Gloucester Saint

AA is timed as quick as any player in the league but it requires a bit of independent thinking from one of the midfielders to find him by playing an earlier ball. Fraser will on by 60 minutes but he’s got to be given licence to go at their full backs and CBs. Cardiff, Leeds and Bham games were all better tempo. Far from the worst display against another in-form team but the ball has got to move quicker and the passing range/scope mixed up a bit more.

Not that bad a performance so far against another form side. Same issue as often since October - better at the back, midfield decent but totally reliant on AA for movement and threat. I know he scored Saturday but Che needs to move on for everyone’s sake next month, just not at the races. We need two first choice strikers coming in to sort out August’s balls up with Stewart, one of them on loan with Holgate returning to Everton and Stephens recovered. One of them better at hold up and the other off the shoulder and quick, we need to mix it up more. Stewart is a bust for most of this season at least, use him as an impact sub at best if he doesn’t break again after Feb.

Re-opened at 2.30 after fatal motorbike crash sadly at 5.30am, caused mayhem through Winchester by all accounts. There was an issue on the A34 nearer Oxford but that’s now re-opened northbound too.

Would make sense as even with the fixtures, we’ve not used him that much to start, although he’s improved quite a bit after the Sunderland debut tbf. If Jack is fit then it frees up a striker on loan, although at least another starting striker will need to come in if Adams does go as expected and Mara loaned out to a league suiting him better. Unless he plays Alcaraz up top? The lack of goal threat from midfield bar Fraser off the bench and Stu is another issue, but that’s partly a tactical issue and slowness in build up.

What is a concern is the extent of self-diagnosis and social media activity. ADHD is genuine and medically/legally-recognised condition and it’s imperative to speed the diagnosis up and get the waiting times down so those who genuinely have those particular conditions - ADHD, Dyspraxia, Dyslexia etc - can be diagnosed and can start making positive changes so they maximise their potential which helps the economy, the people around them and allied health services - and the more general mental health epidemic that has built up before the pandemic and especially during and since, which can be triaged in a number of different ways. Cost of living certainly hasn’t helped with that either. But then I’m in danger of getting into pills v pathology territory, where issues of economic precariousness become medicalised. I’ve had staff with diagnoses on ADHD and the awareness, and small adjustments which can be made at little or no cost post-diagnosis, make a huge transformative impact. I’m sure it’s the same in educational settings too. It’s not something that ever should be self-diagnosed though, and it’s the self-proclaiming online which is coming into focus in an unpleasant culture war driven by the tabloids where it’s ’deemed ‘trendy’. It’s the genuinely diagnosed who will lose out and that is wrong.

Whoops - this lawsuit is going to cause more embarrassment and accusations of Tory corruption https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-67674683 Rishi still to appear in front of the Covid enquiry too.

Priority is a minimum of two frontline starting level strikers and possibly a winger/forward as well. Adams probably going, Mara needs regular starting football overseas, not suited to English football and Stewart if ever fit will be an impact option if chasing the game in the last 15 minutes, giving an option to go longer and win first balls. Sulemana and Fraser have had an impact in fits and starts but the top three have more consistent options and I can see why there was interest in Patrick Roberts of Sunderland. Two front line forwards not made of glass who can help AA would be ideal but that will require some greater mixing up of the play to enable through balls and play off the defenders’ shoulders. Too predictable in attack.

How deluded is the ERG - Rwanda details being looked over by a ‘Star Chamber’. At least the One Nation group has a bit more heft in legal matters including an Attorney General. Cash is a qualified solicitor from the 60s but come on, this a whole different ball game. It’s like saying that Barrow’s centre forward and Haaland are both professional footballers. Braverman does have some expertise and knows the detail but isn’t trusted becuase she can’t override the extremely partisan part of her brain, eg 90% of it. She also has a huge axe to grind with Sunak. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-67656496 Grim for Rishi - the outcomes are either highly damaging beyond recovery as he hangs on or an instant GE and big Labour majority. The party is in a worse state than the 1990s and the economy was doing far better under Clarke and Major as well. They are probably better off just calling it quits and starting rebuilding long-term in opposition with the aim of leading say a minority government by 2034/5 given the damage to their brand and ideas. In Saints terms, this is Nathan Jones and the Wolves home game. Starmer and Reeves need to be ready to take over and be on top of this issue straight away.

That is absolutely shocking business again in such a critical season - every bit as appalling an unforced error as Carrillo and Onachu. £50m in fees pissed away not counting the wages, signing on fees, agents etc. At least those two were just shit/unsuited to new managers, they were actually fit to play. To set out to sign an injured player and piss 6 months to 12 months wages of the parachute payment up the wall, we’d all be sacked if we fucked up like that at work. So given he’s already been out for a year he is useless for this season. And he’s only played half a season at this level before, if that. Brilliant. Well done Saints, we March on. Darren Mowbray must be getting the piss ripped out of him by Tony. What a mug,

Stopping crosses coming in from good positions without sufficient pressure has been a problem for years, since Ronald really. Been better at it lately with Bree coming into the first XI and some crosses will always come in but the quality is always more dangerous to defend against when the opponent is given a couple of yards to generate pace and whip.

Another variable is the age of your property. Whilst post-war properties are more sturdily constructed from experience, sometimes there are some nasty surprises where some of the prior or original work is not so easily visible. Quotes are estimates based on what is more readily visible but sometimes a more detailed investigation or exploration when work is due to start to start can and does throw a few curve balls.

In other news: - Large bear spotted shitting in the wilds of the Pacific Northwest - Mr Kipling factory produces another batch of almond slices - Pope thought to be Catholic

Not a particular fan of Starmer or Davey either but at least they won’t be using the public purse as a reward fund for their shady donors to quite same extent. Sunak and Hunt have curbed it a bit but under Johnson and Cameron it was rampant corruption. You’ve only got to look at the likes of Houchen (his uncle scored a great diving header in the 1987 FA Cup Final) and what allegedly went on in Redcar. There was bad stuff in the Blair years but this is fuck you territory to all of us working people, socialism for the super-wealthy. Public taxing at a postwar high above many actual socialist Labour governments but not public spending as in on the us as a nation, just a few of their buddies. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_Houchen,_Baron_Houchen_of_High_Leven https://www.insidermedia.com/news/north-east/government-review-launched-into-teesworks-corruption-allegations Even their own press have to admit it https://www.telegraph.co.uk/columnists/2023/06/20/boris-johnson-corrupt-conservative-party-rotten/ https://www.transparency.org.uk/major-donor-conservative-party-named-key-part-international-money-laundering-scheme-1 https://www.theneweuropean.co.uk/the-baroness-the-ppe-cash-and-the-slow-death-of-trust/ https://www.ft.com/content/b37eef24-fec2-4b53-9908-a2a018080708

Chairman Jon Filby ‘Sussex Cricket has never been a healthier place than it is now’. Ouch, and we thought Semmens and Ankerson came out with some total crap at times. Rob Andrew a great rugby player but controversial figure at Sussex, although difficult with their small ground at Hove to generate the income to compete with Hants, Lancs, Surrey, Warwickshire, Notts et al. Competing with Somerset, Durham if they get back up probably their best bet but those clubs get ODIs and T20s every year. Good signing on paper on Hampshire in an area needing strengthening. Will be a big jump in the quality of bowling faces in D1 but looking forward to seeing him in action. Middleton, Orr, Weatherley, Vince, Prest, Dawson, Brown, Albert and Currie if they kick on. Not bad. Organ needs to find some consistency against the moving ball to keep the pressure on. Essex probably the model for Sussex but different catchment for players and bigger name. On compensation, that’s been going on for a while when contracts run down. Worcs lost Josh Tongue to Notts before the end of his contract.

A toy octopus on an episode of University Challenge apparently https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12774645/bbc-university-challenge-antisemitism-row-oxford-octopus-mascot-conspiracy.html Pathetic. Quelle surprise budding politicians leading the stirring https://www.benobese-jecty.org.uk/little-about-ben Well done on your military service Ben but the reason they didn’t spot it is that the episode was filmed in March. To think that used to be John Major’s seat….

Looks a good signing. Has certainly caused some political stench behind the scenes at an already unhappy Sussex https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/67484747

You’re a bit early for the cricket T20 World Cup 😉 Fantastic place, there for 2004 Test match and holidays after that

McVey is GB News cannon fodder, thin gruel to the party Brexit right about the return of Mr Remain. Her remit will be confirmed in a few days apparently, but one area will be free speech on university campuses. Whoopie-do! Suella’s resignation letter is even more bitter than a pint of Holt’s bitter (for those of you who haven’t had the pleasure at City/Utd away games, it’s lovely - unlike Suella - but very bitter). No sign of a rebellion yet from the ERG other than total loons like Jenkyns and a tweet from Simon Clarke about controversial decisions by the ‘manager’ and a lack of squad depth on the right wing. Be interesting to see what she brings out in the coming days and weeks - the same drip drip effect Cummings used on Boris - and what’s in these ‘agreements’. Her camp hinting to BBC’s Chris Mason that more treats to come in a few days. Cameron’s return turned the volume down on her yesterday but Rishi doesn’t have any more cards in the pack and the Red Wall/New Conservatives group not much to lose having been cut loose leading up to the GE. Don’t think they’ll get the 54 and the country wouldn’t allow them to hold another contest, but the bitterness could be lingering.

There is precedent for someone in the Lords being a cabinet minister - Mandelson, Morgan and most famously Lord Carrington - have all done it that I can think of. Ex-PMs are far more unusual. Alec Douglas-Home served in the Heath cabinet early 1970s after being PM for 12 months in the early 60s when MacMillan was taken seriously ill but he hadn’t been PM for 6 years, leader of the opposition before that and in fact had had to stand for election in the HoC coming from the Lords. Hence the public surprise. Will it work? Tactically I get it, Sunak wants to have a good run at limiting the damage in the GE (hence Braverman had to go) and there’s some very nasty and complex issues on the FCDO agenda. Cameron might help a bit with the SE/SW seats but the Red Wall group of Tory MPs eg Simon Clarke, Miriam Cates, Pru Leith’s lad, are predictably kicking off. I assume Rishi is trying to shore up their core vote as a southern/and/or rural party and perhaps write off some of the territory gained in 2019 and built on sporadically with the levelling up agenda. Other risks are that Truss and co jump on him around China with the hard right new Research Group, and I can’t imagine the ERG are thrilled to see him. Neither will Brussels, although at least they know him well and Rishi has already started taking the hardest edges off Brexit. Braverman is already threatening to add a further statement, could be interesting although not sure she’s got the 50odd MPs she thinks. We were thinking about painting a Greensill at home doing our renovations to an older property, but we will go for another option instead..

There’s some very partisan posting over the last 24 hours. Let’s be clear: - A minority of people (say 150 out of the Met’s estimate of 300k) holding placards and wearing clothing which was anti-Semitic, racist and inflammatory, allied to intent to be, and being violent, including fireworks at police, are scumbags - A minority of people on the nationalist spectrum (again, out of 300k), many with football banning orders, attacking police, others, and chanting ‘you’re not English anymore’ are scumbags too - The Home Secretary’s role should be to minimise tensions with sensible, objective, adult language in the public realm, such as not referring to hate marches or shit thick reference to Ulster, and share any concerns they have about unequal treatment behind the scenes as they should be. Anything else renders them unfit for office and the majority of the public agrees. Good, glad we got that sorted.

Yep, delighted with the last 8 games but we need to carry it on to Christmas to put pressure on Leicester and Ipswich, entirely possible as well. Biggest change is the increased solidity, whether that’s new players settling in, Calderwood arriving or a bit of both. Means Gavin looking more comfortable and getting more of the protection that he should be. Now we need to boost the GD by taking more of our chances when we hit the front. It’s a lot to ask Stewart to be our Lambert of 11/12 to lead the line but it’s the difference between top 2 and play-offs. AA is having a good season but we need that focal point to hold it up when teams have a go from being behind in second halves and then get those late winners as it’s a bit reliant on Fraser at the moment. The club probably thought Che would carry on with that after a move didn’t materialise but he really has lost his mojo and needs a fresh start elsewhere. Mara has had the odd cameo but hasn’t looked any more capable at this level which is very disappointing with what he cost. I’d imagine he’ll go out on loan in January, Che out for a modest fee and another forward to compete off the bench.

As David Lidlington said ‘Colleagues who want to dictate who can and cannot protest might want to reflect on how they’d feel about a left wing government taking such actions’. Dictating to the police about who to arrest and when - that’s pretty much Argentina junta stuff and Rishi needs to kick circa 54 MPs out. Still enough of a working majority to get his programme through. That’s without the incredibly reckless and inflammatory language she uses when there’s already high tensions. Not fit for any kind of office.

Bree has added balance, and lets KWP be more on attacking thread on the other side. Bar PNE, Jan has played well so that’s a blow but interesting to see if Martin uses Holgate or puts Charles back there. I’d prefer Charles in CM for this game, perhaps give Smallbone a break today.

Starmer has issues too for balance with his front bench over Gaza but what a disgrace the Tory right wing is these days. As bad, even worse actually, than Momentum under Corbyn. If Sunak doesn’t start some mass expulsions, I don’t think they will be anywhere near power for generations. A lot of these ‘five families’ are punch drunk on Brexit and following the Bannon playbook, if the British One Nation wing doesn’t take control straight away, this country is heading to hell in a handcart and even in 12 months before they get evicted in the GE, they can do some serious damage. A majority of 10-15 MPs is enough for Sunak to operate with https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2023/nov/10/rishi-sunak-faces-tory-civil-war-holds-off-sacking-suella-braverman

Sheaf Saint has done a brilliant job in posting exactly what I was going to post and which the OBR report backed up. GM is something else thinking forecasts are an exact science although given that he seemed to think the Kings Speech was actually endorsing the thinnest legislative programme for 30 years we shouldn’t be surprised. GM - if I’m thick graduating with degrees and higher degrees from world top 100 and 200 universities, what does that make you pal? It’s a very decent local university these days in that part of the world but it wasn’t a university back in the mid-70s. University of Portsmouth gained degree awarding powers after 1992, becoming a university through act of Parliament under the Major government https://policies.docstore.port.ac.uk/policy-110.pdf So anyone graduating from 1992 onwards could call themselves a University graduate if they attended a polytechnic. Nothing wrong with Polys but not something to shout from the rooftops either. PS Enjoy the next 12 months because the way the Tories are going and if Braverman gets control in opposition, you won’t see another Tory majority government, or possibly any Tory government in the rest of your lifetime. As a Lib Dem and Remainer, seeing Brexit gradually unravelled and your hysterics are going to be entertaining.