Alex

And Ba was here first wasn’t he? Ba got moved because of Cisse’s mental run of form in his first (part) season here? Or have I remembered it incorrectly?

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DI1dlcxM-wi/?igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA%3D%3D

Cracking toast, Gromit

Forrin muck

All the mackems and their families talk reminded me of Uncal Mick

He’s been a huge advocate for women’s football and, let’s be honest, there are a lot more men into football than women so it’s only helped raise the profile of the women’s game

You forgot about John Kay

They’re relevant, man. Just like how they’re massive, classy, humble, self-aware, universally respected, well liked by other clubs. It goes with the territory

Will no one think of the two Wearside lads who live in (and around) Bilbao?

That’s older than me. Probably older than me dad

Mate, unless they’re getting turfed out their homes or getting sacked they’ll bury their heads in the sand. Maybe it does have to get worse for people to actually wake up. But look at the mess of the last government and how long it took to remove them. Not to mention Farage and co soaring in the polls and having absolved themselves of the Brexit fiasco by changing their name. I genuinely reckon most people wouldn’t know Reform used to be the Brexit party. And a far chunk of those that did know would buy ‘the wrong kind of Brexit’ bollocks. Anyway, fuck this shit (for now), it’s too depressing

It’s a really difficult situation the government are in. And Gemmill is correct that things can get massively worse. The trans issue is a huge trap (especially after the recent ruling) that most of the press are desperate for Starmer to fall into. And it’s a mental situation in general with regards to all forms of media now. The algorithms that permeate and influence the views of so many people. And that’s not me trying to make a wholesale defence of this government. It’s just everything is so polarised there’s no room for any nuance even before you take into account the right wing bias controlling (or at least having most influence over) the narrative. And I also say this without meaning I don’t care about trans rights this is something that, even in far more normal times, most people should not care that deeply about. And by that I mean it doesn’t fucking impact their lives at all beyond them being told it does for the vast majority. But everything’s either woke or anti-woke now.

The worst thing of the many bad things about PSR is that it actively encourages clubs who aren’t part of the established CL lot to sell young talent they’ve developed

We’re 4th. Heaton Stan are safe. We’ve already won a cup. The kids and my lass are away to Euro Disney with my parents while I babysit the dogs. I’ve just made a batch of madras. I’m off work tomorrow. I’m mildly tobleroned and enjoying a negroni. Chillax, lads. CL is almost in the bag and even if it’s not it’s still been the best season of my entire life whatever happens.

I did see a post on Bluesky where a cis woman said she’d been challenged on a few occasions recently and it just made me feel really sad. I don’t really have too much to add but when the Mail and the Express are revelling in what’s happened then you feel at the very least it’s being weaponised for reasons that has little or nothing to do with the safety of women

Just taking in the bank holiday in Ashghanistan as they host Heaton Stan in the noon kickoff and debating if it’s too early for a pint

Reminds me of this

The wealthy ones for whom it’s all about tax anyway. I’m pretty sure they’re just about the only ones able to afford to protest by driving their tractors around Westminster etc anyway

That’s my go to when I get too drunk

Ah, that explains it then

Where you can also talk about Longstaff

Done

I definitely think it’s useful from a statistical/analytical pov. But there are obvious weaknesses to it. As has been mentioned, and in particular the point ewerk makes above. I guess though that there’s lots of situations where you can’t have nuance. E.g. the finishing ability of the person the chance falls to. Because then you introduce too much bias and human subjectivity. If you look at something like expected points, which I believe is essentially an extrapolation of xG, then it probably gives a good explanation as to why someone like Forest can’t sustain their form over the whole season. It also has the usefulness of being an easy method of winding Gemmill up

He properly fucking despises himself. Which is nice

I’d expect all the goals we scored to have an xG of 1.0