Hi

What posts have small print ? Any chance you could post a screenshot ?

Yep, remember this at the time.

The whole thing will come out in the years to come. My politics are on the left, but when I was growing up I always felt, generally speaking, that whichever party was in power, bar one or two absolute wrong'uns, the people in whichever cabinet were at least competent at their jobs and had a certain integrity. This current lot are literally the absolute *%^@*** pits. Morally, ethically, talent-wise and competence are all lacking from this iteration of the Tories. It's embarrassingly bad.

I’m pretty much a swing voter. Although I haven’t voted for a while now. Give me a may or major over a Corbyn or a Blair over a Boris.

However the current lot are criminals as far as I’m concerned. I don’t think national interest even comes into their thoughts. There’s isn’t an ethical decision made ever and half of that cabinet are security risks like Johnson and Patel and the backbenchers like Bridgen, Francois and whittingdale ? Don’t get me started. You give that lot power and country is *%^@** forever.

I once attended an event where dame Stella Remington former head of mi5 spoke about John major and national defence and her tenure. It was quite interesting. She painted a picture of John Major as a decent guy who encouraged the security services to simply do the best they could under difficult circumstances. It was pre trump and she made some interesting observations that mi6 would likely have files on trump in the lead up to his presidency.

*%^@ knows what the future holds. Feels like our kids are destined for a life under the rule of authoritarian arsheoles from hell

Don’t know if bubblechris is different but with me the quoted text of the first post on a new page (if another post is quoted) is often small. Then when the second of a page is there, it all goes back to normal size, by which I mean the quoted bit of the page’s first post.

I do think that. Everybody, including Chelsea fans, have known for a long time how they became the most successful club in London, and where the money came from. Now, because of Putin's excesses, people are expressing more opinions about it. For all the trophies, and the great players such as Čech, Cole, Terry, Drogba, Lampard etc, Chelsea will always be associated with Abramovich's dirty money. Their reputation cannot be laundered.

I've seen a lot of Chelsea fans praise Abramovich this week for all the success he brought them, and I think that's pretty telling about Chelsea as a club. Arsenal fans celebrate Wenger, Man Utd fans celebrate Ferguson, Liverpool fans sing about Bill Shankly, and Chelsea fans celebrate a Russian oil billionaire.

I think you’re being naive. Forever is a long time and while it’s reasonable to say Abramovich will be fondly remembered at Chelsea. Hazuki's point about Chelsea’s success being put down to him is relevant, as is Blackburn's title under Jack Walker.

Abramovich's influence will be appreciated for the foreseeable future by Chelsea fans. But I don’t think in a hundred years, or anything like it, Chelsea's reputation will be forever scarred by Abramovich being an oligarch. Nor would Arsenal’s have been over Usmanov.

Tragic to hear that Shane Warne has died at the age of 52. Suspected heart attack. Remarkable bowler.

I fear you are right about Chelsea. They didn't have much of a reputation to begin with. They were a mediocre team. Even less interesting than Spurs. Almost all of what is now their 'reputation' and attraction of fans in places China and Nigeria and London, owes to the Abramovich billions. It the level of success remains, no-one will be too fussy that the initial billions were dashed from the proverbial bleeding lips of starving Russian peasants.

The fact that Abro got his start though grand theft and massive corruption hasn't bothered people to now and I can't imagine that ties with the the looney Putin, now hastily cut, will have much of a lasting effect on Chelsea's reputation.

I think Arsenal are a bit different, in that we have a genuine reputation to lose.

To an extent that’s how I see it with Chelsea. I just don’t think they’re forever scarred. But Arsenal losing it’s reputation had Usmanov bought us? I very much doubt it.

Serious question, what is Arsenal’s reputation anyway? A traditional go by the book outlook? But Ash even reminded us of the dodgy dealings to get promotion over a hundred years ago, although I don’t think it’s the first thing many associate with the club. Indeed, I doubt many even know the story.

A worldwide and multi-ethnic fan base? Sure, but I don’t see how Usmanov could have stopped that. A reputation for attacking football? That certainly wasn’t always the case.

So once again, what is Arsenal’s reputation? There are various factors one can associate with it, but I’m struggling to think of many unique ones.

Granit Xhaka on Arsenal’s home atmosphere: “After six years of being here, against Spurs is always amazing, but I think against Wolves, after 70 minutes, it was in the top three since I have been here. People forget sometimes that the fans are so important for us as well.”

I see that we are being linked with Lewandowski. Looks totally out of kilter with our recent recruitment strategy. It looks potentially expensive and another case of the ‘Willians’.

I assume, and hope, it’s like 99% of transfer gossip. Fictitious clickbait.

I’m sure that you’re right.

Do you reckon Lewandowski would miss all those difficult chances 9 yards out “on an angle” !

It’s probably not true but even with his best days behind him a 2 year contract ? Surely couldn’t turn that down. I reckon he’d be scoring 20+ a season in this side v lacazettes 3

Edit .. *%^@*** hell he scored 28 goals in 24 appearances in the bundesliga this season. You sure he’s not up to our standard !

Willian looked quite good until he turned up with us.

He’d be ferociously expensive.


If he was affordable and motivated then he’d be great for a short while. Easy to see it all going tits up though. He is 33 now, 34 in August.

This week Warne and Rod Marsh. From different eras but both in great memorable Aust teams.

Williams game was based around pace and mobility and he’d lost his legs. Lewandowski has never been pace merchant his game is based around intelligent movement and lethal finishing. No reason to think he couldn’t have a couple of good seasons for us and if we had him this year he would have scored an absolute bucket of goals.

What would his wages be? At least £250k a week I’m sure. For a two year contract that’s a commitment of £26m. If he gets £300k that’s a two year commitment of £31.2m.

It’s going back to the old days of a player we have to pay a fortune to but cannot get rid of. That isn’t just out of kilter with our recruitment strategy, it’s the opposite of it. All for a past it has been who’ll be 34 before he plays for us.

Glad you put the edit in. He's played the best football of his career in the last two years.

It would make no sense for us, but we'd be kidding ourselves to think he wouldn't improve us greatly in the short term.

I know what you are saying, Bernard, but it's a bit much to call him a "has been". He's going to score over 40 goals this season.

Two great cricketers I've loved watching over the years. Rest in peace.

Hmm - I tried 3 browsers in Windows and they all look the same. This is a screenshot using Chrome on an Android phone.
Can you let me know what browser/device / Operating system it's appearing funny on (and possibly attach a screenshot ?). I have a theory also as to what it might be.

My post is in small type with yours being in normal size, as I said. I’m doing this on my iPhone, if that answers the technical questions?

And as I said would happen, it’s now gone back to normal (by which I mean the size of my quoted text in your post).

It’s something that only happens when the first post on a page quotes a previous post by someone else. When the second post of a page appears, it becomes sorted out.

I’d certainly be more excited about Lewandowski up front than Lacazette or Nketiah but from a cost point it looks unrealistic. I’d quite like Haaland too come to think of it.

It’s just an expression I use when a player is way past his best. He’ll be 34 before playing for us, or damn close to it depending on when in August the season starts and when his birthday is. I think it’ll be fair to call him a has been. It’s what happens when players get old. It happens to the very best. Age catches up with every player be it Messi, Ronaldo or Lewandowski. Let alone lesser players.

On Lewandowski’s impressive goal record he plays for the best side in Germany by a comfortable margin. The second best side in Germany, Borussia Dortmund, were knocked out the Europa League by Glasgow bloody Rangers. The Premier League will be harder for him playing for Arsenal than the Bundesliga was playing for Bayern.

Gidday Decaf .... of course you never addressed the other key issues I mentioned ... the merits of cancelling the Keystone pipeline . injecting two trillion dollars into an already thriving economy

...and the really tricky one US Secretary of State , plus the UK , Germany and France promising Russia if they allowed the two Germanies to re-unite

...;... " NATO would not move one inch to the East "

You just gave it that derisory blanket spray ""no point in discussing my steaming hogwash "" A classic tactic if you are losing the debate .

Oh you're back .

That "I don't debate with apologists for a child killer "" routine didn't last very long .

but then again you don't do debate at all ; just strident generalised bullsh**** t .......not a fact in sight

"Need to admit I've pissed my pants " ... not at all .

There are times when I quite enjoy your Billy Big Balls rhetoric .... but on this issue you come across as a brainless bigoted half wit .

Sorry no way to sugarcoat it ; but never fear you are not alone there are a few others on here who could do with a few braincells for Xmas

I might know what that is - Next time it does it, if you can let me know and the post number and I'll have a look.

Thanks and will do.

Sorry Newk ,

I think you just pulled a hamstring .

.. abstention is a vote for .... means they don't agree with the resolution . Given the childish nature of the US ; anyone voting in favour risks American sanctions .

That ""cradle of democracy"" doesn't give a monkey's they are in deep poo with the US already .

India abstained ; now there are calls for sanctions for not toeing the American / EU partyline .

John Barret and Dan Maskell marvelling at that brilliant Bungert backhand winner down the line .... what a turn around

Okay ..we are making progress here ... Point 1 ... quite right taking a leaf out of Top Gun's book Blair and Bush should be strung up by their balls to the hands of Big Ben .

Although I'd disagree with most people condemning though ; most of the English speaking world bought into the Saddam's purchase of Yellowcake from the Congo and other fanciful theories .

Point 2 ... and I'll take this slowly .

As I pointed out Russia was promised by US , UK , Germany and France there would be no NATO expansion to any of the Warsaw Pact counties .
Since then Bulgaria , Czech , Slovakia , Romania , Latvia , Estonia , Lithuania . Poland have joined .

Any country joining ; what happens......? America rushes in builds a couple of bases ; installs half a dozen missile systems along with 10,000 troops .

Ukraine was promised NATO membership , when they join Article 5 comes into force ... meaning if attacked all other NATO members are obligated to help .

Putin seeking reassurances Ukraine would not join were all rebuffed so he thinks attack now , fight Ukraine alone .

Consolidate the East, the Russian citzens and speakers ; let the western lump do whatever ... rejoin Poland if it likes .

Given the massive hysteria and meltdown from the US ; when the Soviets proposed installing missiles in Cuba , the reaction from the West and some of the half wits on here is staggering .

He isn't going to use nukes ..." then why did he mention them I here you shriek "

Well , a month ago a couple of US senators Wicker from Mississipi was one , forgotten the other maybe Tom Cotten from Arkansas said the US should teach Russia a lesson and nuke them .

All Vladmir was doing by announcing his nukes are on alert , was remind the idiots in Washington , you nuke us , it isn't going to be one way traffic

Kiwi, you’re back

You’re mate is trying to flatten Mariupol and has shot a sky news presenter

Kiwi


K
I
W
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Talk to me mate.

NATO is a defensive alliance.

Putin is only going to have a problem with countries joining it if he has aspirations of invading them. Get it ? No ?

Also they hadn’t yet joined anyway.

Hi

For those having problems with font size on mobile, can you try asking it for a 'Desktop' site instead ?

Also for those having font size problems, is it always on mobile and has it always done it ?

Don't worry, I always read the smallprint.

A pity someone didn't read the smallprint on your £50m a year contract.

Of course Abramovich will be appreciated by Chelsea supporters - as I said, don't look to their fans for any moral compass. To the wider football world Abramovich's dirty money will always be the most relevant aspect of Chelsea's indisputable on-field success. How could it not be? The comparison with Jack Walker doesn't stand - as far as I recall he put his own money into Blackburn, not money he filched from elsewhere.

Shane Warne was both a genius and a magician. Inarguably one of the greatest, most talented, most mesmeric and awe-inspiring cricketers of all time.

There have been a few batsman over the years who when they came into bat would make you stop whatever you were doing to watch, but fewer bowlers. Warne was near the top of the list of those, a showman with an extraordinary ability to spin the ball and get in the minds of batsman with his unerring accuracy, disguise, reportoire of deliveries and difficulty to read. Such was his reportoire that batsman were so scared of the amount of spin he could impart on the ball they were often equally bamboozled by his other deliveries, notably the flipper.

He had his flaws off the pitch but what an incredible bowler.

RIP.

Size isn't everything you know.