Yeah the Swiss national team is very underrated. After I told one of my mates that I’m surprised we made it past them given our form in this tournament, he said “it’s only Switzerland”. Me and our other mates pointed out they’ve been playing really well and are a good side.

I think I’d prefer to take on the Netherlands than Turkey. Losing to the Netherlands is less embarrassing (not to say Turkey should be embarrassing since they are an excellent team too, but you know how people banter and have their stereotypes). And on the slim chance that we beat the Netherlands, it will really bolster the whole team’s confidence.

Well I don’t know how we (England) have got this far (even on the easy path we’ve struggled). But I’ll take it! Hopefully we don’t get hammered in the semi-final.

Also, Saka and Rice for that equalizer. Love the Arsenal connection! 😎

La Vessel Strangiato!

His name has some great chant potential.

Yeah I’m not posting it either.

I’m sure she has her reasons, but it’s still really sad to see her tarnish her own legacy with us. Going to City seems like a pretty big “fuck you” to our club, and to a much lesser desired to us fans.

Your assumption is correct. This will not be an easy or a smooth path. And it will happen in a few months. They’ve been talking about needing 10+ years to deliver their goals. But they need to show enough progress in about 4 or 5.

This was an interesting election.

• Labour won in a landslide, but voter turnout was low (lots if thoroughly disillusioned people).
• A lot of the new seats they won were by narrow margins, indicating that while they have a mandate, it’s not as emphatic as the MO count might suggest.
• Regardless of their policies/objectives, Reform made good gains for a new party. Not many MOs to sit for it, but they will feel invigorated by how many races in which they outpaced the Tories.
• The Liberal Democrats has a fantastic night, increasing their MP count by something like x7.
• The Scottish independence cause took a hit with the collapse of the SNP.
• This election was a spectacular culmination of missteps (both individual and organizational) for the Tories. And this might have been a mortal wound for a nearly 200 party that will massively change British politics. Such a collapse hasn’t been witnessed for centuries. If they survive it might be as a nationalistic husk within which the Reform party takes up residence. Though nothing is certain for the Tories at this point. They might come back from the brink of death; they might shuffle back to the centre; they might become a third party for the next couple of decades; etc. Labour had to do a huge rebuild over the last 5 years and managed it. But their situation is very different from the Tories, so that analogy isn’t the best.

Yes Sunak failed dismally as a leader. Though there are other factors at play as well. He inherited a poisoned chalice, due to the several factors, some of which were:

• The Tories had been in power for too many years, and were at the end of the natural cycle of power that occurred in the parliamentary system.
• The decisions of some of his incompetent predecessors that hung over him (especially those of Liz Truss).
• The rise of nationalism/extreme right wing politics, and UKIP/the Reform party eating into the Tory voter base (which has been happening for many years but has escalated in recent years).

He did, however, manage to expedite his own political demise with his clueless detachment from what regular citizens are dealing with and the aftermath of Brexit (which his party was mostly responsible for).

Great point.

Yeah great point. I was thinking about that after I posted my comment. Zinchenko does seem more likely to leave between him and Kiwior.

I agree in general, but we’re well into the silly money era now. Plus, he’s only 22 but has just come off an excellent Euros showing an impressive season in Serie A. Young, skillful, ball-playing defenders are very in demand right now (just look at how many envious eyes are on Saliba these days).

I thought this Calafiori rumour was total bollocks up until a day or two ago, but it seems pretty legit now. I’m assuming Arteta will use him more as a left back, given our problems there last season.

I didn’t know why we were looking for a new LB with Kiwior and Tomiyasu both able to fill that role. But then someone pointed out that Kiwior has looked dodgy in one v ones, and Tomi is a right footer. Not to mention Zinchenko’s injury problems and defensive frailties.

Assuming Calafiori arrives, I would be surprised if we don’t part ways with Kiwior. That would be a shame as I rate him, but he’s wanted by multiple Serie A clubs.

If the Calafiori deal does go through you can bet that Jorginho played a massive role in convincing him to join us.

Right? Because it worked out so well last time.

Not to mention her ‘hide the pain Harold’ eyes.

There’s a lot of talk right now about us wanting a left-sided central defender (as back-up for Big Gabi I presume). And I’m not sure why. Isn’t that why we brought Kiwior in? I know he’s been playing mostly at left back for us, but before he was prominently a left-sided centreback.

I don’t think that strategy for testing is purely a Chinese thing. When my kids were little and before they could read, they did eye tests with those same characters. And I’m in America.

England doesn’t really deserve Saka. He’s such a quality player and a good lad. He’s humble and selfless, and even at 22 he’s an impeccable role-model for other players. All after he got so much unwarranted shit from racist arseholes four years ago too.

Sad thing is you’re spot on for at least a significant minority of the electorate.

The instance name is perfect for this community, haha.

So those four dragon eggs that Rhaenyra sends to Essos in this episode… Are three of them gifted to Danerys several decades later? Did we just see how Drogon, Viserion, and Rhaegal ended up so far away from Dragonstone?

Did… they make Aegon’s posse from the previous episodes the new KG ?

‘They’ being Aegon? Yes, yes he did. Because he (and his pals) are all dimwits.

-Wait… is the show implying that the curse of Harrenhall could be tied to the weirwoods ?

I was wondering that too. Also, I found it curious that the entire area around the weirwood tree was burned so badly that the stone melted (during the destruction of the castle years earlier), yet the tree itself was fine. My question: does that indicate that weirwood is impervious to dragon fire?

The “oopsie poopsie” reveal at the end of the episode made me laugh. I didn’t think they would revisit Alicent’s misinterpretation of what delirious Viserys said on his deathbed, but I’m glad they did.

This is why it’s important to pay attention to the deep lore, Queen Dowager!