king canary

It isn't about being a single issue party though. It is about trying to boost an issue that most voters say is 3rd or 4th in their list of priorities to 1st. It won't work. It's especially doomed to failure when you notice that the Tories have been in charge for a long time and so any failures in this area reflect badly on them. Parties have a habit of retreating to their comfort zone issues when things are tough. With the Tories that used to be the economy but Truss destroyed their advantage there. So they focus on immigration. For labour, their comfort zone is the NHS and in the past they've tried to do the same thing by trying to make elections about that but you can't just talk past voters.

This is it basically. For younger people what reason is there to vote Tory? The constant mood music from the Tory party is that young people are all either too woke or too lazy to be cared about- largely sources of ridicule rather than voters with their own issues.

On my way to my traditional one away trip a season, new stadium for me this time.

Yes I remember some suggesting that Farke would be good as an international manager which feels mad to me- he's a guy that needs lots of time to get his players playing a particular style.

I've got tickets for the National at Crystal Palace in July, always excellent live. Last gig I went to was Stornaway in Cambridge, lovely experience, very much a mature crowd though.

It can both be true that our immigration rules need some reform and that it isn't a large enough concern for most that you can fight an entire election campaign on it.

I think there were some recent polls that suggested this may actually make things worse- there is no standout candidate, anyone with a long term ambition to lead the party wouldn't want it because of having the stink of an election hammering attached to them.

Is there anything that sums up the unserious nature of the modern Tory party than this story? https://www.independent.co.uk/tv/news/tory-mp-fish-chip-shop-campaign-uxbridge-b2519577.html An MP campaigning for his town to get a...chip shop? As if that is a government decision? Who is he going to deliver his petition to? Of course it turns out that by signing his petition you're also signing up to receive messages from him and the Tory party making this a data gathering exercise disguised as local campaigning. And the cherry on top...this MP was on the council and voted against an application to open a fish and chip shop in the town a few years ago.

Yeah to clarify I didn't have a problem with him picking Henderson and Maguire in the 22 WC- but I was hoping this cycle between tournaments was the one where he'd start to move away from them and that has been a very slow process- Henderson coming back to actual competitive level football helps his case too. Also re Ken, he's the mentalist behind this post so he's clearly completely blinded by Southgate hate. Imagine not wanting England to win a major tournament because it means a manager you don't rate gets credit.

There is a fair bit I think he can improve on- his unwillingness to move on from players like Henderson and Maguire has been a real frustration, along with his unwillingness to use Ward-Prowse and Tomori. I'd also say he is sometimes oddly conservative in giving new players chances in friendlies or qualifiers against much lower ranked teams. But also I do sense some people think he should be able to fit Saka, Bellingham, Grealish, Maddison, Foden, Rashford and Kane all into the starting XI and unless he's giving every single attacking player a start he's too conservative. These friendlies have been useful in that we've shown we can dominate possession against a good side like Belgium and play on the front foot. It has also exposed the fact we very much need to be playing with two defensive midfielders rather than trying to shoehorn another attack minded player next to Rice.

One of the favourite refrains of people who think Southgate is dreadful is 'anyone could do what he's done with this squad' which requires ignoring that nobody else has managed to do it with any England squad. This squad particularly is very imbalanced- loads of excellent attacking midfielders, one fantastic central midfielder some good right backs, not much in central defence, in goal or at left back. So the idea it should be easy for this squad to make it to the later rounds doesn't add up to me.

OK lets make it tougher- loanees only... 1- 2- 3- 4- 5-

We have all five! Otsemabor Butterworth Mulumbu Ward Emblen

I do get people might not be a fan of changing the flag but I'm confused about what specifically about this change qualifies as 'woke.' It basically seems like certain colours have been designated by certain people as 'woke' (purple, pink, anything a bit bright) because they are on the pride flag?

Yeah exactly. I get Southgate isn't sexy and is far from perfect but you've got people claiming he's our worst ever manager which is just mental. I even remember someone on here saying they wouldn't celebrate England winning a tournament with Southgate at the helm which is a whole other level of hatred for a largely inoffensive manager. I think there is this idea that in international football it is automatic that if you have 11 great players it is easy but we've seen golden generations from lots of different countries struggle to win tournaments. I think Southgate is out if we don't at least make the semi finals this year but his record has been excellent by any metric.

Out of interest why is the change to the flag 'woke?' Is it because it has some purple in it?

Name the players from their career... 1- 2- 3- 4- 5-

I genuinely was a bit concerned that, based on how our owners have talked about him before, they'd chuck in a line about the great work he's done here or knowing he's not the type of person so I'm glad we didn't.

Simple, to the point, does the job. I'm sure it won't be enough for some but it should be.

I think we can all agree on the fact Brandon Williams is a prat who doesn't improve anyone.

The problem is twofold- firstly Essex is clearly so convinced of the righteousness of his cause that nobody can talk him out of it (heck the ombudsman told him he didn't have a case and he still won't drop it). Secondly there are a few on here who love poking him and winding him up hence why it never dies. Tale as old as time on here.

You listed 12 players, suggesting not only your entire first XI walks into our team but also a sub too? I think even back then it was pretty silly. My personal view of your squad is that you have an excellent coach who is making a squad perform as greater than the sum of their parts (something Lambert did for us but couldn't for you). For me Gunn, Sara and Sargent all have arguments for walking into any first XI in the division right now, Rowe too when fit, not just Ipswich's. From your team I've no doubt Morsy and Davis would be upgrades on what we have but I think the rest are much of a muchness on a player by player basis.

This sort of stuff makes me feel deeply uncomfortable. Zoe is her own person. The constant need to hold her responsible for her husbands action is at best unfair and at worst misogynistic. It would be a different case if Webber had parachuted in his wife with no relevant experience to a cushy job but she worked here before him and has an extensive career in football. The club should have been smarter about how they have structured the club and the oversight but that isn't her fault. Whether she is the right person for the job she holds is entirely unrelated to her husband's inability to keep his foot out of his mouth.

That would be relevant if Webber was drawing a generalised point about poverty and crime. I don't think anybody would be quibbling if he'd said 'some of these kids I've worked with may have ended up in jail without football.' However...he specifically named 5 players, all of whom are black. So the statistical links between poverty and crime aren't what he's talking about - he's talking about specific people all of whom have one specific trait in common.