Hoddy

I generally agree with most opinions you hold - or, if I don't, can at least see where you're coming from - so I thought you'd completely jumped the shark with the Gerrard stuff. Using April Fools after April 1st is next level stuff. Good work; totally had me.

Superb write-up, that one. At least three parts where I laughed out loud.

Which Liverpool goal did you celebrate the most and maddest, that ultimately didn't matter? (Confined to the result of one game - so Lovren v Dortmund wouldn't count.)

It was Elliott - first game back from injury. Only reason I know this is because it's the only game my daughter's been to, and the first game my wife's been to since the West Ham debacle in the dying days of Rodgers. Fucking hell, she's lucky she ever got another ticket after that.

Great stuff, Dave. I think I've won this week's deliberate error spotting: Diaz's debut was against Cardiff.

All good stuff, and I agree fully with the general sentiment about Henderson. It's a baffling decision he's taken. The more I think about it, the more it strikes me that he's the Jaime Lannister of Liverpool. Someone whose character arc was perfectly written and excecuted: he overcame adversity and a whole load of sneering to become - as Tywin wanted of Jaime - the man he was always meant to be. Then he completely fucks it up with a nonsensical change in direction that goes against everything he'd seemingly built himself to become.

Drama all subjective obviously, but, yeah, I couldn't disagree more.

Agree with the most recent comments. Behind The Wire, it's well-and-truly ensconced now in my second best of all-time (and I actually think it ended stronger than The Wire did). Absolutely gutted it's finished, but ended at the perfect time. I've not anticipated a series like that - watching live with a week in between each episode - since Game of Thrones. Safe to say, I feel a lot more satisfied with the way this ended. Cunt is as cunt does. Superlative TV.

Felt like this week's needed to be a great one, and it didn't disappoint. Apart from THE big one of the series, this week's was the best of Season 4 yet. Highlights were Connor's reaction to his 1% leverage, and of course Tom and Shiv on the balcony. Scenes like that are the perfect riposte to anyone who thinks this show errs, first and foremost, on the side of comedy.

Another great pod. Dave's defence of Arsenal reminds me of Rawls with McNulty after Kima got shot: "You, Arsenal, are a gaping arsehole. We both know this. But fuck if I'm gonna stand here and say you did a single thing to bottle the Premier League title. And the motherfucker saying this... he hates your guts, Arsenal."

Lovely report, Dave.

I'm not sure about booing/whistling/jeering Suarez, but not for sentimental reasons. Mainly because he fucking loves it; he gets off on that sort of treatment. Inject it into his veins, as he'd say, if he were on Twitter. He's a natural fighter, and a fighter only gets more scrappy when the odds are against him. That sort of treatment will work with someone like Sterling, but for Suarez it'll act as an adrenaline rush. Let the players rile him; we should treat him as an irrelevance. That angers fighters more than anything.

Cheers for all responses so far. Really appreciate it. Anyone else who hasn't answered, please feel free to do so.

Hi all, I’ve posted this type of thing on the forum before, and you’ve always been a massive help. I’m hoping the same will happen this time. I’m hosting a Family Fortunes quiz for an upcoming get-together, and hoping to source all the responses myself (“We asked 100 people to name...” etc). Yes, I'm being that guy. With that in mind, if anyone's got a quick couple of minutes to answer the questions below – or know of any family member who's also got a couple of minutes - that'd be ace. And while I appreciate the temptation to give funny responses – I’d be exactly the same – please try and keep it semi-serious and give the first answer that comes to mind for each one (and if that happens to be a funny answer, so be it!). Many thanks in advance to anyone who answers these. I do appreciate it, and I look forward to reading the responses. -- 1) Name a recreational activity traditionally done in hot weather 2) Name something people are often chased by in movies 3) Name something people buy to show they’re successful 4) Name something you would hate to find under your bed 5) Name something you wouldn’t want to happen while giving a speech 6) Name a nocturnal animal 7) Name something you might eat with a hamburger 8) Name a liquid in your kitchen that you hope no-one accidentally drinks 9) Name a type of gun that doesn’t shoot bullets 10) Name a place where people have to use coins

Cracking read, as always. "Camp Not." Even more enjoyable than your Solange typo a few weeks ago.

I think the 5th was easily the weakest so far.

Dave, what's with the new Solange spelling? Is this like a Kiev/Kyiv thing we've not been told about?

Dave, you forgot to finish a simile - obviously something you were coming back to - about Man Utd being as much a threat to City as you are to... I feel like this needs to be completed for me to get my membership money's worth. I'm very keen to find out what the punchline is. Obviously, it needs to be fucking good if it's going to get anywhere near that line about Firmino fingering his bird from last week. I'm still laughing at that one now.

I once read somewhere that the mark of a truly great film is that you can be flicking through the channels and, no matter what part you come into it, you'll finish watching right through to the end. This is very true.

Will do. Actually, if yourself or anyone else wants to use the results for their own game, just let me know and I'll share when I've collected them. As for the name change, this has always been me. Not sure who you thought I was before.

Cheers to all those who've replied so far; much and massively appreciated. And to those who've got their other halves involved: great idea, keep 'em all coming!

Hey GF, I'm hosting a quiz night in which one of the contests on the agenda is Family Fortunes. I've done it before, and it always ends up being a good laugh. One of the things I try and do is source the 100-person survey myself, and in the past the GF has been an invaluable outlet for reaching that mark. So, if you have a spare minute, would as many people as possible be able to give answers to the 12 categories below? You don't have to give it too much thought - in fact, it's probably more true if you don't - just put down the first thing that comes into your head. But can I ask, without being a massive killjoy, that you try and keep it serious. I appreciate comedy answers more than anyone, but it doesn't really help me in compiling genuine responses. So without further ado, please can you: 1) Name a fairytale 2) Name a famous movie monster 3) Name something that rises 4) Name something slippery 5) Name something you put into a salad 6) Name something that you close your eyes to do 7) Name something that moves very slowly 8) Name something that makes you grumpy 9) Name a weapon used in ancient times 10) Name someone who wears white clothing 11) Name a place people ask you to 'be quiet' 12) Name something people make into a ball Cheers in advance for any responses; they're all greatly appreciated. Hoddy

I was listening to FiveLive a few months back, right at the end of the Jan transfer window, and Mark Chapman - who's usually excellent, I think - was personally interviewing managers following their midweek game that evening. Each time, after asking each manager about their game that evening, he'd finish the interview with something like: "So then Chris/Brian/Alan/Andre, any last-minute dealings in the transfer window?" To which they'd squirm, give a non-commital response and then sign-off the interview. But the tone in which he asked the question was firm and decisive. He was asking the question whether they liked it or not. And then came to Ferguson's interview, and the way he asked the question just spoke volumes: "And sorry Sir Alex, I have to ask this, but any signings before the deadline closes?" It was apologetic, deferential, and in that small snapshot you got an insight into just how terrified all these broadcasters/journalists are of him. It's actually pretty pathetic.

Agree with this. The change of pace, to focus on just one storyline for that particular week, made it feel like something truly special.

If this series put Mandy Patinkin in its main role it'd be infinitely superior.