Vacamion

I guffawed when the local news confirmed that Critchley has a contract to 2027. Good luck to him, but I would be surprised if he's still at the helm at the start of the 2025/2026 season.

I don't agree that it's xenophobic to be disappointed that an Englishman can't be found to get the best out of the England team.

No one asked for this and it will be crap. They started on field interviews with players in short form cricket a couple of years ago and I hate them - they get in the way of the sport, they rarely add any insight and there are well-paid and experienced pundits on the sidelines who can call the game better than the guy in the thick of it. I get that football broadcasters want get away from filling air time with crap pundits dicking about, but they should just employ better pundits and presenters.

I mean, I'm all for the majesty of creation and the wonders of science, but:

England defenders got 4 or 5 touches in the build up

Fair play

England getting beaten with Dixon deadpanning mardily. Oh joy...

Tonight, BBC 4, 10pm. If you've never seen Threads, you should watch it. It's dated, of course, but it has held up brilliantly.

The handball? Well you've seen them given, but often when it's hit close to the defender at speed, they aren't given. I bet one like it is given against us at some point this season, though. For me, the worst refereeing decision of the game was not awarding a foul when Bournemouth's centre back steamed into and bodychecked Buonanotte (who had just reached and played the ball before him) on the edge of the Bournemouth box. It led to Bournemouth going the length of the pitch and winning the free kick (correctly awarded) that they "scored" from, before it was ruled out for offside. If Bournemouth's offside goal had stood, I think we would have heard a LOT more about the challenge on Buonanotte just before it, and Cooper (who was kicking off about it) would probably be facing disciplinary action from the Premier League.

He's Got Betty Davis Eyes by Kim Carnes.

Semenyo has been good, but I'm not sure to what extent it's because Saints have been abject.

Sat the defender down good and proper.

I was thinking this. If instead of jumping up and waving the imaginary card, Buonanotte had rolled around faking it, Calafiori might have been under more scrutiny. As it was, the ref concentrated on booking Buonanotte for asking for the yellow. Ref should have booked both, meaning red for Calafiori.

Just had some Wet Wet Wet, "Popped In, Souled Out" on. The run of songs a quarter of the way into the album: Angel Eyes Sweet Little Mystery I Don't Believe (Sonny's Letter) Temptation It absolutely bangs, after all these years.

Redknapp wasn't joking when he said he couldn't tell 6 from 9. The thick wazzock.

The statue nneds to capture his essence in the Brighton away game:

Fair play, Ward made a very good save in regulation and he saved all the penalties. Can't deny he was our MOTM. Which speaks volumes.

Never in doubt

Ward on fire.

Tommy Simpkin is a proper footballing name, by the way. Belongs in Roy of The Rovers.

That free kick was the latest in a line of botched kicks, throwins and corners. Poor stuff.

City hanging on...

Having "Poundland" in the stadium name is superb. On a par with Bolton's Toughsheet Community Stadium.

How is that not yellow?

Given that our lads got in trouble and the club was fined for disagreeing with a decision and yesterday Man City crowded the ref and chased him halfway up the pitch, this seems a bit, err, two tiered