Welcome To The Jungle

Did Inter in December 2016 so more or less the same. Holidays are not that popular to Milan in early December before the Christmas rush, so I waited until the fixtures were confirmed before booking anything, as it wasn't too expensive.

I made the mistake of going in the ultras section. Most Italian fans are a bit right wing and it was uncomfortable, so I'd sit at the side of the pitch.

Milan is cold in December, and when I was there, there was a lot of fog, which made it feel much colder, so wrap up warm.

The San Siro is iconic and hauntingly beautiful, and is one of my favourite places to watch football. Really recommend it.

Security is a bit more rigorous and don't forget your passport or they will not let you in.

One for me this year is a visit to Goodison Park. It's an iconic British football ground that I believe has hosted more top flight English football than any other ground. Might be its last ever season. So if you're stuck, it may be an option

42 minutes ago, RoystonFoote'snephew said:

The TDF Yellow Jersey may be the greatest prize in cycling but watching it I can't help feeling that they sell more KOM Polka dot merchandise than GC Yellow. More of a, fashion statement perhaps? 

I'd never buy either, but if you offered me one for free, I'd take the Polka

I think the openers will stay as they are. I have concerns about Crawley, but I don't think there is anyone else, and he did well in the last test.

Root is locked in at 4

Brook locked in at 5

Stokes locked in at 6

Foakes must come in and should bat at 7

Woakes to bat at 8

I've no idea who should bat at 3. Bairstow or Ali? 

As for the bowlers. Does Broad need a rest? Can Wood complete two consecutive tests, and is Stokes fit enough to cover his lack of overs? Can Anderson find form at his home ground? Do we need a spinner and select Ahmed?

Proper headache

'About' is my starting word which it was last week. 

On 03/07/2023 at 19:10, Harry said:

Superb. 
I did the Tourmalet in 2012 (was the final climb of the tour and Wiggins just needed to get over it and be safe for the win). 
We stayed in Luz-Saint-Saveur too. 
However, after a few beers in the bar near the top I don’t remember the road back as we detoured across the fields most of the way back down!!! Got a bit hairy when the light started to fade mind! 

I too rode a bike up Tourmalet. Found it quite easy tbh. Just roll the throttle and let the engine do the work

My outstanding memory was of two lads who must have been in their 70s cycling up. They made it as we had lunch at the top and we saw them summit. Fair play to anyone who goes up mountains on bikes

For me you have to ask what certain 'outs' are for.

A run out is there to punish poor running decisions or communication.

A stumping is there to punish aggressive batting with poor technique, where a batter charges down the wicket and misses. It is also there to punish poor balance, where a batter may fall or lift their back foot in playing a shot.

This wicket falls into neither of these camps. 

Love Brook bowling. Never let them settle

Hey Marnus, what was your score today?...

Went over for the WC 18 qualifier. Game was crap but it was a great trip.

4 minutes ago, Maltshoveller said:

That is the difference between Root and the rest

When he is playing a test match he bats like a test batsman

How many of the England players got out playing a One day/ T20  shot?

But, with the exception of Root, trying to bat like a test batter has resulted in consistent failure over the last few years. Let them play their expansive stuff.

Declaration. I love this game. Test is best

Todays the day. Somerset la la la

Ben Foster talks about how micro managed footballers often are. During the season, every session is planned, travel is planned, games are planned and you are told where to be and when, every working day for your career. That's institutionalising, and many players could really struggle over the summer and would welcome an early return. 

1 minute ago, robinforlife2 said:

Debt comes from a Car Loan, on a car I had a serious crash in, it was under finance, but was only insured 3rd party and it was written off. I couldn't afford the fully comprehensive insurance as it was another 1800 a year from 3rd party. As a result of the crash, I was out of work, and without a car, but with a massive car loan, I had to pay. Not all debt is black and white. 

Not all addictions are black and white. 

11 minutes ago, robinforlife2 said:

It's not just about adverts, the government now impose restrictions on people to bet, want crazy intrusive checks done. This is all down to a state where everyone believes blame is not their own doing. Granted people need help. So OK, how about every alcoholic, has their bank account linked to something which means every time they go to a shop, it flashes up this person can't be served alcohol or when someone is waiting for a operation due to needing weight loss, it flags up on every takeaway if they try to buy something and therefore they can't buy a take away. There doesn't need to be practices put in place to make it more difficult more people to choose what to do with their money, if you choose to drink fine, if you choose to eat crap fine, if you choose to blow your wages on a game of chance, fine. When I earn money, I don't want governments telling me what I can spend it on, or what I can afford. If I have £500 in my bank, and choose to put it on Man City at 1/10, that is my choice, it should not be a choice of a government. 

If you make it solely accountable on the person, then there is no comeback. Now granted if someone has an addiction and SEEKS help, the help should be given, but if it is given it should come with provisos that everything done is monitored and limited, after all, they have asked for this help.

But slowly, bit by bit, all the choices we make, and should be able to make are being limited to "appease" a blame culture.

I have mental health problems and depression, I've tried to kill myself 4 times. But I have things I enjoy, because those things prevent me from making it 5th time lucky! However the way our culture is going, the little things I enjoy and make me want to live are slowly but surely being removed, to which then life becomes no enjoyment.

Imagine being told, right you can only gamble £100 a month, because you earn £2000 a month and have £1400 a month of outgoings and we deem that's appropriate, but by the same token, I could spend £50 every day on Just Eat, I could drink £100 in a pub every night if I like, I can pay £130 a month on Sky, to watch the things I enjoy, I can pay £800 a year to watch a sport live, because it's what I enjoy. What happens if suddenly people go, oh I'm depressed because going to the football every week has left me penniless, because I want to go to every game, I want to go to the pub and buy fast food there, but now because of the football, I can't pay my bills, I can't live my life. To this the Government go, OMG we have to put affordability checks on whether people can afford a season ticket, go to games etc.

This may sound far fetched, and to that extent it is, but no one should be able to tell people what to do with their money. If those who suffer from addiction can't control what they do, the help should be given, but not at the expense of those who don't have a problem, but it's a way of their life, their enjoyment.

From what I can tell, the only check they need for you to gamble is ID to prove age. Can you elaborate on the unreasonable checks?

I sympathise with your mental health issues, and I'm glad you can find release in things you enjoy. I'm sorry that these are being and have been limited. Could you elaborate on the limitations imposed in the last 20 years for context? 

11 minutes ago, robinforlife2 said:

Where do you draw the line. Everything has gone way too OTT.

Tobacco adverts banned, now people want gambling adverts banned.

What's next, Drinks brands because it entices people to drink too much. Soft drinks banned because of the sugar levels, Take aways banned because it encourages junk food eating, supermarkets because it encourages people to eat too much food, pension funds and investment funds, because many turn out to be bogus and fold and people lose money!

People make their own decisions in life, and at the same time, we should  not be told how and what to spend our money on by Governments and people who want to cry foul play when things go wrong! You see no one is forced to eat junk food, intake too much sugar, invest our money badly, drink too much alcohol, or gamble more than we can afford. These are choices we make! It's funny how none of these people who cry about gambling issues they created minded it when and if they were winning. Yet when they've lost everything, they look for someone else to blame bar themselves. The same as the alcoholic who drinks all the time, its their choice, I mean it's sad when they can't get help for a 2nd or a 3rd liver, but they've made this choice.

It's sad that our own bad choices, are never considered people's own responsibilities and that those who can happily enjoy all the above are made to suffer because we are turning into a nation, that whenever there is a problem, it can't possibly be their own fault and they need someone else to blame.  

The question I'd ask you if why you need these adverts? No one is proposing bans on gambling, or fast food or drinks etc, just making it less prevalent. All of these things are hugely addictive and very hard to stop. You are clearly an advocate of personal responsibility though, so if I was an alcoholic, and decided today to kick the booze, I imagine you'd support that. After all it would make me a more productive member of society, and lessen my chances of serious health consequences. Both of which would at least and indirect benefit to you as a tax payer. Why would you want to make my journey harder by having adverts everywhere, tempting me back? 

If you like to drink, and you drink responsibly, you will still drink if you've been advertised to or not. Same if you like to gamble, or have fast food. However, if you are an addict, these adverts can easily overwhelm you back into a spiral.

Should be every club. Community assets, run by the community, for the community. Hope they continue to do well. 

So just like CAZ, I'm broadly in favour of this in principle. We are all far to reliant on our cars and everyone needs to find other means. 

However there needs to be alternatives to driving. Public transportation is awful. Lots of supermarket balckspots where you can't walk to one. House/rent prices forcing people to commuter towns etc.

Fix the above first, then punish car driving.

On 28/04/2023 at 21:07, elhombrecito said:

You've supported more teams than Joey Barton has had court cases.

Stay away from the Jets. Some of us have endured 20+ years of abject misery. I'd like to enjoy any success without having to put up with you Jonny come lately bandwagon jumpers 

9 hours ago, Dynamite Red said:

Share your pain.Try supporting the Detroit Lions, though both teams seem to be on the up.

I take your years of misery, equal them, and add Watson at QB to the mix. Found supporting the Browns really hard last year and will struggle till #4 is gone. 

I'm a huge advocate for dramatically reducing ticket prices in football, and I'm interested by how this pans out. Probably not viable at City as we don't have 20,000 empty seats each week, but this is one to keep an eye on.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/65417291

2 minutes ago, Leveller said:

For all that, it was obviously accidental, not an attempt to cheat. Simply missed the header, and his arm was in a normal position for someone jumping.

I agree that the spirit of the original handball rule would see that not given, and if I could set the rules, it wouldn't be as it was accidental. However, given the recent directives around handball, and the precedent set by other incidents, it should be given. 

3 hours ago, spudski said:

I'm surprised so many are saying the San Siro. I've found it really boring and I've been a few times. Middle of no where as well. 

Only went once. It was dark and so misty you couldn't see the Genoa fans at the other end. I was in with Inter's Ultras, which included a first half silent protest, then the second half was crazy to compensate. And Inter won which helps. It was all round a very intense and intimidating evening in an iconic stadium.

3 hours ago, RedHienz said:

Care to elaborate?

I thought the work carried out,build and additions with have been done well. Enhanced the experience and made for a more comfortable time, not to mention better choice for substance.

3 hours ago, SecretSam said:

Can you elucidate? I think it's been well done. Admittedly, I'm an occasional visitor, but it's a world better than the old AG. No doubt AV would have been better still, but there's nothing we can do about that.

3 hours ago, Robbored said:

My view on the redevelopment of AG is polar opposite to yours. I think the revamped AG is pretty damn good especially if you remember just how tatty the Williams and Wedlock’s had become.

Like many I’d have loved a new stadium at Ashton Vale but the fall back position when planning was denied has turned out  pretty well.

No point crying over spilled milk…………

2 hours ago, Sandhurst Red said:

Interesting perspective, I respect your opinion but feel we have to look back at pictures from 15 years ago and remind ourselves how much has changed. And for the better.

I frequently bring friends with me who support other clubs - from across the football league spectrum, and ALL of them comment how much they like our ground and set-up.

So when I saw the initial pictures at a meeting under the Dolman stand back in 2013(?) I was pleasantly surprised, and thought it looked good and made the most of the limitations of the site and current stadium. 

However, for me football is about standing with your mates, vocally supporting the team and having a laugh. The initial plans for safe standing in the SS and the entire front of the Dolman looked really good. Although it wasn't allowed during the initial build, I hoped the club would eventually see that through. 

Instead the more vocal support was moved from the old EE, to the Williams, to one side of the Atyeo, to the other side of the Atyeo, and then to a corner out the way. One of the many reasons why I stopped going was I was sick of being moved around the ground like a new born at a family get together.

We then had the farce of having to have stewards separating our own fans from each other as the horseshoe concourse, which makes sense in principle, doesn't keep fans from accessing seats they should not be sat/stood in.  

AG is good for what it is though, and if you just want to come and watch a football game, it's probably above average in terms of the view and facilities. However a purpose built, properly thought out stadium, would have been better imo.

San Siro on a misty, winters night is incredible. St Etienne had a great atmosphere, but unsure about their attendances in L2 at the moment. Fenerbache and Galatasary are enlightening, I preferred the former.  Nou camp you'd be miles from the pitch but get a great view and it is iconic. Bernabeau is overated