Lighthouse

Owen scored one against Argentina in '98. If he's been good in training and wants to take one then let him have it. Mentality trumps age.

I think I'd argue Southgate has hit par overall. I know it sounds ridiculous as an England fan, after a WC semi and a Euro final but I think we're just so used to under performing and failure. Colombia on pens, Sweden, Ukraine, Denmark and a substandard Germany who only made the knockouts after scraping a late draw with Hungary. Does this team get through Spain, France or Belgium on the other side of the draw? I'm not too sure. Anyway, fair play to the team, they gave their all tonight. Italy have looked a class above from day one.

Looked like a fair tackle to me.

And you’re the internets version of Pepe shouting, "I never touched him ref!" As an opponents decapitated head goes bouncing across the pitch.

I rest my case, mallard.

Ooooh, now that is nice. I may even buy one when they're 30% of in January.

He was acquitted. Have you ever tried getting a duck to testify in court?

I wouldn't, it's just comfortable, lazy, jobs for the boys thinking.

Yeah, it briefly went off on a warm, buttery tangent but that proved quite popular in its own right, so I split it off.

Different cultures lend themselves to different behaviours which affect how they deal with a pandemic. Some might be more inherently obedient, which helped to begin with, but also more skeptical of vaccines. There may also be a degree of complacency setting in, whereby people don't see the need to become vaccinated because their lock downs have, up until now, been highly effective. I think Delta will be a game changer though. Australia is right up the sh*tter and will remain so until well into next year.

How the f**k did a 'Merry Christmas' thread turn into this. 🤣🤣🤣

So not the 50% of games, where he just looks like he can't be bothered and he'd rather be someone else?

The number of people videoing that in the crowd. Tragic.

Ahhh, of all the people I didn’t want to miss one it was Morata.

I think I’d join the Movementarians, that planet Blisstonia looks pretty blissful.

If Perraud and Williams turn out to be worse than Bertrand and er... nobody, then I'm giving up football to watch women's golf. Having some genuine wide options and not relying solely on KWP will be a breath of fresh air.

I’ll certainly be keeping mine on in enclosed public areas until I’m double jabbed and I know all adults have been offered that opportunity. I’m not sure where hospital admissions are going to end up in the long run. The problem is now it’s basically anti-vaxxers and those with exemptions getting admitted and they’re never going to go away. I’d like to hope that the vaccines get approved for children and we can achieve some sort of overall immunity.

I actually said someone younger than Toby, who turns 33 this season. Also, I’m not bothered about experience, I just want them to be good. Svensson, Lovren, Toby and VVD all had zero premier league games when they joined us and we’re fantastic.

Boris on BBC now. Mask wearing, SD and limits on indoor meetings to be removed on 19th. Scratching my head now, what’s left of project global reset? Or is it just about the 5G microchips now?

That’s not really the right question. What we should be asking is if we’re better off as a team with him playing intermittently and having to rotate the defence around constantly. I would say no; I’d rather we brought in someone younger and fitter who may not have the same ability but can play pretty much every game, along side preferably Salisu.

Because he is 32, has frequent injury issues and is on the decline.

He wouldn’t come here, I wouldn’t want him.

It would appear we've already tried that.

He was only about three league goals ahead of Adams last season. As much as we all like to circle jerk over how good he is, fitness will probably limit his contribution again next season. Our problem is not drawing a blank without Ings, we've even won comfortably at Stamford Bridge with him absent. Our problems are coaching and psychological. Losing 9-0 twice in 15 months, with dozens of games scattered around that where we've thrown away points after the 85th minute, is something I'm far more concerned about addressing than finding a 20 goal a season striker.

Which is okay because the masks only provided limited pathogen protection anyway.