Truly tragic news about Graham Thorpe. Top-class Test batsman who always came across as a decent guy.

One can only guess at the pressures of professional sport at the highest level and how those sportsmen cope when their career is over.

Partey is looking good. In preseason he was looking closer to his best with us. Jesus is looking very good and closer to his first half of the season than other times. I want Merino though. I really hope it happens. Jorginho and Partey do well but Merino is definitely a cut above both and presumably will stay more fit.

Nketiah seems close to a move to Bournemouth. My guess is Nwaneri will fill into his slot possibly.

At the risk of weighing in where I shouldn't but I usually do anyway. I have become a bit more right of center when it comes to immigration. This from a person who descended from immigrants in our family in the past.

We are doing more for migrants, people we rescued from Afghanistan, Iraq or wherever, than we are for our own citizens. In Chicago, the southside has made national news for its high crime rate but its a result of high unemployment, poor schools, etc. The residents there have had their children's elementary (and other schools) closed and were told that there wasn't enough money. The kids as young as 6 or 7 years old had to go to the other side of town and its a big city. So, they have to wake up extra early, take a bus or a long time, and they are already poor and in a bad area.

Some of the schools that were once closed for lack of funds have been re-opened for the migrant children. The adults are getting food vouchers, language training and job training to be slotted in to specific jobs in a neighborhood with high unemployment and were told to pull yourselves up by your bootstraps especially by Republicans. Furthermore, they have a definite pathway to citizenship. There are Americans with spouses from developing countries who have a much longer wait. Just because you are a citizen there is no right to your spouse being a citizen. There are thousands of Americans whose spouses can only be in America on a tourist visa because they are from countries deemed problematic or undesirable.

Low income areas of Chicago, NY, Philadelphia feel they were 'dumped' into their areas. There are Latino areas of Chicago who don't have any migrants from spanish speaking central and south American countries bur are in non Latino areas. Why? Well the Latino area has some political clout and simply don't want to be overwhelmed.

Obviously there is now a lot of animus towards the local and federal government by many people. Especially those directly affected.

America has gone through this. England isn't a land of immigrants (save the Norman conquest and the Vikings...lol). America is. For the most part the Windrush generation from the Caribbean of the 50s and 60s has assimilated it seems. I don't know, I could be wrong and the little I know of it, they have for the most part. Although, there is still a lot of knife crime in many areas from those whose grandparents came from the West Indies. So, perhaps partial success.

There was actually more animosity to immigration in the 1800s. In those days the Irish, Sicilians, eastern European Jews, Slavs and others were seen as an 'epidemic'. Laws were made, political parties were formed based on that and many local, state and congressional elections were won by these groups. Obviously these immigrants became fully American.

However, new questions arise if the Afghanis, Hondurans, etc. can assimilate or will they change us culturally. History says yes, but in the moment it seems no. Perhaps the same feelings Americans felt 150 years ago.

There are a lot of questions, but not many answers. And the few answers that are proposed do not go down easy in some circles.

For most of my lifetime terms such as "far right" and "far left" used to refer to extremists who wished to replace traditional democratic processes with a totalitarian system; were ready to use violence to achieve their ends and were more than happy to use the power of the state to shut down any opposition to their views. Farage does not remotely qualify on that score, and to maintain that he does is both inaccurate and bizarre. However, in a world where "illegal migration" is now termed by our government as "irregular migration"; where a man can win a women's Olympic boxing medal and secularists run the risk of being banged up as "Islamaphobes", nothing surprises me! For me Farage is best described as "populist".

Yes, one of Surrey's best. I had the pleasure of being in Barbados in 2004 to witness his century turn a losing cause into a thrilling Test win.

I've seen a podcast saying City's case could be resolved by the end of the calendar year. If they are found guilty of many of the 115 charges, what would be a fair punishment?

Me too.

Of course he does. It’s irrefutable that the bloke heads up a nationalist political party, with members that are avowed homophobes, xenophobes and even anti-Semites. Only difference between reform and the BNP is reform wear suits and know what you can’t say publicly whilst they believe it.

In no way can you say he’s not a far right politician. He lauds and worships Trump who tried to overturn the US election and claimed he had won when they hadn’t even finished counting the votes yet. Look at his history.

https://youtu.be/mfyiSk8Rjc8?si=9OaiaMi8ieISSYA1

Only difference is he hasn’t reached a point of critical mass yet.

For the life of the me I can't remember this Charity Shield game in 2004. Man Utd look worse than I remember.

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?mibexti ... GBnO0NgnUj

Apologies for the edit, but this leapt out at me.

One of us is way out of step.

Imho DHD, it’s not you.

Farage is dangerous.

I studied various dictators at graduate and postgraduate levels, and have done on and off since.

Farage is a wolf currently wearing sheep’s clothing, much like Hitler, Mussolini, Pol Pot, and Stalin among others were at one time.

Until they got into power.

I repeat, Farage is dangerous.

Complete total and utter nonsense. You are repeating far right tropes that have been used for a while.

I would suggest you take it from a barrister rather than myself if you intend on believing any of the nonsense being bandied about by Tommy Robinson and his divvy mates.

https://thesecretbarrister.com/2024/08/ ... ine-myths/

Brighton have been signing a lot of attackers, feels like they will need to sell one of them. We’ve been linked to Mitoma and Adingra….

Crazy

You are living in cloud cuckoo land.

I repeat, how many of the asian gangs in Birmingham shown openly carrying knives, machetes and swords in front of the police were arrested?

Anyone openly brandishing a deadly weapon in public should be arrested should they not, irrespective of colour, race or religion?

Hi Rich,

I'd take either at this point, although Mitoma has been out a while with injuries I think.

Deffo need another winger/striker at least.

I wonder if we might have a go for Ferguson at Brighton.

I'd just like to mention in passing that I found that Secret Barrister article very interesting and educational. Thanks, TG. It's kind of helpful to read an explanation of, you know, the actual law, and how it's misinterpreted by people with an agenda.

Mourinho already off to a bad start....hehehe. Oh how far the mighty have fallen. Out of the CL already to Lille. Maybe he can relive some magic in the Europa league. Oh, how low the mighty have fallen. 20 years ago (that along already?) he was hottest commodity in football. Planets aligned for him for a while. Porto was having a bad season when he took over but it was still the biggest club in Portugal. He came in Chelsea right when they had big money. He took over Inter right after Milan and Juve got relegated for cheating. I thought his best moment was actually at Real Madrid where they were clearly second to Barca when he took over and he won everything but the CL. After that it was all down hill.

… and if there’s sufficient evidence and they can be identified they will get nicked as well. Hang on you don’t think the Birmingham Orgnaised crime unit sit around going ….

“Allo allo allo, what’s going on here this blokes got a knife oh he’s brown let him go we can’t arrest that one”

“Don’t arrest any Catholics today sergeant ! That’s an order !”

And so on.

That’s hysterical. Must be as gullible and thicker than a Boxing Day turd to believe that.

You also didnt read the article so are delving into the land of plausible deniability for what’s likely a prejudiced view or someone so easily manipulated.

TG, I'm on your side on this topic, but maybe you and Soc could both bring it down a notch from this level of vitriol? (As an Australian, I'm quite sensitive to sledging - we prefer to keep things understated and civilised.)

I’m done anyway.

If someone is asking questions like “what happened in harehills why didn’t they get nicked” then refusing to read an article that says they all did it’s not worth a conversation as you end up feeling like you are einstein trying to debate your theory of relativity with a goldfish

So Pochetino was hired to be coach for USMNT. Replaces Gregg Berhalter, who was USMNT coach from 2018 to July 2024, who was sacked due to failing to get the USMNT out of their group during Copa America.

I'll take the honour. "Out of step" is not the worst place to be if a democratically elected MP, giving a voice to the ignored concerns of the majority of the population, is considered "far-right" or, even worse, an heir to some of the greatest totalitarian tyrants of the 20th century!

Fair enough. You’ve made your political allegiances very clear Old Man. I and my forebears have stood against such parties down the generations so I’m actually quite sad. I’ve sort of ’known’ you a long time - well, I thought I did - but it’s your choice.

There is an EPL season starting. So predictions:

Its a bit hard without knowing if we can get anymore quality players in. One fullback may not be enough. Assume we get someone like Merino in, marginal improvement on last seasons squad is the best I can say.

I think overplaying of our top players is the biggest problem we have. Not sure Saka Ødegaard and Saliba can play basically every game without some problems coming up.

I think City are weaker than last year and a bit older but Pep is still very good and does rotate.
Liverpool, Man Utd and Chelsea are all in transition. It should be our year but somehow I am not sure. Will finish top 4, but this season I am not as confident as last season and it didn't turn out well. Will depend on our injuries.

Champions League : not sure Arteta has ever come to term with European games. Must get to QF at least.

It is time for Arteta to deliver. The squad is no longer young and we need to seize the opportunities.

I suppose the failure of the police to act on decades of grooming and abuse by Asian gangs in Rotherham (and other towns) was in no way due to two-tier policing. Not in any way due to a desire not to inflame racial tensions or upset the local communities.

The National Crime Agency revealed that more than 1,500 girls and young women in Rotherham may have been abused between 1997 and 2013. A report exposed blatant failures by the police and Labour-run local council where officials feared racism accusations at the time.

Incidentally, your abrasive, bullying, condescending posts and pathetic attempts to belittle people on here are annoying a lot of posters (infact, some have left the forum because they think you are such an a.rsehole) so tone it down or you will be banned.

The biggest a****** I know on this forum who has held the title for 2/3 years now is you TG.

Hands down winner.

Oh do shut up. I’m neither bullying or condescending and the fact that I’m trying rebuff your attacks on a minority group outlines that. If you are posting stuff like that you shouldn’t be the slightest bit surprised when some people take issue with it. Very disappointing

The fact that you don't even realise this shows a complete and utter lack of self awareness.

As I said, tone it down or piss off.

You lecturing people about self awareness is absolutely hysterical.

Hi Soc

Along with others, you've posted some strident opinions which invite strong rebuttals. You've also quote plenty of 'facts' which are questionable and open to challenge, but this is a forum and that's your right.

You need to be careful with the threat of bans for those who hold contrary views under the guise of how they're expressed.

Take the lessons from history.

DHD,

This has nothing at all to do with TG's opinions, right or wrong.

It's the condescending way he treats people on here and the way he expresses himself resorting to insults and attempts at belittling posters.

You know very well what he is like so don't lecture me on that subject. Some very well respected posters have left the forum because they are fed up with him.

I've held my tongue long enough.

Oh Do give over. You made some silly offensive statements and don’t like that you rightly got called out about it and rebuffed with actual factual evidence.

Thats it, nothing to do with anything else. Have your little paddy and get over it.

Down the years, there's been bucketfuls of belittling and innumerable insults. This is a forum; it's always happened; it's expected. TG has a long history of colourful expression.

It's difficult to avoid the impression that your threat of a ban seems driven more by TG's views, diametrically opposed to yours as they are, than how they're delivered.

I agree with Shearer. Feels we are close.

Feels like we need 1 difference maker in the final third. Based on the suggested signings it doesn’t really convince me that we have moved the needle yet.

Just 1 more attacker.

Ferguson has great potential but another who has suffered with injuries.

I agree - a bit more needed. But City also haven't done much. Alvarez has gone and he's the Haaland back-up and a reliable utility goalscorer for them. Phillips has gone on loan to Ipswich - not a huge loss but it makes Rodri's position so vulnerable. One big in jury to Rodri and I'd immediately make us favourites. Oscar Bobb just broke his leg and is out for 3-4 months.

Pep doesn't work with a big squad, but he works with a squad very good at steering clear of injuries. A season of bad luck on that front would seriously test City - and I don't think we've fully fitnessed how they would cope - which you could say the same about Arteta's Arsenal

Surely city are signing players before the end of the window ? The rumour is they are speaking to Eze but surely they need a back up striker too now?