sandwichsaint

Best one yet.

You didn't need a commentator if you were there, a real awayday special if you were there that night. Considering how carp we were we had fantastic away support in the dark days ... don't know what the allocation is at Watford but we had 1500+ up there midweek.

1) SRL 2) Lallana 3) Shaw 4) Lovren 5) Morgan

The game with the wonder goal? (for them).

Awesome weekend! We went up on the Friday and rode a chunk of stage 2 including Crag Vale, Ripponden bank and Elland, 45km with over 1000m of vertical. Saturday we parked in Shipley and rode over the top to Ilkley to see them early doors, then over a big top to Harrogate for the finish, we couldn’t get near the course and watched it on a big screen at a hotel, back over to Otley and back up to the cars (up’s a word you use a lot when cycling in Yorkshire), 82km and 1100m. Yesterday we rode the course down from Elland to Huddersfield up through Holmfirth and up Holme Moss. Just a stunning day, 8 am depart and we started with a 10km downhill on closed road into Huddersfield (70kmh) and through the barriererd-up town centre, then the long pretty drag to Holmfirth then Holme Moss, amazing crowds, must have been 30-40 thousand on there at 10-00 in the morning. Dropped back to a pub in Holme with beer/band/BBQ, saw the tour again then the big scramble back to Huddersfield and back up to the cars, 60km and about 700m. Unbelievable the way the Yorks public have embraced this weekend, just about every house and street on the route was decorated, I reckon they must have got their money back 10 times over, there will be people riding these routes for years to come. Back at work at 7-15 this morning!

What could possibly go wrong?

Real car-crash television, when in a hole, stop digging! I can't work out if he's incredibly thick, incredibly ill-advised or he's just deliberately rubbing our faces in it? Hang on, I've got it now, it's all three.

I love anagrams.

Anybody going? We are going up to Halifax on Thursday night (group of 9), middle-size ride and beers on the Friday, we are going to Cray to watch on the Saturday with a 100k ride and big beers + BBQ in the evening, then going to a friend's cricket club to watch a big screen and it goes right by the door on the Sunday. Strongly fancy Cav to win on the Saturday, hopefully the overall isn't spoilt by wind or crashes on the cobbles next week, and then who knows? Anybody going to France? We haven't been for a couple of years and I wasn't really bothered this year but I'm getting itchy feet now. We might go to Paris for the Sunday, never been to that, friends went last year and said it was awesome day out.

Hell in a handcart?

'Pap to the main board, Pap to the main board please'.

All of the above (scouting / coaching / facilities / cohort size / opportunity). Two more for me: a large and well-defined catchment area, we are the only 'big' club for elite youngsters in a semi-circle from Brighton, across the M3 towards Newbury and into the west country with the Bath centre as well. Stability - I would imagine that once a youngster is in our set-up there are very few distractions to leave, we have a player pathway that genuinely goes to the first team. A talented 10 -12 -14 year old at Arsenal will forever be getting attention from the other London clubs and vice versa, I should imagine in the midlands and NW / NE this issue equally applies, our youngsters have fewer distractions and no real need to look elsewhere for a 'better' offer. Don't rule out the power of 'positive thinking' / role models / expectations / self belief / the belief of others in you: our youngsters across all ages work on a defined pathway towards the first team; demonstrable fact ... what is the point of going to the Chelsea academy for 10 years? (thanks for Jack Cork though!)

Cheers for the link, that was special. We really have been blessed to watch some wonderful stuff the last couple of seasons.

I have a mate who is a big Arsenal fan and he asked me last week is he really that good? Reckon where he's in a little bit of an unseen role (even though he's consistently near the top of these sort of stats) he's probably gone a bit under the radar for neutrals, and for Didier Deschamps too. He's got every chance of staying in the France team now and if he continues that sort of form I would have thought he would be nailed on for Champs Lge somewhere next season; keeping him will be Koeman's biggest challenge.

Been terrific, international debut in the Maracana in a world cup finals and he's hardly broken sweat, England don't have anything close in this type of role. Ecuador goalie has a touch of the KD's about him!

Shearer Dixon Speedie Slippery Slope.

Danny Murphy (member of the FA commission and one of the best pundits at the WC) on Radio 5L last night was questioned about the FA aim to win the world cup in 2022 (stop s******ing at the back) and he made a diplomatic, not-impossible-but-a-long-way-to-go type answer. He spoke about potential and improvement: 'players like Barclay, Shaw, and Nathial Clyne will be at their peak by then' (he mentioned one other but can't remember who it was, possibly Stones?)... he's clearly on the radar and, rightly, he is appreciated by those ITK.

No point, that sort of gesture would go right over his head.

I wouldn't be so sure, agree the big money and the big TV is mainly in the European leagues/Champs league but I think this WC has been an absolute breath of fresh air seeing new players and new teams, what it does show is that there is intelligent life beyond the PL and the CL. Players and fans love the WC, unfortunately it's all overseen by one of the most corrupt and dysfunctional bodies on the planet and it's now all up in the air what we do with Dubai - summer/winter/re-run? Forget England, the PL, and the CL for a couple more weeks and enjoy what we are seeing in Brazil (refs need to tighten up though, ridiculous officiating so far in too many games).

Pretty much this

Clearly we need a 5-a-side game between Liverpool and Saints to sort out the proper champions of English football: Johnson / Gerrard / Hendo / Sturridge / Sterling v Clyne / Cork / Lallana / J Rod / Lambert Liverpool win on big names/experience/pace Saints win on team spirit/technique/rhythm/tempo/tactical awareness

Canterbury is a massive student town now, not sure what you are really looking for? In the big scheme I'd say it was a pretty quiet/safe/pleasant place to live, would imagine accom is dearer than some other areas. Not over-much going on, strong pub/music scene, limited choice of clubs but always full, usual regional theatre/galleries type set-up Big ratio of girls over boys; Christchurch College (the old teacher training college) is massive now and has a ratio of something like 80-20 F/M. Not particularly central for going anywhere else, London an hour by train. SMS two and a half hours by car or train. Not sure if you are looking for any sports opportunities? Club cricket and hockey are both very strong in Kent (and very sociable), there is some football but a lot of it isn't very good. Can't comment specifically on the courses but UKC and Christchurch both have very good reps.

Still think my team would beat tonight's team: .............. Hart ................ Clyne Jag Cahill Shaw .......... SG... Barry .......... .. Ox ...... AL ...... Raheem ... ........ Sturridge ........... Liking Smirking's 4-3-3 above, think the left side would be far more solid with LS/LA over LB/WR Happy to play Wellbeck over Ox if that's the fitness situation, also quite happy to see Hendo in midfield. Think there will be goals and think we'll win, 3-2 possibly.

Pretty much this, co-commentators are a bit like goal music, if you're involved with the game and the game is entertaining you then you don't even really notice if they are good or bad. I really enjoyed the England game Saturday and although I was aware that PN was doing the co-comm it didn't stand out to me that he was particularly 'bad' nor did it cross my mind that something over 400 people would flood the Beeb with 'complaints'. Haven't these sad-sacks got anything better to do with their time?

Haven't seen the video but reading between the lines, a touch of the Mark Wrights perhaps?