Gaspode

Gabbidon getting on my tits already….

43 minutes ago, Crewton said:

The decision to destroy UK coal mining was entirely political. It was carefully planned and thought through. It was a strategy to break the power of the miners union. The availability of cheaper Polish coal (from a Communist puppet-state no less) was a major factor. I think they knew that Scargill would act exactly the way they wanted him to and he fell into the trap that was set for him. The miners themselves and their communities were just cannon-fodder in a battle of wills and egos.

Whilst I would say that it's perhaps better for many reasons that we're no longer sending men underground to dig coal, the way it was done, and the lack of investment in shattered communities that followed, was shameful.  

I remember a documentary a few years ago that suggested the original plan actually hadn't been to close all the pits - however when it became plain that Scargill's main aim was to bring about a collapse of the government, Maggie determined to fight him all the way - and neither side was willing to back down whatever the cost.....

Far too many who get involved in politics (and I include Union leaders in that) do so for the wrong reasons, leaving the ordinary folk to suffer the consequences....

 Mattia Binotto will leave his position as Ferrari team principal at the end of 2022....

43 minutes ago, Mucker1884 said:

Indeed. 

Very much the archetypal "Big man up front".
Always keen to shoot.
Very impressive in and around the box.
Not afraid to get in behind the last man.
Masses of staying power... I don't recall him ever being pulled off in his entire career.

Etcetera, etcetera, etcetera... 

I've never been puilled off in my entire career either - very nearly at an office Christmas party many years ago, but that sort of behaviour tewnds to be frowned upon nowadays.....

I've said this before, but I think it's worth repeating...folk (most importantly the people in charge) are missing the 'A' part of VAR - it's supposed to be an assistant - yet it's turned into the god of refereeing decisions.

Unless the ref has quite clearly missed something (he was looking the other way) or has made a very obvious hash of something, then let the ref get on with their job. If they want to refer to VAR, then fair enough, but it should be used at his discretion, not as a matter of course. VAR should behave in the same way an on-field Assistant Referee would, not as something looking over the ref's shoulder and telling him what to do or think.....

I wasn't sad when he left - I would be sad if he came back.....

26 minutes ago, kevinhectoring said:

If Scotland qualify England should definitely refuse to play. 

Wouldn't it be better to let England have a referendum to decide if Scotland are allowed to play?

Southgate managing expectations by telling the team to keep giving the ball away….

8 minutes ago, TuffLuff said:

Brennan Johnson going missing in big games again ?

He wasn't alone - lot of very lightweight players in their side. Big bloke up front, couple of big center-halves and a load of pretty boys who spent far too much time rolling about and crying to the ref....

2-0

Iran score in the 8th minute of added time - and what a finish. Looks like the ‘brave’ Welsh team might be on their way out….

Just now, Elwood P Dowd said:

He does now

Nice to see VAR work properly

20 minutes ago, Alpha said:

If Neymar scores these BBC lads are gonna ejaculate 

Suspect Micah Richards already has a number of times - though that’s probably because he’s a such a w ⚓

South Korea team playing Uraguay has a back 4 of Kim, Kim, Kim and Kim - and a goalkeeper called Kim.....

Jonathan Pearce and Danny Murphy - a commentary team made in hell….

Crazy tackle 1-1

6 minutes ago, EtoileSportiveDeDerby said:

Your boys looked good. Weak opposition but you can only beats what's in front of you. Central defense might ultimately be your undoing but the rest looked impressive . Bellingham is some player at his age.

It's been the issue for years - we can negate it by trying to out-score the opposition. Unfortunately, when we look as if we actually have a chance agaiinst the better teams by following thre same approach, there's a danger Southgate's cautious side kicks in and he bottles it (as in the Euros).....

Noticable how the authorities had seated the majortity of the fans opposite the cameras - when they showed the opposite side of the pitch during the goalkeepers injury treatment there were huge swathes of empty seats.....

18 minutes ago, alexxxxx said:

One of the worst decisions in var history

Looked a penalty to me - as did the Maguire wrestling in the first half - how the same VAR official can come to different decisions for the two incidents is baffling.....

10 hours ago, BaaLocks said:

Mammals on Amazon Prime. Two episodes in and it's starting to show the usual gaps in the plot being exposed. I guess the number one is that there is no way ever that James Corden would pull the character playing his wife - just way out of this league. Basic plot is that he finds some bloke texting his wife on her phone and then goes into a convaluted trail to find out who it is. But why wouldn't he just text the person back, pretending to be his wife? All would be done in three messages, game over. Hence it is already feeling drawn out and containing lots of irrelevant scenes and plot lines that may come together nicely, but I fear they won't.

The fact that James Corden is in it is enough to stop me watching.....

46 minutes ago, Andicis said:

A fairly boring race at the end of the season. I'd love to know how Hamilton was forced to give the place back to Sainz, despite being forced off track. What was he supposed to do there? Damaged his car in the process which didn't help matters. 

For once, it was Red Bull who had made the mistake and put Checo on the new tyres, and Ferrari who just held on to second with the one stop strategy. 

Ultimately, the difference here was probably Hamilton holding Perez up making the 2 seconds difference. A bit of pay back from last year there! 

I sincerely hope after the reset that the Mercedes and Ferrari are more competitive with the Red Bull to provide more actual racing at the front. 

If Hamilton hadn't gone off the track and had held his position, there would have been a huge collision for which Sainz would quite rightly have been blamed - and if he wasn't forced off the track (as they decided), it was clearly being considered as a racing incident in which case what happened in the aftermath should have been treated in the same way...

Stewarding is getting farcical (the motor racing equiavelent of poor VAR decisions every race) - and why is the driver (in this case Russell) given a 5 second penalty for an unsafe release? - the driver can't see if it's safe or not. Take a point off the team and they'll be more careful - fine the team or deduct points for new engines, but let the drivers race.....

As for Brundle, surprised that he didn't give a cheer when Hamilton's car broke down - his anti-Lewis, pro-his darling Max bias is getting ridiculous.....

12 hours ago, Bob The Badger said:

We're 4 episodes in and enjoying it too. A romp is a good description.

Utterly over the top in every respect with mad-keen Derby fan, Jack O'Connell doing a solid Irish accent. 

Apparently it's the most expensive British tv production of all time. 

Mrs Badger thinks the Americans will try and outdo it and make something similar about their weakling Delta Force. She may be right. 

There was a documentary series last year/year before about the start of the SAS - a lot of the stuff in the dramatisation is apparently true....

I hate to speak ill of an ex-player but Hendry really is a c***….

*I should point out that it was a term relating to a male chicken before the swear filter made it look much worse….

8 hours ago, David said:

Russia have denied it, which is the worst response. Had they come out, apologised blaming it on a technical malfunction, things could be smoothed over.

With the denial, will only raise questions if it was deliberate or not. Not good.

Reports this morning that it may have been a stray Ukrainian missile fired to intercept some Russian ones......

1 hour ago, Derbados said:

Lewis Dobbin is the worst natural finisher I’ve seen, how on earth he’s spent his career playing as a striker is beyond me 

That comment aged well…..