The Kraken

I don’t care what anyone says, I think Donald Trump is a perfectly sane man.

Maybe it doesn’t kick the can down the road. Maybe it arrives at a passable solution. No idea. But I think one thing is certain, the status quo has been demolished this week and change will happen, one way or the other. Ukraine are guaranteed US funding until later this year by an order signed into effect under Biden. Beyond that, and without US backing, it’s an entirely different story. I may be well off beam, but it seems a potential course of action. Ukraine getting their demands seems the less likely of all outcomes right now. The Trump / Putin alliance will have a significant say, no matter how much we dislike it.

I maybe wouldn’t be surprised if that’s the end for Zelensky. He’s hinted at it before, he would step down in the better interest. A new Ukrainian leader to usher in a peace deal, it allows Trump to look like he negotiated a win and it lets Putin look like he’s not lost face. It’s not going to end how Ukraine wants it to, but it might end.

I definitely think the US got exactly what they wanted from it.

Quite depressing viewing all round that. Nothing to feel enthusiastic about from either side. Trump and Vance looked like absolute weaklings. Zelensky, he’s been through a lot of shit but you don’t go into the Oval Office and try to talk over your biggest financial backers like that, despite the obvious and deliberate provocation in front of a worldwide media. Genuinely sad to watch that.

This doesn’t make sense. If we manage to stumble our way to 25 points this season we’ll surely go down as Wolves already have 22 points, and they’re in 17th position. To avoid going down we’d need to score more points than Wolves finish on. Which I’m fairly confident won’t be 25 points.

Is that why Starmer made a point of repeatedly saying that any peace deal has to involve USA as its backstop?

He is not he. Is he? He isn’t, but John and Dave are two sides of the same mental coin.

I really don’t understand the furore about the Chagos being handed back. It’s been talked about for many years, negotiations started under the previous government. Biden green lighted it, Trump will likely do the same. So why all the fuss, particularly from the Tories? Genuinely don’t get it.

Do we know what religion the dog was?

One of my least favourite shirt designs that one, thought it looked really naff.

I don’t think we should be speculating at this stage

Sheffield United conceded 104 last season.

Tbf the club did the next best thing and appointed someone in a very short term contract. When we appointed Selles it was pretty much “well it’s February and we’re down, let put a cheapo in place and plan for next season”. Juric was appointed before Christmas so a bit more chance to turn some things around. Sadly he’s proving himself wildly inferior to Ruben Selles, and he certainly doesn’t have the boyish good looks or stylish roll necks to give him a +1 in the fashion department. Heavy metal football my arse. This guy is just a massive lead weight.

I don’t think I can bring myself to watch it.

Just the 3 centre backs on the bench.

Of course he is. Not even in doubt. I actually really like JWP and couldn’t give a flying fig about his Pompey connection. But that clip of him getting undone by a goalkeeper is funny, no matter how much an overly sensitive prickly moron stamps his feet about it being shown.

I watched that earlier, it’s shameful really!

I’ve read that twice and I’m not sure you even know what you’re arguing against any more, apart from the fact that you think you need to. Have another drink fella. I’m off to bed.

Down with football fans cheering one of their players onto the pitch.

Christ, you’re really going out of your way to disagree with me now! We were in the relegation zone and because a teenager got injured, that swung it! Bore off lighthouse you prat.

It happens. Plenty of people still say we should’ve never have gotten rid of Ralph. I love Ralph, he was brilliant for us, but he was done with us when he left. Some fault of his, lots due to the club (appoint Selles because they said so, limited transfer inclusion that summer etc). The fault wasn’t getting rid of Ralph in itself, it was what happened after. Same as Martin. We left it far too late to get rid of him, then replaced him with someone who was no better at all. In hindsight, just as well have done the Selles thing and appointed Rusk to the end of the season.

Two of them started on the bench today, so they were both available. The other bit, perhaps debatable.