Your “Syndicate Hangover” is proudly presented by “Perrier”
Your friendly bookie remains more of a San Pellegrino man, but we’ll accord the hosts some respect for their second-rate club soda. Along with La Croix, it’s an acceptable option when the only other alternative happens to be Seltzer Water.
Day 13: Recap
Bookie’s Stats—
Spread: 18-22
Straight up: 26-9-5
Pardon the bookie’s language, gents. Holy fucking ball fuck. Wow!! What a match. We’ve got more VAR controversy to review below, but we must award this day to the Argentine girls!
They’re still technically in it. If Chile-Thailand and Cameroon-New Zealand both in in draws tomorrow—a distinct possibility—these hitherto unknowns are through to the knockouts!
No time to cover Columbia-Qatar or to discuss the Argentine men tonight. Bookie will keep an eye them while polishing up the Africa Cup of Nations onset betting odds and lines. We’ll drop those in a couple of hours. For now….wow…fucking…wow.
Long live football!!!
S.S.S. Tactical Breakdown
Pay attention, American bettors. This is the team that poses an actual threat to you. You’re currently on a collision course with them in the Semis. My selected favorites from the beginning are looking like hot picks indeed.
Lineup—England—Match Three (4-3-2-1) (6/19/2019)
Ellen White
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Toni Duggan Rachel Daly
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Georgia Stanway Keira Walsh Jill Scott
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Demi Stokes Lucy Bronze
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Steph Houghton Millie Bright
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Karen Bardsley
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Aha. There they are. Your friendly bookie spent most of the group stage wondering why Toni Duggan and Demi Stokes weren’t starting Both were dealing with injury. Such news flew under the bookie’s radar as they weren’t serious enough to merit consideration on any status reports…when one is lucky enough to find women’s football status reports at all.
Some may disagree, but I actually think Duggan played a decent match. She mostly remained at her position and wasn’t always ambitious enough to join the offensive run of play. She nevertheless put in solid defensive work, shook the rust off by getting a couple of efforts off, and was fantastic on the press. The pressure she put on Shimizu kickstarted the turnover sequence that led to that early goal. She displayed some fitness problems late on, but that’s nothing to be concerned about
Stokes I’m a little more concerned about. She had her moments but didn’t look especially comfortable on that reunited back line. Syndicate Members 42 and 56-M will surely be very pleased to know that I fully endorse Alex Greenwood as the permanent starter at left back. It was worth trying to re-insert Stokes, particularly after that subpar match that Alex turned in last time, but the issue should now be settled.
Stanway makes a pretty good case for Walsh’s position left of center. Loved the movement from Daly today. Too bad there’s not really a place for her in the strongest XI. Bronze, Bright, and Scott switched a bit, but otherwise things were predominately static.
Time for the grades. All subs a factor.
Grades—England (Match Three)
Ellen White
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A+
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Toni Duggan
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A
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Rachel Daly
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A
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Georgia Stanway
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A
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Karen Carney
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A
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Karen Bardsley
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A
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Nikita Parris
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A-
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Steph Houghton
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B+
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Millie Bright
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B
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Jade Moore
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B-
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Jill Scott
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B-
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Lucy Bronze
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B-
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Keira Walsh
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C+
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Demi Stokes
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C
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Seems a bit harsh to drop Walsh down to the C-level as she did okay centrally for the first half. It simply became apparent after the restart that it really wasn’t the position for her. She did much better in the first game slanted left with Kirby and Scott assisting her. She was fading a bit at the end of that one too.
Speaking of fading, Scott might have gotten much lower marks, but her offensive contributions couldn’t be ignored. She’s showing serious signs of fatigue. What is she doing logging full minutes at her age? They’ll need another solution in central midfield. Carney has looked very lively in her substitute appearances. She was my solution from the outset. Now I’m totally sold.
Overall, it’s shaping up very well for your friendly bookie’s pre-tournament selected favorites. With Duggan settling in on the left and Parris still comfortable on the right, they can move Mead up alongside White.
They can still knock off the States in the Semis. Take heed, brothers.
Weighing in on VAR
It fucking happened AGAIN!
I know, gentlemen. VAR is nothing if not consistent; consistently bad that is. As much love as I have for the Argentine women and their amazing comeback, this is wrong.
The photo still frame you see below shows you how the rules are technically being followed. I say “technically” because when one freeze frames it you can see that she’s off her line milliseconds after the ball has been struck.
What you don’t see is that she didn’t affect the taker’s effort in any meaningful way. She took an aggressive early jump forward, landing in her present position well after the taker had picked her spot and drove with her head down.
This one isn’t nearly as egregious as the one I reviewed in last night’s daily in that she’s further off her line and there wasn’t any encroachment. Moreover, the keeper actually saved this effort, making it fair game for review. Finally, the foul that led to the spot kick wasn’t really debatable, and VAR caught it.
Nevertheless, we’re missing the purpose of the rule here. A keeper hopping off his/her line early definitely does disadvantage the taker, but if you watch the play in real time you’d think she was in the air. In reality she was until mere nanoseconds before the photo was taken.
“Riffs of the Day”—Day Thirteen
Reader: Is Claire Emslie single?
Vicey: How the fuck should I know, 182-M? You’re the one with that Tindertumblebox account or whatever you fucking Millennials call it. Look her up. I’m still hoping to meet a nice girl at a lecture.
Reader: You got Mariana Larroquette spot on. She looks like a rabbit.
Vicey: A very sexy rabbit, 55-M. Looks to be a little feisty for my tastes, but I’d take her to the zoo on a “trial date”. If she started communicating with the pygmy marmosets we’d call it off.
Reader: It’s shite being Scottish, Tommy!
Vicey: Always appreciate a good Trainspotting reference, 27-M. Colonized by wankers. By the way, I’m still waiting for your thoughts on the sequel. Be advised I’ll defend it with Begbie-like zeal.
Reader: You really should have picked a goalless draw in Spain vs. China PR.
Vicey: Been holding on to this nugget for a couple of days. Why didn’t I predict a 0-0 draw? It was soooo bleeding obvious. To my credit, the Spanish women did try to win it late.
Reader: I never grow tired of watching women “chest it down”.
Vicey: Ahh… entendres. Back in the more vulgar days of the Syndicate I wrote an entire section on them. For the record, my all-time favorite one is when they combine “penetration” with “finish”.
“She got great penetration, but she can’t finish”
Your friendly bookie will never outgrow that. Poor women and their inability to finish. ;(
Reader: Cuthbert needs to get up.
Vicey: She’s only 20-years-old, man. Look there comes Larroquette to help her. Spare a care for these poor Scottish lasses.
DAY FOURTEEN—PREVIEW
The Netherlands vs. Canada
vs. 
I’m sticking with my pretty Dutch ponies! It’s “Old Europe” vs. “The Colonies”. Let’s do it, gentlemen.
THE LINE: The Netherlands +1 Goal (holding)
Cameroon vs. New Zealand
vs. 
Have to keep a close eye on this one as well, or at the least the bookie does. So many of my beautiful lady lions to say goodbye to. Might be farewell to Ali Riley too. *sniff*
THE LINE: Pick em’ (rolling down soft from Cameroon +1)
Chile vs. Thailand
vs. 
If you’re among one of those many Christiane Endler, this might be your last chance to see her in action, unless you want to catch a few PSG Ladies games next year with your friendly bookie.
I’m sticking with this upset special.
THE LINE: Thailand +1 Goal (holding)
USA vs. Sweden
vs. 
Bettors have broken about even in the first two. Rounds. Choose to believe my forecast or don’t. In any event, we’re holding this line.
THE LINE: USA +3 Goals (holding)
Uruguay vs. Japan
vs. 
I can’t believe I have to roll this one up even higher. I can’t believe I thought these mystery Japanese players could hope to finish third in the group. Still expecting some good fight from the spry lads, but the rout will be on at some point.
THE LINE: Uruguay +5 Goals (rolling up soft from Uruguay +4)
GENTLEMEN, ENTER YOUR WAGERS
