The Kraken

Of course they are 🤣

What’s wrong with a pro Palestine march? Palestine and Hamas aren’t the same thing.

Yes David. That was indeed my point. Fuck me.

That bloody Paul Wilcox has got a lot to answer for

Hopefully gets the green light, have to say the renderings look somewhat unique and 1000% better than the old Kassam mess.

Just out of interest, what is the actual level of entitlement that is about right from the fans for the game today?

This was the thing I noticed the most. On the rare occasions Rotherham had possession and lost it, from us there was no intention to break quickly or play at pace. Just safety first, pass backwards, let them get back, and repeat the whole snorefest. A complete and utter lack of bravery, despite which Rusty tells us we are actually great at. Rubbish.

Yep. I watched the rugger today with my old man after saints finished, and we both commented how much better and clearer the video system in that game is. I genuinely think that English video refs are just arrogant dimwits compared to their peers across Europe in football and certainly across other sports, just not up to the job.

When do we get to see the trick?

I watched him a lot second half and I noticed so many times where in defensive positions he wanted to have a touch for the sake of it. Comparing him with Lavia last year is obviously completely unfair in terms of ability; but when getting the ball from the defence, Lavia was so often looking to play on the turn and make things happen. Smallbone (and others tbf) just seem to want to get the ball from the defenders and play it straight back to them on the first touch. It’s not “brave” as we’re told, it’s just non committal, and just pegs us into having possession while the other team gently gets all their players back into position. It’s ponderous and predictable.

You can say that again. He will consistently be not shit enough to get rid of and nowhere near good enough to be confident in.

🤣 I know you’re angry fella but fuck me, that response 🤣

Awful awful result. Pathetic really, yet just predictable.

But yeah, stats mean nothing at all etc etc etc. Gonna be a common theme this.

So typical from our lot of tippy tippy merchants.

Yeah I think I’d be looking to get the fuck out if there tbf.

Is it? Birmingham mayor (a Tory), Manchester mayor (labour) and various other northern leaders were all massively in favour of it and many of them have been vocally critical of the decision to scrap the northern parts of the scheme. It was always about much more than saving 20 minutes on the journey time from Birmingham to London.

The financial aspect is one part, the bigger part is that the Tories are likely to (as quickly as possible) sell off the land acquired to build the northern part of hs2, so after that it would make getting it done as planned pretty impossible.

In other words…..”private enterprises who just happen to donate to the Tory party will be handed the management and building rights for the site and will given permission to build thousands of extra properties there to facilitate the move and ‘fund’ HS2 (and line their own back pockets)”.

Fucking hell, that boy has no luck.

Number of left backs in the England squad: 0 Number of centre backs in the England squad: 5, plus Harry Maguire too, so 5 1/2.

Lots to learn from other sports that are much clearer at using VAR. Rugby and cricket in particular are very clear about what has been given, what is being reviewed, and the audio of the discussion between ref and Video ref is made available. Having seen the transcript it’s no surprise this has happened, there’s just not enough clarity and like you say it all sounded hugely rushed. But it should be easy to put right as it was such a basic error.

Exactly this, I was struck with just how many voices there were during normal play, the ref is basically in constant dialogue with his linos (assistant refs) and the 4th official, plus VAR chips in when it seems appropriate. You’ve got the Lino and the ref having a chat about holding (both holding, let it go; yeah, letting it go), the other Lino chips into the goal decision (quite why, who knows?), then VAR says that there’s a possible offside review, then all he’ll breaks loose. Heres the full transcript. No fewer than seven different people all talking to arrive at this decision. Assistant Referee 1 (AR1): All good. Both holding. Both holding. Referee: Yeah, leave it alone. AR1: Waiting. Delaying, delaying. AR2: Give it. VAR: Possible offside - Diaz. Assistant referee 1: Coming back for the offside, mate. Assistant referee 2: Give it. VAR: Just checking the offside. Delay, delay. Give the kick point, let's go. Kick point, please? Referee: Yeah no worries, mate. Replay operator: So here we are. Referee: Wait OK. Replay operator: Just get a tight angle. VAR: Yeah, give me a 2D line ready after this one for frame two after that. Replay operator: So frame two there? VAR: That's fine. Perfect, yeah. 2D line on left boot. Replay operator: Let me just switch angles. VAR: Romero, I think it is? Replay operator: I think it might be this angle better? Happy with this angle? VAR: Yep. Replay operator: 2D line on the boot. Yep OK. VAR: And stop. Check complete, check complete. That's fine, perfect [showing Diaz is clearly onside]. Off. Referee: Cheers, mate. VAR: Thank you, mate. Referee: Well done, boys. Good process [game restarts with a free-kick]. Replay operator: Wait, wait, wait, wait. The on-field decision was offside. Are you happy with this? Assistant VAR: Yeah. Replay operator: Are you happy with this? Assistant VAR: Offside goal, yeah. That's wrong, Daz. VAR: What? Replay operator: On-field decision was offside. Are you happy with this image? Yeah - it's onside. The image that we gave them is onside. Assistant VAR: He's played him. He's gone offside. VAR: Oh [expletive]. Replay operative: Delay, delay. Oli [PGMOL Hub Ops] saying to delay. Oli's saying to delay. VAR: Pardon? Replay operator: Oli's calling in to say delay the game. The decision is onside. VAR: Can't do anything. Replay operator: Oli's saying to delay. Oli's saying to delay. VAR: Oli? Fourth official: Yeah. Replay operative: Delay the game, to delay the game. Stop the game. VAR: They've restarted the game. Can't do anything, can't do anything. Assistant VAR: Yeah, they've restarted. Yeah. VAR: Can't do anything. Assistant VAR: No. VAR: I can't do anything. I can't do anything [expletive].

Urgh, what a rotter of a finish to the night that was, I was there at the dell that night and everyone knew when it went in that we were done for at Oldham’s placcy pitch in the replay. Archers Road after the game was interesting.