Cornish Steve

Don't Chelsea continue to be his sponsors? This is a loan deal, after all.

Both.

The clue is in his name: Just horsing around.

Reminds me of a David Coleman comment: "The British runner beat the world's best to claim the bronze."

Maybe we should just enjoy the fact that a potentially great young talent has joined the club and not put him under pressure before he's even played one game in the BPL. He'll have a lot to learn, will make mistakes, and may or may not work out. Who knows at this point? But let's enjoy watching the season play out and seeing how the new core of young players get along.

The number of famous British actors who starred in Z Cars is quite impressive. Among them are: Colin Welland Frank Windsor Brian Blessed James Ellis Stratford Johns Ian McShane John Thaw (Morse) Nicholas Smith (Mr. Cuthbert, Are you being served) Judy Dench (M for a while on James Bond) Joss Ackland Leonard Rossiter Windsor Davies Fulton Mackay (Porridge) Geoffrey Hughes (Keeping up appearances) Kate O'Mara Davy Jones (from the Monkees) Judy Parfitt Peter Sallis (voice of Wallace from Wallace and Gromitt) Glenda Jackson Malcolm Tierney Molly Sugden (Mrs Slocombe from Are you being served) Tom Baker (who was once Dr. Who) Ian Lavender (Corporal Pike, Dad's Army) Robert Powell Diana Dors Arthur Lowe (Captain Mainwaring, Dad's Army) John Hurt Patricia Routledge (Mrs. Bucket in Keeping up appearances) Eileen Atkins (Aunt Ruth on Doc Martin) Bernard Bresslaw (Carry On movies) John Laurie (Dad's Army) Arnold Ridley (Dad's Army) Stefanie Cole (Aunt Joan, Doc Martin) Geoffrey Palmer Wendy Richard (Miss Brahms, Are you being served) Colm Meaney (Star Trek, TNG) John Rhys-Davies (Gimli LOTR)

So how many here used to watch Z-cars?

The hell HE was going through? What about the hell SHE is going through? While I appreciate the guys dilemma, this whole article just seems to endorse extreme selfishness.

And when you do understand, you'll realize that I always get double points.

The season kicks off next weekend, so let's get the prediction game going! Hopefully, I've learned a little from doing this last season and through the World Cup, and I've listened to your feedback on a couple of potential new rules. Here's what I suggest this time around. Each week, you need to predict just two things: the final score and the first Everton goalscorer. Please use the same format each week: Home-team x-x Away team Goal-scorer For example, you might predict Leicester 1-1 Everton Lukaku Here's how points will be awarded: a) 1 point for the correct outcome (win, lose, or draw) 1 point for the correct goal difference c) 1 point for the correct number of goals scored by Everton d) 1 point for the correct number of goals scored by the opposition e) 1 point for your prediction being better than the average prediction f) 2 points for predicting the first Everton goal-scorer g) 1 point if your predicted goal-scorer scores other than the first goal h) 3 bonus points if you get everything right Here are some clarifications on these rules: - You receive 2 points if your goalscorer gets the first goal and 1 point if he gets one of the other goals. You do not get 3 points if he scores both. - If Everton fail to score, no one gets any points for predicted goalscorer and no bonus points are awarded. - You can choose "own goal" as your goalscorer, in which case it doesn't matter who from the opposing team scores that own goal. - For the technically minded, the definition of "better than the average prediction" is quite simple: (ABS[yourEvertonscore - actualEvertonscore] + ABS[youropponentscore - actualopponentscore]) < (ABS[averageEvertonscore - actualEvertonscore] + ABS[averageopponentscore - actualopponentscore]) Here are some examples. Let's say it's Everton playing at home to QPR. The final result is 2-0, with Lukaku scoring first and Naismith scoring second. If you predicted 1-0 (Lukaku), you score a+d+f = 4 points (and maybe a point for being better than average) If you predicted 2-1 (Naismith), you score a+c+g = 3 points (and maybe a point for being better than average) If you predicted 3-1 (Barkley), you score a+b = 2 points (and maybe a point for being better than average) If you predicted 2-0 (Naismith), you score a+b+c+d+e+g = 6 points If you predicted 2-0 (Lukaku), you score a+b+c+d+e+f+h = 10 points Note: all predictions must be posted here before kickoff: no exceptions. Hopefully this is a clear description of how the prediction game will work, but please feel free to ask any questions. Now let's get started with predictions for the opening game against Leicester.

Now we have a Mohammed and a Christian on the team, maybe we should be looking for a Buddha Smith? Personally, I'm not a big fan of Ben Arfa, mainly because his attitude leaves something to be desired.

A toucan selfie https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xHlWLXvtiUs

How can anyone say the squad is no different from last year? 1) Barry is permanent, not a loan. He can play all games in the season and against all other teams. 2) Lukaku is permenent, not a loan. He too can play all games and against all teams. 3) Barkley and Stones have proved they are first-team material (and England internationals) 4) McGeady is available for the entire season, and so is Gibson. 5) Besic is permanent and an exciting new player. 6) Galloway is permanent and gives us a positive transition from older to younger players. 7) All the key players (just waiting for McCarthy) have signed on for several years. 8) All four loan spots remain open. And we've lost no one. And the team has mostly played together now for a full year. And we have the same manager as last season. And we're playing in Europe. And we have at least two youngsters ready for first team play. As we look at the first team, how many players would we honestly prefer to replace? Very very few. We're in an exciting place.

The window isn't over yet, and the loan signings won't happen until the last minute. If you ask me, there will be one more permanent deal and at least three players on loan.

Having read first all the comments here, I was expecting hot pink with lace lining the socks. It's not quite that bad. On the other hand, it's quite amusing to see players demonstrating their macho no-nonsense pose in a far from macho kit. And whoever came up with that combination of colours - white, purple, black, and yellow - has the fashion sense of Albert Steptoe.

I can see them struggling this coming season. Last time around, they relied on a potent front line but were vulnerable at the back. That potency is diminished and you don't fix defensive frailties in an instant. And they have the CL to contend with. I'd say we have a good opportunity to take their place this season in the top four.

Come on guys. Backwards? The goal has to be continued progression so 4th must be the target.

Would it make sense for Jindrich Stanek to gain experience there?

That's it!

An impressive crowd watching the game, John.

We had a team in primary school. The highlight was playing against Calstock because, if you kicked the ball hard enough, it would end up in the Tamar. We had no football team at the comprehensive school, so each weekend we would play in a local farmer's field, rain or shine, and usually shirts vs. skins. Like John, I ended up playing in a church league because that's all there was. Twice, our U-14 team made it to the national finals in London, playing on Haywards Heath. This little no-name team from Cornwall played against the likes of Nottingham and Derby and Sheffield; it was awesome. Very few of us had ever been to a big city, so the entire experience was out of this world. I remember scoring in the only game we won, which was the highlight for me. Of course, universities in Britain don't have football teams (at least, they didn't back then). In fact, I don't remember there being any university sports teams. I've enjoyed coaching all six of my children. My oldest son was the best of them, making it to All-State, becoming the league's top scorer, and going on to captain his college team. Coaching can be wonderful. The first time we played in an indoor league, we were thrashed about 12-0. With each week that went by, we got better and better. In the playoffs, we made it to the quarterfinals and then had to play the team that had thrashed us; we won on penalties and the parents went totally berserk. I pulled a van Gaal, swapping keepers at the last minute. My oldest son and I would practice penalties in the back yard, so I knew he was good at saving them. Being all square after four, my son scored our final penalty and saved their final attempt. I have to mention one other incident. I had a video of some guy in the old Division (from QPR, I think) who scored a ridiculous free kick. His teammate placed one foot on either side of the ball, flipped it in the air behind him, and the goal was then scored on the volley. Two of the boys practiced this week in and week out until they felt confident to try it in a game. They didn't score, but it was the talk of the league for months. Like my son, I was a forward - full of energy and never giving up. Unlike him, though, I wasn't that good and didn't score that often. Both of us are on the short side (5'8"), so few of our goals were headed in.

In various discussions, I've seen hints that some forum members are active football players. I'm sure that others have been coaches. I thought it would be good to find out what is everyone's level of football experience. So, how much experience do you have as a football player? In what leagues? What position do you play? What was your greatest moment on the pitch? What about as a coach?

Why do they have to change the colour of socks every year? For me, they really should be blue, not white.

At $30-40, they would sell. At $99.99? No way. There appears to be a complete lack of business sense in these arrangements.

Sounds like a business opportunity to me...