hypochondriac

Can we afford to give him a chance and potentially weaken our forward line this season?

Particularly because he did the same thing last preseason and scored a goal that was even better. We can celebrate his rehabilitation if he starts scoring in actual games that matter - though bringing him back and allowing him to take a squad place (and potentially not sign another striker) is a risk in itself.

His success and failure is going to hinge on how he can successfully navigate the difficult choice he will inevitably have to make on servicing debt, welfare reform and immigration. Maybe his ability to communicate and vibes based politics will be enough to persuade people. He will do a better job of it than Starmer ever did at any rate.

Of course but no prime minister has experience of being prime minister until they are appointed.

That's true but my personal opinion is if they appoint a new prime minister with a completely different set of priorities who wasn't even an MP at the general election, then they will lose a fair amount of legitimacy and can't honestly claim to have a mandate. Regardless of the party I think there should be an election.

I don't think it's irrelevant. Politics is a big popularity contest most of the time and he's way more likable and better at it than Starmer ever was. In order for labour to succeed they need to persuade red wall seats and his prioritising of the north and his popularity in Manchester will assist them to do that. I think he will win the next election as long as he doesn't do anything too stupid.

If he's smart (and so far he is much more politically savvy than Starmer) he will call an autumn general election prior to a budget and before he has to make any unpopular decisions. Give him another give year mandate without much detail.

Why are you comparing him to Boris Johnson? I've already said I think he's had a good start. I said if he carries on in this vein he will likely win the next election. That doesn't mean I can't find his social media interns and strategy grating and I doubt I'd be the only one. Maybe I'm not the target audience. I think that the number 10 north things is silly too but I think he's done the right thing to make gestures towards cost of living and reversing all the major silly things that Starmer did. Personally I idobt think that also requires office parodies and comedy skits.

Bizarre that you consider a post on this forum "worked up".

Odd. I just watched his latest video and drew my own conclusions. It's an improvement on Starmer for sure but it doesn't make me a fan.

I suspect people will quickly get tired of this faux quirky shtick in the style of the office.

It was absolutely pathetic defending though.

Downs can add that one to his classy preseason goal from last year.

Depends what role he had in it. I'm not saying he didn't know, I'm just saying it's not a totally fantastical proposition.

Maybe they did it at the other clubs. Or maybe they didn't and had never discussed it. Sounds like it has been pretty widespread .

Astonishing how they can justify spending tax payers money on a weekly private jet to Manchester -before you even mention the laughable net zero targets.

Not a big fan of this number ten north gimmick. It will be junked once Labour are out of power so seems completely pointless.

Priti Patel is the one I want as head of my cabinet,

Will be interesting to see who makes the plane today although given it's only a couple of hours away maybe it won't prevent anyone from being sold. It may show our intentions though if we leave anyone behind (Ramsdale, bbd, Archer? Charles?)

Maybe that is true and I don't think it's as far fetched as you do to suggest that he wasn't fully abreast of the rules on spying given that it's not against the rules abroad. Like you I said I suspect he probably did know but I can also see a scenario where he didn't.

Because he may have been aware that openly spying would not be welcomed by the opposing team but was aware that everyone does it on the sly and there was omerta around the practice. I think it's likely that he did know it was wrong but I can see a scenario where he wasn't aware that it was specifically against the rules.

I reckon the mood music is leaning towards a ban. Whether I think it's unfair or not is irrelevant. The main thing is to ensure that it's not so disproportionate that we have no choice but to sack him.

I hope that's correct? Itk or gut feeling?

Of course he's good enough for us. No one has ever claimed otherwise.

Goes to show our strength in depth in that position. I think Downes at the top of his game is our best midfielder and I think Jander was showing at points that he was a better performer than Charles. Charles is a moments player though no doubt and has real personality on the pitch which we will miss. No doubt we will bring in a replacement of some kind though.