Well last night was fun wasn’t it? Waste of 90 minutes of my life.

Hey, Fab, here are two changes which would make England play better:

First – take off Heskey, now whatever you think about Heskey as a player, the tactics clearly aren’t working. He doesn’t seem able to link up with Rooney (which is a major problem). But more crucially having Heskey on the picture causes England to play long ball football, not pretty, so far not successful because the gap between forwards and midfield is too great. Even if Heskey can bring the ball down there’s usually little option. The change needed is either to go for a 4-5-1 with say Gerard playing off Rooney, or keep the 4-4-2 but try playing Rooney and Defoe instead.

Second – if you play a 4-4-2 you need some width. Last night Lennon didn’t seem to want to run with the ball, and there was no one down the left. Cole and Johnson, two of the most attacking wing-backs in the world rarely crossed the half-way line in anger. So, everything was aimed through the middle, where Gerard and Lampard under perform. So rather than sticking to Gerard-Lampard-Barry, and sacrificing your width, I would play Wright-Phillips down the right, Lennon down the left and probably Gerard and Lampard in the centre, add Barry into the mix if you play a 4-5-1.

I think these two tactical observations are hardly ground-breaking… Fabio must have seen these, so it’s bizarre that he didn’t address them. I wonder if it is fear… particularly on the width side… where were Cole and Johnson? Why did Lennon not run with the ball? Who was playing left midfield?

Fabio – change it! Maybe this guy was right…

One of the little treats in Malawi is a drink they have called Chapmans. It seems to be quite a traditional drink in Southern Africa and it’s very simple to make, it’s also very refreshing!

There’s 3 ingredients:

• Sobo Orange (equivilant is Fanta I guess)
• Sprite
• Aromatic Bitters

So basically you’ve got a fizzy orange – you add about half and half of the Fanta and Sprite.

The key ingredient is this ‘Aromatic Bitters’ pictured right which gives the drink it’s flavour.

I’d be very surprised if you can buy it in your average UK supermarket, but you can certainly get in quite cheap online here.

Best served with a bit of ice and a slice of lemon.

Have you ever played this game? I have. Few people admit to it, but I think most people do on the inside!

Apparently it’s pretty embarrasing when you get it wrong and you offer your seat to a fat lady on the train, as this report from the BBC Website suggests.

If I do get a seat on the train, which is rare if travelling from New Malden, but common from Portslade, then my trick is to sit with head in hands, sleep or pretend to sleep… that way if someone who may be pregnant joins the train then it’s easy to pretend I haven’t seen them… no awkwardness, no need to move, and I don’t look like an awful man for not giving up my seat   –   does this make me a bad person?

It’s rare that I see a new blog that compels me to mention it, but this is one.

A blog fundamentally about nothing, yet seemingly covering everything from music, film, politics, comedy, art, advertising, romance, facial hair and much more.

Check out SamUrbanHymns… here’s a teaser…

that protecting human life, protecting marriage, and protecting freedom of conscience are foundational for creating and maintaining strong families, caring communities and a just society.

Christians of all denominations who subscribe to the historic Christian faith to sign the Westminster 2010 Declaration of Christian Conscience.

upon all parliamentary candidates to pledge that they will ‘respect, uphold and protect the right of Christians to hold and express Christian beliefs and act according to Christian conscience’.

If you agree… sign up here!

In related news… in the spirit of Christian unity, prominent UK leader Steve Chalke under the banner of Faithworks has refused to sign up stating that social action is more important than Christian conscience (I paraphrase). So Faithworks have their own declaration which Steve Chalke will deliver personally, because he’s a greaser. Personally I think Chalke in this situation has been unhelpful, and generally a bit of an idiot. For a more helpful and measured response, please see Westminster 2010 Response.

I picked up this story on Sky News last week. What a tragedy!

There are many clichés like “money doesn’t buy you happiness”… I think they are true and this story proves it!

A former baker who won £9m on the Lottery has died, five years after scooping the jackpot which sent his life downhill.
Louise and Keith Gough, on the day they were unveiled as lottery winners
Keith Gough, 58, died on Saturday at the Princess Royal Hospital in Telford, Shropshire; it is believed he suffered a heart attack.
Mr Gough won the jackpot in June 2005 after his wife, Louise, bought a lucky dip.
The couple, who had been married for 25 years with a 12-year-old son, split two years later.
Mr Gough reportedly received £1.5m from the divorce and bought a house in Cheshire, hiring a chauffeur and a gardener to help with the upkeep.
He went on to spend much of his winnings on racehorses, fast cars and an executive box at Aston Villa – and he was also tricked out of £700,000 over two years.

Sky News