ThistleWhistle

I've got visions of my Mrs making the screen gesture so she could check I'd pulled out in time

or just want to be left in peace to sing some songs on a Saturday afternoon.

Listening to the news this morning it’s scary that the distinct lack of ethics in fudging the result was not only tolerated, or even accepted, but almost venerated as mastery in the dark arts of politics (radio 4). Who needs ethics to run a country aye?

Same mate – UEFA aren’t adhering to it in the men’s u21s and the English Premier League distanced themselves from it as soon as this farce panned out. If a penalty travels at 80mph it takes 500 milliseconds to reach the goal and it takes a male keeper 600 milliseconds to reach the post so the attacker already has a distinct advantage. Enforcing that they expressly can’t move until the player touches the ball (an Olympic sprinter takes c.200 milliseconds to react to the gun) increases their advantage significantly. All a player has to do under the new rules is stutter until the keeper commits themselves and then they can claim another go if they miss the first time too. What it is trying to stop is keepers being miles off their line as the player runs in and could stop that easily enough with a foamy spray a yard of the line. The other thing is about 75% of penalties are currently being scored which seems a pretty reasonable ratio. If that increases then the excitement comes out of it and penalty shootouts will more and more get down to centre backs missing.

I checked at 70 minutes and proudly told my wife not even Scotland could fuck it up now.

It is a bit galling too that they’re not doing the same in the men’s U21 tournament and the premier league have confirmed they won’t be using it to check on this. As such, there’s already seemingly a realisation in the men’s game that the rule is pish – why they don’t just get the ref to spray foam a yard from the line is beyond me. I think the players need a look at themselves too as they seemed to go gung-ho at 3-0 up then were like rabbit caught in headlights once they scored. A sub should have been made though sooner even if just to clarify that they should have been defending what they had rather than aiming for more goals. It’ll be even more annoying tonight that it’ll likely prove 3-0 was more than enough.

I think although they have justifiable cause about moaning about the officiating but in the cold light of day will realise it came down to collective inexperience. Not allowing the subs to get into position before the Argentinians to take the free kick was bizarre plus the injury time was just nonsense and the new keeper rule is going to cause bedlam as can’t see how a keeper can save a peno now – all the striker has to do is stutter to make them move and they have a free re-take. However, all the way through they have been scenario planning for being in touch at the last game to give them a shot. Nobody could expect them to be 3-0 up and our inexperience showed really – at that point NZ or Cameroon would have had to win 5-0 and Chile 6-0 so should have just parked the bus. For their first goal at least 5 of our team got caught in front of the ball and it all fell in from there. They really wanted to be the first Scotland team to get to a knockout round but once the dust settles they’ll realise they have achieved their goal in raising the profile of the women’s side anyway. I watched them on Alba four years ago to take the piss and would never have imagined now I’m genuinely gutted they got knocked out. Literally nobody spoke about the Euros at work and how many folk on here gave much of a shit two years ago? Hopefully keep the momentum up with qualification into the Euros 2021 in England and have learnt from the errors of the previous two tournaments. Can’t see many retiring between now and then and the qualifying group seems ok on paper (Finland 32 and Portugal 30) so hopefully there isn’t a hangover from this tournament.

Penalty shootouts will be an absolute farce and all

I honestly don't know what the keeper can do. The rule is to stop keepers being yards off their line rather than what just happened

Clear and obvious mistake though?

Seen the picture of how far off her line she was as the Argentine player hit it -it was miniscule!!!

Ha ha only we could do that. Coasting then total shambles. Corsie has a point about the ref letting them take the free kick before the subs are on but we crumbled. Ref blowing for full time was just bizarre. No idea how keepers can save penalties now - ref wouldn't let her stand behind the line either.

I think realising goal difference is key pushed them to fight back in both games. If we win 1-0 NZ or Cameroon need score 3 because of gd then goals scored. Argentina looked a bit ragged the few times they attacked so hopefully bit of space tonight. It's the hope that kills you!

See the guy who asked about Islamophobia last night has been suspended from his job because he previously tweeted asking how many labour MPs were being paid by Zionists?

VAR is well dodgy. Would they have given Nigeria the second chance in same circumstances?

We could be reliant on the Thailand defence at this rate. Only Scotland!!

Could China take sides in this? Sure they get a chunk of their oil from Iran and are/ were setting up rail links.

It’ll be in our own hands if today France beat Nigeria and Spain (+1) v China (0) has a winner with the bigger the goal difference the better. I think this is the scenario they’ve been planning for since the start plus don’t see a massive advantage in finishing second as would end up with a group winner anyway.

Find it interesting that a third rate comedian on an obscure comedy show in-front of a radio 4 audience is inciting hatred but Farage taking up weapons to an audience of disillusioned white guys is for the bantz. I look on the Stoke forum too as it generally sits well to the right of the tamb. Was quite interesting to see most of the frothy mouthed brexiteer types were critical of Farage’s stance saying he’d gone a bit snowflake and even hypocritical. What a weird time we are currently in.

Never seen Scotland win at a major championships. Scotland v Sweden wasn't shown in England as theyd rather watch Big Break and England v Holland was on same time as Swiss game. Can't remember if the 92 game v CIS but we probably got Holland Germany.

If Nigeria get something v France and China Spain play out a draw we could be pinning our hopes on Thailand's defence not conceding >4. 😀😀

NZ and Cameroon in same boat as us with worse goal difference.

This from a guy who on a state visit to China in front of a Chinese dignitary told them his wife is Japanese too compounded by the fact his wife is actually Chinese. How a bloke worse at international, and matrimonial, diplomacy than Boris Johnson can still pass serious comment is beyond me.

Group A - Nigeria have to play France in last game and have 3 points and -1 G/D. South Korea play Norway and are on -6 so this group might struggle to get a third place as would imagine France will be after 9 points. Group B - China play Spain both on 3 points but Spain 0 GD and China -1 so they could play out for a draw. A win for either side and we're probably sniffing finishing above either 3rd place. Group C - Three teams on 3 points with Australia likely to beat Jamaica in last game and Italy likely to beat them today. Brazil could probably get beat and still have third as currently +2 goal difference. Group D - See what Argentina do tonight. Group E - New Zealand/Cameroon are in a similar position to us so it'll come down to what they do v Canada/Holland next and their own score in the final game. Group F - Will come down to how many Chile concede v US against how many they score v Thailand. Think we're in with a decent chance but need to beat Argentina by as convincing a margin as possible. Uruguay 86 anyone?

I think the aim since arriving has been to not get a skelping off of England and Japan then squeak through as a best third place which is understandable and underwhelming. Be interesting to see what Argentina look like tonight plus they'd have to come out v us. Can't see there being 4 teams on 4 points in third so goal difference is key and as such -2 playing England and Japan gives us a chance.