Positives: 3 points - when all's said and done we got the result. However it was in no way convincing and could easily have been a draw. Bellingham - superb. Guehi - considering our defence was supposed to be our weakness, I thought he - all of them to be fair - did well defensively, especially against two very physical strikers. Negatives: TAA - simply not a midfielder. One Hollywood ball every 25 passes does not an international footballer make. Positionally poor, first touch is average, loses the ball way too much and too easily under pressure. Trippier - shouldn't be in the squad, never mind starting. Should have taken an actual LB if we need someone to fill the gap until Shaw is fit, eg Tyrick Mitchell. He looked OK defensively but offered zero going forward and predictably turned inside every time. Couple that with Foden drifting in constantly meant that there was absolutely nothing coming from the left. Foden - in danger of being the new John Barnes, ie great for his club but doesn't fit into the England team. If he's going to play it has to be at nbr 10 - but unfortunately for him we already have perhaps the world's best 10 at the moment blocking his path. Southgate - once again, just like the final v Italy, we go 1-0 up and drop deeper and deeper trying to defend it instead of keeping the momentum going and trying to put the opposition to the sword. Subs - poor choices, too few and too late. Palmer should've been on instead of Bowen, Gallagher I thought did OK in that he at least added the energy and willingness to get in people's faces which TAA didn't. Foden should have been taken off for Gordon, also I'd have subbed Kane for Toney to give them something different to think about. Overall - a win's a win but it was far from inspiring. Southgate needs to stop falling into the trap of trying to shoehorn players into unfamiliar roles just to accommodate them playing.

I mean if the EFL system is anything like Ticketmaster no wonder it went tits up.

Went to see Depeche Mode a couple of weeks ago here in Munich at the Olympiastadion - absolutely brilliant. Second time seeing them - they actually just announced a new (arena rather than stadium) Euro leg of their tour so the third time is on the cards! Also bit the bullet and got tickets to see U2 at that new Sphere thing in Vegas in Oct - if you've not seen anything about that building look it up - it's unreal!

The ref has been abysmal but make no mistake the subs and change of shape cost us 100%. Piss poor decision.

Awful subs. Put us on the back foot when we were comfortable. Should’ve brought Dolan on for one of the front men to keep that energy in defending from the front. Cost us the game.

Having not lived in the UK since early 2016 I'm kinda glad I don't have to make a conscious decision to not go watch a team and club I used to be proud of, but that has steadily has become a shambolic, utter joke of an organisation. I'm back home in 2024 so I hope (but doubt) we will be at least respectable and moderately well run by then instead of this absolute shitshow we are right now.

Manic Street Preachers - Elvis Impersonator: Blackpool Pier

This reckons £15m total - including whatever add-ons etc there are…. https://www.hampshirelive.news/sport/football/transfer-news/breaking-southampton-blackburn-adam-armstrong-5759743

The Jam - English Rose

New Order - Leave Me Alone

Primal Scream - Come Together

The Doors - Touch Me

Africa Bambaataa & The Soulsonic Force - Planet Rock

The Smiths - The Queen Is Dead

Morrissey - Suedehead

Saw IDLES a couple of weeks ago in Minneapolis (actually at First Avenue - where Prince did a lot of his early gigs and where good chunks of Purple Rain were filmed). Fantastic gig - not seen that much energy both on and off stage in a while. If you get chance to see them, take it - got some great songs, and love the juxtaposition between the ferocity of their songs and the message of unity and acceptance they deliver.

The Who - Let's See Action

Quite flattering that the obvious highlight of his career appears to be scoring against Lancashire's Only Premier League Champions - I'm guessing nothing will change in the next 10 years to alter that either. Also, not sure why Nob End think they are suddenly our massive rivals?

Can we still sign free agents? Maybe that's the plan - scrape the bottom of that barrel and see what turns up?

Even if does happen he's on borrowed time with those CB options. Nyambe and Williams are not CBs, they're sticking plasters at best. So essentially we are left with 2 actual CBs - Lenihan (who is hit and miss at best) and Tosin (who we don't really know much about tbh). Piss poor as we've needed a good, starting CB since we got promoted (actually, probably before that) and TM has failed miserably every window since to sort it.

They've already signed Frenkie De Jong ....

So my gig record isn't going well - I had the Prodigy and Stones booked within two days of each other, but both sadly cancelled. Looks like I'm down to Macca in June and Noel G's HFB later in the year as it stands .....

Very sad to hear of Keith Flint's passing. Of the multitudes of gigs I've been to since, I still rank the Prodigy gig I went to at the Mcr Apollo in 1996 as the rowdiest, craziest night of them all - the entire place was bouncing, every person in the crowd was up for it and the band delivered an amazing gig. Sadly I booked tickets a couple of weeks ago to see them in Dallas in early May and was really excited for it - gutted that's now not going to take place. RIP.

A team with Rodwell and Mulgrew at centre half is going to concede 2 or 3 goals a game. It’s really that simple.

As a born and bred Lancastrian it pains me to say Yorkshire tea is the best bagged tea - however it's in very short supply in these coffee-centric parts. I am reliant on visitors and work colleagues shipping it in from the UK ..... managed to avoid any stock-outs so far in 3 years ?