Baba Yaga

6 hours ago, Red-Robbo said:

 

Not actually true that. The degree of lockdown varied and while some things were tighter in some countries, others were looser.  At any rate, our economy shrank more than many others. 

If your theory is that the UK opened faster so we got a growth spurt this year, that still doesn't explain why it's forecast to fall to zero growth next year. In a race, if you get a head start, that advantage normally carries on. We are talking about growth in a calendar year where all economies are likely to be open and all will be effected by the after-effects of 2020/21 and the Ukraine crisis. 

In this case clearly the advantage isn't going to carry on in the growth numbers as other countries go back to being closer to 100% open they are going to have their spurts too. These are the figures I have found for 2019-21, clearly our 2021 numbers were misleadingly positive because we opened back up quicker, the European countries France, Germany and Italy are still doing worse than us over the course of 2022 apparently and then in 2023 things will reverse as they reopened a lot more in the first half of 2022.

If you can prove over a long period that the european economies are outperforming ours I would be happy to see the info but posting 2023 growth numbers by itself is not very useful analysis.

https://www.icaew.com/insights/viewpoints-on-the-news/2022/Apr-2022/Chart-of-the-week-G7-economic-growth

I think that over time local people would be more comfortable missing games and some would lose some attachment to their clubs eventually effecting revenue, but obviously there will be others (like those who live long distances) who will feel greater attachment to the club having an opportunity to pay to stream games. Matchday income on stuff like food would go down, not sure if that would make a big difference or not. I don't have particularly strong feelings on the blackout either way but if lifted I think over the long term that revenue would be more likely to go down than up.

Just now, Red-Robbo said:

 

I take it you've never studied economics?  Having better-than-average growth in 2021 would not of consequence lead to us have much worse-than-average growth in 2023 - and of course the better-than-average year came after our economy fell more than average in 2020. If you fall in a 20ft hole and climb 6 feet up the wall, you're still in a worse position that someone who falls in a 10ft hole and climbs 5 feet. 

 

As many european economies only gradually reopened throughout the early months in 2022 where as the UK was open much quicker it stands to reason that their growth figures would be better than the UK's in 2023 because of that. The time frame chosen is obviously going to make the UK look worse, if you can back up your point over a different time frame then I would give it more value.

According to RAC these were the fuel prices a couple of weeks ago and UK is not the worst so you are again being selective with the data you are revealing/not revealing...  https://www.rac.co.uk/drive/travel/advice/european-fuel-prices-petrol-and-diesel-prices-in-europe/

19 minutes ago, Red-Robbo said:

 

As I have pointed out, crude oil was more expensive in 2008. The reason for record pump prices is NOT primarily the Ukrainian invasion.

I don't think anyone is surprised that the cost of defeating Covid (with a mere 175,000 excess deaths) is an economic squeeze.  However, having a government that allows profiteering contributes considerably towards this squeeze. I refer you to the G20 predicted growth graph  I posted in the politics section. 

I agree there are other big reasons like OPEC countries currently limiting supply but this is still partly a consequence of military action/sanctions which are supported wholeheartedly by those having a whinge here, and the government really should keep revenues high because of all the previous borrowing they have done. I don't like paying these prices either but would still argue that the UK's current financial situation is a greater factor to this than any profiteering, the cost of living crisis is clearly going to get worse and I think people moaning about expensive diesel today are going to look very soft as this situation escalates.

I have just looked at the graph and have read the headlines the other day, however the missing information I think is that we locked down less than a lot of the other countries and that was one of the reasons that we had a better growth in 2021 than most in the G20 and this correction was due as other countries opened up later. I think it's quite misleading just giving out that data by itself although I am happy to be corrected if we are performing much worse overall over a longer time frame.

12 minutes ago, Red-Robbo said:

 

That is a minuscule part of the government budget, although one that must break your heart as it's stopping Putin takeover a country that do not want him.

The £1.3bn in military aid has been given. By comparison, the government was scammed out of £11.8bn in business support loans during Covid - because it was too stupid and lazy to write watertight rules and proper oversight into the process - and this money has just been written off. 

Point I am making is the first to support weapons being sent and things like sanctions on oil (and label anyone who questions them as a putin supporter) are also the first to complain when they have to pay for increased fuel if this thread is anything to go by.

I believe the 11.8bn that you only choose to mention was pretty miniscule compared to the £400bn+ that was borrowed in total for covid, if you continuously ask for more money printing then don't be surprised when you get squeezed down the road.

Higher tax revenue helps us to replace all the weapons that we are currently giving away. 

First thoughts are 

No team can have nice kits every season but hopefully they will make a good away kit this season.

Wales weren't pretty today but from what I seen they got the first goal and defended well throughout, have never been a big fan of their goalkeeper Hennessey but he made some important saves today. Ukraine played better and were a little unlucky but Wales is not an easy place to go to and get a result at the moment.

For me from an England point of view a game against Wales at the world Cup is a much more exciting occasion than a game against Ukraine. Whilst England should qualify fairly easily on paper I think being overconfident might be a real problem as will be playing 3 teams who will look to soak things up and frustrate, getting 2010 vibes from the world cup group but hopefully England stay professional and get the pts needed to finish 1st this time around.

8 minutes ago, Taz said:

How can it be an away shirt, they play in black and WHITE!! 

If that's legit, it has to be a training top surely? Also no sponsor so would point to this.

The reason for these colours is because of the Saudi Arabia connection (sorry should have been clearer, I copied the pic from bbc website so its being reported there as genuine at least), point is when the new owners do things like this it becomes even more blatant how they have sold their soul for money. Not quite as bad as Vincent Tan changing the Cardiff home shirt colours and sticking malaysia as the sponsor but we are talking on that scale which isn't good, be interesting who the sponsor turns out to be and whether the saudi connection will be on that too.

 Sounds like this is going to cause a storm.

2 hours ago, East Londoner said:

Do wonder if there’s potential to change the play off format to avoid the scenes seen at forest and port vale and have a one off semi at a neutral ground.

It’s no coincidence that both penalty shootouts so far have been won by the home side who had a passive advantage (yes i know they earned that over the season)

This sounded a bit off to me so I had a little look into the past records and play off semi's that go to pens are basically 50/50 whether or not the home team wins. Vale were 1st and 2nd to miss last night and were given a lifeline by the dreadful technique of the next Swindon player who stepped up. Might be interesting to hear what players would have to say about that but it seems to me that it's fairly random.

Have watched 4 shootouts in the past week and this was the first time the team I was rooting for won. Unlucky Swindon who play nice football and should be a good shout for automatic next season, as already mentioned horrible pen from McKirdy. I'm no Port Vale expert but I guess a bumper crowd at a club like that you could have confidently called that things like that would have happened with the Swindon players, shame that a minority are ruining pitch invasions I'm sick of hearing the media hype about this already.

5 minutes ago, TonyTonyTony said:

Saw a fair few "out of the closet" tesco baggers around in the sun yesterday. Obviously been in hibernation for a few decades. 

Once the hangovers have gone, the harsh reality of Lg 1 will kick in. As someone else said - the Mem is no where near sustainable for a Lg 1 team. They will be back into Lg 2 again in the foreseeable. All the weekend has done is give them a bit of hope, and that makes the inevitable disaster around the corner even funnier.

Harsh reality of league 1? All the promoted clubs from league 2 stayed up last season and almost half the clubs there will have smaller budgets than what the gas will have.

For all the corners and the possession I would say that apart from the block by Jacobsen it was pretty comfortable for Wycombe 2nd half. Expect them to lose the final now but would like to see them win. Unlucky MK who got a very high pts total in the season but a club who have a terrible play off record.

Was expecting the Wycombe goal to be more bombarded 2nd half then it has been. Seeing it out well so far although MK probably trying to mix it up bringing on a big man.

Watching MK v Wycombe at the moment, if I had to choose I want Wycombe to go up because thought it was a bit harsh being in the champ last time with no crowds. Missed the first leg but could get tense tonight if MK score and get within 1 goal.

In the championship I will go for Luton to go up and for league 2 Mansfield.

Had to keep restarting my stream but watched most of that and canelo he clearly lost, fair play for taking on a bigger opponent but it was too much of a bridge to overcome.

I have been to Turf Moor and Goodison but for some reason never to Elland Road. Like Leeds as a city and wouldn't mind going back to watch football although City seem to always do crap there.

16 minutes ago, 2015 said:

I just find it weird a City fan would travel all the way to Barrow to film that. Each to their own but we're above doing that 

Not really sure what the appeal is for people going to games to film the entire thing but must admit I quite like watching taking in the atmosphere of random games especially the lower divisions.

15 minutes ago, 2015 said:

Embarassing for that guy. What a helmet.

**** the Gas

I know what you mean filming himself being positive about the Gas but interesting to watch how it went down in the stadium. And definitely he gave it a clickbait title by saying Northampton bottled it when they won by 2 goals. Must have been an atrocious day out for the Northampton fans (even more so when they found out Scunthorpe rolled over) and I'm kind of expecting them to flop in the play offs now.

Don't know who this guy is but seems to have a good number of subscribers, a city supporter who travelled up to Barrow for the game...

Joey always said they would go up, there's a lesson in there about believing your own bullshit pays off once in a while 

Bloody hell if they pull this off then I have to say that it's some way to get promoted.

Swindon v Gas in the play offs would be a tasty play off semi, from what I've seen Swindon play some really nice stuff going forward in that league, can be pretty terrible in defence at times but when they click think they win against rovers.

Wasn't really expecting much from today but sounded pretty stale on the radio, solid enough season I would say considering how last season ended. Big transfer window coming now to push on, will take some skill to improve the team whilst losing 1 or 2 of the best players. Being realistic a small improvement might be good going again next year.