Hertsscot

Nicky Campbell on BBC just now, 6.45, interviewing John Mann. Campbell seems to be alleging that Craig Murray is anti Semitic because he linked speculation of non Russian source of poisoning to Israel and Friends of Israel in Labour Party.

Can't be bothered reading the whole thread. Have we had..."remembering when you gutted because we got knocked out in the first round of the World Cup"

Add Fraser to that team and I'd be happy.

Bit harsh. I'm sure there have been better players than McBurnie who have missed sitters. Key thing is if Griffiths is injured we're struggling so I don't really mind whether it's McBurnie or Cummings. I was a big advocate of Phillips getting into the Scotland squad as I believed his strength and pace were assets but I fear my judgment was flawed.

Last qualifiers Strachan stuck with Berra and Mulgrew as CH. I'm a bit surprised McLeish didn't pick Berra, does he see McKenna as a replacement for him or will he continue his experiment with a three? Ideally Paterson won't be right back and it may well be that McLeish sees Tierney in that position similarly to Strachan's last selections. If Tierney is injured however then it would be useful to see how Hendry would acquit himself, given that Bardsley is out the picture and we don't really have anyone else.

I would assume if he wasn't fit enough he'd have been sent home by now so it would be good for him to get a game. One of our problems by all accounts was our final ball and Fraser's good on that.

BBC got this on their website now after stories about events in France and USA. I would say from a UK perspective this is a major story but BBC are obsessed with what is going on elsewhere. I don't think it's narrow minded or insular to ask why don't they focus more on some of the things happening here. Trump or gun control or whatever often feels like their "look a squirrel" policy. Anyhow May' s Special advisor must be on a very shoogly peg

I wasn't there, didn't see the game but one thing that did strike me when the team was announced was that apart from the full / wing backs there wasn't a lot of pace about the team.

Fascinating (and worrying) article about who's is behind Cambridge Analytica: http://bellacaledonia.org.uk/2018/03/20/scl-a-very-british-coup/

Given the paucity of other options upfront (Fletcher? Martin? Rhodes?) that alone is a big plus

Judging by comments on another thread they'll not be anyone from the u21s knocking on the door. Sounds like it was a disappointing performance but good that there were a few new caps.

Three at the back need to be decent players and well drilled. A long time ago we used it successfully . I see England used it tonight and although they weren't put under much pressure the England back three were all players who are very comfortable with the ball.

I'd also link this to my post about Tories refusing to disclose who paid £500,000 to DUP as part of Brexit campaign. All this stuff about interfering in other countries elections, there's a distinct lack of transparency in our own set up, particularly with allegations of how Tories were targeting voters by using Social Media to bypass candidates spending limits.

I would say that there are very few keepers in the EPL who command their areas either, seems to be a general problem with modern keepers. I'd be interested in anyone who sees Millwall regularly commenting on Jordan Archer because when I saw him regularly playing non league he wa san excellent shot stopper but that was an aspect of his game that needed work.

Same true of strikers?

Supporters of Killie and Aberdeen have probably seen more of him than me but I know that Freddie Woodman is highly rated as well and he must only be a year or so younger than Gunn. Gunn may prove to to be the best of Butland, Pickford, Pope, Woodman but there's certainly more competition in that early to mid twenties category for England than there is for Scotland, Jordan Archer then who?

Add Pope to that list as well who has been very good this year and is only mid twenties.

Its not wanting 'indisputable evidence', its more a case of wanting some evidence and there just seems to be a whole load of things that don't stack up before the rush to judgement that the Russians did it. I don't expect all that evidence to be in the public domain but we don't seem to have got any and have instead a series of contradictory statements. As well as evidence you look for motive, and yes the Russians might have sufficient motive (though that's debatable), what is really odd is if is was the Kremlin, why now when they'd had plenty of opportunity to do so in the past? And then you get Boris (good Russian name) wading in and saying the Russians have been stockpiling stuff for the last decade - if the Govt has got more solid evidence then they're doing a pretty rubbish job because they're failing to convince a lot of us.

Alex Davey. Was meant to be the new John Terry at Chelsea, last seen playing for Boreham Wood.

Compared to where we were pre-Vern we're made excellent progress and seem to have a bit more strength in depth. It wasn't pretty today and first half we were poor but showed character to grind out a win courtesy of Laidlaw' s boot. Hope no one believes the hype about being the Northern hemisphere All Blacks as there's no room for complacency if we want to take it to the next level.

Are there actually any suspects yet, individuals rather than the Russian authorities, no one acting suspiciously, that need to help the police with their enquiries sort of thing?

From what I recall the double agent was part of a prisoner exchange. My query would be if a secret agent got bumped off after being released doesn't that put such future exchanges in jeopardy, I'm not sure that's in anyones interests including Russia's (and obviously not any secret agent they release in any such exchange)

So embarrassing.

So Tories just voted on NI party donations but won't cover EU referendum and who DUP got £500000 to put a Leave wrap around the Metro. Is there anyway this doesn't stink?