Rooney

People are never happy. We've a Labour government in charge and now everyone from the left want us to borrow money left right and centre and the right want us to dismantle the NHS and privatise everything to save cash. All fantasy stuff. We actually have some serious politicians in charge. These things 12-18 months to see the benefits of. We've a Labour government back in power, loads of reasons for positivity. The team behind Starmer just need to play a careful game here, as they're going to have to lurch to the right to keep the Reform/Tory vote in check, but admittedly they also need to try and lure back some Left votes too, albeit I don't think they can do both without failing spectacularly. My best guess is they will wait and see what the new Tory leader brings first.

Reform did not decide the 2024 election. It's true they ate in to the Tory vote, but they've also eaten in to Labour too seeing as they tore in to the heartlands in 2019. Yes FPTP isn't the best, but not sure PR is either. Just leads to way more coalitions and even more less qualified people to have a platform or run the country. People find it hard to accept that the United Kingdom is predominately right-wing leaning. Changing the system is just going to allow the country to lurch further to the right. I'm sure all those independent MPs hate FPTP too! I don't know what more people expected? Yeah your life won't change significantly overnight, but you this country will be in a much better place in 5 years time than we already are. Even listening to Jeremy Hunt's winning speech, he almost alludes to the fact the Tories have underfunding the NHS. Reform were tanking in the polls before Farage came along. I'm sure it's an absolute disaster when they're the party in power for the next 5 years!!!

Bet you're happier watching Blairites back in charge rather than the Tories though? :lol: How do you know if it wasn't for the Reform Party Labour wouldn't be in power? Labour have been well ahead in the polls, if anything Reform have eaten in both the Tories & Labour over the coming weeks. People have used their vote as a protest, which is worrying, but that's a challenge for the future, but one the strategists have to be wary of.

Oh Michael, pipe down :lol: It's a bit like us England fans winning and still moaning :D :D Taking in to consideration turnout was low overall (some places down significantly vs 2019), voter ID now mandatory I'd say it's still good. What's the point of piling up votes on safe seats when it doesn't mater?

Surely the next Tory Leader depends on a few things, I'd suspect it will be Braverman/Patel vs someone like Jenrick/Tugendaht. Again, the key issue is going to be how they can win back the Reform voters or gain the Reform Party.

You've got to factor a number of things in here, firstly as time went on people so convinced of a Labour win they either did not turn out to vote, or maybe even led their vote to Reform or Green in some areas. There's always the secret Tories too. Agree the Labour vote is fragile. Not convinced a move for PR is a good thing personally unless people really want populist right-wing governments running the country rather than centrist governments.

The Reform stuff is worrying, but also a clear indication of where Labour need to play politics right and try to win that vote share. Let's be honest people are voting for Farage, but this will encourage them going forwards and the the temptation to merge with the Conservatives will be there. Still think if enough light is shined on Reform RE NHS etc. they will crumble.

Doesn't mean to say it won't happen in the future. Brexit is shit, but we have to look at the optics here - Labour saying they want to re-join the EU just pushes the electorate to whatever Reform/Conservatives become. 'Get Brexit Done' worked in the end as so many people (and businesses) just wanted the certainity to be able to plan. I think that debate is 10 years away yet.

Bit bonkers though really. I think he’s half decent but is he any better than Gallagher? I don’t think so.

This is the type of football we want to see! Great game and THAT save will be iconic in Turkey. I had 2-2 so mildly annoyed but what a game- fantastic advert for football! More of this please :D

Looks like the big single from the era samples Lucky from Britney Spears. Out very soon presumeably.

Interested to see how we line up for this one with Guehi out. You'd suspect Konsa would come in if it's like for like.. all I know is if I see that same line up again, Ill be lumping on Switzerland.

Was just the wrong slot for her, she'd have been perfect for Other Stage in her original headliner slot. Feel she got strung out to dry a little, Emily Eavis committed to two female headliners after the backlash and after Madonna pulled out. Personally feel as long as the festival itself is diverse and offers opportunities (which it does), the booking of headliners doesn't really matter what their background is.

I think she's too obvious, same with Michael. Plus not sure the producers would have sanctioned The Mole having a relationship with one of the contestants. I'm working off the proviso that The Mole is some form of actor.

Who we thinking then? My best guess is Quaylyn or Neesh. I reckon the former is playing the ultimate double bluff although they were suspiciously absent from the 'coming soon' bit so I could be completely wrong :D

I'll be lumping on France to win against Portugal. Genuinely no idea how Portugal are going to win if Ronaldo starts.

Yeah but we've got there by complete fluke. Even the most ardent Southgate supporter will tell you that. We should be going on out. That Slovakia game was up there with the very worst I've ever seen. He mad no clue, no answer, no nothing. Is he a good tactical manager? Nope. Is he a good man manager? Absolutely.

Ronaldo has basically treated this game like his testimonial.

I think you're over stating Southgate here. There's been plenty of examples where either himself or his coaching staff just don't know what to do in big games. I'm fine with playing defensive football, but for the first time in a long time, 90% of this squad play under a completely different style so can see why there's a glamour for something different. Football is decided by moments but the players either same incapable of reading how a game is going and learning to adapt, or Southgate is instructing them to be that way. The Slovakia game was just bizzare The Maguire one is weird. Southgate was fiercly loyal to him, dropped others who were not playing well for the clubs, but then continues to pick Maguire. Something is just off with this camp, we've not looked good at all and there's not even signs things are improving. The players are way more frosty than usual and something just seems off. Maybe the PR hype has got through the squad RE Bellingham.

Yeah he did score a screamer, but that was luck rather than a tactical master plan of Southgate. Thing is both Jonny Liew and Barney Ronay, while great writers, they’re both devils advocates. I can guarantee you that article Jonny Liew wrote was entirely different before Bellingham scored. I listen to the Football Weekly podcast they’re both on (which is superb is anyone wants to pick up a football podcast). Barney has always been a Southgate fanboy and Jonny will 100% have had a different draft that he tore up to write that article. Deffo wouldn’t be me walking out! Don’t think I’ve ever left a football game early since I was about 15!

You could drop them if they’re not performing though. That’s the sign of a weak manager, Kane I do kind of understand bad he is the captain and this current team lacks leadership through inexperience currently. But it also points to the manager not trusting his squad. Of course you’re damned if you do, damned if you don’t, but I don’t think anyone is sat here saying Bellingham deserves to start on current form. And that’s the nail on the head! You need balance on the left hand side, which we don’t currently have. We’re easy to defend against as defenders know we can’t build through the left. That’s why there’s momentum to drop Foden and play Gordon. Just some baffling choices as Foden hasn’t trained with the team for half the week, was hardly in great form and he still starts! Just points to Southgate not really knowing what the problem is but hoping it works out.

The Croatia game was a strange one. They were a better team but we just accepted defeat. We saw the same yesterday too-my main issue with Southgate is his inability to change things when they’re clearly not working. This is a pattern, he’s not willing to make a bold choice early, instead he will wait for it to happen instead of being proactive. Yesterday was another classic example of this. The team is unbalanced without the lack of a left footer or someone to stretch the play. It’s something I was worried about pre-tournament and it’s been evident in every game so far. The attack, is also unbalanced and it’s causing us issues. Not sure Kane or Bellingham are at full fitness too which while not Southgate’s fault, flogging them for 90 minutes continually is his fault! A lot of our issues occur from our build up- we can’t build play to create chance, and a huge part of that is our left side.

Performances give weight though. And just because he's had success doesn't mean his time should continue. He's done a lot, given some great memories, but this is a tournament too far imo. You can see something is not right, maybe this euphoria might lead to some change, but there's basic tactical issues he's not sorting out. He's always been slow to react in games, and I get his style is reactive rather than proactive, but the game today was dreadful. I did and I think he'd actually be a really good signing. Means Diaz will be off. We got fairly unlucky in 2004 and 2006. Can't remember the exact specifics, but if we had 10 men in the Portugal game in 2006, I think we'd have won it. We just had that 10 year period where we really stuggled. Part of that was the culture of Premier League by all accounts, which meant club rivalries spilled out to the national team and obviously the failing of the golden generation in 2006. 2010 was a weird one, we were well beaten by the beginnings of an excellent Germany side, but we got unlucky with the ghost goal. Momentum takes us through there.

Not a rumour, it's true. Pretty unfortunate to be scheduled against other acts. Totally get the need for the diversity & giving people the opportunities, just not sure this was the right move all things considered and probably aware of the backlash from last year.

He's clearly a decent bloke. I don't think anyone thinks otherwise, but his dull brand of football has just gotten stale. It happens, that's why it's one tournament too many for him imo. At least if we go out in the QF (unless we get tonked) then he won't have the same level of embarrasment as we did in 2016. Obviously he's a good man manager, the players speak really highly of him. But nobody can convince me this camp is not a bit of a disaster. That whole "we're finding our way after Kalvin Phillips" points to some major red flags in that he does not really know what he is doing at the moment. Not sure this ridiculous expectation is exclusive to England though? Take Wales as an example, they've just sacked Rob Page who got them to their first World Cup finals in however long after not qualifying for the Euros and losing the fans. It's not an exclusive to England thing imo.