MarcusX

Great pass from Mehmeti there, Conway probably could have placed it better? Great follow up save though from Twine’s shot into the ground. Not a bad start, decent game so far

Are you a Bristol Sport employee or related to the owners?

Obligatory, it’s sold out but there’s hundreds of empty seats post… Plenty in the south stand mate just wonder round!

Sounds like a milestone that might trigger a clause

When I first saw the lineup I assumed it might be Pring playing left wing in our normal shape - Twine at the top of the midfield. I guess we’ll see how they lineup in a minute!

Your either being thick or deliberately misleading. I can't decide which but I'm sure most reasonable people see straight through it and I won't be entertaining you further on this. Very obvious to most I was laughing at you and your posts on this subject - not the flag itself (or background to it that wasn't even posted).

For England maybe, but he went into every tournament thereafter with an injury

Sorry, this is probably boring to everyone else but I wont have you or three lions re-write history and twist this into something it isn't. At no point have I laughed at the specific flag or it's background or efforts towards it. It's totally dishonest of both of you to suggest I have, as others have also supported. I'm laughing at the irony of you posting that "defacing a flag is a hate crime" - then 3 posts later posting a photo of, by definition, a defaced flag. The evidence is clear in your history below. No further replies before I responded laughing at the irony of your two posts. I don't know what your ramble at the start of today's post is, but no I cannot see anywhere that you've said those things in this thread. So once again, no disrespect intended to anyone involved in producing that flag, clearly being deceitful to suggest otherwise. Thankfully several people had already seen through it and replied before I could.

Disagree, Pickfords been more than good enough for England. Yes, stupid mistake tonight, but he’s pretty solid and he’s definitely kept us in / won us some games. That save against Colombia springs to mind immediately. This has to be a joke? They’ve got Gabriel, Martinelli and Saka as doubts right now plus history of injuries worse than ours a few seasons back (didn’t their guy leave and come to us or something?) I like him too but thought the same. I guess they probably don’t count things he should have saved as that’s more subjective than kicking the ball straight to the other team. Anyway, better performance tonight and over the 2 games Dunk cost us 2 goals and he won’t be anywhere near the Euros hopefully. For those saying Southgate is tactically inept and can’t make subs, hope they watched tonight. Changed the way Foden and Bellingham played and it was much better and we created several chances we should really have scored. Then 2 subs linked up to assist the equaliser. Not perfect but far from panic stations. Agree friendlies feel a bit pointless but what’s the alternative? We just go into the euros having not played since October?

I didn't say they did?

I think I struggled to get across what I meant, I typed quite a bit out then felt like I was rambling and deleted it What I'm trying to say is that some of the players at Euro 21 and Qatar 22 have aged now, but the next round of players aren't quite at the level and we're struggling for depth. From the last 2 - Maguire and Rashford struggling for form, Shaw probably out through injury, Sterling and Henderson past it but will all likely be in the squad (even a half fit shaw, maybe not Sterling) because there's no one obviously better to take their places. Bellingham is unbelievable. I'm trying not to get carried away with him but as you say he's got that something special about him and I think it's even more exciting because of the nature of his position. Fans love to see players pick the ball up and run past players with it. His performance in the Italy game in October was something I haven't seen for years, he took that game by the scruff of the neck and pulled us through in that second half. There's reasons to be hopeful - Jude, Rice, Stones, Foden seem to be getting even better, Walker one of the best RB in the world and Kane still scoring for fun, but I think out of 21,22 and 24 this will be our weakest squad of the three in terms of quality in depth.

Didn't think you dealt in speculation? I don't think that was a "rumour" as in he knows something, his comment came across as 8 games to save his reputation with the fanbase. Ian's been very outspoken against anyone suggesting Manning is going anywhere.

Pretty fair assessment, I've enjoyed Southgates time in so much that he brought back some pride to the national team and unity in the camp. I wouldn't be upset to see someone new come in now and try a different approach. As you say, perhaps someone with experience of tournament football and getting results. I think we've got a very talented side, but it might sound weird to say I think we've peaked a little. 2021/22 seemed to be a good blend of experience and fresh talent and players in form. We've got problems in depth in multiple areas now and the second/third choice in several positions is significantly weaker - both full backs, CB, CM and the lone striker role. International management must be a tough gig though. Gareth has 4 games (3 now) to prepare, with these 2 being at a time in the season when several players naturally drop out - does he experiment, or try and work on team cohesion with his current best 11? I think we saw neither on Saturday as his best 11 wasn't avaible, but he didn't really seem to try anything different.

Well firstly, I'll say no disrespect towards the origins of the flag was intended, although I think you're bwrong to suggest anyone was laughing at the source of the flag. But quite obviously as Rich says: It was Cowshed posting one minute that "defacing flags is illegal" then posting his delight at a customised England flag 2 posts later that was amusing. The complete hypocrisy of "you cant touch our flags unless it's something I approve of on the flag" Read what again? Cowshed didn't say any of that? 3 posts: 1. "Defacing flags is illegal" 2. "Yes defacing a flag can be a hate crime." 3. Post saying "lovely" with a picture of a flag that has writing on it, which some may describe as defaced. No post about culture or tradition there at the point I responded. For what it's worth, I love seeing all the England flags especially at games and tournaments and I'll have mine in Germany in the summer. I just think people are taking a slight change to one aspect of our flag applied on a shirt way too far - even though I agree it looks a bit shit, would be better without a cross at all on the collar IMO. As for culture warrior, you're looking at the wrong people there... Other countries have, including your example of Scotland. They've had a purple flag, a yellow cross and other manipulations of their flag on their shirts.

No it isn’t. Nike wanted more colours on the kit and it was vetoed - clearly because some idiots can’t see a “rainbow effect” without linking it to something it isn’t. What you’ve done is said rainbow must mean pride and that’s why they’ve done it. Your statement is an opinion. Such a weird comparison

Yes, obviously as I’ve explain above in the comment you replied to. The word “pride” isn’t mentioned once in that article, what I assume you’ve done is read the word rainbow and made a connection. For the benefit of those who can’t view behind the paywall this is the quote: “It seems astonishing that the FA would not examine the shirt closely enough but, amid claim and counterclaim from sources close to those in charge, there were allegations the US firm wanted to make the home kit even more multi-coloured and closer to displaying a “rainbow” effect.” It goes on to say: “Another source with knowledge of the design process for the kit confirmed an addition of another colour had been discussed but disputed that would have constituted a “rainbow” effect, stressing part of the design brief had been incorporating hues harking back to England’s 1966 World Cup triumph.”

Have you read the whole article?

Well this a topical time to bring this back up

Where have you seen this? The only thing I can find is a paywalled telegraph article, that when you read it was about making the home kit more multi-coloured (presumably like the away kit down the sides) not “using pride colours” and doesn’t mention the cross.

And yet, guess what… they have, and no one has said a word. The badge background was blue on last years Red shirt. This year on the away shirt they’ve changed the colours to purple and no one has said a thing. Anyway, saw loads of the new shirts around yesterday and both the England store and the Nike store were packed with huge queues, don’t think it’s been as unpopular as many would like to think.

I think he’s a bit passed it now, and he’s Danish. Whilst I probably agree, it’s a little harsh. He had no service all night. I don’t think the result would have been any different with Kane. You said you don’t know, then said you do understand? Lots of reasons, it’s a pleasant atmosphere to take kids (poor atmosphere for a football game though IMO) to see some of the best players in the world, to see one of the best stadiums. Then for a lot of us it’s caps, as @North London Red said I’m not having people tell me I’m lucky in the summer for going to Germany when I’ve had to sit through the likes of that - not to mention to the last 2 qualifiers and the trashing from Hungary at Molineux. I think last night highlighted that we’re starting to lack quality in depth. I want to like Gallagher, he seems a decent lad from interviews and he has ability but as someone else said chasing shadows half the game and panicky on the ball. Maguire and Stones still our best options at the back. Dunk was hopeless. Left back is a real worry too. I thought last night Brazil defended well and we couldn’t break them down and yet when they went forward we struggled. It’s not exactly panic stations, especially at this point in the season when no one wants to get injured, March games are always crap. Lastly, why is it that all over the country every weekend there are clear rules that away fans do not go in home ends, and there’s no chance you’d get away with wearing your colours and cheering goals. Why is it allowed to happen at Wembley? It’s time England went back on the road for games, the atmosphere is so much better at club grounds. Looking forward to the Bosnia game and my first trip to St James Park.

That isn’t the same situation at all. It’s more akin to the occasions we’ve colour matched our badge to the kit - eg the purple shirt a few seasons back I think Still waiting for someone to answer why “defacing” a flag (actually just change the colours in a shape of a cross similar to the flag) is so terrible - but literally every club in the land defacing flags with all sorts of shit, often even changing the colours is absolutely fine? Even @Cowshedwading in talking about defacing flags, then shared a defaced flag celebrating it I wasn’t too fussed about this originally, and tbh still don’t care about the flag on the shirt, but the fallout is fascinating and the hypocrisy truly bizarre. Some even trying to claim now that Harvey Elliot, who likes to wear his collar up when there is one, was doing so to hide the cross

I personally think they’ve ruined that walk with all the buildings now, was iconic when it first opened, now you can barely see much of the stadium. Thanks for the tag about box park, I’ve told my mates it’ll be a struggle on a free but we’ll see what happens!

Let’s be honest this is it isn’t it? This is the real reason for some people being upset - just have to see Joey Barton’s tweet (the one in which he put them side by side and actually proved it’s not the same at all). Some have jumped to a conclusion about its meaning and got up in arms, had a mate straight away trying to talk about having enough of virtue signalling The proof that it’s just an artistic play on colours is literally in the away kit where they’ve done the same thing (albeit inside the shirt) with the away colours.

I’ll preface this by saying I’ve not watched it yet, but there’s been lots of debate about us being “boring” lately - and that stemming back years. I don’t get it, to be honest. Only a handful of clubs every season can have success, and a few fight relegation. Having experienced relegation several times I can’t exactly say I long for the “excitement” of a relegation battle. We’ve established ourselves as a championship side now over the last 20 years when prior to that we were a league one side. We’ve had a playoff final, cup semi final, beaten multiple premier league sides and earned a bit of a refutation for it. The double winning season was fantastic albeit at a lower level. LJ had us competitive most seasons in and around the playoffs - even if ultimately it tailed off but you can’t call those years boring. A couple of years of misery after that then Pearson had us competitive again, and I can’t tell you many games I watched under him that I would call “boring”. Lastlly, I don’t understand how we can be more boring than even a team like Swindon or Rovers nearby - they literally have no chance of reaching this level in their current states, so they’re doing all that 1-2 levels below us. One of thems even been non league. If anyone thinks promotion from the conference is more exciting than watching us compete at the top of the championship and beating the likes of Man Utd, West Ham, competing with Man City over two legs etc then football isn’t for you.