LCFCJohn

I hope, and whether it’s true or not, that Reform should be at the peak of their popularity now. You see how when it comes to a by-election, they have been getting steamrollered despite doing well on local council elections. It reminds me a bit of when UKIP did well in the European Parliament elections as people did it as a protest to be listened to. Maybe the same here where people won’t actually vote on mass when it matters?

Bit like Cameron seemed ok early on (unless that bias based on the state of the ones since) but then bowed to the pressure from UKIP at the time to go down the Brexit path but then despite being remain himself, didn’t lead a strong case. Farage has so much to answer to and has been so damaging to this country over the last 10 years or so when you think Brexit and now this far right movement…

To be fair, this whole move by Burnham has been a risk. He’d have been done basically if he’d lost the by-election. He put it all on the line and it has worked for him so he might take the risk of calling an election. The ideal scenario is he does, Labour win out under a new manifesto with some of the changes we’d like to see and at the same time it puts Reform to bed and shows them as the unwelcome noise they are.

It probably all should. But I do think when you actually think about it, a new leader of the same party is actually not as big of a change. They still need the support of their MPs who have all been voted in. They are the figurehead of the same party which will have the same principles. It’s just the double standards but I guess that’s party politics right!

Won’t be a popular option with certain members on here but it’s a great point. You vote for your local MP and if they suddenly started representing a different party without that being voted by the constituents, how is that ok? I’d be much more comfortable with a member of the same party replacing my MP (like Burnham) than my MP changing their political beliefs they were voted in on by defecting to another party. Yet the former prompts a by election and the latter doesn’t?

For a club of our stature in this league, well we shouldn’t get relegated to it in the first place but it should be the same end result as 2008/2009. But without sorting out the fundamental problems, this doesn’t mean this is a realistic expectation. If we turn up as the same lazy, unfit and arrogant team as last season, thinking we just need to turn up, we will get a very rude awakening. Also, once the rot is so ingrained as it is here, it’s a massive ask to turn it around as we saw last season. The question is, can we go from winning about 20 games over 2 seasons to about 30 in one season? Do we have that type of psychological turn around in us? I don’t think so but it depends what happens with transfers I suppose.

To be fair, I am a Labour voter as I think as a party, they are the most sensible and balanced. Far right and far left is no good and won’t benefit the country in my opinion. But I would like to see illegal immigration controlled better which Labour have been trying to do. A key part is tackling the gangs responsible. But wanting to see a more controlled system is a far cry from the completely racist Reform rhetoric that I cannot stand. So there must be many other centrally minded voters who agree with balanced approach to it. Not just leaving the gates open but not chasing anyone with brown skin down the street Reform style.

Very mentally and emotionally draining I’d say to be fair. One of those where thankless task is quite literal.

100%. It was like that with Maresca I’d say, we definitely looked fitter (or more than we have any time since) and it was that more than the tactical style that saw us through the first months before we really looked better by the September. Best thing Martin could do is recognise this and start with the basics before introducing more of the tactical style he wants. But like you say, it feels like he is likely to prioritise that over fitness unfortunately.

As the Tories/other parties would be free to say the same now then?

Was going to post this. An example of our streets not being safe indeed…

I think the overwhelming evidence is it will be a poor appointment that will either not see out the season or if it does, it’s more of a Rodgers, Aiyawatt digging in and not sacking him when he should. But you can look and see where there might be small things that could be positive. End of the day, these will either be proven right or wrong very quickly based on team selections and performances early on. Anyway, the positivity police are out in force so got to find something to avoid being nicked

It sounds like he has done well with promoting youth which we need. It’s also been mentioned he is alright in the transfer market but I’m not sure how much of that we will see here as that is managed by Rudkin…. I see people have also used the argument that MK Dons were promoted after he has moved to Swansea against him. Without knowing the detail, I.e were they completely terrible and then become great, it seems a bit harsh as it would be like saying how did Pearson have Leicester battling relegation when they won the league the next season. Whereas we know he built the squad and it clicked that season. Is Martin a builder type as well?

Sick how some people (right wingers) always want to make it about politics. On the incident, a couple of thoughts as a parent of a 3 year old, who have annual membership to a local wildlife attraction which has crocs. Whilst it must be a difficult job to care for someone with severe mental health issues, and fair play to those who do it, the carer needs to be investigated for their part in this. It may not have been deliberate negligence but end of the day, they have not done their job properly. We all make mistakes at work but theirs has resulted in a 3 year old child being thrown into crocodiles. It is surreal to even say. My nephew actually got pulled off a swing a bit ago by someone like this (completely different level of incident of course) and my parents who had him at the time said the carer was sat on their phone not paying attention so there are negligent carers out there. The individual themselves. They may not be inherently evil be we don’t know the extent of the mental condition/disability. But, end of the day, that is not everyone else’s problem and they are clearly not safe to be in public. Even if you couldn’t have someone like this in a mainstream prison, they should be kept in a secure hospital/institution.

BBC stating Reform lead opinion polls. Their boys took a hell of a beating last night and they are trying to justify it Hopefully it shows that the support Reform had in the local elections was showing that it was people protest voting really wanting reform from the serious parties rather than Reform UK.

Bodes well. It was only due to the kick off time and wanting to go to bed I turned off. Very much an early to bed and early up kind of person! It wasn’t bad first half. I thought we looked pretty good at playing through the lines but a bit dicey at the back and a bit wasteful at the other end. Croatia are a strong side though and it sets us up to go 9/9 baring any cock ups. I guess Ghana could spring a surprise on their day.

Only watched the first half (I had convinced myself I wouldn’t watch any to be fair) and wasn’t too impressed given the putting ourselves under pressure at the back. I also thought Madueke was wasteful when given the chance. Kane was good with his link up play. I guess it improved further second half anyway? Good to see us score 4 though. It’s the first I have watched England at all since the final against Spain in 2024. Seems less names than in the past and more based on club performance? That said when was the last time we scored 4 and the scorers were all playing for major European team and not in the PL!

I only watched the first half and agree entirely I wondered what the fuss was about but presumably it improved second half.

More the hoops put in place for match day tickets. As you say, if there is a cap on season tickets it is to allow for a percentage to be match day tickets. But there has been many conversations on here a bit about about how they seemed to choose empty seats (not that many when things were going well of course) rather than open up to general sale. It took a campaign by the Foxes Trust to get them to do it. Wasn’t it the Maresca Championship season they put a couple of games on general sale? Obviously it has changed the past couple of years as people have got fed up and the crowds have dropped so they have now started desperately trying to get people back. I remember calling it a couple of years ago it’d happen. Most kids are introduced by attending a matches adhoc not straight into season tickets.

Leeds looking very very silly here and should be told to stop wasting everyone’s time. As said, they’d have gone down anyway. If the £2 mill or whatever for finishing 18th not 19th means that much to them, just give it them so they can stop crying about it. As for the 23/24 promotion season, it made zero difference. Anyway, had they gone up that season rather than us, they have just come down with Southampton and Ipswich. The year after (season just finished) there were established teams ready to implode like Wolves and West Ham so they benefitted from going up a year later both in terms of their own being ready and a more competitive relegation battle.

I agree, I was just giving a balanced reply to Hackney. I think if he had shown signs of change at Rangers then maybe but it sounds like he doubled down. And it feels he has full support of the club itself to play as he has been known for. It’ll likely undo any positives he might bring with youth development for example. We bloody need it to work. This decline is so deep now we need something to just click and fall into place even if it is by luck more than judgement….

100% a panic buy. As I say, we don’t defend properly and haven’t for years so he was never going to fit. And it was a lot of money. But I try and separate the ‘deal’ from outright criticism of a player. Too much? Yes. Not the right fit? Yes. Unlucky with injuries? Yes. Crap player? No. A strong defender at this level as shown when he has had a chance and at Sheff Utd. Playing as one of three as well like you say. When did we last do that? Great escape season?

As I say, it’s an outlet. Most people (myself included) won’t jump on anyone for posting anything remotely positive. There are a small number of posters who defend anything the club does and that gets people’s backs up. To the contrary, these people pile on anyone who says anything negative. If, as a fanbase, we’d been allowed to question and criticise without the abuse, we’d more likely be in a position where both view points are accepted. It has and does work both ways. Its just the case now that the club have set a standard whereby they have messed up unless proven otherwise. On Martin, if he comes in and puts youth at the centre, puts the excessive possession for the sake of it to bed and smashes the league people will (hopefully) hold their hands up and say fair play (yes I know many won’t out of stubbornness).

It’s a forum for people to express their views. If you don’t like those views skip past them. What have we had to be positive about for the last few years? I admire your optimism but he didn’t change anything at Rangers following that interview after his Southampton spell. I’d love if he did. Apparently he has some of the strengths I do want to see regarding promoting youngsters. But the rigid approach to the philosophy is constantly his undoing.

So was it the is season gone to be fair. The mentality and culture around the club matter more than supposed superiority at this point. If we can suddenly turn it on and rattle off 30 wins this season after the last 2, great. But it seems unlikely to me.