The Fish

Fop?

He keeps mentioning the Brentford game as if it's the only one we've been really, really shit in. But it's just one of many now.

We didn't even get that sweet attacking verve you mention, because we'd let Rondon and Perez go, and replaced them with Joelinton...

I think that's what bothers me the most. Here's a manager who we're told will 'sort out the defence', 'make Newcastle tough to beat', and yet he's turned a top half defence into a fucking shambles. Easier to get through than a pack of Space Raiders. He was a top class centre half, wasn't he? How is entirely incapable of organising some fairly decent players into a fairly decent defence? It would be like if Shearer couldn't improve the strikers.

I dunno, the President of the United States managed it for 4 years.

I don't think the people who voted for Brexit had a fucking clue what they were actually voting for. They honestly believed it would be sunlit uplands, that Johnson would put those silly Europeans in their place because we hold all the cards, that the NHS would benefit from an extra £250m a month (or whatever). So when Project Fear told them this was bullshit, they didn't believe it. See the Tories are doing it for the benefit of the country with no ulterior motives, and the loony left are in the pocket of Europe.

From the sound of things, unless it was presented on child-friendly flash cards, he wouldn't take it in anyway. Ex-campaign manager (or something similar) said that he had started with 5 things in a briefing, but quickly discovered that Trump wouldn't pay attention. So he started using charts and maps and 1-2 bullet points on big cards. I he managed to brief the President of the United States on 2 things, that was a home run.

Re the last bit, there must be plenty of managers who'd take the job. Even under these conditions. Among them there must plenty who'd do a better job than Bruce. Howe might not be great at setting up a defence, but he'd get the forwards working. And with the personnel we have at the back, I don't think improving our defending is the priority.

Ovaries to Novaries.

From knickers to knockers.

Yeah, I think Comey hasn't been paying attention if he believes Trump would look at a Presidential pardon as anything other than a victory. A victory he'd need to crow about on Fox News for the nxt 4yrs. The Toddler in Chief should go to jail and if that means there are violent protests from the far-right, then those people should be prosecuted too. Saying you don't want to put criminals in jail because you're afraid is a cowardly position to take.

I wonder if that's a British thing? If you criticise someone's ability, you have to praise their personality? Happens loads at work.

For me a pundit they should be explaining the game to the layman from an expert point of view. Tell us why the striker made that run, or the defender took up that position. Explain the reason for going with a 4-3-3 against this particular opposition. Criticise poor performance, praise clever play, admonish cheating. I honestly don't think a pundit should be slating managers, that's for local journalists and the fans. But a pundit shouldn't be defending a manager either. If Bruce's Newcastle is playing badly, say so. I don't need you to call him a feckless cunt as part of the review, but don't tell me he'll make us entertaining when his entire career shows that's not true. Don't tell me the defence is terrible and critique just how bad, then absolve Bruce of responsibility. Only seems to happen for British coaches of non-elite clubs. Allardyce, Bruce, McClaren, etc. Anyone they're likely to meet playing golf, or at a charity event. They're all given a pass, like the situation they're in isn't their fault. But stick Remi Garde, De Boer or Silva in their shoes and they'll get the blame, sure as shit. Warren Barton said something on talksport earlier; the players, the manager, none of them look like they're enjoying this, even the wins. He was essentially calling for Bruce to go, without explicitly saying so. I think that's the fence they have to sit on. Everybody knows Bruce is doing a bad job and if the fans were in the stadiums the pressure would surely be so intense he'd have jacked it in already? Any other club and the owner would probably pull the trigger 20 minutes after the Sheffield result.

Sounds good.

Europe.

Fucking hell. You're a schmuck.

Plenty of people talking about the Derby game in 07/08, but this was worse. In that game we played better. It was shit, but last night was fucking abysmal. Any other club, any other owner, any other season and this fat useless fucking arsehole is gone.

That midfield is just the 20/21 version of 07/08's Geremi, Butt, Smith, Milner.

I forget, is he breadline, or rolling in it these days?

Or a mushroom. I just wondered, given he's a resident Tory shill, how he feels his crowd are dealing with Brxit and COVID?

Where is our Porcini Peckered Prosperous Pauper Pal?

I did no such thing. I'd have to find it first.

What a world we live in today...

Wilson, Gayle, Carroll and... ?

Glass of Cava, Yankee candle's lit, fingers a blur while binging a couple of series of Bridgerton. They'll have worn down their typing fingers.