IslandExile

A great result for the home team underdog (New Zealand) and a gallant effort by Ireland.
Reasonable start.
Hoping England can sort their attack out. Good chance against Haiti who've done remarkably well to get there.

Look at the crowds - it's much more families. Great to have an event whole families with daughters want to go and see.

Waggy is the same age as Rhodes, I think he would score in L1

Waggy is better than anyone else linked.

Waggy is better than anyone else linked.

And Waggy! 
 

Women's football is not for everyone, which means this topic won't be for everyone either which is fine.
Would be nice to let those that wish to watch and discuss it have this space to do so, without it being dragging into any debate over where it stands v the men's game.

Really looking forward to this. Became a convert to watching women's football last Summer.
Unlike say tennis, where I find the women's matches less enjoyable, I don't find that with football. The game is played differently but for me it doesnt detract from the entertainment.
 

Christ, there is no bait that Derby County fans on the internet will not rise to.

The #12 looks like an overage U21 player to me 😂 but he did well at CB. He was talking all the time, talking Osayande alongside him through the game, and was very vocal especially when the defence needed to push out. I think he’ll be a good ‘un. At one point, Johnson gave the assistant referee a right ear bashing, telling him you could clearly see from the direction of travel of the ball that the Belper player touched the ball last… and that was for a throw-in.
The Derby County XI, both halves, looked disjointed, like they hadn’t played together much which, in fairness, they probably haven’t. Loach was solid in goal as you’d expect, defensively and in midfield I thought the young Rams more than held their own, but Belper Town were far too streetwise for our young attacking players and we didn’t create much for the first 70 minutes or so.
Their first goal I didn’t see very well as I was talking to someone I hadn’t seen in months. I saw an innocuous ball put into our penalty area which I thought our defence would deal with and then it was in the back of the net but I missed it as I was talking. I saw someone said it was a good goal but, I felt, we should have defended the ball better.
I was impressed with Bartley in central-defence, an upgrade there on last season for me, he’s vocal, looks like a leader, read the game pretty well, and looks like he can pass as well.
K.Robinson, alongside Bartley, also impressed but in a competitive match he could easily have been sent off. Robinson caught Bastos in the face and received a yellow card which, in a competitive match could easily have been a straight red, and he was involved in a couple of other physical incidents. On the plus side, good to see him getting stuck in against a physically strong men’s team.
The second-half cohesion was disrupted by a string of substitutions by both teams, but we did look more of a threat going forward in the last 20 minutes, although Belper had also used all their subs by then.
I was impressed by Oseni and Wheeldon worked very hard as well. For our goal, Belper were attacking, Wheeldon won the ball with a clean tackle just inside our half, he then took the ball forward about 10-15 yards, before slotting a lovely pass into the path of Oseni. Oseni burst into the penalty area, looked to go past the goalkeeper, and was brought down just wide of the six-yard box. Oseni dispatched the penalty with ease, although the goalkeeper did get a hand to it.
For Belper’s second goal, Bastos (the best player on the pitch for me) was just too fast and skilful. Bastos got past Osayande in our half of the centre-circle and sprinted away from him, our second-half goalkeeper made a half-save, I’d say, pushing the ball straight up in the air inside the six-yard box, leaving Bastos to follow up and head the ball into the net.
I did see Radcliffe, D.Brown and Cox at the match but they weren’t being risked and will probably feature in some part against Chesterfield. Thompson was also there.
Surprised that Jack Bates didn’t feature at all, I wonder if he’s injured.
Buxton was the one who was barking instructions from the technical area, with A.Robinson also there.

Yeah, I remember an Everton fan years ago on a football phone in saying: "we're a one man team, we just haven't signed him yet".

All clear now. BBC reveals the relationship between Conor Washington and Paul Warne’s wife. 

Nobody has even mentioned the obvious (and usual) candidate....
Alan Curbishley

Very unexpected appointment. Can’t say I’m a huge fan of the whole player/coach thing as a whole - think you should focus on one or the other (remember Rooney….). Also takes up a place in the U21 team that an actual young prospect could fill.
That said, I do like Bradley Johnson. Thought he was harshly treated by our fans because of his vastly inflated price tag. He actually did a lot for the club in his 4 years here - always gave his all on the pitch and seemed to genuinely love the club. If he can translate that passion and work rate to the young players then it can only be a good thing. Welcome home Bradley!

Talking of Chris Martin..

What with the Bradley Johnson signing and thinking we'd sacked the manager halfway through pre-season, it almost feels like the good old days of Mad Mel.
Now, where's Chris Martin at these days?

Yeah, I remember an Everton fan years ago on a football phone in saying: "we're a one man team, we just haven't signed him yet".

Yeah, I remember an Everton fan years ago on a football phone in saying: "we're a one man team, we just haven't signed him yet".

Yeah, I remember an Everton fan years ago on a football phone in saying: "we're a one man team, we just haven't signed him yet".

What a weirdo

Yeah, I remember an Everton fan years ago on a football phone in saying: "we're a one man team, we just haven't signed him yet".

Yeah, I remember an Everton fan years ago on a football phone in saying: "we're a one man team, we just haven't signed him yet".