Rayvin

They used "launch" twice in quick succession...

Apparently the guy was a PR agitator so it could well have been me!

I don't disagree with any of that really. And the UK in particular should hang its head in shame over this complete fiasco it had a significant hand in creating.

I would say the race to the bottom on hatred has now been reached in this conflict, but then the human capacity for inflicting suffering is seemingly boundless. Heads are going to roll in the Israeli intelligence setup though, seems that this caught them completely off guard. I wonder what we'd do in the shoes of either side. You'd like to think we'd somehow be 'better' and 'more compassionate', but I doubt it.

Am struggling to imagine how pissed I'd be if I was some sort of talented performer and yet this was how I was known.

I reckon it comes down to precision - Hollywood passes were (IMO) meant to have an clearly observed intended target who was making a run in anticipation of it. Allardyce just had his defenders skying the thing to no one in particular in the hope that the big guy up front could get himself under it and then 'hold up play'. Mind you, this is me being devil's advocate, I can see the point you're making.

I really don't think we should obsess too much on this one. Our team is riven by injury, we've got many of the same players now playing a game every 4 days. We went away from home to a form team, played poorly but almost won anyway. Loads to be positive about in this. Yes it hurts to lose the 3 points but honestly the team has to make mistakes in order to learn from them. I appreciate that what I'm saying is largely the sentiment in here anyway, I'm just adding my voice to it too.

Yeah you're going to fit in around here. The word to post ratio looks very promising.

West Ham had a midweek European game too mind, and were away.

I'm going for that 100%. Me and 100k other people

I hope your family remain safe throughout, must be awful being caught up in all his hatred.

Any insight into how they're overcoming the challenges?

I think I've said it before, but I would very genuinely support mass arrests of Tory politicians for crimes that IMO amount to treason over the past 5-10 years.

Totally agree, no one they've had since has done anything remarkable. In fairness though I think that club is just completely unmanageable.

Absolutely, 100%, right there with you.

Have come to like West Ham somewhat due to a combination of actually finding myself happy for Moyes to have won something at last - and Wilson's podcast. They look decent this year, I reckon it's going to be a tough game - but if we've got the legs for it we should win.

Hope you're right on this, sincerely. I hope I live to see that party collapse to the point of not even being in opposition.

Aye but they've been unable to avoid the consequences of that lie by being consistently in power. And also, arguably, Brexit removed the one great scapegoat the Tories always had. When Labour win it immediately muddies the water.

I fucking knew I spelled that wrong - I even googled it afterwards cos it felt wrong. But then I think google returned the results for the word blythe and my inebriated brain just didn't sweat the details from that point

I'm not apologising for the truth I had indeed had a few when I wrote that though, and it disturbs me a bit that you could tell

Am reading through the hidden thread to see their reactions and IMO it was more muted than usual (mostly because anyone who posted in the thread was roundly attacked by 5 or 6 other posters because Sunderland were playing too and no one should even be thinking of our game). Came across this though: I just want to take a moment to call this out for what it is. It's cowardice. Fear. Terror, even. The reality he is putting forward is that we have ceased to be a football club anymore, and are now something different, thus negating our rivalry with them. We are no longer Newcastle United. He's right that the rivalry has died in terms of the true meaning of the word. We are now untouchable to them in a very real sense - after a certain point this will be cemented for all time IMO, not that we're quite there yet. He knows this, we know this. It is no longer a rivalry not because we are no longer Newcastle United, but because they are so comprehensively outclassed by every aspect of our club, that the word no longer has meaning. There aren't 3 clubs in the North East anymore, there is one + a few smaller outfits like Gateshead, Blyth and Sunderland. He can try to reframe this however the damn hell he wants, but he is fucking terrified of the day he can't keep reality out anymore. The day we line up against and then absolutely obliterate them. Truthfully we are already doing this, we are obliterating them in relative terms every day of the week - but eventually it'll come through on the football pitch. This is why they don't want promotion. This is why they want to tell themselves that this is no longer a rivalry. This cowardly, weak, pathetic response from them dressed up in "humanitarian concerns" is transparent and obvious. Die on your fucking feet Sunderland fans, you lying, dismal, cringing excuse for a supporter base.

I see you've cut loose and revealed the inner sex pest instead

You know what that one is a genuine surprise to me. Seems somewhat disputed which of the words is preferred but I have to admit the language authorities apparently come down on your side of it I'd guess queue wins out long term, (with cue only standing a chance because people can't spell queue), but that doesn't change the fact that you were quite right and I was mistaken. I had bought into the idea that you had finally cut loose and revealed the inner, linguistically carefree Fish in the giddy hedonism of the celebrations! My sincerest apologies Dave

Pre-PSG Fish would kick the shit out of Post-PSG Fish for this shit.

Not personally going after Keegan for this one although I think he would have been better off stating that anyone who hasn't played professional men's football has no idea what goes into it. Either way I'm going to blind eye this because I'm biased as fuck.