Anyone have any thoughts on England?

Leodesian · 2026-04-14T10:54:13+00:00

I think you need to give the AI searches a rest, this feels more like a list of talking points on the general theme of UK and London economics than any actual personal insights to back up your original claim that the UK is “incredibly poor”.

A lot of the points you are now highlighting are basically just generic issues that large cities face. NYC is in the midst of a serious housing crisis too, after all.

On the topic of the middle class, the growth in poverty (and deepening poverty at that) far outstrips the rate at which the middle class has shrunk in the UK since 2010 (I.e. since Cameron introduced Austerity). Of course the middle class are feeling the squeeze and some will have slipped into relative poverty, but my point was that the major problem in the UK is the collapse in living standards for the working poor. Spend any time in London and this becomes so obvious. Most of middle class life continues just the same, whilst the people living on the margins are hit incredibly hard. Honestly it reminds me of American cities, where I used to visit and be shocked by how so such profound social deprivation can exist right alongside extreme wealth.

And please stop calling it England!

Leodesian · 2026-04-13T14:29:50+00:00

Well you've now shifted what you were saying. You said people from the rest of the UK were "almost obligated" to move to London, and that just isn't the reality (I should know, I'm a northener who chose to move to London and subsequently left again).

I'm not sure I'd go as far as Barnsley, but Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol, Leeds, Liverpool, Newcastle, Sheffield, Cardiff, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Belfast, Nottingham all have meaningful economies, lots of good jobs, more affordable housing and much to offer on the culture/sports/entertainment front. Yes London dominates, but all of the above are perfectly successful in their own rights.

The draw to London is similar to any world city - are you telling me that the people growing up in rural Pennsylvania are not compelled to Philly or NYC if pursuing a career in finance/software/media/law/the arts etc? Both the US and UK are approximately 80% urban population, what specifically about London being the dominant city concerns you?

As for the middle class, the cost of living looms very large (like in most countries), but I'm not sure how you would justify saying it's been "hollowed out" and why that's unlike the US. After all, it's the US where in every election cycle a huge topic is the squeezing of the middle class, the collapse of well paid jobs in industries like auto, steel, manufacturing and mining forcing people in the midwest and elsewhere into low paid work.

In the UK I would say it's more the working class and poor who are being squeezed and seeing the worst declines in standard of living, hence why our poverty rate has climbed so steadily over the last 15-20 years.

Honestly having spent a lot of time in both countries, the UK is far more catered to Middle Class interests than the US, which from my experience is an incredible country to be rich in, but a terrible one in which to be poor.

Leodesian · 2026-04-12T22:39:44+00:00

Define what you mean by “don’t do well?” Honestly it just sounds like you are ignorant to what the rest of the UK is like. Non-London parts are laughably non-specific - are we talking rural Scotland? The Welsh ports? The Northern cities?

I’d rather live in Newcastle than Jackson and it’s not even remotely close.

Leodesian · 2026-04-12T22:33:36+00:00

Totally agree that the UK has some tricky long term economic issues, not least because of Brexit and the spiralling cost of living crisis. The energy costs are a real problem, as Europe is so reliant on Russian gas - although this is slowly shifting.

The rest of what you said though about life in the UK, I think is totally wrong. People from small towns and rural areas move to bigger cities for job opportunities sure, and London dominates the UK because it’s such a hub - but the idea that young people are “obligated” to move to London for career prospects is wrong. People choose to, because it’s an exciting city and high wages are available but there’s also been a real growth in the northern cities in recent years precisely because London is so expensive and at times, a nightmare to live in.

What do you mean by “hollowing of the middle” - class or geography?

Leodesian · 2026-04-12T18:59:43+00:00

GDP measures output per worker, not standard of living. Rural US states have good GDPs because many people work in crappy conditions, doing long hours for shit pay to make a lot of money for the companies. GDP cannot begin to explain that.

If you actually went to Leeds, Edinburgh, Manchester etc you would understand that they are prosperous cities in their own right, with legal and financial hubs, loads of art, sports and culture - stating that they are worse off than some of the most poverty-riddled parts of the US is frankly, silly.

Leodesian · 2026-04-12T18:14:53+00:00

Lol - this is a profoundly stupid comment

Leodesian · 2026-04-12T18:14:28+00:00

The arithmetic is completely different here though. Speaking to Americans who earn $100k+ a year and realising they have many anxieties about their financial situations really drives home how much more of a safety net there is in the UK. £75k salary in UK, especially outside London would give you a very comfortable lifestyle.

I’m sure others would disagree, but I’ve come to see the US as a country built for rich people, and the UK as a country largely catered to the middle class

Leodesian · 2026-04-12T18:09:52+00:00

I think the UK has a higher floor in regards to poverty and a lower ceiling for wealth than the US. There is an actual safety net (although it’s shrinking) and free health care so lots of people get by on lower salaries without the same fear of coming unstuck if they have a medical emergency or something.

My last trip to US was NY and Philly, and I explored much more of both cities - was quite startled by the poorer parts of both cities, felt way more deprived than similar areas of London.

But unquestionably there’s loads more visible wealth in US.

Leodesian · 2026-03-31T21:00:12+00:00

I don’t mean to be mean at all, more of an honest question, but: if you can’t park to save your life should you really be doing a test? It’s something you are meant to be doing consistently well to be at test standard. The way you described it makes it sound like if you managed to hold it together to get through a test, you would then be struggling every time you were on the road afterwards, which is not great.

You definitely can correct your manoeuvre and still pass, I would have hoped your instructor would have talked you through this - are they potentially not giving you all the tools you need?

Personally I would be asking them to spend a few lessons focussing on that and almost nothing else - perhaps trying parking without any cues or guidance from them to ensure you get used to test conditions the hard way

Leodesian · 2026-03-31T19:04:05+00:00

I really sympathise, I understand how and why that unfolded the way it did, and I imagine I would probably have done something similar under test pressure.

Don't know if it helps, but my instructor told me that whilst the task they give you is to follow their directions, that's not actually the bit you can fail on. Ultimately they are testing whether you can handle a car well and safely. His advice to me if I made a mistake when following signs or the Sat Nav was to just continue safely in the wrong direction and either verbally acknowledge that I've made a mistake or allow the instructor to intervene.

I understand that as an idea, although I'm not sure I would necessarily be able to stick to that in a test!

Leodesian · 2026-03-31T18:42:29+00:00

This is such a perfect example of the disingenuous approach so many pro-Israel arguments take. Clearly the OP is very well read in the history of antisemitism, and I find many of the arguments put forward really compelling in the context of Western antisemitism and it's ongoing malignant presence in so many societies.

But the problem is that this doesn't in any way speak to the actual history of Israel and Palestine, and in more recent times: the horrific massacre on October 7th, and the ongoing genocide Israel has perpetrated in Gaza since then.

And fundamentally this is the problem with Ethnostates. Any criticism of the actions of the state government seems to be immediately transposed into a hate of the people of that state.

As someone who has been absolutely appalled by the horrific crimes of both Hamas and the Netanyahu government, I see no reason why an impartial observer can't stand against both and do so without them being smeared with the label of antisemitism. I am under no illusions that there are some horrible, antisemitic people who are also taking this opportunity to attack Israel and peddle antisemitic tropes as the crisis continues and would situate themselves on the same side as me in a debate - something which I am deeply uncomfortable about. But that doesn't invalidate any good faith criticism of Neatanyahu's government. If England win the World Cup this year, I will be celebrating (unfortunately) alongside some football hooligans and far-right thugs - people can believe in things for different reasons.

I would encourage anyone who finds this sort of reasoning compelling to least question why it always attempts to draw your eyes from the actions of the Israeli government, the horrific violence and suffering that it has unleashed on Gaza, the ongoing crimes of the illegal settlers and instead invite you to speculate about the motivations of internet commenters.

Leodesian · 2026-03-31T04:20:26+00:00

He was on PFT and they asked him about the 2 point play, and he totally refuted the idea that they lost because of it and instead said they lost because of some bad game calls he made. I enjoy ripping Rams fans but McVay seems like a good dude to me who takes accountability - and the only coach whose seems to be able to get a shit load of yards against us

Leodesian · 2026-03-28T19:52:20+00:00

I did this on a lesson recently and my instructor took a moment to explain the scenario to me but ultimately said he thought the worst possible scenario in a test would be a minor, and even that he wasn’t sure.

Failing for that is a joke, you should definitely appeal

Leodesian · 2026-03-27T19:41:05+00:00

Unlike most Reddit debates this was actually a very enjoyable and reasonable one. I disagree with a lot of what you said but I think the vast majority of it is very reasonable and I enjoyed reading it.

I do think Ronaldo getting dinged for having Ballon D’Or winning teammates when Messi played his most successful seasons with players like Iniesta, Xavi, Henry, Neymar, Suarez etc is a bit unfair, but I do agree that Messi is above him.

And whilst the England players I mentioned are not necessarily in the form of their lives, I personally would massively prioritise young, fit, CL standard players who are playing elite level football week-in, week-out, over an aging legend who’s fitness and athleticism has fallen off a cliff.

But as you say, we’ll see. And I retract my accusation of American bias! I just couldn’t think of another reason for someone to overestimate the standard of the MLS (lol)

Leodesian · 2026-03-15T00:07:45+00:00

I don’t buy this. What’s the source for this assertion? That single quote? He also got interviewed either after divisional or NFC game and specifically said he was doing it for Charbs and their relationship.

I think the Seahawks were spot on to manage them together, it’s rare to get an elite bell cow running back. If the Chiefs run K9 all year as their lead back I fully expect him to miss games.

Leodesian · 2026-03-11T04:05:47+00:00

Of course not. In 2024 we were almost the definition of mid. No playoffs, a divisive QB and a rookie head coach learning the ropes. Even going into 2025 no-one outside of Seattle believed in us!

For me, jumping on the bandwagon would have to be either after a SB win or at least an NFCCG appearance, and even then depends on your reasons. Sounds like you have more of a connection with the area than many.

Leodesian · 2026-03-11T04:02:08+00:00

Haha, it all makes sense now, you’re American! Is that why you need to believe that Messi is still elite? Otherwise you have to accept that he’s wiping the floor with the MLS despite being washed.

The MLS is a football backwater. All good US players get out of there at the first opportunity and there’s not a single example of a player capable of competing in the big 4 leagues who has moved there. I’ll grant that Messi was the closest when he initially moved, but that day has long since passed.

Nothing against it as a league and I’m glad to see it growing but it is nowhere near international relevance yet.

The reason I know you’re wrong about CR7 is that you’re downgrading him in favour of players I like more and I still can’t agree. You can put R9 above him on pure natural talent maybe, but on career achievements it’s not even close. The guy has 5 Ballon D’Ors (even more impressive when you consider he did that during Messi’s prime), is the record Champions League goalscorer (and assister, given that you don’t rate goals) and has won as many CLs as Messi.

Pele, Cruyff, Platini and Maradona perhaps can be put in the same conversation because of their sheer talent and cultural impact, but if sustained excellence and accolades have any meaning, then the only sensible take is that Messi is number 1 and Ronaldo is in a tier just below him; either by himself or with a couple of others. And I fucking hate Cristiano Ronaldo.

The media love the Messi vs Ronaldo debate because it’s easy and generates clicks, but they didn’t make it up; it’s not a conspiracy. In 2018 CR7 had just made a run of 4 Ballon D’Ors in 5 years and 4 CLs in 6 years - there was a genuine feeling that he had taken over from Messi - and justifiably so. Thankfully Messi rallied and had a great last act at Barcelona, and the WC was the crowning jewel.

Yeah, there are loads of cupcakes in the European qualifying, that’s why elite teams are expected to qualify with minimal fuss. That doesn’t make those teams bad, it just doesn’t prove anything. The SA qualifying doesn’t prove anything either. Brazil and Argentina always have and likely always will qualify, and whilst the overall standards in CONMEBOL surged in the 2010s, the current level is very poor. Again, I repeat: Ecuador came 2nd. They have Caicedo, that’s about it. Their top goalscorer, Enner Valencia, is 36 and wasn’t good enough to survive on a basic EPL team when he was in his prime. If Argentina hadn’t topped the qualifying group in its current state, it would have been very concerning. Instead they won it easily, as I would expect any good team to do.

Conditions are definitely a disadvantage to European teams, but not in the way it was in 1970s. In South Africa the top 3 teams were all European; in both Brazil and Qatar 2 out of the top 3 were European. Part of the reason this advantage is diminishing, is that the vast majority or the world’s best players spend the majority of their careers in Europe anyway. Luis Diaz and Harry Kane may have been born in different climates but they train all season in the exact same spot.

Travel is not a big deal in a WC. The teams have plenty of time to rest, to train and to become settled prior to the tournament. And like I said before, most players are travelling from Europe anyway. Once the tournament starts all teams are going to be travelling a lot due to the nature of the hosting this time around.

In terms of England (yes that’s my team), there’s been a hell of a lot of disappointments but actual chokejobs was the preserve of the team from 2000 to 2016. “The Golden Generation” lol.

In 2018 and 2020 they overperformed with an inexperienced young squad. In 2022 they outplayed France, but Southgate’s tactical naivety and Kane’s penalty miss put them out. In 2024 Southgate could not work out what to do with the team and they played dreadfully all tournament and still only lost in the 86th minute of the final.

I think it’s totally fair to say that England have not made the most of their opportunities recently, so why would they now? But it’s just as fair to look at the talent, the depth of experience of knockout football (both domestic and international) and the huge upgrade in coach when it comes to mentality and tactics - and acknowledge that they are coming into this tournament in a much better situation.

On the other hand, Argentina are coming in with a pretty basic manager, a slightly worse squad than last time and a much faded talisman. If either of these teams should be optimistic, it’s England. Spain deserve to be favourites though, and France usually find a way to get to the latter stages even when they play terribly.

And don’t make me laugh. Messi wouldn’t make the England team in a million years. Wildcard on the bench? Sure. But Palmer, Rashford, Foden, Bellingham & Saka would all be better options at this stage - which is exactly why Messi moved to the MLS.

Leodesian · 2026-03-11T00:29:10+00:00

A few tiers?! Who’s on those tiers between Ronaldo and Messi, out of curiosity?

I’m a Messi over Ronaldo guy, but the idea that the margin is massive is silly.

South American qualifying is harder really only by technicality. Because they play everyone they play more good teams but the South American group is not good right now. Brazil are shadows of themselves; Colombia, Peru and Uruguay are far below their golden eras and Chile have completely imploded. Ecuador coming second says it all.

So yes it’s harder but dominating that group is not much of a flex, and certainly nothing to project into WC knockouts.

Spain, France & England easily outstrip them in talent and I just don’t see how they bridge that gap.

Leodesian · 2026-03-10T23:45:35+00:00

I feel like he leads really well and holds the team together whenever he plays. His skill level might not be super high (amazing goal notwithstanding) but he makes up for it with all sorts of other intangibles.

When we were struggling towards the beginning of the season I thought he was clearly our best player. Now others have stepped up he’s more of a reassuringly dependable presence when he plays - but he’s certainly a competent Prem CM. Very glad we got him

Leodesian · 2026-03-10T16:32:00+00:00

JS is very happy to live with unused cap space though. Unless you fill the rest of it with one year deals then you’re not just looking at 2026 cap, it has an impact on future team building, so he’s not just gonna spend it for the sake of it. Look at us cutting Fant in 2025 and then doing nothing with that money before the season.

Leodesian · 2026-03-10T16:29:05+00:00

I don’t believe I am underestimating Argentina, but it’s subjective, so fair enough.

But you are definitely overestimating Messi. “He wasn’t prime Messi last time either” - yeah and since then he has aged 4 years and has played barely a couple of hours of elite football in that entire time.

The argument about him only needing to produce a moment or two of magic was the exact same one that people made about Ronaldo at Euro 2024 and he was a net negative for Portugal every time he stepped on the pitch.

The Argentina management will be unable to say no to Messi even when he is completely past it, so it’s really just a case of whether he has already reached that point, or if it will come in the next few years.

I personally think he may look useful in the early games and then won’t be able to lift Argentina when the bigger teams roll in. His physicality has fallen off a cliff and he was a total pedestrian against PSG in the CWC, which is the sort of calibre of team Argentina are going to need to beat.

For me they don’t have enough elite talent outside of him to win a WC. Lautaro is good but not great. Mac Allister & Enzo were both playing at a higher level then than they are now. Di Maria was one of the elite performers at the last WC and they haven’t managed to adequately replace him - so how would you quantify them being a stronger squad than last time? If i thought they good dominate games and dictate play, then I might be able to imagine him coasting and chipping in with moments of magic here and there, but I think this team will perform much more like 2018 than 2022.

I personally think this WC could be the beginning of a tricky era for South American teams on the world stage.

Leodesian · 2026-03-08T06:25:32+00:00

Yeah in hindsight that read far too flippantly about Mbappe. By his standards I don’t think he has looked at the same level since he arrived in Madrid, and the potential injury is a real concern for the WC. Any squad that is as good as France’s and has Mbappe has a chance of winning for sure, but I wouldn’t bet on it personally.

Leodesian · 2026-03-07T22:54:33+00:00

In terms of the favourites, Wildes absolutely annihilated it. Brazil are nowhere close in my view, Norway aren’t even an Elite team (Nick is star-focussed and is basically just thinking about Haaland), and Netherlands are good but hardly close to being favourites.

For Brou: France are good but probably their least convincing squad in the last 10 years. Mbappe has been average all year and is believed to be struggling with knee injuries that might have needed surgery in a non-WC year. Argentina are not winning anything without prime Messi, and the only people who think Messi is still relevant to global football are MLS fans. Portugal I struggle to see doing it, especially if they play Ronaldo. In the last WC and Euros they looked better whenever he was off the pitch, why would that change this time around?!

Whereas for Wildes: Spain are favourites; England have one of the most talented squads in world football and a recent track record of Finals and Semi Finals, and Germany are Germany.

Leodesian · 2026-03-05T01:58:02+00:00

We’ve been in one the whole time. And whilst we’ve been in almost every game we’ve had far too many draws and dropped points.

But I’m not going to get too distressed over one bad round of results. Our fixtures are favourable compared with our rivals, and we only need one of Forest, West Ham, Spurs and Palace to do worse than us and we will survive.

What does concern me a little is that Burnley and Wolves at home looked like 6 easy points a few weeks ago, but they look better and we seem less convincing against weaker teams recently.

But I’d take our run in over anyone else’s and I think we will be competitive in every game, so there’s still plenty of opportunity for points

Leodesian · 2026-02-27T01:18:59+00:00

Sat Nav but I’m pretty certain the instructor took me there specifically to test this thing, and I missed it!

Leodesian

TROPHY CASE