Holmes_and_Watson

Good to hear. 6 goals in his last Championship season (I think). I know views vary but I thought he was improving again, after injury, and was looking forward to seeing him in the PL. Only for him to get dumped for BBD and Cornet. He offers a good alternative to Leo, who can fade. So, hopefully we'll see some more of him.

I only saw him in the highlights, but hopefully that's what we get. It's certainly what we really need.

Every player is hamstrung being with us. That's on all the profiles. 🙂

Hungry 🙂

Since McSweeney is credited for being behind Starmer, this will be a big blow for him personally and professionally. He will also be seen as a more isolated, vulnerable figure to the various circling parties looking for his job. But Starmer can throw as many people under the bus as he likes. He can try and pretend he's sorry for believing Mandelson's lies. As opposed to accepting responsibility and apologising for that. Even if McSweeney says it was all him, and Starmer nodded it through, only goes so far. But all the documentation, and trails, should be getting reviewed. The extent of Starmer's involvement will be in there, as well as where others fell on the issue. Whether or not, we'll get to know it, might be an issue though. At least Starmer didn't get to choose what to review/release, as was his first plan.

Perhaps Starmer will apologise for believing Farage's endorsement tomorrow. 🙂 Do try and and not mention your usual suspects in every post SOG.

An indirect benefit was that the links between clubs, allowed Derrick Abu to disappointingly make zero impact at Valenciennes. Even after injury. The rapper, whose stage name is Not So Cho$en, is on their wage bill for next season too.

Happy

Busy transfering "donations" to his favourite front runners. Selflessly. Not in return for access or policy decisions, or anything like that.

Ah. I was perhaps foolishly thinking they had some proof of this, for exactly the reasons of closeness they had either to Starmer or Mandelson. Something to remove themselves from the closeness say Streeting had. Public ally, ministers would back an appointment. So, as embarrassing as the clip is, it's not unexpected.

Lammy joining Rayner in making sure people know he advised Starmer against Mandelson. No reason to doubt this, meaning Starmer went with his chief of staff rather than those he gave senior positions to. Streeting has his own links with Mandelson; Rayner is sorting out her tax issues; they blocked Burnham; Phillipson had Bungs for Birthdays; Miliband and isn't the best labour leader in his own family, and failed before. Streeting and Rayner could need some time. Otherwise, we're getting a leadership battle between Lammy who liked Thatcher, and soft-left Lucy Powell. If Rachel Reeves wants to run, we'll know by the leaks well in advance, like her budgets.

Party

I can summarise that as, "Waaaaaaaaaah! I want, I want, I want!"

Thanks. I was looking for a phrase. Not much power or pace. But now making some decent passes, in a formation where they are getting used to being more creative in.

I only caught the first half, but this was clear. Much more solid at the back. And both are decent getting forward in different ways.

One of my "why use a sentence, when some paragraphs will do" posts. Needed to vent, I guess. 🙂

If you got your bell rung, it would seem rude not to give 5 stars. 🙂

After the final whistle, the camera zoomed in to look at a group of away supporters. A shout out to them for going that far this season, without seeing a win. The above reports about "perfect evenings", "nearly everything going right" and "turning point" are fluff. With the budget and backing they have, VA should not be seeing this as an "upset" or a "huge victory" These players, and this manager, were brought in to win the league. The manager has to instill those standards. It looks as though they've had their annual SR chats with the squad and made it clear who is in their plans for the remainder of the season. The squad appearing last night were the ones most willing to put some effort in, complimented by some of the new signings. A good win. VA did well with the few chances they had. As the game went on, the defence looked more solid. But they were still vulnerable. There's a reason the right back got man of the match. They, and Rouen, struggled to put any passing moves together at a higher pace. And, finally answering the question, they did win a game earlier in the season with some very nice passing. So, they can do it, and there should be more to come. The arrival of Abi, is the big change. It fills the massive gap in the first team, and gives everyone options. He, and the others are settling in. There's been some progress with the systems. So, again, this isn't out of nowhere. But more to come there too.

Presumably somewhere there should be groups based in the other quarters who think that of the people who ended up in the quarter we did. A peek at wiki had a criticism that the questions were biased towards you ending up more libertarian. But I've not checked out the sources. What is clear, is that when SOG and I answered "strongly agree" to "Do you think Diane Abbott is incredibly attractive?", it was always going to be a struggle to move from the far left. Oh, you had different questions? Ah, awkward...

It was the same last time. However, one of us managed to get into the top right quarter. Lord Duckhunter, I think.

Reminder

Last time, I was a diagonal closer to the centre.

You loved the team puns I made last season, and you know it. 🙂

Drama as the ref sends a player from each side from the pitch! But only as their kit didn't conform, and then they came back on. 🙂 I was going to say the ref had an excellent game. He didn't fall for any of the Rouen players rolling about. VA tried it a couple of times later with equal success. But the ref awarded the free kick that wasn't, when Fuss fell over going between 2 defenders. Fuss was then on the end of the free kick, with a good shot from outside the box. That led to an entertaining final few minutes. The home side upped their tempo, trying to get the equaliser. It was a pacier game than most. That shaped the proceedings, as it was quite scrappy as a result of the higher tempo. But where Rouen would normally have the job done, it was VA who looked to have the most energy. Moulin used his subs judiciously to bring freshness into midfield, and to replace Abi, from the mid point of the second half. While Courtet and Abi, playing a little wider, with El Hadary supporting, and often leading, could use work as a unit, it did stretch the game. Moulin at least now has an option to pin opponents back a bit. A scruffy corner in the first half, and a decent Courtet stretching shot at the start of the second had been VA's highlights before their opener. Niakate had just forced a save from a lovely, low, long range effort. He was then able to score from the corner. A minute of a player imposing himself on the game, made the difference. While Rouen had made Louchet the busier keeper, their best chance was cleared from going in, off the leg of a defender. They had broken through with pace a couple of times, past Passi, early on. But the VA defence was organised enough to be in position to get the blocks in, when it mattered. Leading, there was a bit of common sense when going forward. But when Appuah found himself in loads of space, when Rouen clumped together in midfield, he ran through and powered it in. VA took the chances they got, while Rouen never created anything clinical. VA deserved the victory, and will be delighted with it. But that is the baseline performance of a side looking to win their league. That is something they can look to improve upon each game, but not fall below.

No Tonda. I said "Watford have signed 11 Poles, we should get practice against". Not 11 poles we can amble around....