Peter Kyle giving an extended cv on R4 atm with regard to Scunthorpe: I did thx, I did that. Presumably he’s hoping Andy is listening. Not sure mentioning his intervention over Grangemouth is wise on a job application.
I think the decision by the main parties, or at least one of them, not to contest the by-election was, on balance wrong and bad for democracy.
I know the by-election is a bizarre publicity stunt, but voters in a parliamentary democracy under the adversarial should be given a serious choice at each election, otherwise you're effectively disenfranchising them.
So I think there should have been at least one serious, non-Reform candidate.
I think the decision by the main parties, or at least one of them, not to contest the by-election was, on balance wrong and bad for democracy.
I know the by-election is a bizarre publicity stunt, but voters in a parliamentary democracy under the adversarial should be given a serious choice at each election, otherwise you're effectively disenfranchising them.
So I think there should have been at least one serious, non-Reform candidate.
they'll get a serious choice once Farage has taken his medicine for breaking the rules
It's not a parallel by any stretch but when Anna Firth won the Southend West by-election following the murder of David Amess, she got 86% of the vote on a 24% turnout.
Given the very different circumstances of this by-election, it's hard to imagine Farage getting 86% of the vote though the 24% turnout isn't inconceivable.
Inevitably, the anti-Binface reaction is getting going - I imagine we'll even have learned pieces arguing for a tactical vote for Farage to stop the Count winning at the count.
Those whom the Gods wish to destroy are first made aspiring politicians it would seem.
There will of course come a day when supporters of Kemi Badenoch (supporters call her "Kemi", those less well disposed call her "Badenoch") will look back on the halcyon days of +3 approval with more than a hint of envy - it's the way of things.
Some MPs in Zelenskyy's ruling party who I've spoken to this morning say the mood in parliament is "explosive" and some lawmakers are considering NOT voting for Ihor Klymenko, the president's candidate to be Ukraine's new defense minister. He may not have enough votes to be appointed, is what I'm told. https://x.com/ChristopherJM/status/2077650418641850375
I think the decision by the main parties, or at least one of them, not to contest the by-election was, on balance wrong and bad for democracy.
I know the by-election is a bizarre publicity stunt, but voters in a parliamentary democracy under the adversarial should be given a serious choice at each election, otherwise you're effectively disenfranchising them.
So I think there should have been at least one serious, non-Reform candidate.
Farage was desperately trying to get his version of the story out before the full gory details are laid out in an easy to understand bullet point list of dodgy dealings / crimes committed.
If / when re-elected he will be back in Parliament for a few days and then subject to a suspension which may make the 100 days Boris was going to be banned for look very short. At which point there will be a recall petition followed by an by-election where with Farage's dealings written down Clacton can have a vote with them knowing what Farage is really like.
And the all important bit to note in the above is that for some reason Farage doesn't seem to what his real self written down in black and white and available for Clacton to read as Clacton votes
As the grim reality of having to watch the "Bronze Final" on Saturday night sinks in and dreams of Bank Holidays and Sir Harry Kane holding the Jules Rimet aloft as the victory parade makes its way slowly down the Mall to the Palace recede into fevered fantasy, we have the usual search for a scapegoat.
Thomas Tuchel is clearly the man picked to carry the weight of our unfulfilled expectations into the wilderness - I mean, we could have had a dodgy VAR decision or a missed penalty or a sending off but this way our "brave lads" can head with reputations unsullied toward the next great disappointment at Euro 28.
That's how it is - always look for someone else to carry the can when we fail rather than ask the searching questions, the difficult questions.
As the grim reality of having to watch the "Bronze Final" on Saturday night sinks in and dreams of Bank Holidays and Sir Harry Kane holding the Jules Rimet aloft as the victory parade makes its way slowly down the Mall to the Palace recede into fevered fantasy, we have the usual search for a scapegoat.
Thomas Tuchel is clearly the man picked to carry the weight of our unfulfilled expectations into the wilderness - I mean, we could have had a dodgy VAR decision or a missed penalty or a sending off but this way our "brave lads" can head with reputations unsullied toward the next great disappointment at Euro 28.
That's how it is - always look for someone else to carry the can when we fail rather than ask the searching questions, the difficult questions.
Isn’t that how it is here? Let’s blame someone else for our woes! ! Point the finger at the EU, “darkies” etc. Let’s not look in the mirror….
the odyssey is well on-track to be the most misspelt title of 2026
I know, it should be spelt Ulysses.
Is that not the Latin version?
Yes.
Then it's wrong. It's a Greek epic. Would you have them refer to Minerva rather than Athena?
I can speak/read both Latin and Greek but I can show off more in Latin.
Priorities...
One of the reasons I’ve always admired Harold MacMillan is because of this
‘He then returned to the front lines in France. Leading an advance platoon in the Battle of Flers–Courcelette (part of the Battle of the Somme) in September 1916, he was severely wounded, and lay for over twelve hours in a shell hole, sometimes feigning death when Germans passed, and reading Aeschylus in the original Greek.’
As the grim reality of having to watch the "Bronze Final" on Saturday night sinks in and dreams of Bank Holidays and Sir Harry Kane holding the Jules Rimet aloft as the victory parade makes its way slowly down the Mall to the Palace recede into fevered fantasy, we have the usual search for a scapegoat.
Thomas Tuchel is clearly the man picked to carry the weight of our unfulfilled expectations into the wilderness - I mean, we could have had a dodgy VAR decision or a missed penalty or a sending off but this way our "brave lads" can head with reputations unsullied toward the next great disappointment at Euro 28.
That's how it is - always look for someone else to carry the can when we fail rather than ask the searching questions, the difficult questions.
The really hard one being... What if this is as good as we are, roughly as good as we have any right to be? The higher you climb, the harder it gets to find more improvements.
This might be a more generally-applicable principle.
As the grim reality of having to watch the "Bronze Final" on Saturday night sinks in and dreams of Bank Holidays and Sir Harry Kane holding the Jules Rimet aloft as the victory parade makes its way slowly down the Mall to the Palace recede into fevered fantasy, we have the usual search for a scapegoat.
Thomas Tuchel is clearly the man picked to carry the weight of our unfulfilled expectations into the wilderness - I mean, we could have had a dodgy VAR decision or a missed penalty or a sending off but this way our "brave lads" can head with reputations unsullied toward the next great disappointment at Euro 28.
That's how it is - always look for someone else to carry the can when we fail rather than ask the searching questions, the difficult questions.
Harry Kane holding the Jules Rimet aloft would indeed have been a miracle, given it was probably melted down by thieves some years ago.
As the grim reality of having to watch the "Bronze Final" on Saturday night sinks in and dreams of Bank Holidays and Sir Harry Kane holding the Jules Rimet aloft as the victory parade makes its way slowly down the Mall to the Palace recede into fevered fantasy, we have the usual search for a scapegoat.
Thomas Tuchel is clearly the man picked to carry the weight of our unfulfilled expectations into the wilderness - I mean, we could have had a dodgy VAR decision or a missed penalty or a sending off but this way our "brave lads" can head with reputations unsullied toward the next great disappointment at Euro 28.
That's how it is - always look for someone else to carry the can when we fail rather than ask the searching questions, the difficult questions.
I think the decision by the main parties, or at least one of them, not to contest the by-election was, on balance wrong and bad for democracy.
I know the by-election is a bizarre publicity stunt, but voters in a parliamentary democracy under the adversarial should be given a serious choice at each election, otherwise you're effectively disenfranchising them.
So I think there should have been at least one serious, non-Reform candidate.
When Ian Gow was murdered by the IRA, the other parties contested the subsequent by-election. When David Amess was murdered, they did not. When Jo Cox was murdered, they did not.
You can argue quite correctly those are very different circumstances and I would of course agree but I cite them to note the change in attitude.
As it happens, and rarely it has to be said, I do agree with you on this.
I presume the rationale is whatever Farage has decided to do now, the Standards Committee will deliver its verdict and it may well be there will be a case for a recall petition and a by-election when we have the full facts of what Farage has done or not done.
I imagine Farage hopes or thinks a big win now will lessen the chance of a successful recall petition down the road - I think he's wrong.
As the grim reality of having to watch the "Bronze Final" on Saturday night sinks in and dreams of Bank Holidays and Sir Harry Kane holding the Jules Rimet aloft as the victory parade makes its way slowly down the Mall to the Palace recede into fevered fantasy, we have the usual search for a scapegoat.
Thomas Tuchel is clearly the man picked to carry the weight of our unfulfilled expectations into the wilderness - I mean, we could have had a dodgy VAR decision or a missed penalty or a sending off but this way our "brave lads" can head with reputations unsullied toward the next great disappointment at Euro 28.
That's how it is - always look for someone else to carry the can when we fail rather than ask the searching questions, the difficult questions.
The really hard one being... What if this is as good as we are, roughly as good as we have any right to be? The higher you climb, the harder it gets to find more improvements.
This might be a more generally-applicable principle.
Apart from the Mexico match was there a particularly strong team performance?
One or two moments of brilliance from Bellingham and Kane, perhaps also Pickford, but as a team? I am not convinced.
Fitness is a big issue too. We faded fast while the Argentinians didn't. It isnt fair to blame our EPL schedule either, as most of their team play in the EPL too!
As the grim reality of having to watch the "Bronze Final" on Saturday night sinks in and dreams of Bank Holidays and Sir Harry Kane holding the Jules Rimet aloft as the victory parade makes its way slowly down the Mall to the Palace recede into fevered fantasy, we have the usual search for a scapegoat.
Thomas Tuchel is clearly the man picked to carry the weight of our unfulfilled expectations into the wilderness - I mean, we could have had a dodgy VAR decision or a missed penalty or a sending off but this way our "brave lads" can head with reputations unsullied toward the next great disappointment at Euro 28.
That's how it is - always look for someone else to carry the can when we fail rather than ask the searching questions, the difficult questions.
Harry Kane holding the Jules Rimet aloft would indeed have been a miracle, given it was probably melted down by thieves some years ago.
Well, it's about time football had some proper trophies like the ones presented in horse racing.
I'm sure FIFA could commission someone to design an appropriate trophy like the ones for the Grand National or the Derby.
I think the decision by the main parties, or at least one of them, not to contest the by-election was, on balance wrong and bad for democracy.
I know the by-election is a bizarre publicity stunt, but voters in a parliamentary democracy under the adversarial should be given a serious choice at each election, otherwise you're effectively disenfranchising them.
So I think there should have been at least one serious, non-Reform candidate.
I think the decision by the main parties, or at least one of them, not to contest the by-election was, on balance wrong and bad for democracy.
I know the by-election is a bizarre publicity stunt, but voters in a parliamentary democracy under the adversarial should be given a serious choice at each election, otherwise you're effectively disenfranchising them.
So I think there should have been at least one serious, non-Reform candidate.
When Ian Gow was murdered by the IRA, the other parties contested the subsequent by-election. When David Amess was murdered, they did not. When Jo Cox was murdered, they did not.
You can argue quite correctly those are very different circumstances and I would of course agree but I cite them to note the change in attitude.
As it happens, and rarely it has to be said, I do agree with you on this.
I presume the rationale is whatever Farage has decided to do now, the Standards Committee will deliver its verdict and it may well be there will be a case for a recall petition and a by-election when we have the full facts of what Farage has done or not done.
I imagine Farage hopes or thinks a big win now will lessen the chance of a successful recall petition down the road - I think he's wrong.
He probably is wrong now, although at the time when it was just the Harborne £5 million, I think Farage would have been OK. The Posh George Cottrell allegations are a lot murkier.
However, sending Clacton voters to the polling stations twice in a couple of months might be blamed on Farage but alternatively on the establishment parties. It seems to me Starmer, Kemi and Ed Davey may have got this wrong – as wrong as Farage himself.
I think the decision by the main parties, or at least one of them, not to contest the by-election was, on balance wrong and bad for democracy.
I know the by-election is a bizarre publicity stunt, but voters in a parliamentary democracy under the adversarial should be given a serious choice at each election, otherwise you're effectively disenfranchising them.
So I think there should have been at least one serious, non-Reform candidate.
When Ian Gow was murdered by the IRA, the other parties contested the subsequent by-election. When David Amess was murdered, they did not. When Jo Cox was murdered, they did not.
You can argue quite correctly those are very different circumstances and I would of course agree but I cite them to note the change in attitude.
As it happens, and rarely it has to be said, I do agree with you on this.
I presume the rationale is whatever Farage has decided to do now, the Standards Committee will deliver its verdict and it may well be there will be a case for a recall petition and a by-election when we have the full facts of what Farage has done or not done.
I imagine Farage hopes or thinks a big win now will lessen the chance of a successful recall petition down the road - I think he's wrong.
I think it was a judgement call.
The reason for the by-election is fundamentally selfish and unserious in way that hasn't happened previous - the Davis one was about a real threat to civil liberties and the DUP ones were about trying to hold (effectively) a referendum on a the Anglo-Irish agreement, which was being negotiated over the heads of NI politicians.
As the grim reality of having to watch the "Bronze Final" on Saturday night sinks in and dreams of Bank Holidays and Sir Harry Kane holding the Jules Rimet aloft as the victory parade makes its way slowly down the Mall to the Palace recede into fevered fantasy, we have the usual search for a scapegoat.
Thomas Tuchel is clearly the man picked to carry the weight of our unfulfilled expectations into the wilderness - I mean, we could have had a dodgy VAR decision or a missed penalty or a sending off but this way our "brave lads" can head with reputations unsullied toward the next great disappointment at Euro 28.
That's how it is - always look for someone else to carry the can when we fail rather than ask the searching questions, the difficult questions.
The really hard one being... What if this is as good as we are, roughly as good as we have any right to be? The higher you climb, the harder it gets to find more improvements.
This might be a more generally-applicable principle.
I think everyone in their life faces those uncomfortable moments when the extent of limitations becomes evident. I've never run a marathon or climbed a mountain or cycled 200 miles like some of the Adonii (or Adonises, there will inevitably be some classically educated halfwit on in a second to correct me) on here claim.
I do have the body of a Greek God - just not one of the better known ones.
As a society, too, we should ask - is this as good as we can be? That then reflects down to different levels - some see it in terms of prosperity, material and personal self-advancement, others at a more communal level - what can we do to make the lives of others better? Some look even further and talk about setting a global example for decency, morality, sustainability etc, etc.
I suppose it depends on where your boundaries sit - is it just you and your family that matter or does the rest of the country and the world count as well?
the odyssey is well on-track to be the most misspelt title of 2026
I know, it should be spelt Ulysses.
Is that not the Latin version?
Yes.
Then it's wrong. It's a Greek epic. Would you have them refer to Minerva rather than Athena?
I can speak/read both Latin and Greek but I can show off more in Latin.
Priorities...
One of the reasons I’ve always admired Harold MacMillan is because of this
‘He then returned to the front lines in France. Leading an advance platoon in the Battle of Flers–Courcelette (part of the Battle of the Somme) in September 1916, he was severely wounded, and lay for over twelve hours in a shell hole, sometimes feigning death when Germans passed, and reading Aeschylus in the original Greek.’
One of my favourite books of poetry is Other Men's flowers by Wavell. It is the poems he learned by heart. It contains a brilliant description of him having a difficult flight when Rommel had him somewhat on the run and he spent the flight committing a poem about London to memory. Different folks, different times.
I think the decision by the main parties, or at least one of them, not to contest the by-election was, on balance wrong and bad for democracy.
I know the by-election is a bizarre publicity stunt, but voters in a parliamentary democracy under the adversarial should be given a serious choice at each election, otherwise you're effectively disenfranchising them.
So I think there should have been at least one serious, non-Reform candidate.
When Ian Gow was murdered by the IRA, the other parties contested the subsequent by-election. When David Amess was murdered, they did not. When Jo Cox was murdered, they did not.
You can argue quite correctly those are very different circumstances and I would of course agree but I cite them to note the change in attitude.
As it happens, and rarely it has to be said, I do agree with you on this.
I presume the rationale is whatever Farage has decided to do now, the Standards Committee will deliver its verdict and it may well be there will be a case for a recall petition and a by-election when we have the full facts of what Farage has done or not done.
I imagine Farage hopes or thinks a big win now will lessen the chance of a successful recall petition down the road - I think he's wrong.
I think it was a judgement call.
The reason for the by-election is fundamentally selfish and unserious in way that hasn't happened previous - the Davis one was about a real threat to civil liberties and the DUP ones were about trying to hold (effectively) a referendum on a the Anglo-Irish agreement, which was being negotiated over the heads of NI politicians.
Farage is trying to keep ahead of a tsunami of shit that will engulf him once the standard committee has reported. That alone was a good reason for making this byelection into the joke it always was..
As the grim reality of having to watch the "Bronze Final" on Saturday night sinks in and dreams of Bank Holidays and Sir Harry Kane holding the Jules Rimet aloft as the victory parade makes its way slowly down the Mall to the Palace recede into fevered fantasy, we have the usual search for a scapegoat.
Thomas Tuchel is clearly the man picked to carry the weight of our unfulfilled expectations into the wilderness - I mean, we could have had a dodgy VAR decision or a missed penalty or a sending off but this way our "brave lads" can head with reputations unsullied toward the next great disappointment at Euro 28.
That's how it is - always look for someone else to carry the can when we fail rather than ask the searching questions, the difficult questions.
The really hard one being... What if this is as good as we are, roughly as good as we have any right to be? The higher you climb, the harder it gets to find more improvements.
This might be a more generally-applicable principle.
I think everyone in their life faces those uncomfortable moments when the extent of limitations becomes evident. I've never run a marathon or climbed a mountain or cycled 200 miles like some of the Adonii (or Adonises, there will inevitably be some classically educated halfwit on in a second to correct me) on here claim.
I do have the body of a Greek God - just not one of the better known ones.
As a society, too, we should ask - is this as good as we can be? That then reflects down to different levels - some see it in terms of prosperity, material and personal self-advancement, others at a more communal level - what can we do to make the lives of others better? Some look even further and talk about setting a global example for decency, morality, sustainability etc, etc.
I suppose it depends on where your boundaries sit - is it just you and your family that matter or does the rest of the country and the world count as well?
I would suggest that we need understanding at a national level, that we can't change things most radically, overnight.
There is no "With this one trick, which the Establishment hate..."
What we can do is create directions of travel. So, we change the system, and see if we make things better by 2.54% per annum (average) over 20 years.
On topic: is it possible that the betting is undercalling the Bin? In a battle between a bin and a fascist, you would hope that the bin is well ahead? I know it’s Clacton but still.,,
If England HAD won the World Cup, we'd be like the dog that catches the car. We wouldn't know what to do.
Other than set the clock for when we could start despairing about how long since we last won it... It is part of our national psyche. We are not winners.
As the grim reality of having to watch the "Bronze Final" on Saturday night sinks in and dreams of Bank Holidays and Sir Harry Kane holding the Jules Rimet aloft as the victory parade makes its way slowly down the Mall to the Palace recede into fevered fantasy, we have the usual search for a scapegoat.
Thomas Tuchel is clearly the man picked to carry the weight of our unfulfilled expectations into the wilderness - I mean, we could have had a dodgy VAR decision or a missed penalty or a sending off but this way our "brave lads" can head with reputations unsullied toward the next great disappointment at Euro 28.
That's how it is - always look for someone else to carry the can when we fail rather than ask the searching questions, the difficult questions.
The really hard one being... What if this is as good as we are, roughly as good as we have any right to be? The higher you climb, the harder it gets to find more improvements.
This might be a more generally-applicable principle.
I think everyone in their life faces those uncomfortable moments when the extent of limitations becomes evident. I've never run a marathon or climbed a mountain or cycled 200 miles like some of the Adonii (or Adonises, there will inevitably be some classically educated halfwit on in a second to correct me) on here claim.
I do have the body of a Greek God - just not one of the better known ones.
As a society, too, we should ask - is this as good as we can be? That then reflects down to different levels - some see it in terms of prosperity, material and personal self-advancement, others at a more communal level - what can we do to make the lives of others better? Some look even further and talk about setting a global example for decency, morality, sustainability etc, etc.
I suppose it depends on where your boundaries sit - is it just you and your family that matter or does the rest of the country and the world count as well?
I would suggest that we need understanding at a national level, that we can't change things most radically, overnight.
There is no "With this one trick, which the Establishment hate..."
What we can do is create directions of travel. So, we change the system, and see if we make things better by 2.54% per annum (average) over 20 years.
There absolutely is one trick that many hate to unleash growth.
Which is to stop opposing growth.
The problem is, that you can't oppose development and have growth simultaneously.
On topic: is it possible that the betting is undercalling the Bin? In a battle between a bin and a fascist, you would hope that the bin is well ahead? I know it’s Clacton but still.,,
it's clacton not some constituency full of zany 20 somethings. nigel still gonna get enough of his vote out. his real danger was lowe eating his vote
As the grim reality of having to watch the "Bronze Final" on Saturday night sinks in and dreams of Bank Holidays and Sir Harry Kane holding the Jules Rimet aloft as the victory parade makes its way slowly down the Mall to the Palace recede into fevered fantasy, we have the usual search for a scapegoat.
Thomas Tuchel is clearly the man picked to carry the weight of our unfulfilled expectations into the wilderness - I mean, we could have had a dodgy VAR decision or a missed penalty or a sending off but this way our "brave lads" can head with reputations unsullied toward the next great disappointment at Euro 28.
That's how it is - always look for someone else to carry the can when we fail rather than ask the searching questions, the difficult questions.
The really hard one being... What if this is as good as we are, roughly as good as we have any right to be? The higher you climb, the harder it gets to find more improvements.
This might be a more generally-applicable principle.
Apart from the Mexico match was there a particularly strong team performance?
One or two moments of brilliance from Bellingham and Kane, perhaps also Pickford, but as a team? I am not convinced.
Fitness is a big issue too. We faded fast while the Argentinians didn't. It isnt fair to blame our EPL schedule either, as most of their team play in the EPL too!
The correct substitution would have been Gordon <-> Alexander-Arnold.
I think the decision by the main parties, or at least one of them, not to contest the by-election was, on balance wrong and bad for democracy.
I know the by-election is a bizarre publicity stunt, but voters in a parliamentary democracy under the adversarial should be given a serious choice at each election, otherwise you're effectively disenfranchising them.
So I think there should have been at least one serious, non-Reform candidate.
When Ian Gow was murdered by the IRA, the other parties contested the subsequent by-election. When David Amess was murdered, they did not. When Jo Cox was murdered, they did not.
You can argue quite correctly those are very different circumstances and I would of course agree but I cite them to note the change in attitude.
As it happens, and rarely it has to be said, I do agree with you on this.
I presume the rationale is whatever Farage has decided to do now, the Standards Committee will deliver its verdict and it may well be there will be a case for a recall petition and a by-election when we have the full facts of what Farage has done or not done.
I imagine Farage hopes or thinks a big win now will lessen the chance of a successful recall petition down the road - I think he's wrong.
I think it was a judgement call.
The reason for the by-election is fundamentally selfish and unserious in way that hasn't happened previous - the Davis one was about a real threat to civil liberties and the DUP ones were about trying to hold (effectively) a referendum on a the Anglo-Irish agreement, which was being negotiated over the heads of NI politicians.
It's worse than selfish and unserious... It's a scam.
Farage's intention is to get a "mandate" from the good people of Clacton, before all the details of his shenanigans are set out unambiguously in public. Functionally, it's not that different to the doorstep salesman who wants to get your signature on the dotted line before they've explained the full contract you're signing.
I think the decision by the main parties, or at least one of them, not to contest the by-election was, on balance wrong and bad for democracy.
I know the by-election is a bizarre publicity stunt, but voters in a parliamentary democracy under the adversarial should be given a serious choice at each election, otherwise you're effectively disenfranchising them.
So I think there should have been at least one serious, non-Reform candidate.
When Ian Gow was murdered by the IRA, the other parties contested the subsequent by-election. When David Amess was murdered, they did not. When Jo Cox was murdered, they did not.
You can argue quite correctly those are very different circumstances and I would of course agree but I cite them to note the change in attitude.
As it happens, and rarely it has to be said, I do agree with you on this.
I presume the rationale is whatever Farage has decided to do now, the Standards Committee will deliver its verdict and it may well be there will be a case for a recall petition and a by-election when we have the full facts of what Farage has done or not done.
I imagine Farage hopes or thinks a big win now will lessen the chance of a successful recall petition down the road - I think he's wrong.
Ensuring this by-election might even turn out to be a contributing factor in the committee' decision.
As the grim reality of having to watch the "Bronze Final" on Saturday night sinks in and dreams of Bank Holidays and Sir Harry Kane holding the Jules Rimet aloft as the victory parade makes its way slowly down the Mall to the Palace recede into fevered fantasy, we have the usual search for a scapegoat.
Thomas Tuchel is clearly the man picked to carry the weight of our unfulfilled expectations into the wilderness - I mean, we could have had a dodgy VAR decision or a missed penalty or a sending off but this way our "brave lads" can head with reputations unsullied toward the next great disappointment at Euro 28.
That's how it is - always look for someone else to carry the can when we fail rather than ask the searching questions, the difficult questions.
The really hard one being... What if this is as good as we are, roughly as good as we have any right to be? The higher you climb, the harder it gets to find more improvements.
This might be a more generally-applicable principle.
Apart from the Mexico match was there a particularly strong team performance?
One or two moments of brilliance from Bellingham and Kane, perhaps also Pickford, but as a team? I am not convinced.
Fitness is a big issue too. We faded fast while the Argentinians didn't. It isnt fair to blame our EPL schedule either, as most of their team play in the EPL too!
The correct substitution would have been Gordon <-> Alexander-Arnold.
We did discuss a month ago here that leaving home players like Trent might prove a mistake.
As the grim reality of having to watch the "Bronze Final" on Saturday night sinks in and dreams of Bank Holidays and Sir Harry Kane holding the Jules Rimet aloft as the victory parade makes its way slowly down the Mall to the Palace recede into fevered fantasy, we have the usual search for a scapegoat.
Thomas Tuchel is clearly the man picked to carry the weight of our unfulfilled expectations into the wilderness - I mean, we could have had a dodgy VAR decision or a missed penalty or a sending off but this way our "brave lads" can head with reputations unsullied toward the next great disappointment at Euro 28.
That's how it is - always look for someone else to carry the can when we fail rather than ask the searching questions, the difficult questions.
The really hard one being... What if this is as good as we are, roughly as good as we have any right to be? The higher you climb, the harder it gets to find more improvements.
This might be a more generally-applicable principle.
Apart from the Mexico match was there a particularly strong team performance?
One or two moments of brilliance from Bellingham and Kane, perhaps also Pickford, but as a team? I am not convinced.
Fitness is a big issue too. We faded fast while the Argentinians didn't. It isnt fair to blame our EPL schedule either, as most of their team play in the EPL too!
The correct substitution would have been Gordon <-> Alexander-Arnold.
Good morning
I really have no words for how Tuchel decided on his subs, and the shocking fact he even took Henderson, denied Mainoo anytime on the pitch, achieved just 12% possession between scoring and the stoppage time winner, and his public spat with Bellingham
England's abject and embarrassing second half performance needs to be laid at Tuchel's door and he should go
If England HAD won the World Cup, we'd be like the dog that catches the car. We wouldn't know what to do.
Other than set the clock for when we could start despairing about how long since we last won it... It is part of our national psyche. We are not winners.
the odyssey is well on-track to be the most misspelt title of 2026
I know, it should be spelt Ulysses.
Is that not the Latin version?
Yes.
Then it's wrong. It's a Greek epic. Would you have them refer to Minerva rather than Athena?
I can speak/read both Latin and Greek but I can show off more in Latin.
Priorities...
One of the reasons I’ve always admired Harold MacMillan is because of this
‘He then returned to the front lines in France. Leading an advance platoon in the Battle of Flers–Courcelette (part of the Battle of the Somme) in September 1916, he was severely wounded, and lay for over twelve hours in a shell hole, sometimes feigning death when Germans passed, and reading Aeschylus in the original Greek.’
One of my favourite books of poetry is Other Men's flowers by Wavell. It is the poems he learned by heart. It contains a brilliant description of him having a difficult flight when Rommel had him somewhat on the run and he spent the flight committing a poem about London to memory. Different folks, different times.
No Social Media to doom-scroll in those days, which puts me in mind of this recent piece in The Atlantic.
As the grim reality of having to watch the "Bronze Final" on Saturday night sinks in and dreams of Bank Holidays and Sir Harry Kane holding the Jules Rimet aloft as the victory parade makes its way slowly down the Mall to the Palace recede into fevered fantasy, we have the usual search for a scapegoat.
Thomas Tuchel is clearly the man picked to carry the weight of our unfulfilled expectations into the wilderness - I mean, we could have had a dodgy VAR decision or a missed penalty or a sending off but this way our "brave lads" can head with reputations unsullied toward the next great disappointment at Euro 28.
That's how it is - always look for someone else to carry the can when we fail rather than ask the searching questions, the difficult questions.
The really hard one being... What if this is as good as we are, roughly as good as we have any right to be? The higher you climb, the harder it gets to find more improvements.
This might be a more generally-applicable principle.
Apart from the Mexico match was there a particularly strong team performance?
One or two moments of brilliance from Bellingham and Kane, perhaps also Pickford, but as a team? I am not convinced.
Fitness is a big issue too. We faded fast while the Argentinians didn't. It isnt fair to blame our EPL schedule either, as most of their team play in the EPL too!
The correct substitution would have been Gordon <-> Alexander-Arnold.
Errr, no.
Saka (if he was no worse off than previously) for Gordon or Rogers.
As the grim reality of having to watch the "Bronze Final" on Saturday night sinks in and dreams of Bank Holidays and Sir Harry Kane holding the Jules Rimet aloft as the victory parade makes its way slowly down the Mall to the Palace recede into fevered fantasy, we have the usual search for a scapegoat.
Thomas Tuchel is clearly the man picked to carry the weight of our unfulfilled expectations into the wilderness - I mean, we could have had a dodgy VAR decision or a missed penalty or a sending off but this way our "brave lads" can head with reputations unsullied toward the next great disappointment at Euro 28.
That's how it is - always look for someone else to carry the can when we fail rather than ask the searching questions, the difficult questions.
The really hard one being... What if this is as good as we are, roughly as good as we have any right to be? The higher you climb, the harder it gets to find more improvements.
This might be a more generally-applicable principle.
Apart from the Mexico match was there a particularly strong team performance?
One or two moments of brilliance from Bellingham and Kane, perhaps also Pickford, but as a team? I am not convinced.
Fitness is a big issue too. We faded fast while the Argentinians didn't. It isnt fair to blame our EPL schedule either, as most of their team play in the EPL too!
The correct substitution would have been Gordon <-> Alexander-Arnold.
Good morning
I really have no words for how Tuchel decided on his subs, and the shocking fact he even took Henderson, denied Mainoo anytime on the pitch, achieved just 12% possession between scoring and the stoppage time winner, and his public spat with Bellingham
England's abject and embarrassing second half performance needs to be laid at Tuchel's door and he should go
I’m disappointed but not surprised that England supporters are looking for a scapegoat because you only got to the semi finals. You did better than 44 other teams. You should try being a Scotland supporter.
The Clacton byelection has completely dropped out of the news. Is it going to return? Parliament closes down for six weeks. Europe has lost interest in hourly Trump news because he is stuck over Iran and even ICE killings hardly register. Reform's poll lead will be gone by October.
There is a mood shift going on. What rough beast and fresh hell is going to emerge?
All news of the Widdieslayer (pbuh) seems to have dried up too.
Because it’s now sub judice?
no-ones been charged yet
I understand the rules apply as soon as someone is arrested, in practice.
As the grim reality of having to watch the "Bronze Final" on Saturday night sinks in and dreams of Bank Holidays and Sir Harry Kane holding the Jules Rimet aloft as the victory parade makes its way slowly down the Mall to the Palace recede into fevered fantasy, we have the usual search for a scapegoat.
Thomas Tuchel is clearly the man picked to carry the weight of our unfulfilled expectations into the wilderness - I mean, we could have had a dodgy VAR decision or a missed penalty or a sending off but this way our "brave lads" can head with reputations unsullied toward the next great disappointment at Euro 28.
That's how it is - always look for someone else to carry the can when we fail rather than ask the searching questions, the difficult questions.
The really hard one being... What if this is as good as we are, roughly as good as we have any right to be? The higher you climb, the harder it gets to find more improvements.
This might be a more generally-applicable principle.
Apart from the Mexico match was there a particularly strong team performance?
One or two moments of brilliance from Bellingham and Kane, perhaps also Pickford, but as a team? I am not convinced.
Fitness is a big issue too. We faded fast while the Argentinians didn't. It isnt fair to blame our EPL schedule either, as most of their team play in the EPL too!
The correct substitution would have been Gordon <-> Alexander-Arnold.
Good morning
I really have no words for how Tuchel decided on his subs, and the shocking fact he even took Henderson, denied Mainoo anytime on the pitch, achieved just 12% possession between scoring and the stoppage time winner, and his public spat with Bellingham
England's abject and embarrassing second half performance needs to be laid at Tuchel's door and he should go
I’m disappointed but not surprised that England supporters are looking for a scapegoat because you only got to the semi finals. You did better than 44 other teams. You should try being a Scotland supporter.
Who says I am an England supporter?
Frankly I ambivalent to them, and having supported Berwick Rangers as a youngster and a season ticket holder at Hibs I am used to taking the rough with the smooth
On topic: is it possible that the betting is undercalling the Bin? In a battle between a bin and a fascist, you would hope that the bin is well ahead? I know it’s Clacton but still.,,
I think Farage wins both byelections comfortably, but in the process is increasingly recognised to be evasive, petulant, sleazy and avaricious. On top of that he appears ridiculous.
He will retain his core vote, but gradually shed the less commited, berhaps back to the sort of support that he had in 2024. Enough to wound but not enough to win many seats.
As the grim reality of having to watch the "Bronze Final" on Saturday night sinks in and dreams of Bank Holidays and Sir Harry Kane holding the Jules Rimet aloft as the victory parade makes its way slowly down the Mall to the Palace recede into fevered fantasy, we have the usual search for a scapegoat.
Thomas Tuchel is clearly the man picked to carry the weight of our unfulfilled expectations into the wilderness - I mean, we could have had a dodgy VAR decision or a missed penalty or a sending off but this way our "brave lads" can head with reputations unsullied toward the next great disappointment at Euro 28.
That's how it is - always look for someone else to carry the can when we fail rather than ask the searching questions, the difficult questions.
The really hard one being... What if this is as good as we are, roughly as good as we have any right to be? The higher you climb, the harder it gets to find more improvements.
This might be a more generally-applicable principle.
I don't think there's any reason why England shouldn't have a record in soccer to match, or exceed, that of France. France have won the competition twice and reached the final two more times, and the semi-finals a total of 8 times. England have one win and a total of 4 semi-final appearances. France have also won the Euros twice, reached the final more often and been losing semi-finalists the same number of times as England.
As the grim reality of having to watch the "Bronze Final" on Saturday night sinks in and dreams of Bank Holidays and Sir Harry Kane holding the Jules Rimet aloft as the victory parade makes its way slowly down the Mall to the Palace recede into fevered fantasy, we have the usual search for a scapegoat.
Thomas Tuchel is clearly the man picked to carry the weight of our unfulfilled expectations into the wilderness - I mean, we could have had a dodgy VAR decision or a missed penalty or a sending off but this way our "brave lads" can head with reputations unsullied toward the next great disappointment at Euro 28.
That's how it is - always look for someone else to carry the can when we fail rather than ask the searching questions, the difficult questions.
The really hard one being... What if this is as good as we are, roughly as good as we have any right to be? The higher you climb, the harder it gets to find more improvements.
This might be a more generally-applicable principle.
I think everyone in their life faces those uncomfortable moments when the extent of limitations becomes evident. I've never run a marathon or climbed a mountain or cycled 200 miles like some of the Adonii (or Adonises, there will inevitably be some classically educated halfwit on in a second to correct me) on here claim.
I do have the body of a Greek God - just not one of the better known ones.
As a society, too, we should ask - is this as good as we can be? That then reflects down to different levels - some see it in terms of prosperity, material and personal self-advancement, others at a more communal level - what can we do to make the lives of others better? Some look even further and talk about setting a global example for decency, morality, sustainability etc, etc.
I suppose it depends on where your boundaries sit - is it just you and your family that matter or does the rest of the country and the world count as well?
Its really, really hard to win the football world cup. Only seven nations have EVER done it. We have reached the exact point in our world rankings. The disappointment many feel today is that for 55 minutes we played the right game against the reigning world champions. We got our noses in front. And then it looks like we decided we ought to just defend for the next 45 minutes (there was always going to be 9 or 10 mins of 'injury' time).
And we can never know what would have happened if we had kept trying to have pace up front, leaving two quick players up the field to run into the channels, rather than the stupid sight of Harry Kane defending on the 18 yard line. But it would have been nice to have tried.
And you know it still might have failed.
As a football nation we are very, very good and in the last 8 years we have done well at qualifying (I remember when England failed to qualify - its never a given) and going deep in tournaments (as recently as 2014 we went out in the group stage). But hand on heart we are not the best team in the world.
When the England Mens rugby team won in 2003 they were the best in the world. They had probably peaked a year early and were on the way down, but they were still the best. South Africa are now the best in the world and have won the last two world cups to prove it.
So a disappointing day for sure, but there is hope for the future. Bellingham looks to be a generational talent with so much more to come. We need to replace Kane and surely could do with some defensive solidity. And ultimately a better mindset when going 1-0 in semi finals and finals.
Is Mr Farage basically the only serious candidate?
No. I mean, we're not certain who is standing yet, but some of the people saying they'll stand are serious, or as serious as fringe parties get. For example, Rejoin EU are standing John Stevens, formerly a Tory MEP for a decade. He managed 4th with 3.8% in the 1999 Kensington & Chelsea by-election won by Portillo, then standing for the Pro-Euro Conservative Party. In the 2010 general election, he stood against the Speaker and got 21.4% for the Buckinghamshire Campaign for Democracy, notably beating Nigel Farage, who came third on 17.4% for UKIP. He most recently stood in the Runcorn by-election won by Sarah Pochin, getting a mere 0.4%, coming 10th. Oxford educated lawyer.
As the grim reality of having to watch the "Bronze Final" on Saturday night sinks in and dreams of Bank Holidays and Sir Harry Kane holding the Jules Rimet aloft as the victory parade makes its way slowly down the Mall to the Palace recede into fevered fantasy, we have the usual search for a scapegoat.
Thomas Tuchel is clearly the man picked to carry the weight of our unfulfilled expectations into the wilderness - I mean, we could have had a dodgy VAR decision or a missed penalty or a sending off but this way our "brave lads" can head with reputations unsullied toward the next great disappointment at Euro 28.
That's how it is - always look for someone else to carry the can when we fail rather than ask the searching questions, the difficult questions.
The really hard one being... What if this is as good as we are, roughly as good as we have any right to be? The higher you climb, the harder it gets to find more improvements.
This might be a more generally-applicable principle.
I think everyone in their life faces those uncomfortable moments when the extent of limitations becomes evident. I've never run a marathon or climbed a mountain or cycled 200 miles like some of the Adonii (or Adonises, there will inevitably be some classically educated halfwit on in a second to correct me) on here claim.
I do have the body of a Greek God - just not one of the better known ones.
As a society, too, we should ask - is this as good as we can be? That then reflects down to different levels - some see it in terms of prosperity, material and personal self-advancement, others at a more communal level - what can we do to make the lives of others better? Some look even further and talk about setting a global example for decency, morality, sustainability etc, etc.
I suppose it depends on where your boundaries sit - is it just you and your family that matter or does the rest of the country and the world count as well?
Its really, really hard to win the football world cup. Only seven nations have EVER done it. We have reached the exact point in our world rankings. The disappointment many feel today is that for 55 minutes we played the right game against the reigning world champions. We got our noses in front. And then it looks like we decided we ought to just defend for the next 45 minutes (there was always going to be 9 or 10 mins of 'injury' time).
And we can never know what would have happened if we had kept trying to have pace up front, leaving two quick players up the field to run into the channels, rather than the stupid sight of Harry Kane defending on the 18 yard line. But it would have been nice to have tried.
And you know it still might have failed.
As a football nation we are very, very good and in the last 8 years we have done well at qualifying (I remember when England failed to qualify - its never a given) and going deep in tournaments (as recently as 2014 we went out in the group stage). But hand on heart we are not the best team in the world.
When the England Mens rugby team won in 2003 they were the best in the world. They had probably peaked a year early and were on the way down, but they were still the best. South Africa are now the best in the world and have won the last two world cups to prove it.
So a disappointing day for sure, but there is hope for the future. Bellingham looks to be a generational talent with so much more to come. We need to replace Kane and surely could do with some defensive solidity. And ultimately a better mindset when going 1-0 in semi finals and finals.
My big concern for England is that I can’t think of a young English striker tearing it up at top level who will be seasoned enough to replace Kane.
If England HAD won the World Cup, we'd be like the dog that catches the car. We wouldn't know what to do.
Other than set the clock for when we could start despairing about how long since we last won it... It is part of our national psyche. We are not winners.
Not winners?
The nation of Drake, Nelson, Wellington, Clive, Rhodes, Churchill - not winners?
As the grim reality of having to watch the "Bronze Final" on Saturday night sinks in and dreams of Bank Holidays and Sir Harry Kane holding the Jules Rimet aloft as the victory parade makes its way slowly down the Mall to the Palace recede into fevered fantasy, we have the usual search for a scapegoat.
Thomas Tuchel is clearly the man picked to carry the weight of our unfulfilled expectations into the wilderness - I mean, we could have had a dodgy VAR decision or a missed penalty or a sending off but this way our "brave lads" can head with reputations unsullied toward the next great disappointment at Euro 28.
That's how it is - always look for someone else to carry the can when we fail rather than ask the searching questions, the difficult questions.
The really hard one being... What if this is as good as we are, roughly as good as we have any right to be? The higher you climb, the harder it gets to find more improvements.
This might be a more generally-applicable principle.
Apart from the Mexico match was there a particularly strong team performance?
One or two moments of brilliance from Bellingham and Kane, perhaps also Pickford, but as a team? I am not convinced.
Fitness is a big issue too. We faded fast while the Argentinians didn't. It isnt fair to blame our EPL schedule either, as most of their team play in the EPL too!
The correct substitution would have been Gordon <-> Alexander-Arnold.
Good morning
I really have no words for how Tuchel decided on his subs, and the shocking fact he even took Henderson, denied Mainoo anytime on the pitch, achieved just 12% possession between scoring and the stoppage time winner, and his public spat with Bellingham
England's abject and embarrassing second half performance needs to be laid at Tuchel's door and he should go
I’m disappointed but not surprised that England supporters are looking for a scapegoat because you only got to the semi finals. You did better than 44 other teams. You should try being a Scotland supporter.
Who says I am an England supporter?
Frankly I ambivalent to them, and having supported Berwick Rangers as a youngster and a season ticket holder at Hibs I am used to taking the rough with the smooth
Mind you I am a Spain supporter on Sunday
El domingo que viene, todos somos Juan.
Whatever the regret, it does make my personal loyalty for Sunday easier. Is it too late to get a flag?
As the grim reality of having to watch the "Bronze Final" on Saturday night sinks in and dreams of Bank Holidays and Sir Harry Kane holding the Jules Rimet aloft as the victory parade makes its way slowly down the Mall to the Palace recede into fevered fantasy, we have the usual search for a scapegoat.
Thomas Tuchel is clearly the man picked to carry the weight of our unfulfilled expectations into the wilderness - I mean, we could have had a dodgy VAR decision or a missed penalty or a sending off but this way our "brave lads" can head with reputations unsullied toward the next great disappointment at Euro 28.
That's how it is - always look for someone else to carry the can when we fail rather than ask the searching questions, the difficult questions.
The really hard one being... What if this is as good as we are, roughly as good as we have any right to be? The higher you climb, the harder it gets to find more improvements.
This might be a more generally-applicable principle.
I think everyone in their life faces those uncomfortable moments when the extent of limitations becomes evident. I've never run a marathon or climbed a mountain or cycled 200 miles like some of the Adonii (or Adonises, there will inevitably be some classically educated halfwit on in a second to correct me) on here claim.
I do have the body of a Greek God - just not one of the better known ones.
As a society, too, we should ask - is this as good as we can be? That then reflects down to different levels - some see it in terms of prosperity, material and personal self-advancement, others at a more communal level - what can we do to make the lives of others better? Some look even further and talk about setting a global example for decency, morality, sustainability etc, etc.
I suppose it depends on where your boundaries sit - is it just you and your family that matter or does the rest of the country and the world count as well?
Its really, really hard to win the football world cup. Only seven nations have EVER done it. We have reached the exact point in our world rankings. The disappointment many feel today is that for 55 minutes we played the right game against the reigning world champions. We got our noses in front. And then it looks like we decided we ought to just defend for the next 45 minutes (there was always going to be 9 or 10 mins of 'injury' time).
And we can never know what would have happened if we had kept trying to have pace up front, leaving two quick players up the field to run into the channels, rather than the stupid sight of Harry Kane defending on the 18 yard line. But it would have been nice to have tried.
And you know it still might have failed.
As a football nation we are very, very good and in the last 8 years we have done well at qualifying (I remember when England failed to qualify - its never a given) and going deep in tournaments (as recently as 2014 we went out in the group stage). But hand on heart we are not the best team in the world.
When the England Mens rugby team won in 2003 they were the best in the world. They had probably peaked a year early and were on the way down, but they were still the best. South Africa are now the best in the world and have won the last two world cups to prove it.
So a disappointing day for sure, but there is hope for the future. Bellingham looks to be a generational talent with so much more to come. We need to replace Kane and surely could do with some defensive solidity. And ultimately a better mindset when going 1-0 in semi finals and finals.
My big concern for England is that I can’t think of a young English striker tearing it up at top level who will be seasoned enough to replace Kane.
Yes and no. I think Kane's brilliance has meant limited opportunities for others in an England shirt. And I know you are talking about Prem etc. I think teams to an extent play to the striker. How does Kane score goals? That may be different for other players.
As the grim reality of having to watch the "Bronze Final" on Saturday night sinks in and dreams of Bank Holidays and Sir Harry Kane holding the Jules Rimet aloft as the victory parade makes its way slowly down the Mall to the Palace recede into fevered fantasy, we have the usual search for a scapegoat.
Thomas Tuchel is clearly the man picked to carry the weight of our unfulfilled expectations into the wilderness - I mean, we could have had a dodgy VAR decision or a missed penalty or a sending off but this way our "brave lads" can head with reputations unsullied toward the next great disappointment at Euro 28.
That's how it is - always look for someone else to carry the can when we fail rather than ask the searching questions, the difficult questions.
The really hard one being... What if this is as good as we are, roughly as good as we have any right to be? The higher you climb, the harder it gets to find more improvements.
This might be a more generally-applicable principle.
Apart from the Mexico match was there a particularly strong team performance?
One or two moments of brilliance from Bellingham and Kane, perhaps also Pickford, but as a team? I am not convinced.
Fitness is a big issue too. We faded fast while the Argentinians didn't. It isnt fair to blame our EPL schedule either, as most of their team play in the EPL too!
The correct substitution would have been Gordon <-> Alexander-Arnold.
Good morning
I really have no words for how Tuchel decided on his subs, and the shocking fact he even took Henderson, denied Mainoo anytime on the pitch, achieved just 12% possession between scoring and the stoppage time winner, and his public spat with Bellingham
England's abject and embarrassing second half performance needs to be laid at Tuchel's door and he should go
I’m disappointed but not surprised that England supporters are looking for a scapegoat because you only got to the semi finals. You did better than 44 other teams. You should try being a Scotland supporter.
Who says I am an England supporter?
Frankly I ambivalent to them, and having supported Berwick Rangers as a youngster and a season ticket holder at Hibs I am used to taking the rough with the smooth
As the grim reality of having to watch the "Bronze Final" on Saturday night sinks in and dreams of Bank Holidays and Sir Harry Kane holding the Jules Rimet aloft as the victory parade makes its way slowly down the Mall to the Palace recede into fevered fantasy, we have the usual search for a scapegoat.
Thomas Tuchel is clearly the man picked to carry the weight of our unfulfilled expectations into the wilderness - I mean, we could have had a dodgy VAR decision or a missed penalty or a sending off but this way our "brave lads" can head with reputations unsullied toward the next great disappointment at Euro 28.
That's how it is - always look for someone else to carry the can when we fail rather than ask the searching questions, the difficult questions.
The really hard one being... What if this is as good as we are, roughly as good as we have any right to be? The higher you climb, the harder it gets to find more improvements.
This might be a more generally-applicable principle.
Apart from the Mexico match was there a particularly strong team performance?
One or two moments of brilliance from Bellingham and Kane, perhaps also Pickford, but as a team? I am not convinced.
Fitness is a big issue too. We faded fast while the Argentinians didn't. It isnt fair to blame our EPL schedule either, as most of their team play in the EPL too!
The correct substitution would have been Gordon <-> Alexander-Arnold.
Good morning
I really have no words for how Tuchel decided on his subs, and the shocking fact he even took Henderson, denied Mainoo anytime on the pitch, achieved just 12% possession between scoring and the stoppage time winner, and his public spat with Bellingham
England's abject and embarrassing second half performance needs to be laid at Tuchel's door and he should go
I’m disappointed but not surprised that England supporters are looking for a scapegoat because you only got to the semi finals. You did better than 44 other teams. You should try being a Scotland supporter.
Who says I am an England supporter?
Frankly I ambivalent to them, and having supported Berwick Rangers as a youngster and a season ticket holder at Hibs I am used to taking the rough with the smooth
Mind you I am a Spain supporter on Sunday
Disapointment is the lot of the football supporter. Winning teams are completely outnumbered by losing ones, whether In EPL or WC, and glory fades very quickly.
Looking forward to Leicester's opening fixtures against Notts County and Burton Albion. This is what passes for a local derby this season.
As the grim reality of having to watch the "Bronze Final" on Saturday night sinks in and dreams of Bank Holidays and Sir Harry Kane holding the Jules Rimet aloft as the victory parade makes its way slowly down the Mall to the Palace recede into fevered fantasy, we have the usual search for a scapegoat.
Thomas Tuchel is clearly the man picked to carry the weight of our unfulfilled expectations into the wilderness - I mean, we could have had a dodgy VAR decision or a missed penalty or a sending off but this way our "brave lads" can head with reputations unsullied toward the next great disappointment at Euro 28.
That's how it is - always look for someone else to carry the can when we fail rather than ask the searching questions, the difficult questions.
The really hard one being... What if this is as good as we are, roughly as good as we have any right to be? The higher you climb, the harder it gets to find more improvements.
This might be a more generally-applicable principle.
Apart from the Mexico match was there a particularly strong team performance?
One or two moments of brilliance from Bellingham and Kane, perhaps also Pickford, but as a team? I am not convinced.
Fitness is a big issue too. We faded fast while the Argentinians didn't. It isnt fair to blame our EPL schedule either, as most of their team play in the EPL too!
The correct substitution would have been Gordon <-> Alexander-Arnold.
Good morning
I really have no words for how Tuchel decided on his subs, and the shocking fact he even took Henderson, denied Mainoo anytime on the pitch, achieved just 12% possession between scoring and the stoppage time winner, and his public spat with Bellingham
England's abject and embarrassing second half performance needs to be laid at Tuchel's door and he should go
I’m disappointed but not surprised that England supporters are looking for a scapegoat because you only got to the semi finals. You did better than 44 other teams. You should try being a Scotland supporter.
Who says I am an England supporter?
Frankly I ambivalent to them, and having supported Berwick Rangers as a youngster and a season ticket holder at Hibs I am used to taking the rough with the smooth
Mind you I am a Spain supporter on Sunday
El domingo que viene, todos somos Juan.
Whatever the regret, it does make my personal loyalty for Sunday easier. Is it too late to get a flag?
As the grim reality of having to watch the "Bronze Final" on Saturday night sinks in and dreams of Bank Holidays and Sir Harry Kane holding the Jules Rimet aloft as the victory parade makes its way slowly down the Mall to the Palace recede into fevered fantasy, we have the usual search for a scapegoat.
Thomas Tuchel is clearly the man picked to carry the weight of our unfulfilled expectations into the wilderness - I mean, we could have had a dodgy VAR decision or a missed penalty or a sending off but this way our "brave lads" can head with reputations unsullied toward the next great disappointment at Euro 28.
That's how it is - always look for someone else to carry the can when we fail rather than ask the searching questions, the difficult questions.
The really hard one being... What if this is as good as we are, roughly as good as we have any right to be? The higher you climb, the harder it gets to find more improvements.
This might be a more generally-applicable principle.
Apart from the Mexico match was there a particularly strong team performance?
One or two moments of brilliance from Bellingham and Kane, perhaps also Pickford, but as a team? I am not convinced.
Fitness is a big issue too. We faded fast while the Argentinians didn't. It isnt fair to blame our EPL schedule either, as most of their team play in the EPL too!
The correct substitution would have been Gordon <-> Alexander-Arnold.
Good morning
I really have no words for how Tuchel decided on his subs, and the shocking fact he even took Henderson, denied Mainoo anytime on the pitch, achieved just 12% possession between scoring and the stoppage time winner, and his public spat with Bellingham
England's abject and embarrassing second half performance needs to be laid at Tuchel's door and he should go
I’m disappointed but not surprised that England supporters are looking for a scapegoat because you only got to the semi finals. You did better than 44 other teams. You should try being a Scotland supporter.
Who says I am an England supporter?
Frankly I ambivalent to them, and having supported Berwick Rangers as a youngster and a season ticket holder at Hibs I am used to taking the rough with the smooth
Mind you I am a Spain supporter on Sunday
El domingo que viene, todos somos Juan.
Whatever the regret, it does make my personal loyalty for Sunday easier. Is it too late to get a flag?
I thought PB had an aversion to flags
Flags are fun, but some are more fun than others.
Both the Spanish and Argentine flags are upgrades on a boring old tricolour, but not by much. I prefer the red and yellow of the Spanish flag to the washed-out blue and white of the Argentine flag.
I think the decision by the main parties, or at least one of them, not to contest the by-election was, on balance wrong and bad for democracy.
I know the by-election is a bizarre publicity stunt, but voters in a parliamentary democracy under the adversarial should be given a serious choice at each election, otherwise you're effectively disenfranchising them.
So I think there should have been at least one serious, non-Reform candidate.
Unless I'm mistaken, there are currently 13 candidates in the by-election. And excepting 2, Count Binface and Mr. Fishfinger; to just tar the other 10 (not counting Farage) with the same 'they're not serious' brush is a little unkind. What do we know about the others? If they're serious, they're serious and just because they don't have 'Liberal Democrat' or 'Labour' after their name doesn't mean they might not support these parties should they get elected or that they don't have serious ideas.
I got five candidates to pick from last time, and it wasn't all that long ago when I would've only got two.
As the grim reality of having to watch the "Bronze Final" on Saturday night sinks in and dreams of Bank Holidays and Sir Harry Kane holding the Jules Rimet aloft as the victory parade makes its way slowly down the Mall to the Palace recede into fevered fantasy, we have the usual search for a scapegoat.
Thomas Tuchel is clearly the man picked to carry the weight of our unfulfilled expectations into the wilderness - I mean, we could have had a dodgy VAR decision or a missed penalty or a sending off but this way our "brave lads" can head with reputations unsullied toward the next great disappointment at Euro 28.
That's how it is - always look for someone else to carry the can when we fail rather than ask the searching questions, the difficult questions.
The really hard one being... What if this is as good as we are, roughly as good as we have any right to be? The higher you climb, the harder it gets to find more improvements.
This might be a more generally-applicable principle.
I think everyone in their life faces those uncomfortable moments when the extent of limitations becomes evident. I've never run a marathon or climbed a mountain or cycled 200 miles like some of the Adonii (or Adonises, there will inevitably be some classically educated halfwit on in a second to correct me) on here claim.
I do have the body of a Greek God - just not one of the better known ones.
As a society, too, we should ask - is this as good as we can be? That then reflects down to different levels - some see it in terms of prosperity, material and personal self-advancement, others at a more communal level - what can we do to make the lives of others better? Some look even further and talk about setting a global example for decency, morality, sustainability etc, etc.
I suppose it depends on where your boundaries sit - is it just you and your family that matter or does the rest of the country and the world count as well?
Its really, really hard to win the football world cup. Only seven nations have EVER done it. We have reached the exact point in our world rankings. The disappointment many feel today is that for 55 minutes we played the right game against the reigning world champions. We got our noses in front. And then it looks like we decided we ought to just defend for the next 45 minutes (there was always going to be 9 or 10 mins of 'injury' time).
And we can never know what would have happened if we had kept trying to have pace up front, leaving two quick players up the field to run into the channels, rather than the stupid sight of Harry Kane defending on the 18 yard line. But it would have been nice to have tried.
And you know it still might have failed.
As a football nation we are very, very good and in the last 8 years we have done well at qualifying (I remember when England failed to qualify - its never a given) and going deep in tournaments (as recently as 2014 we went out in the group stage). But hand on heart we are not the best team in the world.
When the England Mens rugby team won in 2003 they were the best in the world. They had probably peaked a year early and were on the way down, but they were still the best. South Africa are now the best in the world and have won the last two world cups to prove it.
So a disappointing day for sure, but there is hope for the future. Bellingham looks to be a generational talent with so much more to come. We need to replace Kane and surely could do with some defensive solidity. And ultimately a better mindset when going 1-0 in semi finals and finals.
My big concern for England is that I can’t think of a young English striker tearing it up at top level who will be seasoned enough to replace Kane.
Yes and no. I think Kane's brilliance has meant limited opportunities for others in an England shirt. And I know you are talking about Prem etc. I think teams to an extent play to the striker. How does Kane score goals? That may be different for other players.
I think there is an over reliance on the striker for goals. It works against weaker teams, but much less well against the stronger ones. Look at the way we nullified Haaland, and Spain did with Mbappe. There needs to be multiple goal threats in a team.
Eh, the Korean chip manufacturers have a history of anti-competitive, cartel-like behaviour over NAND and Ram prices. At some point I expect the EU will also get interested - as they did last time.
If England HAD won the World Cup, we'd be like the dog that catches the car. We wouldn't know what to do.
Other than set the clock for when we could start despairing about how long since we last won it... It is part of our national psyche. We are not winners.
Not winners?
The nation of Drake, Nelson, Wellington, Clive, Rhodes, Churchill - not winners?
If England HAD won the World Cup, we'd be like the dog that catches the car. We wouldn't know what to do.
Other than set the clock for when we could start despairing about how long since we last won it... It is part of our national psyche. We are not winners.
Not winners?
The nation of Drake, Nelson, Wellington, Clive, Rhodes, Churchill - not winners?
Comments
Not sure mentioning his intervention over Grangemouth is wise on a job application.
I know the by-election is a bizarre publicity stunt, but voters in a parliamentary democracy under the adversarial should be given a serious choice at each election, otherwise you're effectively disenfranchising them.
So I think there should have been at least one serious, non-Reform candidate.
It's not a parallel by any stretch but when Anna Firth won the Southend West by-election following the murder of David Amess, she got 86% of the vote on a 24% turnout.
Given the very different circumstances of this by-election, it's hard to imagine Farage getting 86% of the vote though the 24% turnout isn't inconceivable.
Inevitably, the anti-Binface reaction is getting going - I imagine we'll even have learned pieces arguing for a tactical vote for Farage to stop the Count winning at the count.
Those whom the Gods wish to destroy are first made aspiring politicians it would seem.
There will of course come a day when supporters of Kemi Badenoch (supporters call her "Kemi", those less well disposed call her "Badenoch") will look back on the halcyon days of +3 approval with more than a hint of envy - it's the way of things.
This is the oldest-known manuscript fragment of the Odyssey, produced in Ptolemaic Egypt during the 3rd century BC and unearthed in Medinet Ghoram
https://x.com/ChristopherJM/status/2077650418641850375
If / when re-elected he will be back in Parliament for a few days and then subject to a suspension which may make the 100 days Boris was going to be banned for look very short. At which point there will be a recall petition followed by an by-election where with Farage's dealings written down Clacton can have a vote with them knowing what Farage is really like.
And the all important bit to note in the above is that for some reason Farage doesn't seem to what his real self written down in black and white and available for Clacton to read as Clacton votes
Thomas Tuchel is clearly the man picked to carry the weight of our unfulfilled expectations into the wilderness - I mean, we could have had a dodgy VAR decision or a missed penalty or a sending off but this way our "brave lads" can head with reputations unsullied toward the next great disappointment at Euro 28.
That's how it is - always look for someone else to carry the can when we fail rather than ask the searching questions, the difficult questions.
Edit: unlike football.
‘He then returned to the front lines in France. Leading an advance platoon in the Battle of Flers–Courcelette (part of the Battle of the Somme) in September 1916, he was severely wounded, and lay for over twelve hours in a shell hole, sometimes feigning death when Germans passed, and reading Aeschylus in the original Greek.’
Or did we really start hurting as soon as we had won in 1966 - without even defending it in 1970?
To Scotland.
This might be a more generally-applicable principle.
https://www.lego.com/en-gb/product/fifa-world-cup-official-trophy-43020
The Jules Rimet was given to Brazil after they won it for the umpteenth time. Unfortunately their security is as lax as the FA's and someone nicked it.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1983_theft_of_the_Jules_Rimet_Trophy
You can argue quite correctly those are very different circumstances and I would of course agree but I cite them to note the change in attitude.
As it happens, and rarely it has to be said, I do agree with you on this.
I presume the rationale is whatever Farage has decided to do now, the Standards Committee will deliver its verdict and it may well be there will be a case for a recall petition and a by-election when we have the full facts of what Farage has done or not done.
I imagine Farage hopes or thinks a big win now will lessen the chance of a successful recall petition down the road - I think he's wrong.
One or two moments of brilliance from Bellingham and Kane, perhaps also Pickford, but as a team? I am not convinced.
Fitness is a big issue too. We faded fast while the Argentinians didn't. It isnt fair to blame our EPL schedule either, as most of their team play in the EPL too!
I'm sure FIFA could commission someone to design an appropriate trophy like the ones for the Grand National or the Derby.
However, sending Clacton voters to the polling stations twice in a couple of months might be blamed on Farage but alternatively on the establishment parties. It seems to me Starmer, Kemi and Ed Davey may have got this wrong – as wrong as Farage himself.
The reason for the by-election is fundamentally selfish and unserious in way that hasn't happened previous - the Davis one was about a real threat to civil liberties and the DUP ones were about trying to hold (effectively) a referendum on a the Anglo-Irish agreement, which was being negotiated over the heads of NI politicians.
I do have the body of a Greek God - just not one of the better known ones.
As a society, too, we should ask - is this as good as we can be? That then reflects down to different levels - some see it in terms of prosperity, material and personal self-advancement, others at a more communal level - what can we do to make the lives of others better? Some look even further and talk about setting a global example for decency, morality, sustainability etc, etc.
I suppose it depends on where your boundaries sit - is it just you and your family that matter or does the rest of the country and the world count as well?
There is no "With this one trick, which the Establishment hate..."
What we can do is create directions of travel. So, we change the system, and see if we make things better by 2.54% per annum (average) over 20 years.
Other than set the clock for when we could start despairing about how long since we last won it... It is part of our national psyche. We are not winners.
Which is to stop opposing growth.
The problem is, that you can't oppose development and have growth simultaneously.
Farage's intention is to get a "mandate" from the good people of Clacton, before all the details of his shenanigans are set out unambiguously in public. Functionally, it's not that different to the doorstep salesman who wants to get your signature on the dotted line before they've explained the full contract you're signing.
I really have no words for how Tuchel decided on his subs, and the shocking fact he even took Henderson, denied Mainoo anytime on the pitch, achieved just 12% possession between scoring and the stoppage time winner, and his public spat with Bellingham
England's abject and embarrassing second half performance needs to be laid at Tuchel's door and he should go
https://bsky.app/profile/theatlantic.com/post/3mqi7beclag25
Saka (if he was no worse off than previously) for Gordon or Rogers.
Tuchel’s new look
Frankly I ambivalent to them, and having supported Berwick Rangers as a youngster and a season ticket holder at Hibs I am used to taking the rough with the smooth
Mind you I am a Spain supporter on Sunday
He will retain his core vote, but gradually shed the less commited, berhaps back to the sort of support that he had in 2024. Enough to wound but not enough to win many seats.
And we can never know what would have happened if we had kept trying to have pace up front, leaving two quick players up the field to run into the channels, rather than the stupid sight of Harry Kane defending on the 18 yard line. But it would have been nice to have tried.
And you know it still might have failed.
As a football nation we are very, very good and in the last 8 years we have done well at qualifying (I remember when England failed to qualify - its never a given) and going deep in tournaments (as recently as 2014 we went out in the group stage). But hand on heart we are not the best team in the world.
When the England Mens rugby team won in 2003 they were the best in the world. They had probably peaked a year early and were on the way down, but they were still the best. South Africa are now the best in the world and have won the last two world cups to prove it.
So a disappointing day for sure, but there is hope for the future. Bellingham looks to be a generational talent with so much more to come. We need to replace Kane and surely could do with some defensive solidity. And ultimately a better mindset when going 1-0 in semi finals and finals.
US seeks share of Korean chipmakers' 'excess profits': source
https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/business/tech-science/20260716/us-seeks-share-of-korean-chipmakers-excess-profits-source
The nation of Drake, Nelson, Wellington, Clive, Rhodes, Churchill - not winners?
When did that start?
Whatever the regret, it does make my personal loyalty for Sunday easier. Is it too late to get a flag?
The animated manager was actually the mild mannered manager all along.
Looking forward to Leicester's opening fixtures against Notts County and Burton Albion. This is what passes for a local derby this season.
There’s always a shakedown.
Both the Spanish and Argentine flags are upgrades on a boring old tricolour, but not by much. I prefer the red and yellow of the Spanish flag to the washed-out blue and white of the Argentine flag.
Trump has never been a right wing free marketeer, quite the polar opposite in fact.
I got five candidates to pick from last time, and it wasn't all that long ago when I would've only got two.