Holmes_and_Watson

Which goes some way to explaining why they're using any excuse to get rid of him now. 🙂

The fittingly titled ICE have deported the penguins from the South to the North. Sadly, some terrorist, insurrectionist penguins were shot in complete self-defence by ICE agents. 🙂

Beeb were reporting the last time Burnham's name was mentioned as a challenge to Starmer, that his allies would do everything in their power to block it. I think it was Morgan McSweeney who reportedly said he'd rather burn down Downing Street than let Burnham become leader. Starmer and friends have worked hard to purge their idealogical rivals from the party (as their rivals would do to them). He didn't shift anywhere near as many as he'd have liked, but made sure to pack the key NEC decision making body with pals. Yesterday, the Beeb put up the following NEC excuses:- Any prior agreement of candidates (All female or All BAME lists) Going with a BAME candidate, due to size of Muslim population, to help counter other parties. That having to do an election would be costly. They reported that all reasons, of course, were all to do with Starmer blocking someone who has said he wants the top job. But that allies were going full out to get the block. So, they've gone with the cost of the mayor's election. The beeb also saying sources worried about Reform outspending them. That one's a red herring. The by election would happen regardless, and Burnham would be out the picture if he lost. The loss wouldn't stop Labour still having a clear majority. Starmer apparently remains deeply unpopular in his own party. Not least from the side of it he's not on. But from MP's feeling cut out of decisions, frustrated with the endless u-turns and of course looking at the polls, and their own chances. A core of Starmer's allies, if not Starmer himself (since he got to vote on the block) will pat themselves on the back for stopping a rival. But it's going to have incensed everyone not in that camp. It will only increase the tensions in the party. Important, as you want to have some comfort in the position of the core group running the country. Beyond that, another look into the messy affairs within all broad church parties. And beyond that, and the Westminster bubble, really life goes on.

There was little doubt that we had far more quality in terms of talent in our squad. But it's not shared around that we can get 11 of them onto the pitch at the same time. Cohesive sides with some strength, fitness and drive push us every time. For all that talent, we fade terribly in games. For all the skill, we show no direction in our play. After our goal we offered nothing. The further it went, the less fit we looked. Pompey were the only side who looked likely to get a win. Considering the difference in resources, something remains broken, even if it was a derby. Pluses were Leo's goal and definitely the celebration. A back 4, which looks better, even if it's alien to Tonda. A bit of bite from Stephens, Downes and THB. A nice move for one of AA's attempts. Minuses Lack of fitness No idea how to dominate a game More concerned with possession that attack No idea how to best use any system Tonda puts out. Examples: Long range passes to AA; Not getting Fellows space to then use Stewart. Conceding yet another scrappy goal. The wider picture is that we got a point against a relegation struggler, and deserved nothing more.

Utter sod. We've not done much since our goal. So that much tougher to raise the game when we need to. That's the flaw of never looking to dominate attack, even when you've got better players.

Yeeeeeesssss!

We've had easily the 2 best chances, but not much beyond those. Our back 4 look more solid, and organised enough, but Pompey have had more efforts on our goal, and it only takes the one error. As the half went on, the balls to AA became from further and further away from him. When it went high, we looked by design to be trying to pick up the second ball. When low, we asked a lot from him, and there was an absence of support for him up there. We seem, as usual, happy to absorb pressure, without dominating. Fine, if one of the 2 chances goes in. Frustrating when you need to be creating more. A lot of players quite quiet, particularly Scienza. Hoping for more in the second half, and we know the bench will change our style.

Lovely move, making the best of the extra man in attack. AA close again. Just need to get one. Our patience was becoming passivity for a minute or two. So needed that attack.

So close from AA. Patiently waiting for our chances, so have to make the most of them. Nice to see Welington cutting in, with Scienza more free elsewhere.

Presumably, he's saving Stewart and Fellows to come on as a unit (so a plus for learning that one) while looking for more control centrally with hopefully 4 at the back, and extra support from Matsuki. I think we'd all prefer Fellows and Stewart, both being more than capable of more than long ball stuff. No issues with Bree, Stephens and Welington. I think Matsuki is a bit more physical than some. With any derby, keeping their cool will be important. It's a decent attacking line up, with plenty on the bench that will switch things up. The starting 11 know that there will be subs, so can put more into that first half, which Tonda likes to do. Murphy missing for them is a huge plus, so I'm verging on @davefizzy14 on this one. COYR!

Catapult

Rasmus has gone beyond using the power of The Force. He weilds the power of The Farce!

Flying

No. But there's the SR motto "If you're small enough, you're good enough." 🙂

Not to be beaten, SR pull out a left field Parrot coup... ... or cue.

I was looking for information about our left back, and didn't have safe mode on... your honour. 🙂

Shunned not only for being mutants, but for their political views...

Restore

Abandoned

VA were in it, up until the first goal, simply because no one had scored. After the first 15 minutes, they really offered nothing. It's not as though the second half was some massive drop in performance from the first. VA were just as poor for most of the first half too. The quotes try to gloss over that a bit. Likewise for the bad luck goal. You make your luck. The home team were the only ones looking likely to threaten at that point. If you don't shoot, you won't have a chance. 2 games in and the new signings have a bit to do, or they're going to fall into the standard of the rest. Passi was poor last week, and still off the pace this; Abi made a real difference last week, but nothing this and Airhiavbere gave away a clumsy penalty. Not to single them out, as everyone else was just as poor and certainly when trying to work as a team. Hopefully Moulin also learns that just bringing on attacking players, doesn't do anything to control the game or shape any supply to those positions. If he thinks that first half was okay, he needs to rewatch it.

Another commemorative shirt on the way? 🙂

Le Puy En Velay came out the much brighter of the two in the second half. There were a few little warnings. Then on 55 they had acres of space on their right. Adelaide got ahead of his marker to put in a nice curled cross. The home side would have a few more good deliveries from that side in the half, only for pace or lack or a finisher preventing more goals. They strengthened control of the midfield too, with some efforts coming centrally too. VA blocking one effort led to a clear penalty on 85, for the third. It has to be said that VA offered practically nothing in that game. Apart from that early run in on goal, it was the 88th minute when a long range effort went a yard wide. It wasn't a physical game. But when there were contests VA lost the vast majority. The lack of linked up play between familiar players was very evident. VA didn't put anything together from 10 minutes on. Our Rento came on early, around 66. I don't remember him touching the ball. He replaced Abi, who didn't do or receive much, but at least offered a focal point. Not that anyone reached him, as the VA passing was poor. Courtet was back to covering 6 positions in the absence of any other support. I did see Diomande look frustrated at a move breaking down with him, so that was a tiny something. Pretty abject, robbing the little light from the last win.

Nope. Just playing like a group of strangers, compared to the other teams.

Looks cold, with a heavy, bobbly pitch. The home side are 1 up, just going into added time in the first half. A corner passed to outside the box, a shot affected by the bobbly pitch loops right across the box and goes in, off the post. Not much else happened. Le Puy En Velay had a nice series of 1-2s in midfield on 24. They had a couple of early shots that went over. On 30 a shot went well over from outside the box, again from the home side. A couple of mins later Louchet saved in front of an attacker's feet. For VA, a couple of attacks were passed outside the box, when the player was better off going alone. Courtet beat the offside on 41. His decent ball went right across the box, with no one on the end of it. Their best effort was early on with a run onto the keeper, who stopped them. The home side have been the ones to put any kind of passing moves together. VA had moments, right before the goal, or looking a bit better. But they are going to have to be a lot more cohesive to give themselves a chance to get back into this. They've underwhelmed so far.

Speaking of people with webbed feet, will you be watching us play Portsmouth at the weekend? 🙂