Tessera

I’d be up for TOTP’s story of 2002, but I turned it on about six weeks ago and so far it’s only been about The Hives and Vanessa Carlton.

Anyway, until Euro 28, it’s goodbye to the @wsc.co.uk wallchart. A little bit of joy every tournament.

Spain are hardly worthy winners. They played their part in making that a dismal game of football. Twice winners in two appalling finals.

Extra time in this is like Ed Sheeran making his next record a double album.

These last 10 minutes of the half-time show have really dragged.

Andy Dawson @andydawson.bsky.social · 3w ago

I’ve seen people say England’s win last night means it’s our best World Cup since 1966. No. It’s our joint second-best, with 1990 and 2018. Beating France was fun, but it was basically a friendly. Unless you can name the last five Community Shield winners without googling, don’t claim it mattered.

Only another 24 hours of reading football posts on here from people who never post about football at any other time 🧐

Andrew Harrison @nndroid.bsky.social · 3w ago

Why in hell is this foolish man lending credence to the far-right idea that Britain is at “breaking point”? Say we’re angry. Say we’re in trouble. Say people are clamouring for real change. But DO NOT amplify Farage’s talking points. This is elementary messaging.

When Saturday Comes@wsc.co.uk · 3w ago

This is a magnificent story, the kind of mad adventure the @lordshortcake.bsky.social Danny Baker phone-in was built on.

"We sat staring in shock and awe at the shining gold and silver plunder which lay before us in our living room, amid the dirty teacups, biscuit wrappers and ashtrays" By Richard Stocks for WSC 464

After the emcee fiasco and today, prepare the “Is Wordle running out of words?” thinkpieces.

That should be Simon’s second yellow for simulation.

Penalty apart, has there been a shot on target yet?

Can’t remember the last time I went to bed when it was daylight. Worth it.

Add Cunha to Madueke on the list of Very Famous Premier League Players Sam Matterface Can’t Be Bothered To Pronounce Properly. I dread to think what he’s doing to the names of lesser-known players. Between that and Dixon’s joyless monologues and ITV is making me refuse to pay the licence fee.

PSA for anyone still up: DR Congo v Uzbekistan on BBC2 is terrific chaos so far.

I like angry McCoist. It’s so rare, it’s powerfully sexy when it happens. (I saw Strand Larsen’s previous penalty, for Wolves. It was identically terrible.)

“There must have been drills?” boggles the commentator. Well yes, but they involved patiently playing out from the back at all times. This is Luton v Burnley in our Championship relegation season, so Scotland have at least one more daft goal to give away yet.

Yes, ha ha, Cole Palmer is a bit daft. But he’d have had more chance of altering the outcome of this match than anyone who’s played so far. Eze over Watkins as a sub is also a nonsense.

It’s nice there are some subjects which still unify a nation.

Maybe, as some predict, Burnham’s style won’t translate nationally. There’s still a chance Labour were too muddled in its first two years to claw back the electorate’s trust. But it’s nice to wake up with some proper hope and smile at the size of that majority.

A record number of Googles here as everyone wonders who the hell Antony Barry is.

I think the telly just tried to upgrade humanity in the Scotland coverage there.

Listlessly trying to stay awake for USA v Paraguay while my wife is away overnight and…when did TFI Friday come back again? Perfectly acceptable late-night fare, fwiw, and it even has music on TV. Jack Savoretti and Dodgy so far.

Awww, I was enjoying the respite from Matterface & Dixon there.

Grimly fascinated to see how ITV is going to fill the extra hour with England’s game being delayed until 10pm. Can Roy Keane keep up the persona of Roy Keane for another 60 minutes? Will we get a highlights reel of Lee Dixon’s cheeriest insights?