[drewks]

Whow!
What spirit, determination and togetherness.
What skill!
If only men played with the same level of all this, like they used to before money spoiled it all.

(BUT.... sad to see the Spanish ladies beginning to dive and feign injury in that final. And their sulking faces, without exception, at the presentation!?!
Stamp THAT out!!)

[Salopbaggie]

So chuffed for the Lioness's, though to be honest, I have no idea how they got that tournament over the line, determination, guts and some serious, serious, help from the football gods. Right from the start after the loss to France I don't think their game really improved and they scrapped through game after game, after poor performances by their previous standards, but that is football, the ball in the net determines the result, not the performance. On to the worlds in two years.

[BaggieSteve]

So chuffed for the Lioness's, though to be honest, I have no idea how they got that tournament over the line, determination, guts and some serious, serious, help from the football gods. Right from the start after the loss to France I don't think their game really improved and they scrapped through game after game, after poor performances by their previous standards, but that is football, the ball in the net determines the result, not the performance. On to the worlds in two years.

I’ve seen a number of reports and comments saying that the better team lost. Sorry but the better team always wins, that’s why they are the better team. Spain may have played football that some regarded as more pleasing to the eye but there are no trophies for that. England played some very good football, often on the counter attack, but they also played to other strengths of determination and doggedness, which should never be underestimated. I thought they were outstanding.
And if I hear another comment about the standard of women’s football compared to that of men’s football, I think I’ll scream. Trouble is, success such as this always brings out the trolling misogynists.

[4evaabaggie]

The men have not matched it, the men have failed to perform in my lifetime, I was born a month after that world cup final.
People who disrespect the women, their game, their achievements and most importantly their two titles are small minded idiots that aren't worth listening too.
Football is about entertainment, enjoyment, hardwork, hopefully leading to success. Not the greed league mentality of money money money.

Well done ladies, a great result, a great tournament and a great historical moment that you will be remembered for forever.

[Salopbaggie]

I’ve seen a number of reports and comments saying that the better team lost. Sorry but the better team always wins, that’s why they are the better team. Spain may have played football that some regarded as more pleasing to the eye but there are no trophies for that. England played some very good football, often on the counter attack, but they also played to other strengths of determination and doggedness, which should never be underestimated. I thought they were outstanding.
And if I hear another comment about the standard of women’s football compared to that of men’s football, I think I’ll scream. Trouble is, success such as this always brings out the trolling misogynists.

I had to come back on this as I am not sure why you quoted my post unless you are aiming those comments at me. If you are, I suggest you read my post again.

As someone who has watched every minute of every game, not only of these finals, but every qualifier, and in fact I don't remember missing one televised competitive Lioness's game, since I think the 2007 World Cup and that includes those on the more obscure channels and those televised on foreign channels and I agree with your assertion regarding trolling misogynists, however I still stand by my impression that this team were below par for this tournament.

If you disagree with my overall impression of the team performances in this tournament, perhaps you might agree with Leah Williamson, the Lioness's captain, who said just today in interview (29/7), "we made hard work of that". While I would agree, they were good in parts, I could not agree their performance was outstanding. I don't think it an exaggeration to say, they scrapped through several of their matches, granted as I suggested in my OP, winning each game is all you have to do to lift the trophy.

However, compare these games to the performances of the 2022 Euro finals, 22 goals for, 2 against or look at the quality of their performances in the 2023 WC, now they were outstanding. Some might even argue their 2019 performances in the WC when they got knocked out in the semi final were better than this tournament,

The important thing is this team did enough to lift the trophy and we should be celebrating that, a special mention for Lucy Bronze who seems to have always been there, she might be slowing down a bit, but to be fair I don't know of many players that would go out there and play the entire tournament with a fractured tibia, which she got back in June. And of course Brummie, Hannah Hampton who saved penalties galore, less known is she is an ambassador for Birmingham Children's hospital and that she had undergone 3 different surgeries there herself as an infant to try and fix Strabismus an eye condition which alters depth perception, I think safe to say the surgeries were successful.

COYB

[BaggieSteve]

I’ve seen a number of reports and comments saying that the better team lost. Sorry but the better team always wins, that’s why they are the better team. Spain may have played football that some regarded as more pleasing to the eye but there are no trophies for that. England played some very good football, often on the counter attack, but they also played to other strengths of determination and doggedness, which should never be underestimated. I thought they were outstanding.
And if I hear another comment about the standard of women’s football compared to that of men’s football, I think I’ll scream. Trouble is, success such as this always brings out the trolling misogynists.

I had to come back on this as I am not sure why you quoted my post unless you are aiming those comments at me. If you are, I suggest you read my post again.

As someone who has watched every minute of every game, not only of these finals, but every qualifier, and in fact I don't remember missing one televised competitive Lioness's game, since I think the 2007 World Cup and that includes those on the more obscure channels and those televised on foreign channels and I agree with your assertion regarding trolling misogynists, however I still stand by my impression that this team were below par for this tournament.

If you disagree with my overall impression of the team performances in this tournament, perhaps you might agree with Leah Williamson, the Lioness's captain, who said just today in interview (29/7), "we made hard work of that". While I would agree, they were good in parts, I could not agree their performance was outstanding. I don't think it an exaggeration to say, they scrapped through several of their matches, granted as I suggested in my OP, winning each game is all you have to do to lift the trophy.

However, compare these games to the performances of the 2022 Euro finals, 22 goals for, 2 against or look at the quality of their performances in the 2023 WC, now they were outstanding. Some might even argue their 2019 performances in the WC when they got knocked out in the semi final were better than this tournament,

The important thing is this team did enough to lift the trophy and we should be celebrating that, a special mention for Lucy Bronze who seems to have always been there, she might be slowing down a bit, but to be fair I don't know of many players that would go out there and play the entire tournament with a fractured tibia, which she got back in June. And of course Brummie, Hannah Hampton who saved penalties galore, less known is she is an ambassador for Birmingham Children's hospital and that she had undergone 3 different surgeries there herself as an infant to try and fix Strabismus an eye condition which alters depth perception, I think safe to say the surgeries were successful.

COYB

I wasn’t referencing your comments at all but rather copious comments I’ve seen on Facebook et al, denigrating the Lionesses performances. I didn’t see your comments remotely in that light. Hope that clears that up

[BaggieSteve]

I also meant to say that I agree with your comments on the level of the overall performance of the team. I was trying to make the point that I’ve seen comments dismissing their achievement by stating that Spain were the better team, something with which I disagree. The Lionesses played to their considerable strengths, in some ways different to those of Spain, and they won.

[Salopbaggie]

I wasn’t referencing your comments at all but rather copious comments I’ve seen on Facebook et al, denigrating the Lionesses performances. I didn’t see your comments remotely in that light. Hope that clears that up

Thanks so much for the clarification which I hoped was the case, it was awful to think I had given the impression that I was downplaying the accomplishments of the women's team, based on the reason they were women. Just I would not make allowances for the team, because they are women either, it should all be about the game the players played.

[talkSAFT]

Strong stuff, the beer I've just had.
I saw the title 'Lionesses', and I thought we'd signed 'Lionelmessi' for a minute.