Lighthouse

It didn’t really cost us anything but f**k me, that ‘run out’ was one of the worst bits of umpiring I’ve ever seen. The batter might as well have been at the ice cream van he was that far out.

The final is going to be USA vs Middlesbrough.

The big clubs especially will have teams of analysts studying penalty data in enormous detail. Quite simply, players wouldn’t be doing it if it didn’t work.

Players wouldn't do it if there wasn’t a decent rate of success. They do it to get the keeper to move first, so that they can put it the other way. Missing from a stuttering run up is no worse than running up and wellying it into the car park.

Slot is sacked. Seems a bit harsh after finishing first and fifth, with all the Salah BS and everything else he's had to deal with.

As this thread is about the future of Tonda specifically, the more general Spygate stuff has been moved to here

I wouldn’t call it a ‘hell of a signing’ personally. He’ll be decent enough if he avoids injury but he’s 36 in September and all things considered, if you gave me a 50-50 choice right now, I’d prefer to have Bree.

I guess we should all thank Chris Wood for giving us a thrilling chase instead of what should have been a comfortable stroll. We should have had them pegged at high 140-something, without his disasterous second (I think) and fourth overs. If Baker and Turner are available, surely he has to get dropped one day.

Just f**k off Wood, seriously.

Time for our annual home walloping by Surrey in the Blast. Can’t figure out why Lehmann gets left out in favour of either Prest or JW. They’re both run a ball, low teen batters in T20.

I actually meant the 3-2 win at the start of the following season, I guess that’s on me for not being more specific. We conceded four goals in six Europa games, which is the equivalent of around 25 in a PL season, which would be the best defence in the league this season. That wasn’t our problem, scoring none in any of our away games and setting up for a 0-0 at home to HBS was.

Yes, in a different, much less intense league. As Duck said, we let him go at the right time and in his next game at St Mary’s Gabbiadini had him on toast. West Ham fans were largely unimpressed with him, hence he didn’t stay long. You don’t punish a player by dropping him for games against Hapoel Be’er Sheva and Sparta Prague but still let him play against Man City and Liverpool. We went out of the EL because we couldn’t score, not because of some dodgy defence.

There were many criticisms of Puel but that shouldn't be one of them IMO. I think our recent Romeu experience has shown beyond doubt the difference in intensity between English and continental football. Playing every minute of every game in the PL and Europe is a lot to ask of a 33 year old. That being said, he's had a fantasic career and is fully deserving of the title 'European Champion' from 2016.

Which I find odd because Paul Gascoigne usually does pursue parties.

That’s as good as you can ask for an evening’s cricket. Cold cider, warm weather and a decent Hampshire win. Stubbs was a huge addition and Neal had a good night.