3 hours ago, Xann said:

It's almost like we need some sort of collective responsibility.

Don’t we just? I mean the population level is a serious problem sure, but the suggestion that we need to focus on that to solve our issue now is a big distraction. There is a lot of things we could do NOW but people shy away from personal responsibility.

A conscious decision about the impact of our food and where it comes from is a good place to start. We sit down to do that three times a day at least and there’s nothing that comes closer to making a real difference to the predicament we are in. But it ain’t happening because quite frankly, most are just selfish to make a change to their eating habits.

Back down to reality after the boost from the Brentford result and the euphoria from Emery’s appointment.

He clearly has his work cut out but his reputation as a proper coach will improve these players. They need it as it’s painfully obvious that SG has been stealing a living for the last year and the team has suffered for it. That man is a fraud!!!!

We are so mentally weak but this is something UE is also renowned to improve too, so we should feel confident that he will turn things around. I really hope so!!

On 14/10/2022 at 21:28, ciggiesnbeer said:

https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-63254878

Van Gogh's Sunflowers back on display after oil protesters threw soup on it

"One of Van Gogh's famous Sunflowers paintings has been cleaned and is back on display, after climate activists threw tins of what appeared to be tomato soup over it."

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This kind of vandalism is completely counter productive to addressing the climate crisis and shows a profound ignorance of what art and Van Gogh in particular actually stand for. Whats next go and vandalize the cave paintings at lascaux to make a point? Pull down stonehenge?

These kind of antics are a distraction from the actual issue and I wish climate activists would reconsider this kind of protest.

Desperate times call for desperate measures. They’ve tried all other avenues to raise awareness and nothing happens. The painting is protected by glass anyway, so it’s not damaged at all. Their point is that people are in uproar about what is effectively just a piece of glass, yet no one cares about the collapsing environment. The irony is real.

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/oct/27/climate-crisis-un-pathway-1-5-c
 

6 minutes ago, bickster said:

Followed by a not very careful interpretation of an interpretation. The person interpreting the speech even says he's pushing for a New World Order. whilst not saying "based on Russian principals" whose principals do you think he's pushing for? Brazil's?  It is absolutely implied to be by Russian principals by the mere fact it's Putin saying in

Let’s hope it’s not Brazil’s either as we’d have no trees left anywhere. Yes, it’s an interpretation of an interpretation, we don’t speak Russian after all, but having read the whole thread it appears that world dominance is not his aim. Whatever the outcomes, this doesn’t end well.

31 minutes ago, bickster said:

Not a literal translation

Hence my careful use of “seems”.

10 minutes ago, bannedfromHandV said:

Thing is though, if ‘the west’ was the evil it’s portrayed to be by so many dictatorships then why do so many people emigrate there?

Its the best of a bad bunch in my view, ‘the west’ is far from perfect, corrupted by lobbying groups and self serving corporations, heavily influenced by media perceptions and ultimately driven by a pursuit of wealth and greed.

Then you look at places like Russia, or Iran, or China etc where you can be detained indefinitely just for protesting against the serving govt/dictatorship, where your internet and general freedoms are censored on a daily basis, where corruption and greed are still rampant except you have no recourse to do anything about it.

The ‘west’ has a lot of issues but if Putin thinks he’s going to establish a new world order based on Russian principles then he’s even more insane than I first thought.

I cannot disagree with you on the freedoms and values we benefit from in the West. However,  you should read carefully what he said. At no point does he push for a new world order based on Russian principles in his speech. On the contrary, he seems to be arguing for a multi-polar world order where different nations and civilisations are free to take their own path without hegemonic influence. May I add that I do not condone his actions, nor am I defending him. I am just clarifying what he seems to be saying. Whether he aims to preach this is a different story…

A useful thread for those interested in what he exactly said. I cannot disagree with his sentiments that “the West” (i.e. largely the US) have self-proclaimed themselves as the arbiters of good in the world. US foreign policy and geopolitical manoeuvring is abhorrent and self-serving. But it’s hard not to see the irony in some of his statements too. We are in worrying times

5 hours ago, HalfTimePost said:

 

To me he always came across as arrogant and unlikeable. That billy big bollocks attitude can only work if you’re truly brilliant, which he clearly wasn’t. From the reports that he was sacked right after the Fulham game and had to endure an awkward trip back home on the coach with the players, it seems that his abrasive character transcended to upper management. Not very classy from the board if true, but I struggle to find sympathy for him after his charlatan attempt to be our manager and the fact that he leaned on others (i.e. Beale) for his success at Rangers.

Bossing this without really getting out second gear. Which I think we need to, as they’re a threat from set pieces and crosses. We need another goal in this.

1 hour ago, Xela said:

Pwopa Nawty!

Great viewing from 71-76 mins

Thanks for that

Shadow of ourselves.. why? Resting on our laurels too much. No bite tonight.

What other team can boast to have such an amazingly talented player AND manager to be as Villa mad as all of us? The stars are aligning.

Am I dreaming?? What is happening?

1 hour ago, Zhan_Zhuang said:

Potentially Grealish and Barkley could cause some havoc as they will both have a little space to operate in.

 

Might give Gaz some food for thought for his England line ups...

I think this is a Milner-esque signing for us. Delighted. 

Not McGinn’s day is it.. misses a golden chance to nearly drop us in it. Needs to come off.

Why can’t we stretch teams enough when we’re one man up!? I don’t get it. We need AEG on and move Jack in the middle. 

Oh my days what a save!!!!!!!

Great work and power from Watkins!!!

He’s next level

The threaded through ball just now to Taylor...  so sublime. Taylor didn’t even see it at first.

28 minutes ago, eholm said:

Great article here about his style of play, movement etc..Quotes from OW as well when he was moved to CF; the boy has confidence. 

https://www.twenty3.sport/ollie-watkins-from-winger-to-centre-forward/

Thanks for sharing, this is a great read. As the writer suggests from the analysis - "Watkins has scored every goal imaginable this season. " - this should excite us and probably justifies the hefty fee. I'm afraid that this is the going rate nowadays and by the looks of it, we might look back on it being a snip if he bangs them in and keeps us up. Really excited!!

I’ll reserve judgement until it’s modelled by the players. I reckon it might look decent actually. it’s retro revival and all the rage. Although somebody with a pot belly might look hideous in it...

Just now, BleedClaretAndBlue said:

Doug is great on the ball

But missed a sitter