Holmes_and_Watson

Mysterious

Can't believe Saints overlooked this guy. Look at all the stuff he can do... Sack the board!

I think the thread got infected with the woke mind virus after the first paragraph, where it moved onto the post's real message, which was to tell us how noble and just woke people are. 🙂

I only hope Yahweh steps up along with Jones. It's a deity with lots to prove at this level, and I'm sure there are a lot of fans who would have preferred a Hermes, Ares or any God of thunder, even on a short term contract. 🙂

I can only hope the hordes of BBC, and connected, staff that descended on the World Cup will carry that human rights torch through to the end of the tournament. As Alex Scott said, not going would have been the easy option. It's heart warming to know such a large team of dedicated media personnel are diligently reporting on the country. Taking a stand, or a knee, depending on circumstances, when the team now can't.

Western

Space

The quality of journalism has plummeted. 🙂

I'd not seen that before. Thanks Kingsland Codger.

That would have been something. Kane touches the ball sideways, and with Lloris on the deck, nippy Kyle Walker races in to put it in the other corner. In a parallel universe somewhere... >sigh<

Sounds horrible, and can only hope it's not as serious as it looks. I came into the thread thinking it would just be news on him getting some goals, with the slight hope that Chelsea had not only bought 3 strikers, but had disciplined him for constantly declaring his love for Saints in their dressing room. So, that turned out to be pretty much the opposite of something good. Hope he makes as speedy recovery as possible. While terrible for anyone, there's something even worse when it's a young player with a whole career ahead of them at the highest level, that's now at risk.

Knuckle

I thought you were going to say "I reckon we should have five potential penalty takers lined up on the edge of the box..." They all run up to hit one of five balls on a line, and England get to count all that go in. Maybe, just maybe... England could take games into extra time/ sudden death penalties as a result. 🙂

If Southgate was a club manager, it would be like sacking a manager who got a decent place in a top league and who had also got to a final. So, no one is going to...oh... 🙂 The tournaments of my youth seemed more exciting. But I watched lots of highlights while back, and England struggled quite often. Arguably when gaps between nations were larger. No doubt a lot of us see the attacking talent England have, and want to see that on the pitch. It might even work and we blitz a couple of teams. But it would be found out soon enough and England would get countered and knocked out, if they even got there. Southgate has a track record at major tournaments. It can be cagey and risk based possession. Sometimes it's hard to transition from that into something more dynamic. But it's a solid foundation that can be used to bring in the flair at key times. He deserves a lot of credit for patiently fielding hacks questions demanding a line of attacking players call make the side. It was a near thing tonight, and I'd like to see how the squad evolves under him for the next tournament.

"This Mr Jones bloke is fantastic. I'm glad the whole team are raring to go. And those new attacking signings we're about to announce, are stars."

Nope. Worked his socks off, drops deep to start attacks, physical enough to hold off challenges all the time, scored a penalty... not quite prepared when faced with another. I'd have kept Saka on, to see if Kane would get a third chance. Grealish will be trying for that too.

Fine margins, if it stays like this. After going behind, being cagey, England have posed threats, while they have nullified nearly everyone other than Giroud really well. To go out on a missed penalty shouldn't detract from all the positives we've seen. Disappointing, and that's against the holders, but not disastrous for the team's future.

I was wondering if the shirts could be reversible for the final. FIFA threatened unspecified/ unlimited sanctions for wearing rainbow armbands. As winners, England can tell them where to go with their sanctions.

Just along the lines of what I was thinking. Go up to get the trophy, put on rainbow shirts just as they get there, walk past all the complicit dignitaries on the podium, optional rude gesture to Infantino, and then go off to unfurl their support for women, migrant, LGBTQ+ rights banners and celebrate with the fans, possible fake world cup raising moments with them. Football comes home, but with extra dignity. 🙂

Off to get @ale_1003 on the back of a shirt to be ahead of the crowd. Not sure if that's a first or last name though...

The shadow of Le Tissier is long and his penalty record intimidating. 🙂

Smith

In a library, or in publishing? I did try not to post it. Really, I did. I moved onto other posts, but I just couldn't let it go.🙂 I'd rather be in the Premier League, even as things are. There's always the hope, and sometimes the reality, of being better in it. While the promotion years were great, it was with the goal of getting where we are. Our next attempt might not go so well, so I'd be happy hanging on in this league for a while yet. Even as some clubs play with a different level of resources, others as big as Man U and Liverpool are looking for owners/investors. Hopefully as some prosper, others will be forced down a level, meeting us as we improve.

Boat

Just strap a 1.21 gigawatt generating nuclear reactor to the team bus, get some really improbably hot cups of tea from the canteen, to stir really quickly while travelling in it, and it's on! 🙂