Another Drive4show 'Anything goes' thread

[JuliusHMarx]

First topic message reminder :

How have some individuals got to the point where all they do is whinge and moan and complain about other people without any sense of compassion for those less well off than themselves through no fault of their own?

[super_realist]

Very amusing to see Kay Burley and the wretched Beth Rigby squirming in their seats about breaking coronavirus restrictions especially after imploring Cummings and any other high profile person who has broken restrictions to resign.
Now if only the annoyingly pompous and sanctimonious Peston and Kuennsberg do that same we can be rid of them all.

[super_realist]

Very amusing to see Kay Burley and the wretched Beth Rigby squirming in their seats about breaking coronavirus restrictions especially after imploring Cummings and any other high profile person who has broken restrictions  to resign.

Will they, or will they simply give a weak apology?

Now if only the annoyingly pompous and sanctimonious Peston and Kuennsberg do that same we can be rid of them all.

[Shotrock]

Perhaps it's just me ... but I feel like I'm living "Groundhog Day" every morning when I check the news:

"Trump files a lawsuit, yet has no chance of overturning the election"

"Vaccine will reduce number of covid cases next year"

"Brexit negotiations at critical juncture"

[JAS]

Must be a good time to be a Rangers fan.

If Gerard and Lampard keep this up how long will it be before the old problem of England can't have them at the same time crops up again?

I don't think even the most deluded of Rangers fans in their wildest dreams would have expected 14 points from that group (I thought I was a bit optimistic predicting 8-10 and qualifying 2nd), and its only 14 because they took their feet off Benfica's throat twice, it really could have been 18 out of 18. Even more astonishing is the extent that he was able to squad rotate last night to give others a run and still get a result. The turnaround since Gerrard arrived has been quite something.

[McLaren]

Jas, I think I saw a tweet saying that Scotland might scrape an automatic CL spot next season due to coefficient improvement this season?

[McLaren]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-55261224

Bad times when Kim Kardashian is the voice of reason.

[JAS]

Jas, I think I saw a tweet saying that Scotland might scrape an automatic CL spot next season due to coefficient improvement this season?

I'd say the odds are slightly against it now, we (Scotland) are currently 11th and a baw hair in front of Ukraine in 12th place (it's down to 11th that gets the automatic place) however both Dynamo Kiev & Shakey Donuts are in the Europa League last 32 too so Rangers will have to earn more co-efficient points than those 2 combined in the rest of the Tournament.

Considering Scotland were languishing around the mid 20s in the rankings when Gerrard arrived, that's quite significant progress. I knew our co-efficient would significantly improve but again, just like Rangers themselves its above top end of expectations. If only the other mob had got their finger out before the last game 11th place would be done & dusted.

[super_realist]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-55261224

Bad times when Kim Kardashian is the voice of reason.

It's been balanced with idiocy from Naomi Campbell saying that non British murderers and r@pists shouldn't be deported

[super_realist]

Real ambition shown by West Brom by getting in Fat Sam.

[Soul Requiem]

What a stupid thing to do. Bringing in a manager with a proven track record of avoiding relegation

[super_realist]

That's not what I said is it? The clue is in the word "ambition"
What does it say about your ambition if the best you want to do is avoid relegation?
The only club he's ever really got out of a real relegation situation was Sunderland.

[McLaren]

Super

Have you remembered to add a Tesco finest christmas dinner for one to your weekly delivery?

[super_realist]

No, but I do have a crate of Belgian beer to work through.

[McLaren]

No, but I do have a crate of Belgian beer to work through.

To toast the queens speech?

[Soul Requiem]

That's not what I said is it? The clue is in the word "ambition"
What does it say about your ambition if the best you want to do is avoid relegation?
The only club he's ever really got out of a real relegation situation was Sunderland.

For some clubs merely avoiding relegation is success, not every team can have loftier ambitions.

[super_realist]

Why not? Why couldn't WBA do something similar to Southampton or Leicester?
Southampton were down for years and took a gamble on a manager with more ambition than just staying up.

[Soul Requiem]

West Brom don't have the infrastructure of either team. Leicester for instance were aided by a Billionaire owner who pumped money into the team and only survived in the premier league thanks to a pragmatic manager in Nigel Pearson from there they could then progress under Ranieri. In order to have lofty ambitions you first have to survive.

[super_realist]

How do WBA not have the "infrastructure" of Southampton?

I'll agree that Leicester have more money, but in what way are Southampton better off? Do you think they are being bankrolled by Craig David? Southampton seem to be the club that Celtic are a feeder club to so hardly top players going the way of Southampton yet they're doing great since their hammering from Leicester

WBA have been going up and down for years, don't you think they ought to be making changes so they can stay up? Clearly their previous attempts didn't work, so why hire another deadbeat manager?

[Soul Requiem]

The famed Southampton academy, they have one of the best youth set ups in the country and this enables them to sell homegrown players and reinvest, quite simple really.

[McLaren]

Super

Why do you bother. If you don't know what Southampton have tried to implement over the last 15 years or so then don't just make baseless judgements.

[super_realist]

The famed Southampton academy, they have one of the best youth set ups in the country and this enables them to sell homegrown players and reinvest, quite simple really.

So why aren't WBA doing this instead of just hiring fat wasters and hoping for the best? Like I said, no ambition.

[Soul Requiem]

It isn't something that just happens overnight, Southampton have been producing good young players for decades now and is an attractive place for said players to go.

[super_realist]

It isn't something that just happens overnight, Southampton have been producing good young players for decades now and is an attractive place for said players to go.

No one expects it to, but like I said before, they've been going up and down for years, why didn't they do something 10 years ago?

Anyway, just trying to get some discussion going on this board, seems to be dying a slow death.

Actually had a thjught the other day. If we were to compare international football to ub football, what would be theclib equivalent of teams like Germany, Netherlands, France etc?

[westisbest]

West Brom were always going to be in a relegation dog fight. I think they sacked Bilic to early. Had a decent result away at Man City.

Sam could be the right man for the job.

Although I hope the baggies take a hammering on Sunday.

[McLaren]

Actually had a thjught the other day. If we were to compare international football to ub football, what would be theclib equivalent of teams like Germany, Netherlands, France etc?

Is this a joke?

In case you didn't know the top club teams are Juve, Bayern Munich, Real, Atleti, Barca, Man City, Liverpool, maybe PSG.

[super_realist]

Actually had a thjught the other day. If we were to compare international football to ub football, what would be theclib equivalent of teams like Germany, Netherlands, France etc?

Is this a joke?

In case you didn't know the top club teams are Juve, Bayern Munich, Real, Atleti, Barca, Man City, Liverpool, maybe PSG.

Usual lack of comprehension from you again Mac.
I am talking about the standard of International Football teams and how they compare against club teams.
So for example are France as good as Real Madrid, or are they closer in standard to Newcastle or Everton? Get the picture?

If the top international team played the top club team, how much better is the club team?
Would actually make quite an interesting match.

You often hear stuff like Jordan Henderson isn't good enough for England, but if he's good enough for Liverpool by default he's good enough for England because Liverpool are much better than England.

[McLaren]

I think France, Germany and Spain could probably put teams together that would make the top four and in some cases challenge for one of the top 5 leagues titles. Especially the French and German national teams, you have to think that with the correct coaching they could win a champions league.

England are probably mid table prem.

Netherlands are probably more like a spurs. Sometimes top 4 but not always.

[super_realist]

Surprised it has never happened. Euro winner v Champions League winner. Certainly more interesting than the Charity Shield or World Club Championship.

Obviously the issue of a player potentially eligible for both teams.

[JAS]

The famed Southampton academy, they have one of the best youth set ups in the country and this enables them to sell homegrown players and reinvest, quite simple really.

So why aren't WBA doing this instead of just hiring fat wasters and hoping for the best? Like I said, no ambition.

WBA developing a track record of being trigger happy with Managers, Bilic...not enough time, Stevie Clark...not enough time. It's what happens when expectation and impatience overtake reality. Allardyce is pretty much a go to at this time of year from a bottom 6 club, to be fair his track record at relegation avoidance is decent. On the one hand it's relegation avoidance, on the other it's papering over the cracks.

I'd hazard a guess the reason WBA are not doing a "Southampton" is that they don't have the patience or the vision. With the greatest of respect to Southampton they are never going to be a long term top 6 fixture but what they seem to have done is to have been realistic with their expectations and become a "growing & selling club" in a way a kind of lesser equivalent of Ajax and it seems to be serving them quite well. Id predict WBA will just continue to flip in and out of crisis in the next few years.

[super_realist]

Drove past The Hawthorns last year by mistake. Absolute ghetto.

[JAS]

Actually had a thjught the other day. If we were to compare international football to ub football, what would be theclib equivalent of teams like Germany, Netherlands, France etc?

Is this a joke?

In case you didn't know the current richest club teams are Juve, Bayern Munich, Real, Atleti, Barca, Man City, Liverpool, maybe PSG.

How can you even compare? Club squads are together week in week out and the richer clubs squads will be far more talented than any national squad as their selection criteria is based on cash rather than nationality. whereas international squads only get together occasionally and are limited to the best players of a single nationality, furthermore those players will be drawn from different teams that will all have different playing systems.

[super_realist]

That's what I'm trying to work out. How much better are the best club sides than the best international sides?
For example would Barcelona pump Italy 5-0?, or are there enough decent Italians to make it a competitive match? Could the best 11 Italians from all club teams be as good as a match day squad at of Europe's top clubs?

Granted there's only a few countries with enough quality players to make this possible, but how far do you have to go before a country is the standard of a team like Norwich?

[JAS]

That's what I'm trying to work out. How much better are the best club sides than the best international sides?
For example would Barcelona pump Italy 5-0?, or are there enough decent Italians to make it a competitive match? Could the best 11 Italians from all club teams be as good as a match day squad at of Europe's top clubs?

Granted there's only a few countries with enough quality players to make this possible, but how far do you have to go before a country is the standard of a team like Norwich?

I suppose it is a question that gets the debate going then. Does the Free Market beat Nationalism...yes it should do.

Here's a thing I find fascinating...how a lot of the knuckle dragging racist fans that follow some teams can somehow suspend their narrow view of the world in general and immigration specifically because their team happens to benefit from quite a few Johnny Foreigners...There's ugly hypocrisy right there!!

[navyblueshorts]

That's what I'm trying to work out. How much better are the best club sides than the best international sides?
For example would Barcelona pump Italy 5-0?, or are there enough decent Italians to make it a competitive match? Could the best 11 Italians from all club teams be as good as a match day squad at of Europe's top clubs?

Granted there's only a few countries with enough quality players to make this possible, but how far do you have to go before a country is the standard of a team like Norwich?

I suppose it is a question that gets the debate going then. Does the Free Market beat Nationalism...yes it should do.  

Here's a thing I find fascinating...how a lot of the knuckle dragging racist fans that follow some teams can somehow suspend their narrow view of the world in general and immigration specifically because their team happens to benefit from quite a few Johnny Foreigners...There's ugly hypocrisy right there!!

Yeah, but they don't have the words 'hypocrisy', 'conscience' or 'self-awareness' in their limited dictionaries. Sorted.

[beninho]

I'd argue France are the strongest national team. Last game was https://www.google.co.uk/search?source=hp&ei=oqPcX-7_O5GOlwTo3I24Aw&q=france+vs+sweden&oq=france+vs+swe&gs_lcp=ChFtb2JpbGUtZ3dzLXdpei1ocBABGAAyBQgAEMkDMgIIADICCAAyAggAMgIIADICCAAyAggAMgIIADoLCCkQsQMQyQMQkwI6AggpOggIABDqAhCPAToICAAQsQMQgwE6DggAELEDEIMBEMcBEKMCOgIILjoICAAQxwEQowI6CwgAELEDEIMBEMkDOgUIABCxAzoICC4QsQMQgwE6BQguELEDOgsIABCxAxDHARCjAjoLCC4QsQMQyQMQkwI6CAgAELEDEMkDUKwJWIkfYNcmaAFwAHgAgAFeiAGMB5IBAjEzmAEAoAEBsAEP&sclient=mobile-gws-wiz-hp#sie=m;/g/11fsw82c7g;2;/m/0102dmdr;ln;fp;1;;

Missing players aswell. Would probably give a very good game against Bayern. Especially with maybe 4 French squad players.

[beninho]

On the baggies. I heard someone say the owners want out and are trying g to sell. Hence staying up is all they really care about.

[beninho]

I wonder why Richmond in North Yorkshire, waverly and North Somerset are all there 2 in amongst lots of tier 3 areas.

[navyblueshorts]

I wonder why Richmond in North Yorkshire, waverly and North Somerset are all there 2 in amongst lots of tier 3 areas.

Alert! Tin foil alert!

[Soul Requiem]

I wonder why Richmond in North Yorkshire, waverly and North Somerset are all there 2 in amongst lots of tier 3 areas.

Tory voters are more responsible?

[beninho]

Any reason why the whole of Surrey is tier 4, we have a spreading surge of a mutant virus in the south apart from Wavelet? I honestly have no idea.

[I'm never wrong]

Wonder what tier 4 means for golf? Two balls only?

[super_realist]

If Boris has been to Tenerife, Fuhrer Sturgeon has to go to Elevenerife.

[McLaren]

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2020/dec/20/lewis-hamilton-wins-bbc-sports-personality-of-the-year-award

Well deserved.

[super_realist]

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2020/dec/20/lewis-hamilton-wins-bbc-sports-personality-of-the-year-award

Well deserved.

Not a good year for British sport and he won the coin toss section of an engineering competition. Hardly an achievement.
The least competitive "sport" in the world.

Spoty has long been a joke.

[McLaren]

The least competitive "sport" in the world.

Spoty has long been a joke.

Serie A?
Bundelegua?
ligue 1?
100m when Bolt was around?
Tennis when only Nadal, Roger and Novak could win grand slams?


I could go on. In general sports have dominant figures. Not sure if any sports worth watching have ever conformed to the breadth of competitive participation you seek.

[super_realist]

F1 has a dominant person, but unlike any other sports it is just a coin toss between them and their team mate.
F1 is incredibly dull by any standard of competition.

Federer, Bolt, Bayern Munich etc don't have equipment which gives them an advantage over the rest of the competition.

[JAS]

It wasn't Hamilton winning that turned it into a zzzzzzzzzz fest for me. I used to love SPOTY and look forward to it every year, now I just don't, I don't even like it anymore, It doesn't properly sum up the sporting year like it used to, they (the BBC) are more interested in wokeness and diversity than they are about sport and it shows.

[Soul Requiem]

It wasn't Hamilton winning that turned it into a zzzzzzzzzz fest for me. I used to love SPOTY and look forward to it every year, now I just don't, I don't even like it anymore, It doesn't properly sum up the sporting year like it used to, they (the BBC) are more interested in wokeness and diversity than they are about sport and it shows.

This is very true, there's now a few nominees every year who really do not deserve a nomination. Hollie Doyle being a prime example this year.

[McLaren]

Was Rashford nominated?

[super_realist]

It wasn't Hamilton winning that turned it into a zzzzzzzzzz fest for me. I used to love SPOTY and look forward to it every year, now I just don't, I don't even like it anymore, It doesn't properly sum up the sporting year like it used to, they (the BBC) are more interested in wokeness and diversity than they are about sport and it shows.

Very true. The list was well short of deserving candidates this year and they compile a list based on a number of token people.

I don't think Hamilton was, he was the obvious winner, but Fury didn't even want to be on it and they still kept him in.

If there are so few people worthy of winning it, why not get rid of the likes of Doyle etc?
I think it really hit the skids when the Horsey community gerrymandered the vote to ensure that royal horse daughter won.

[Sponsored content]