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Reply | Lech Walesa
at 17:14 4 Mar 2025
It is doable so long as we recognise that each nations' armies, air force and navy are better at some things than other nations.
Take Finland. They've given Russia a few beatings in the past because they know how to fight in winter in their forests.
Sweden has excellent armour and vehicles.
The French air force is well equipped. The Brits are perhaps special operations. (I recall a comment from a senior special ops team commenting about the drone attack on the Kremlin which was briefly thought to be an attempt to assassinate Putin. Asked if the British were behind it, he said "no". How do you know? "Because he's still alive".)
Part of the problem is however that Russia has already undermined some Eastern countries and they cannot be relied upon - Hungary, Romania, perhaps the Czech Republic. |
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Reply | Lech Walesa
at 14:25 4 Mar 2025
If the world sits back and accepts the bullying of Trump and his cult, then we will really deserve whatever he chooses to do. |
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Reply | Starmer
at 14:21 4 Mar 2025
Arriving hand in hand with the death of woke in the US and many Eastern European countries, arguably even Germany, is a new realism.
We've been used to a nicey, nicey, be kind to everybody, we're all equal approach to life in general for a couple of decades and Trump, the right wing in Hungary, Romania and perhaps even Germany are now saying, open your eyes.
People are different from each other and recognising that is not wrong. |
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Reply | Starmer
at 10:02 4 Mar 2025
My opinion is that Starmer is grateful for an opportunity to play a role between two factions which should be on the same "side" but for various reasons are not presently. It's like refereeing a match between the first team and the reserves. He's grateful because it disrupts the relentless campaign from the right wing to throw rocks at his (short) time in office, whilst ignoring the utter shambles of their decade and a half.
Putin is emperor of Russia and he sees it as an Empire. He has made no bones about the "fact" that the republics who broke from the old Soviet union are "Russian" and he wants them back. He miscalculated badly by think Ukraine was an easy target and is now mired in a war that has destroyed the economy and has damaged his reputation. The state owned and run media in Russia of course claims otherwise but no leader who send his people into a "meat grinder" for years, can expect to be universally admired.
Trump thinks that geopolitics is just a big business and can be run as such with "deals" being done. He knows the price of everything and the value of nothing.
He has surrounded himself with cultists who understand that disagreeing with the notoriously thin skinned Felon is a ticket to obscurity. He is also apparently willing to risk low poll ratings (he seems to attach such weight to these guesses) in order to enrich himself, his inner circle and his family (in that order). I read recently that only 4% of Americans approve of appeasing Russia. (I have not checked or verified that result).
In the present situation however he is correct that the war cannot continue. Absent a complete collapse of the Ukranian forces, this war will drag on. Even if the US withdraws support, Europe will make up some of the difference - enough to keep the conflict going for a decade more.
Ukraine will be forced to concede territory - the only question is how much. Does Ukraine actually want the Donbas and other Eastern provinces which were infiltrated by Russia for years and now lie mainly in ruins? They would need to say that they do, but really?
However ceding that territory to a dictator without some form of guarantee that when Russia recovers its resources and tries to invade the rest of the country, the whole of the western world will respond, is madness. That guarantee backed by either European nations paying more for defence and/or the US agreeing to be part of it is crucial. Without it, there is no advantage to Ukraine (or western democracy) in giving up the fight.
And therein lies the biggest issue. Trump is a toddler in terms of geopolitics. He is unreliable, erratic and likely to side with the last person he spoke with. he is not somebody you can rely on.
if there was a truce/peace and a Trump clone is elected in 2028, it is inevitable (in my view) that Russia would be firing rockets and artillery into Ukraine (or perhaps another former republic) by 2031, confident that a Trump/clone led USA would not intervene.
For me that the danger.
if Trump wants a peace prize, he's blown the Gaza route and therefore need Ukraine/Russia war to end. How strong is his desire to have that prize? Very but would I bet my country on it still having his attention in 12 months? Not a chance. (More likely that we will win the PL in 26/27.) |
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Reply | Last chance for Juric
at 11:38 26 Feb 2025
Some managers have always had the ability to make the most of their playing staff and get them to put in decent performances.
Some managers are perhaps gifted and those rise to the top because they are able to see things in players or put them together in tactically astute formations and win games consistently enough to finish above the relegation places.
Some managers are stubbornly wedded to certain styles even when it's clear beyond reason that it does not suit league or squad. (Take a bow RM).
And then some managers were never good enough, will never be good enough and will be allowed to destroy what little morale exists and put our club back a minimum of five years. This seasons winner in that category is Ivan. |
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Reply | 5 Things About Chelsea
at 11:33 26 Feb 2025
When I was a young teenager, all the glory hunting kids at school supported Leeds or Chelsea.
Got their comeuppance when the school decided that the sports teams colours would be decided by a vote. I was part of a group led by the senior pupils who successfully got red voted in as the choice.
Never really liked Chelsea and especially as I can probably count on one hand the times I've seen us beat them. |
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Reply | Hate to say this
at 08:26 26 Feb 2025
Dibling needs to be withdrawn from the team for perhaps the rest of the season because otherwise his confidence will be destroyed, his form will follow and then his value in a sale will drop.
He cannot save us and he should not be risked. |
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Reply | Brixton Academy
at 15:27 24 Feb 2025
Glad to see it has reopened.
Last gig I saw there was Kasabian (before Tom Meighan left/was forced out). |
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Reply | Hate to say this
at 08:45 24 Feb 2025
The harsh truth is that Dibling is not yet ready for a midfield role, especially in a team that needs to dig in and at least try to make it hard for the opposition to score.
I don't recall him winning a tackle in a game and he is not a box to box diesel engine.
In an ideal world he would play as the most advanced midfield player and not on the wing, but we don't have that luxury and giving hm game minutes increases the price we can get in the summer. |
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Reply | Have Southampton Fans Finally Lost Faith With The Club
at 09:57 20 Feb 2025
I've not "lost faith" but I certainly wish this season would end and that we hear from the owners a sensible and sustainable plan to get us back to being something other than three points in the bag for the opposition.
Thee is a thought that those who got us into this mess with poor recruitment, hanging on to a clueless manager for too long and then replacing him with worse, trying to turn the stadium into a theme park and a failure to communicate with fans, are not those best placed to find a solution. If so, they should sell the club to somebody who not only cares but shows that they care.
I am resigned to a struggle next season to stay in the Champ and it being another five years before we are serious contenders for promotion. I think that by the time we are there will be a European super league which will dilute the quality of the PL and make it easier for promoted clubs to stay there.
It has been many years since I was a Milton Road chorus participant. However the fact that I choose not to be in the Northam End repeating inane songs does not mean that my support for the club is wavering. I support the club and the team and would do even if we were in the National League but it makes me by turns angry and sad to see where we are this season. |
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Reply | Next Season
at 16:43 17 Feb 2025
And lost to Burnley |
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Thread | PSR could be history - where does that leave us?
at 16:42 17 Feb 2025
Despite I think 16 clubs voting to keep in place the Premier League PSR rules, as amended following the Man City legal case, it seems that a committee has decided that City were correct. The PSR rules since perhaps 2022 are unenforceable.
Aside from this meaning that most of the financial irregularity charges against City will now be dropped, where is that going to leave the PL?
Whilst there is already a de facto split of the PL into three parts - top 6, next 8/9, bottom 5/6 - mainly being a reflection of the financial power behind the clubs (few exceptions each season perhaps) if clubs are essentially unfettered in how much money their owners can "invest", we will see an acceleration of that split becoming recognised.
I can see top 4 to 6 being in a Euro Super League inside five seasons.
I can see the PL being 18 teams.
I can see the PL being limited in how many teams might get to European cups.
Personally I would welcome that. I think it would make the PL more of a competition and less of a parade. However the PL will hate it because it means less influence and less money. I suspect therefore that this will get very messy.
If however it opens the door to clubs like ours being better able to compete if we ever get promoted again, I'm all for it. |
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Thread | Money triumphs over sporting integrity
at 14:31 17 Feb 2025
I'm not a tennis fan by any stretch but the stench coming off the Sinner situation reeks,
He admits that he was negligent and took a banned substance. WADA conveniently accepts that he did so unintentionally. The result is a three month ban in a period when there are no big tournaments.
I confess that aside from a couple of high profile cases, I'm unsure just how widespread drug taking and bans are in football, but the situation with Sinner is like asking a player to take a ban between April and July.
Tennis though cannot have their number one player (who people pay to watch) missing from tournaments.
Corrupt. |
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Reply | Next Season
at 13:42 17 Feb 2025
I think that there are some structural problems in the club all stemming from the ownership which sees us perhaps as a nursery for clubs in lower divisions in Europe who will have the ability to buy low and sell high.
The recruitment has been dire. The managers/coaches not much better and the result is a playing squad of generally insufficient quality and now totally drained of confidence.
Changing an entire first team squad in one season will almost certainly mean relegation as the juniors are called upon to fill gaps and certainly the top half of the Championship has some decent and settled teams.
Changing perhaps half the squad - selling the players who will give us most fees - and recruiting from the younger ranks of PL teams is sensible but will not get us promoted next season. Perhaps top half of the table.
And of course new manager/coaches and preferably new owners. |
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Reply | Southampton V Bournemouth The Verdict
at 12:10 17 Feb 2025
Perhaps the extra money is minutes based rather than games started? I don't know - just guessing.
I very much get the sense that Juric does now watch other PL games. If he did, he might pick a team whose playing squad is similar and perhaps try to emulate their tactics.
Instead he wants to keep as close as he can the RM ways of playing (failed) but with the addition of a big CF (which is what you see in League 1 and below). At the same time the defensive organisation is full of holes which get exploited.
A few weeks back I thought we were 5 players short of a decent Championship side. I've revised that to perhaps 8 players short.
I'd keep Ramsdale, Fernadez and KWP (only if he will play at right back). The rest are presently short of the mark. I'd probably sell Dibling to give funds for replacements. |
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Reply | So, the World Cup in Saudi Arabia then...
at 11:40 14 Feb 2025
I'll be going to the USA edition but mainly because I have family and friends there and can save some money on accommodation.
The issue is the distances between venues.
Even the "Boston" venue which the New England Patriots ground is actually about an hour's drive from central Boston.
Trying to go between even those allegedly in the same group (Vancouver, Seattle, LA) are more than a days drive apart. |
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Reply | Weekend of August 9th
at 16:17 13 Feb 2025
If we keep going as we are, we'll be able to watch us in the Vanarama Conference in four seasons? |
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Reply | Weekend of August 9th
at 12:17 13 Feb 2025
Was there not a suggestion that the TV rights package might include 3pm Saturday games?
Was that next season or 26/27?
The World Cup starts on 11 June so presumably the season will end in early April? |
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Site Scores| Forum Votes: | 138 | | Comment Votes: | 49 | | Prediction League: | 0 | | TOTAL: | 187 |
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