Alf Bentley

1 @tom27111 2 Izzy 3 Wymsey 4 Jaspa 5 Thefox81 6 tuna 7 goose2010 8 fazzyfox 9 foxfanazer 10 Leicester_Loyal 11 Alf Bentley 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24

Akin to Private Eye's imaginary firm of solicitors Sue, Grabbit and Runne. Though, as a crude chap, I prefer the constant references to Carter Ruck as Carter Fvck.

If it ever came to it, I'm sure his daughters would be safely whisked off to a penthouse flat in California to pursue an internship with a hedge fund. More realistically, I presume he knows it's never going to happen and has just proposed it as a means of stemming the flow of Tory pensioner votes to Reform UK.

Fair point. On the other hand, it would indirectly affect a lot of voting 40-65-year-old parents of kids under 18. Some might like the idea of their teenage kids doing military service for a year or "compulsory volunteering" for a weekend once a month......and might like the idea of seeing less of their kids. Others might want to see more of them, might want them to focus on studies/work or might worry that it wasn't the right thing for their kids if they have mental health or social integration difficulties. Also, given how little attention most people pay to politics - and how everything is distorted by social media - a lot of people will just register "compulsory military service for young people".

Jamie brought his vodka and his Charlie, while Rebekah supplied the grass, I'm hearing.....

For their latest trick, Spurs will finish 8th in a 5-horse race....

Partly sort of this..... .....and partly sort of this. About time someone did a cover of this, replacing Liverpool references with Leicester: e.g. "Glory! Glory!.....Vardy, sharp as a needle!"

Gillingham? Some support for S.E. London clubs in Kent/Medway towns, but no major rivalries (except Swindon, due to long-ago grudge matches)....

No. Worst case scenario is we might need to win one and draw one - that's if Ipswich win all their last 3 matches. That would put both teams on 98 points - and Ipswich would have to make up a 14-goal deficit on goal difference to go past us. If we drew one and won the other by a single goal, Ipswich would need to, say, beat Hull 3-0 4-1 and then beat both Cov and Huddersfield about 6-0....can't see that happening

Apologies to LCFC fans in the Hinckley/Nuneaton area but..... I really hope Cov beat Man Utd this afternoon. - I want to see O'Hare and Wright curl screamers into the top corner (before joining us in the summer for PL football) - I want to see Ellis Simms fly Houchen-like through the air to bullet home the winner - I want to see Jonny Evans crumple to the pitch at full-time, a broken man - I want to see Harry Maguire cry on live TV - I want to see Bruno Fernandes removed from the pitch in a ratcatcher's net, destination extermination (just joking, mods) Is there anyone who's with me, supporting our brothers and neighbours? Come on. Show sympathy for the poor buggers, having to live in a city destroyed worse by architects and town-planners than by the Luftwaffe - and having to face it with 6 fingers on each hand.... UP THE COV! Not sure who to support for Everton v. Forest, though, as I'd like them both to lose. Whatever result best enables both of them to finish below Burnley and Luton, so as to get relegated with the Blades? Yes, that's the best solution.

"Deadly" Derek Underwood, Kent & England spin bowler (England's highest wicket-taking spinner), has died: https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2024/apr/15/derek-underwood-outstanding-england-cricket-spinner-dies-aged-78 Often perceived as a "defensive" bowler - bowled quick and flat for a spinner, often with little variation but phenomenal accuracy. He'd often tie down opposing batsmen, allowing very few runs, even in good batting conditions, to the overall benefit of the bowling/fielding side if they got rash/impatient or runs dried up. But could be "deadly" in difficult batting conditions. A bit like a spin-bowling Glenn McGrath or Curtly Ambrose? I went to lots of Kent county cricket matches as a teenager in the 70s, so saw a fair bit of "Deadly" Derek. Indeed, the bastard once told me off for leaning on his nice, shiny car while waiting for his autograph. "One day you're Deadly, next day you're dead". So what's happened to the Deathlist Thread, then? I see it's locked. Is that a mods/admin policy decision, I wonder, or have people been naughty in that thread?

I'd pinpoint 3 starting points in childhood/teenage years: 1. Listening solo to my parents' eclectic record collection in late 60s/early 70s (mid-primary school age): The Dubliners, John McCormack, Edith Piaf, Little Richard, Fats Domino, Louis Armstrong, Clancy Bros, Greek folk, African Highlife, Cilla Black... 2. Getting into glam rock with mates c. 1972-74 (late primary/early secondary): Sweet, Slade, Bowie, T. Rex, Gary Glitter (!), Mott the Hoople, Roxy Music... 3. The punk rock explosion as a facked up teenager c.1977-79 (late secondary), solo in bedroom with earphones: Clash, Sex Pistols, Rods, Buzzcocks, Undertones, Skids, leading on to all sorts via Peel & my mate Glenn.... Here's a song to represent each of the 3..... (I won a bottle of Coke and a packet of crisps as best - or most enthusiastic - dancer at the village youth club dancing to that one, aged 10 ) (Shocking that this dropped from No.8 to No. 50 in the Festive 50 posted by Daggers. I specifically remember listening to that Festive 50, but not the 1978 one, as I recall - not yet cool enough, clearly )

This dates from 1994 and I've just heard it for the first time just now....

Have a thread theme song....

I see myself as an optimist-realist, but I find it hard to believe we'll finish in the top 2 after last night. Of course, 4 wins would definitely do it. I suspect that 3 wins would be enough, as at least one of Ipswich and Leeds will slip up again. But it's hard to see us winning 3 out of 4 at this stage.... But might we win promotion via the play-offs? If Leeds and Ipswich earn the automatic spots, the most likely scenario is that we'd finish 3rd and play Norwich in the play-off semi, a team we know we can beat. Then perhaps a Wembley final where the pitch size suits possession football....could we manage one big performance there on one big day? Mind you, imagine a Leicester v Southampton play-off final......both teams would somehow end up with 95% possession and 0 shots on target.

I don't think the problem is our tactics, more our near-100% reliance on those tactics. Some like tactics based on high possession, outnumbering the opposition and playing through them - and some don't. That's a matter of preference. If well executed, such tactics can be effective, as we saw earlier in the season. But they aren't always effective. Opponents can be defensively organised, pack their box and take opportunities on the break or at set pieces. In which case, you need other ways of scoring goals: e.g. long shots, a physical striker, corners, direct free-kicks. I can think of 2-3 long shots we've scored, but not many - and even fewer goals scored by the other means mentioned. Indeed, having the ability to score by other means can make Enzoball more effective. If an opposing team concedes a goal to a free kick, long shot, corner or physical striker creating space for midfielders, they can't pack the defence for 90 minutes as they're losing. If they have to open up a bit more in the quest for an equaliser, it can give us greater opportunities to play effective Enzoball and find the space to pass through them. As it stands, when Enzoball isn't working, we seem to have no other means of scoring a goal - and even limited opposing teams will get opportunities on the break or at set pieces. I wonder if part of the problem is that, despite having better individual players than most Championship clubs, the squad lacks the diverse range of skills needed to score goals in other ways.: - Long shots: KDH, Winks & Abdul have scored occasional long shots, but not many, while it really isn't Wilf's strong point - Direct free kicks: we rarely seem to threaten from these - Corners: Too often poorly delivered, but we also lack people to get on the end of the good ones. Vesty lacks the mobility & strength, Faes similar, not a strong point for most of our strikers (Vardy/Daka OK occasionally), Wilf seems to get crowded out - Physical attackers: Given space, all our strikers plus Mavididi are capable of scoring (ignoring Daka's current bad form), but our tactics and packed penalty boxes mainly leaves them crowded out. A more physical striker would offer a different option, knocking defenders about, holding up, creating space for midfielders to get shots away. I'm not just talking about the stereotypical "big bloke, crosses into the box"; balls into the box could be to feet or chest with the right player. Man City have been mentioned given the Enzo connection. But they don't get all their goals from possession, outnumbering and passing through opposing teams. Think of their players: they have players capable of winning headers at corners, hitting free kicks, scoring long shots, playing more physically. Obviously, we cannot aspire to the standard of player they have, but we seem to lack the Championship-level equivalent of those types of players.

Did anyone else notice how, immediately after the winning goal celebration in front of the bench, Enzo escorted Abdul off to the tunnel, apparently sending him to the changing room? I wonder what that was all about? Hopefully absolutely nothing - fetching the post-match champagne or whatever. Hope Abdul didn't nut Yunus for coming on and putting in a better cross than he could manage? Frustrating/poorish game for the lad today - in a good season. He's already a great prospect, but if he can learn to cross as consistently as he beats his defender, he'll be a hell of a player.

I've got a bone to pick with them.

Manager Confidence currently up 41% based on a single game......

You mean Deeney Day?

Sad to hear about Steve Harley. Loved Cockney Rebel back in the 70s. Even saw Harley in action at a festival as recently as 2019, when he was on great form, looking much younger than his age. Cancer, I gather.... "Make me smile" was his/their biggest hit and a great song, but my favourite is this one.... .....and here's the Wedding Present cover of "Make me smile", which Harley himself said was the best of multiple covers as it captured the underlying anger (the song was about the members of the first Cockney Rebel leaving the band - bet they were pissed off when his song about them leaving became the band's biggest money-spinning hit. ).

Yep, a real step-up last night. First match where I've thought he could play at a high level. Was a threat to their defence, but also showed good maturity when he couldn't get through, keeping possession for the team, playing sometimes tricky passes infield or down the line etc. Promising. Hope we see more of that sort of performance from Wanya.

Under "Rank Progress", can you get demoted? It would be logical and part of the natural cycle of posting life. I long ago passed through the 14 stages of Rank Progress from Trialist via Starting Eleven and Club Captain to LCFC Legend....but now I've got nowhere to go - and should be able to go down. Now that I'm old, I don't often summon up the energy to post - and feel that Rank Regression categories should reflect this. Can I suggest: "Rotated squad member" "Dropped to the bench" "Training with the reserves" "On loan to Anstey Nomads" "Contract terminated" "Dismissed from hospitality role" "Reduced to working on the hot dog stand" "Cleaning the toilets" "Life ban from stadium" "Buried in the memorial garden with no plaque"

Yes. If we do get promoted and Wilf stays, it will be interesting to see what his role will be next season. It's a great credit to both Enzo and Wilf that he's been converted from a defensive midfielder to a good Championship-level attacking midfielder so quickly. But playing that role in the PL would be another step up - would he manage it? Alternatively, might Wilf revert to his more defensive role in the PL - at least in matches against the better teams? While I assume we'd still play a possession-based game in the PL, we'd also need to defend and play without the ball more against the better teams......so maybe his role would vary depending on the opposition? It might not just be a choice between signing 9 new players and renewing contracts of existing 1st teamers. We also have academy players pushing for a squad place, so maybe 2-3 of them will be promoted into the squad next season? Nelson as back-up centre back looks a distinct possibility, doesn't it? Alves and Braybrooke were on the verge of a breakthrough before injury, while Raikhy and Cover just appeared in the FAC.... I'm sure Enzo wouldn't want to include all 5 of them in a PL 1st team squad, but maybe 2-3, with perhaps 4-5 signings and a couple of contract renewals (including Ndidi, I hope)?