Oxfordfox83

Two types of wrong. You know mince pies though, so fair play. But Sherry is incredible, and there’s so much of it that’s not Harvey’s Bristol Cream. If you find yourself in Oxford I’ll spot you a glass…

That, if you’ll excuse the comparison, is a Tory level of almost apologising, then backing out of the apology and just going back to the argument on your own terms.

Club bias isn’t what you think it is. This situation Maddison has here is the same as GS not playing Grealish in the form of his life last time out because he only plays for Villa. Likewise Maddison is in outstanding form but won’t get picked because Mount plays for Chelsea and Henderson for Liverpool. The idea that we needed someone defensive for Wales and US is hilarious. We needed someone who could break the lines, beat a man and play a cute pass. You could argue that that’s what Kane does, and I’d agree. It annoys me that we don’t have a 9 in an attritional tournament, but that’s an entirely different story. Look, we’re into the next round and I’m sure we’ll beat Senegal, because he’s good at beating lesser teams in tournaments. But if we’re playing a France, Spain, or Argentina needing a spark of inspiration, past form suggests he’ll bring on Mount, or Henderson, or Ramsdale sooner than an inspirational player from a club he doesn’t like.

I agree with almost everything you said, then totally disagree with the conclusion. Club bias absolutely holds us back, and Southgate again comfortably beats people we should comfortably beat. Hammering Iran and beating Wales were lovely achievements, maybe 10% better than expected outcome. Drawing with the US on the surface isn’t a catastrophe, except we looked toothless and uninspired, and they are not a good side. Southgate has consistently failed when faced with good sides in tournaments, the exception being a fading Germany at the Euros. Villa edition Grealish never got a sniff in incredible form when we were struggling for inspiration. We could improve if he didn’t stick with big club players. Mount is a ‘pretty passes that lead nowhere’ sort of player, fine when you’re dominating, no use when you’re not. Maddison would make the team stronger.

So much truth in this. The only problem is that the US is nominally and legally secular, and they are becoming similarly oppressive and autocratic through their “American values”; for which read demonstrative conservative Christianity. I worry for the USA in the next 20 years or so.

Tell you what I am enjoying about it being in Qatar. No one’s singing “Don’t Take Me Home”

Out. But 24 wins out of the next 25 and I’ll move back to ‘undecided’.

Still baffled by the inaction, but living in emotional stasis until he’s replaced. I won’t be properly sad and angry unless he’s still here in January and all looks unavoidable…

Fine if we slaughter them. Go conservative at 4-0 if we must (though what we get from that I don’t know). But we’ve lost games repeatedly from going conservative at 1-0 and 2-0, first day this season we drew from 3-0. The problem isn’t necessarily that we go conservative (though I think it doesn’t work without real threats on the counter, and a plan to use them), but more that when we play “conservative” football, we get more vulnerable. So please Brendan, you ****ing moron, stop it! (Also yay for the first of a six-match winning sequence…)

He’s been shit since January 2020, and we’ve been shit for the vast majority of that time as a result. One win, against the worst club in the league, does nothing to alter that.

Can the new chants thread just be “You’re getting sacked in the morning” to six different tunes?

Bare minimum of 16. Can absolutely **** off otherwise.

The cvnt’s still here then? Been on holiday and hoped the good news was waiting for me on my return

If Rodgers had the slightest shred of dignity, he’d resign, rather than stay in a job that he’s only in because we can’t afford to sack him. He doesn’t. He’s more Partridge than Partridge at the moment.

I like to think of myself as measured, unreactionary, and patient, with a long-term view of what is and isn’t good for the team. But I swear to God if Brendan isn’t sacked by the end of this game I’ll lose it…

Ah, but he was so confident about his massive skill that he destroyed everything. I swear he still thinks he did a decent job for us here.

I hate him more now than I ever did Puel.

There’s no such thing mate. There’s teams that finish in the top 4 each season, and teams that don’t. We should have at least once, and realistically twice, but he lacked both the balls and nouse to make it happen. No overachievement.

I got 9/12 and object to Draper and Pegguy being classed as obscure…

Happy Birthday FT! A brilliant, well-run site, worthy of this amazing club.

Mods…

Really enjoyed the most recent series. The two I worried about (Chris and Judi) were actually pretty funny (Judy was annoying sometimes, but manageable so.) Bridget was brilliantly weird, and Sophie was one of the best contestants they’ve ever had imo…

July 16th

I think he’s a complete disaster. International football isn’t entirely predictable, but we have been incredibly lucky with the draws in both his tournaments, and he’s contrived to lose to every team we are in the same league as. He Brendaned us against Italy, contriving to stop us attacking when dominating, then removing our every threat as soon as they were in the ascendancy. Barely used Grealish when absolutely flying, persisted with Kane who was dogshit even by his own farcically low international standards. If we had had Vestergaard on the bench, Southgate would have put him on. Niceish guy, bang average tactically and incompetent, inconsistent selector. Should have been sacked after World Cup.

Just seen this