Flamini as you all recall played the defensive mid, pit bull terrier role. Don't be fooled by his size, he had more than enough fight in him.
Hleb, Rosicky and Fabregas all were great on the ball and great passers. They worked very well together and they were all friends. It seemed like they sat with each other all the time. One of the reasons I rated them above the current midfield is they seemed more in sync. This one is but they were all on the same page mentally and knew each others cuts and runs. It was beautiful and I didn't see the same since the Bergkamp, Viera, Pires, Henry, Freddie days.

As we recall, Hleb wouldn't shoot, Rosicky loved to shoot and Fabregas did a bit of both but mostly quarterbacking the team. It was a joy to watch at times. Probably one of if not the smallest midfield in the league but to a man tough as nails. Hleb knew he'd get fouled but went on with it anyway.

Finally, the beauty of football, or sports, is the friendships that are across all lines. Each of them from different countries and cultures but were tight and great friends.

Blimey. I was at all of those games. Like most seasons in that decade, I was a 100%er. Those were the days.

Haven't thought about that Birmingham game for years but now that it's mentioned, the lousy memories come flooding back. Doesn't time fly.

EDIT - one of the worst things about that game was how Gallas made an absolute prat of himself in the aftermath of the injury. That was the day he lost the respect of the fans and his decline accelerated.

20 years ago today:

https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/soccer ... -2028-bid/

No Emirates.

I didn’t like his character but I never really had a problem with his strop at the final whistle. It was utterly absurd yet totally predictable we let a ten man Birmingham side nick a point on a day they crippled our striker.

After the re-start, all our PL games up to the end of Jan are televised.

No matter how it turns out the fact that we are on the cusp of a title race (I don't consider title races until well into the new year) is exciting enough. An unexpected bonus to the season.

Leicester has been quietly moving up the table. Relegation fodder not too long ago they have been playing well and 3rd on form the last 5 matches. And they are playing great defense as well.

Don't know why they have been playing well of late but I'm happy for them. The only team to win the PL finishing outside the top 3 the prior season. I'm hoping we'll be the 2nd.

Haha
These ‘without var’ tables are strange in that I think whoever prints them is trying to get a ride from the fans to show how var has cheated them or aided their rivals, but all these tables show is the teams who suffered the worst original real time decisions.

Shearer has done his team of the season so far:
Pope, Trippier, Shar, Saliba, Cancelo, Guimaraes, Xhaka, Almiron, De Bruyne, Maddison, Haaland.

5 Newcastle players might say he’s being a teeny bit biased, but his team isn’t a million miles off

No way can you pick an 11 without Partey. For his 2 sceamers alone he should be in. He’s been colossal

Agreed Partey has been immense.
Also Arsenal and Newcastle have the joint best defence in the league for goals against so someone like Shar should be making way for White or Gabriel

I saw a report on Facebook that the FA submitted a list to UEFA for 2028 And apparently our stadium is not in the top 14 submitted. It might not seem important but it’s all extra income.

Can't blame him for being excited with Newcastle's very good form this season
Much alike us celebrating our tremendous form.

So far, albiet only a few examples (Chelsea, City, to a lesser extent Leicester a one off seaosn), any EPL club that has the resources that Newcastle have eventually win the title within a half dozen years of getting said money.

For its time, it was Sir Jack Walker in the '90s. Liverpool got their huge sums from player sales instead of an uber rich sugar daddy but they spent like a sugar daddy and are winning titles again. Arsenal obviously being the exception but these days its the super rich clubs (PSG is the French example of the rich sugar daddy).

So, I expect Newcastle to win a title before this decade is out, and I'm guessing in 4-6 years if I had to wager on it.

You stooped fooker if you eat those salad bags they are chlorinated too.

We wouldn't be in a financial crisis if coonts like you had agreed with me that lockdowns were a mistake. The only country not really suffering is Sweden who didn't lock down.

STFU blaming everyone else for the financial crisis you and Putin are to blame.

Been licking toads again, Chris?

This is the first world cup where I've been almost completely disinterested. Don't know why. Friends are into so I learn about about that way.

I don't even know which countries are supposed to be the strongest. So far I've heard both the South American giants, Germany, Belgium, maybe France. That's it. Everyone else is supposed to be behind these. I guess I will watch some of it.

Hello ...

It is with the deepest sadness that I must announce the funeral arrangements for my beloved Meg after her unexpected passing on the morning of November 5th. 

Meg had noticed a pain in her lower left side so after a blood test and trip to her local GP, she was sent for a CT Scan on September 23rd to investigate the source of the pain and the possibility of cancer.

Numerous setbacks then ensued including a 10-day delay from her local GP who gave her multiple wrong referrals and every other doctor her wrong contact number as they had a patient there with the same name. Meg was finally advised she needed a kidney stent operation for a blocked kidney which was successfully completed on October 10th. 

Over the next week, she began having severe lower abdominal pains and had a very sore mouth which seemed to be brought on by the general anaesthetic from the kidney op.

A Biopsy and an MRI were booked for Oct 19th but unfortunately, she needed to be taken to hospital by ambulance that same morning for what turned out to be a Urinary Tract Infection. The UTI made her excessively talkative and was the likely cause of her lower abdominal pain during the previous days.

The hospital brought the UTI under control within a few days but her mouth remained very sore with ulcers which was compounded by the antibiotics she remained on.

With a combination of mouth ulcers and nausea, she couldn't eat anything at all in hospital for her entire 18-day hospital stay.
I visited her daily only to see her mouth getting worse, her condition seemingly not improving, and her eating nothing at all except water or juice.

They did many tests on her including 2x CT Scans, X-rays, MRI's, multiple blood, stool, covid and urine tests, yet we were never given any definitive results from any of them.
We were instead told that a team was looking at the results and deciding what to do.

All she had were some saline iv's, antibiotics, vitamins and the like - and assurances many times over the course of her stay that she would be coming home.
These assurances included having consultations from the hospital doctor, physios, occupational therapists and dieticians ensuring her getting back home would be successful.

I told anyone who would listen to ensure she eats something or see why she couldn't.
I even printed a detailed info sheet on how she got in hospital - from a seemingly simple UTI and mouth ulcers. Few there read the single page info sheet I wrote.

Instead, they moved her into her own private room on the 16th day citing changing her bed clothes would be easier and that she was doing ok and was still on saline.

Meg sadly passed away the morning of November 5th at 7:15 am from low blood pressure inducing heart failure.

Numerous scans and tests were completed at the hospital during her stay however any potential cancer diagnosis, staging or treatment was never even started.
__________________________________________________________________________________

A celebration of Meg's life will be held on November 25th 2022 at 11:00am at:

St Michael’s Church Meadowbank.
45 Maxim St, Meadowbank 2114
Cnr of Hughes Street.

The Church service will be at 11:00 AM, and for those that wish to attend, the burial will be at Field of Mars Cemetery in Ryde at 12:45 PM where she will be laid to rest alongside her mother, father and extended family.

A gathering of our family and friends will then be held at 'The Ranch' on Epping Rd, North Ryde from 2:00 Pm until early evening with all food and drinks provided.

In line with Meg's wishes, she wanted our friends celebrating her life and enjoying themselves with live music.

She loved music and was happiest when she was playing her tambourine on stage in a live band.

Please note the gathering will be Covid-aware and it is asked that anyone with cold or flu symptoms to please stay home so we can ensure the safety of everyone attending.

Meg and I were together for over 31 years and this is by far the most difficult message I have ever written. She and I lived for each other and every decision we each made was for both of us.

She always put everyone else ahead of herself. Even when she was in hospital, she would have me get sundry items for her 3 other roommates to make them more comfortable.

My life will never be the same without her and I miss her immeasurably ...
____________________________________________________________

Condolences

Christ Rog - that's truly a tragic story. Shocking. Such a beautiful lady too.

My sincerest condolences to you and yours.

I am very sorry to hear that, Rog. My deepest sympathies to you.

I'm so sorry Rog. Sincere condolences.

My God! Tragic story and feel so very sorry for you. They never found out the true cause? Life makes these sudden turns for good and sadly for the worse. She gave you 31 great years and you'll find little solace in that now but hopefully after some time, you will realize you got 31 years more than most people.

So sorry to hear the news, Rog, that's just so sad. The photos of Meg are such a wonderful snapshot of her life - she was so vibrant. I love the band pic! Unfortunately, I'll be down in Melbourne on the 25th for a family event - I'd have loved to come along. I'll be thinking of you, though, as I'm sure we all will.

Goodness, I'm so sorry to hear that, Rog. My condolences.

I'm so sorry to read this Rog. Condolences to you.

Oh Rog, that's just heartbreaking. So sorry for your loss.

Ah Rog that is ineffably sad My deepest condolences to you and your family May the love you all have for Meg sustain and comfort you at this difficult time

That’s so desperately sad, my sincere condolences to you and your family Rog, truly awful turn of events.

Thanks everyone for the kind words. I don't normally post a lot of personal stuff but Judith suggested I do as the initial diagnosis was a possible kidney cancer which is what Steve Gleiber had. I am mostly upset that we didn't even get a chance to proceed further with anything to do with her potential cancer and instead just watch her not eat for so long.

She was in the outpatient section of the hospital. No one in there had any heart monitors or life support stuff on them as all the patients were meant to go home. We were very suspicious when they moved her into her own room 2 days before she passed but were assured that it was normal and there was nothing to worry about.

I've had to do many things that I had never even thought of the past few weeks. Arrange a funeral, wake, grave site, church, burial, her clothes to wear, death certificate info, relatives, emails, phone calls. We had no children so I am here on my own now. Also creating funeral videos, booklets, a picture to place on the coffin and some personal effects.

It's very tough. Her parents both lived over 25 years longer than she so I thought we'd have another quarter century together.

We had just bought a place after looking after her parents for 7 years until they passed away in 2013 and 2017. We rented a place for a year while I fixed their old place then we moved here. I fixed this place up for her with a new deck, full smart home stuff, cabinets and security etc etc. I did all the rooms. Everything was mostly done - then covid hit. But we just isolated as the place was very comfortable for us and we got on brilliantly. We were barely ever out of each others sight for over 3 decades.

Terrible news that is Rog. With 31 years together you will always have those lovely memories. All condolences to you and the family.

Truly sorry for your tragic loss Rog. That is a heartbreaking story. May she rest in peace and condoloscenes to you and yours.

Most people can only dream of such a relationship. You were robbed way too soon but you were also very, very blessed for the time you did have with her.

Dear Rog my thoughts, best wishes and a song for your lovely.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CTWI28r5-ag

Oh wow. Just logged in and seen the news. I can only echo what others have said. Just heart rending.

Rog
I am so so sorry for the tragic passing of your wonderful Meg.
My deepest condolences and sympathies to you and both your families.
Please treasure the great time you spent together.
Lovely pictures.

Sorry Rog, deepest condolences. I was aware that NHS Scotland was failing but didn't think they were that bad. May she RIP.9

Just logged on. I’m so sorry Rog.

There’s not much you can really say at times like these. It’s better to have loved than lost than never loved at all. Just ghastly news

Best wishes mate I hope you find peace on this. Will take time