Driving Away From Home (Park) - Division Two / Championship 2023/24

[Amor de Cosmos]

The Belgian papers don't seem to be mentioning that angle (nor do they identify his female companion and co-defendant as his wife).

The info is garbled. Largely because the UK reports are both brief and vague. It seems the sentencing and trial no-show have to do with the Belgian court system which has two parts. First a judicial panel looks at reports, considers the evidence and makes a sentencing recommendation (which is what the British news items are based on.) Later a court questions witnesses, the accused, and victim and comes to a sentencing conclusion. Presumably this is why Chair and the "woman in the green bikini" didn't attend the "trial."

[Patrick Thistle]

Stoke weren't very good today. They probably deserved a point because Cardiff were very poor too.

[Amor de Cosmos]

We sure make things difficult for ourselves. Going behind at home to an early goal has become a kind of signature. Fortunately we managed to claw our way back in to the game and get the win. It's unlikely to emulated at Leicester next week.

[super furry dice]

Steven Schumacher’s stewardship of Stoke is looking under pressure.

He looked shot to pieces in his post match interview. I still think he's potentially a decent manager for them, but at this level with us he was a tad naive and allowed to be, he was never going to get that luxury at Stoke. I don't think his coaching staff are that good though, Mark Hughes (not that one) never got our defence sorted despite his career as a defender so we weren't sorry to lose Hughes, and from what I've seen of the goals they're letting in, they've inherited the problems we had at the back when he was with us.

Very surprising win for us at Boro today, but its heck of a tight from 15th downward.

[Antepli Ejderha]

For me it's quite amusing to see Stoke in trouble, perhaps going down might be the best thing for them in cleaning up the mess. Something is seriously wrong at the club level of they can struggle like that season after season and go through managers at that rate.

They came down the same season as Swansea, since then we've had Potter and Martin playing attractive football in the Swansea style. Between them we had Steve Cooper getting us into the play of semi and final but the fans not taking to him because of the style.

Now after one bad appointment Luke Williams looks like being another Potter or Martin.

Yet Stoke have done nothing despite their seemingly huge budget.

[Gangster Octopus]

its heck of a tight from 15th downward.

Only for two places...

[JM Footzee]

I'll have you know that we're in the top third of the Championship when it comes to tenure of their current manager.

For the time being.

[ad hoc]

Further evidence of the perfidiousness of Leeds. They go on a ridiculous winning streak and then end it against 10 man Huddersfield.

[Fussbudget]

We're at Stoke next weekend so based on today's showing it should be an easy 3 points for them

*cough*

[ad hoc]

Come the fuck on Leicester. What the bollocks are you playing at

[ad hoc]

*cough*

And I'm not letting Middlesbrough off the hook either

[Gangster Octopus]

Bugger off.

[Evariste Euler Gauss]

Further evidence of the perfidiousness of Leeds. They go on a ridiculous winning streak and then end it against 10 man Huddersfield.

I never used to have anything against Huddersfield but I really hope now that they get relegated. Sounded like a filthy performance of “late” challenges and the like, some yellows which could have been upgraded to red if VAR had been in place.

[pebblethefish]

Well, if you bothered to get into the Premier League you could have all the VAR you want

[Sunderporinostesta]

We sure make things difficult for ourselves. Going behind at home to an early goal has become a kind of signature. Fortunately we managed to claw our way back in to the game and get the win. It's unlikely to emulated at Leicester next week.

It looks like your boys put in a Pogbaesque performance.

[Amor de Cosmos]

Our best team performance of the season. Cifuentes has really started to show his ability. The selection of every player, from the starters to the subs, made perfect sense based on the opposition. Every player knew their job and how to do it before they set foot on the pitch. Most of all the belief and confidence that's clearly beginning to surge through the side makes it more likely there'll be more performances like this one before the season is over...

... I hope

[ad hoc]

Our best team performance of the season. Cifuentes has really started to show his ability. The selection of every player, from the starters to the subs, made perfect sense based on the opposition. Every player knew their job and how to do it before they set foot on the pitch. Most of all the belief and confidence that's clearly beginning to surge through the side makes it more likely there'll be more performances like this one before the season is over...

... I hope

That means picking convicted criminals. Fuck QPR

[ad hoc]

It would be none more Wednesday to not get automatic promotion last season with 96 points and then get relegated this season with a record number of points

[Amor de Cosmos]

That means picking convicted criminals.

Huh?

[ad hoc]

Huh?

Chair

[Amor de Cosmos]

I wondered. He's sentenced but not actually convicted in a UK or US sense though, and hasn't appeared in court yet. From a Belgian brief:

"The defendant does not enter any plea - the system works on the presumption that the defendant is innocent until proven otherwise so the defendant does not have to say they are not guilty. If the defendant admits the offence, this admission is simply treated as evidence of guilt in the trial.

While the prosecutor and defence lawyer can also ask questions of the witnesses (and in serious cases the victim may also be represented by a lawyer who can also ask questions) most of the questioning is done by the judges. Once all the witnesses have been heard, the various lawyers can sum up their arguments and push any legal points they think are relevant. The judges then withdraw to consider both the prosecution and defence cases and reach a verdict.

In cases where the judges find the defendant guilty, the chief judge reads out a statement of what the sentence is and giving reasons for the findings. However, whilst the guilty verdict is recorded immediately, the sentence is then automatically referred to a second court for review and ratification and it is not immediately activated as it would be in a British court.

If the defendant lodges an appeal, the appeal and review of sentence are effectively dealt with simultaneously by the same court. If the sentence of the first court is prison and this is ratified by the second court, that is when the sentence becomes active. The accused can be held on remand between the first court imposing the sentence and the second court reviewing it, but often, the first court will release the defendant pending the review/appeal in the second court."

[George C.]

Further evidence of the perfidiousness of Leeds. They go on a ridiculous winning streak and then end it against 10 man Huddersfield.

WTF does that even mean...

[ad hoc]

That's all very nice for you but I stand by my fuck QPR opinion. Last week he laid on the winning goal and this week apparently he was the difference between the clubs, so I'm allocating 5 points that QPR have since picking a convicted criminal. Nothing above makes me feel less like "fuck QPR"

[George C.]

It would be none more Wednesday to not get automatic promotion last season with 96 points and then get relegated this season with a record number of points

Hmm, given what I know, from local fans, it was/would be richly deserved, on all quarters.

[George C.]

Plus Chair's not been convicted of anything, as of now.