titchuk

Kinda feels like it's all been building up to this, I had a bit of a worry just before kick off last night that we'd all been looking ahead to the France game and would be complacent against Senegal. I think France will edge it and I think they're the favourites for the tournament. But also, if England can win then I think they can go all the way. Feels a bit like whoever beats France has a great shout of winning the whole thing, whether that's England or someone else. I'll be watching in the pub, booked a table last week (again that complacency against Senegal!) It's going to be tense but there'll be no shame in losing to this French team.

After two games I think France, Spain and Brazil are ahead of the rest. But if England can play like they did against Iran again, or if Holland/Argentina/Portugal click, then they could all be in with a chance.

Well.

I thought they were almost too close, the first by Soma he tried to get up and down and would've done if it'd been a little further back

Why did Clive just scream? Think he scared Hartson.

Could've been a red that.

Japan got a bit of a weakened side out by all accounts, probably giving some players a rest but could be that they're underestimating Costa Rica!

Yeah that made me laugh, wasn't fully paying attention so no idea what it had to do with Poland v Saudi Arabia.

Andros Townsend on Poland v Saudi Arabia seems to be enjoying himself, although he did jinx Saudi Arabia by saying they were back in control of the game immediately before Poland went down the other end and scored.

Been enjoying the World Cup so far but always good to get Brazil kicking off!

Can't offer you Sky Sports Cricket but I've literally just seen this?

BBC article seems to think pubs, streaming services, cinemas, outdoor screens etc aren't in the overnight numbers so they might be able to massage it over the Diana figure.

I dunno if this is what you're suggesting, maybe I'm misreading, but you kinda make it sound like there wasn't much interest... There was a huge queue all the time, it's not like there were any quiet bits where no one was going in. The only way there could've been more than 250k was to extend the lying-in-state period or to make everyone run round it. (Which does make you wonder how they got to a 1m estimate).

This is all you get. Unless they do something around the coronation but don't think they will.

I thought we were talking about hospital appointments rather than football, I find it baffling that hospital trusts don't have a plan they could've dusted off for this eventuality. I guess you're technically correct in that it's the monarchy's fault because if she hadn't died there wouldn't be a bank holiday but it strikes me as the hospitals are also very at fault because some of them have got themselves in a big pickle over something they knew was going to happen at some point. Football cancellations are a bit odd and there's definitely an argument that there was a better opportunity to 'pay respects' by having them take place.

I agree with the short notice issue you and CJ raise, but still seems to me to be a problem that hospitals have caused themselves. If oncologists were due to work on Monday, and usually work on bank holidays, why aren't they doing so this time? And they can get a day off in lieu? Feels like a trust should be able to deal with this stuff sensibly rather than us blaming it on the monarchy.

I thought we were all complaining recently that we don't get enough bank holidays in this country?

Take it up with mark1032 who, as you yourself admit on the last page, was messing around in cow manure in some rural backwater rather than leading a large army across the sea.

Not sure I was expecting the monarchy to be quite as popular as it is

Sorry to be that bore again, but Truss isn't going to be accompanying King Charles on his tour, she's just attending some of the services - sounds like it might have been a misquote/misunderstanding. https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2022/sep/11/liz-truss-not-accompanying-king-charles-on-uk-tour-says-no-10