was a delusional mess, replete with arguments with other codes. Australia is only marginally a less shit choice than Qatar - bad for most of the world’s population time-zone and travel-wise; small population and not a football country; plus a general lack of suitable stadia.

I feel like Ray Gardner in that owld Tango ad ...

Haha that header led to the great Wearside Sugar Puffs embargo of the mid-'90s. I understand sightings of the cereal are still rare in that part of the world on the breakfast tables of middle-aged men

Canny game all round. We’ve had worse days.

Haha was just thinking the same. Proper salmon pants philosophy to match day noise. Barry in the Box is still a cunt

Anyone still wish we had an ‘easier’ group?

BOOOM YA fuckas

Hahaha fucking hell, Pope’s kicking. They should just award an opposition throw in around the HW line when we get a goal kick

I don’t know why I don’t get nerves during European games. I think the part of my brain that loves this stuff overrides the anxiety. It’ll be back for the weekend.

Cracks me up just how good Bruno is at winning fouls.

Not really - it’s a pretty clear foul

Playing the ball doesn’t mean it’s not a foul

He goes through him

I think Tonali had a good game - passes going wayward as he tired. He’ll be up to Howe levels of fitness soon enough.