Messages

[I'm not sure the forwards are that bad, been pitting up good enough scores I think the other end may be needing more attention]

Great to see our hurling manager was really happy that Celtic won yesterday. Hope he never manages them after Saturdays result           

I'm not sure the forwards are that bad, been pitting up good enough scores I think the other end may be needing more attention

Ridiculous statement! The man is allowed to have a life outside of managing the hurlers- and he dedicates some amount of time to Down GAA (will often do Stewart for the football games) and doesn't take a penny.

Yes hurlers got beat out the gate on Saturday against one of the top teams in the country. Unfortunately the gap between 1B and 2A has just been too big for this Down team. But hopefully the experience of playing against these sides will stand to them and we can come back up stronger. Antrim have struggled too so hopefully we can give them a good rattle in Newry and set us up for the championship.

I wouldn't be overly critical of the management after that defeat, it's just the stark reality of where Down hurling is at in terms of resource, playing numbers etc compared to the likes of Dublin, Clare etc.

It has to be said that in the program for the game it had a report from the last time Down and Dublin played in the league in 2005 in Ballycran and Down actually won the game to relegate Dublin to Div2.

Back then Down had forwards the calibre of Big Magic, Dule Braniff and Brendan McGourty. With the best will in the world we don't have forwards of that calibre now.

Maybe the defence was better then as well 

[Has Tudor not a work responsibility to the other 10 players and the broader club too?]

Feel terrible for the keeper.

I don't.

He's the worst goalkeeper I've ever seen at Spurs (some accolade). Has not one single attribute that marks him out as a top flight keeper. And to top that his concentration is abysmal.

He'll be able to retire when his contract is up. And then maybe find something he's good at to do with the rest of his life.

FFS he's a 22 year old young lad. Human. With pride and feelings. Just fucked up on a massive stage, probably the biggest game of his life so far. I don't care how much money he's making, he's surely someone hoping to succeed at the highest level ans he's just blown a huge opportunity in an extremely public manner.

He has a guaranteed contract of about £7m.

Personally I find it impossible to have empathy / sympathy for anyone in this situation.

The life they're so lucky to lead isn't "human".

Yet his peers are all in the exact same boat. He has to go into work today. He's probably the pride of his extended family and his community of origin.

Just because you're lucky enough and gifted enough to excel in a field that brings fame and money doesn't mean that human feelings and needs and social pressures and work responsibilities just disappear.

Yes, to a point. But the reality is he is a highly paid elite sportsman. At every level of every sport there is an expectation of a basic performance level. Have an off day, especially in the CL knockouts, and you wil be hauled ashore.

Has Tudor not a work responsibility to the other 10 players and the broader club too?

Seems like he's an Arsenal plant so far anyway

Arsenal are the least of Spurs worries at the minute.

They should be worrying about West Ham, Forest and Leeds.

Evidently European referees aren't big into the maul situations Premier league teams favour at corners.

Liverpool had a goal disallowed due to Konate handling a ball he knew nothing about (hit is upper arm) in a melee from a corner and it didn't go directly in either, bounced off the keeper onto Van Dykes heel or something and spun in.

Newcastle were pinged a few times for pushing and shoving at corners as well.

Not a good night for the Premier League teams in general.

[If only they'd have been more ruthless during World War Two]

Israel will not stop until Iran and whoever else in that area they feel is not on their side.

The West Bank, followed by Lebanon Jordan Syria and eventually Iran

This thing is never going to stop

If only they'd have been more ruthless during World War Two

Ireland has become a wild antisemitic country within a few years. Wild.
I really hope this isn't our generations 1930s. We all know where it ends.

Palestinians are semites, is this what you mean by being antisemitic?

Palestinians are linguisticaly semetic, but more recently the term has been used to describe the discrimination of Jewish people.

Of course you already know this and are splitting hairs for some reason.

The Ashzenazi Jews who emigrated from Europe and the US into Palestine aren't Semites, but for some reason they've taken on that mantra.

Sadly being called an Antisemite carries no weight now as it's been so badly misused by those trying to justify the actions of Israel.

[If only they'd have been more ruthless during World War Two]

Israel will not stop until Iran and whoever else in that area they feel is not on their side.

The West Bank, followed by Lebanon Jordan Syria and eventually Iran

This thing is never going to stop

If only they'd have been more ruthless during World War Two

Ireland has become a wild antisemitic country within a few years. Wild.
I really hope this isn't our generations 1930s. We all know where it ends.

Palestinians are semites, is this what you mean by being antisemitic?

https://www.ft.com/content/56dd339c-51ea-41b0-983a-fe13c0d5ab54
Trump says war against Iran is 'very complete'
Donald Trump said the war against Iran was "very complete, pretty much" as he declared there was "nothing left in a military sense" in the country.
"They have no navy, no communications, they've got no air force. Their missiles are down to a scatter. Their drones are being blown up all over the place, including their manufacturing of drones. If you look, they have nothing left," the US president said in an interview with CBS on Monday.
Trump's comments came on the 10th day of the war, and followed a surge in oil prices that has threatened to raise inflation and damage the global economy.
In the interview, Trump warned Iran: "They've shot everything they have to shoot, and they better not try anything cute or it's going to be the end of that country."

Yet an Iranian drone hit a US oil tanker only yesterday and the Iranian missiles are getting through the Iron Dome in Israel, hitting Netanyahu's and Ben-Gvir' s houses.


There's a lot of talk of the US using a "tactical" nuclear warhead in Iran as a warning shot, that show's how desperate they are.

Both Israel and the US fúcked up, Iran didn't roll over as they thought they would and now we're in an almost stalemate.

Limerick definitely seem to have got the bit between the teeth again, I thought they looked extremely sharp.

Worryingly so for the rest I would think.

Lads, I'd be highly critical of Cork and the lack of a defensive backbone, but I'd not be ruling them out of an AI final as I do think they've got themselves a decent hoor of a fullback, if only they wouldn't stop panicking once a defender picks up a yellow. Defenders need to know how to adapt as an individual and as a team to that scenario.
The other contender for me is Clare who seem to have built a bit of a panel now to ride out the long and tough Munster campaign, possibly in third place but that'll do them I'd have thought.

Did you watch them against Limerick yesterday? Not sure if they dropped their level but it was seriously lacking on quality on both sides.

I did and Cork were with a seriously strong Limerick team for most of the game. Limerick pulled away in the last 10 minutes and once the took Dáire O'Leary off Limerick got a penalty and a few other handy scores.

Both teams will improve, it's early March FFS.

Limerick definitely seem to have got the bit between the teeth again, I thought they looked extremely sharp.

Worryingly so for the rest I would think.

Lads, I'd be highly critical of Cork and the lack of a defensive backbone, but I'd not be ruling them out of an AI final as I do think they've got themselves a decent hoor of a fullback, if only they wouldn't stop panicking once a defender picks up a yellow. Defenders need to know how to adapt as an individual and as a team to that scenario.
The other contender for me is Clare who seem to have built a bit of a panel now to ride out the long and tough Munster campaign, possibly in third place but that'll do them I'd have thought.

Great to see our hurling manager was really happy that Celtic won yesterday. Hope he never manages them after Saturdays result           

Ridiculous statement! The man is allowed to have a life outside of managing the hurlers- and he dedicates some amount of time to Down GAA (will often do Stewart for the football games) and doesn't take a penny.

Yes hurlers got beat out the gate on Saturday against one of the top teams in the country. Unfortunately the gap between 1B and 2A has just been too big for this Down team. But hopefully the experience of playing against these sides will stand to them and we can come back up stronger. Antrim have struggled too so hopefully we can give them a good rattle in Newry and set us up for the championship.

I wouldn't be overly critical of the management after that defeat, it's just the stark reality of where Down hurling is at in terms of resource, playing numbers etc compared to the likes of Dublin, Clare etc.

It has to be said that in the program for the game it had a report from the last time Down and Dublin played in the league in 2005 in Ballycran and Down actually won the game to relegate Dublin to Div2.

Back then Down had forwards the calibre of Big Magic, Dule Braniff and Brendan McGourty. With the best will in the world we don't have forwards of that calibre now.

Limerick too strong but I wouldn't be overly concerned if I was Cork other Daire O'Leary is now essential at full back with Eoin Downey being a better centre back than his brother .
Alan Walsh also offers a serious aerial threat on the edge of the square.

I see Dan Bilzerian not holding back on his opinions anyway on what he thinks of the good people of Israel.

There's something amiss with these types, there's an odious side to them I can't shake off, but on Israel he's right.

Also,
  what has happened to the likes of Tucker Carlson? He's going in big time on Israel and AIPAC as well?

I also believe Piers Morgan invites Pro Israel Zionists onto his show to deliberately demean them as they always get handed their arses on a plate and is now getting sued by some Pro Israel legal type.

Some big games across the divisions this weekend.

The biggie will be the manly Cork lads going up to Limerick on Saturday evening and we may just see how manly they really are.

Limerick don't seem to be desperate for a league title at this juncture in their development, but they certainly won't want to lie down and roll over against Cork with the Munster championship a few short weeks away.
It could get interesting.

Galway welcome Kilkenny to Salthill, this could also tell us a bit more about Galways young guns who to this point have been doing rightly.
For me Lawlor is a huge loss for the Cats, he's irreplaceable and they need to find someone in there who can do a job. Carey isn't the answer, so maybe David Blanchfield would be better suited for the high ball situations, I don't know.
Eoin Cody to be the difference yet again. I think he's the best forward in the game at the minute.


Waterford v Tipp.

With a lot of teams on 4 points, it's still to be seen who goes down with Offaly, the winner of this one gives themselves a bit of breathing space, but won't be secure.
This is Waterfords last chance to get a few league points, so the need is greatest with them.
Tipp finish off with a home game v Kilkenny who are also on 4 points going into this weekend.

The big game in 1B is Clare v Wexford, both unbeaten and both favourites for promotion although the Dubs are still in with a shout in that regard.

The relegation battle comes down to the wire in Newbridge, so whoever loses that is likely to join Down in Div2, especially if Carlow lose, they're banjaxed as it's hard to see anything other than an Antrim win in Newry taking Antrim to 4 points and on head to head they'd go above Carlow.
If Carlow do win then we could end up with 3 teams on 4 points and then I think it's a mini league between all 3 making the Newbridge game almost a 4 pointer for Carlow.

   

Looking at Manchester City remaining games I foresee them getting 18 points from those games giving them a season total of 78 points. 

If my calculations are correct Arsenal will only need 12 points from their remaining nine games and they have Everton,Burnley,Bournemouth,Newcastle,Fulham to play at home.

Only two questions on Arsenal right now.  How many games to spare will they win this seasons Premier League title by? And how good of a Champion are they really?

Won't have the answer to the 2nd question until next season and the manner on how they defend their title, should they fall away as badly like Liverpool have this season then enough said.

Everton's away record is second only to Arsenal.

Corners won't bother the Everton defence since they got their act together from the Newcastle game in Bramley Dock.

Arteta made a big mistake a few years ago in settling for a draw against City in the run in. Should have laid down a marker and tried to seize momentum as that City were always likely to go on a streak for run-in.

I think this time round a draw leaves it very difficult for this City to win the league. So expect a dour spectacle in their showdown. If Arsenal stay undefeated, realistically 4 wins gets them the league. That's 16 points plus the current gap of 7 leaving City needing to win all the other 8 games. I don't think they will.

I don't want City to win, but if Arteta takes the chicken shit approach, which most likely he will, I don't particularly think Arsenal deserve to win either.

Arsenal got a shitty, deflected goal against Brighton and then parked the bus.

Their one and only shot on target was the goal.

The sphincters are tightening up with Arsenal.

City aren't exactly shooting the lights out either but are more comfortable in this position than Arsenal.

There's a big Ulster contingent starting tomorrow night v Wales.

I don't think I'd question any of them barring Stockdale. I thought he was terrible in the last game he played v France, but so was a lot of others. Time for him to redeem himself but for me for such a big man he can't jump so reclaiming those garryowens (is that still a thing?) he'd need to be much better.

Wales have been improving, but Ireland need to back up the England performance with another big performance to keep momentum going.