The AITA football special has an answer: Yes, you are the a**hole

It’s a very slow day in the Mailbox but a man’s AITA Reddit-style question from Sunday has had a vociferous response.

You can read the full story here. We are open to more football AITA questions as we try to navigate this international break together. Mail them to theeditor@football365.com

Is he the asshole?

You don’t say when your wife and mate eventually turned up. But if they still weren’t there by halftime then I think it’s pretty clear they are the assholes. Also, is his name Rod?
Mark

…Notwithstanding you haven’t clarified the language and tone, and you’re always able to become the arsehole even when you are right if you behave like a knob, but just sticking to the facts as displayed: Aidan, LFC, yes you are the problem.

Your understanding of what is acceptable is rude and inconsiderate. It is an utter bloody madness to think you can ‘secure’ seats in a public bar, especially when the pub is busy, and when you are on your own. I’m sure the landlord would be delighted to see that a punter wanting to buy a burger and watch the football is being made to stand because you finished a meal an hour earlier and are now sat on your own.

Don’t go to a public bar if that’s how you intend to try and treat it. They are communal spaces, there for the public to use, and heaven-forbid somewhere where you might want to actively look forward to meeting new people. Not for the selfish to try and call dibs for an entire day on the off chance someone might come and join them, maybe, at some point, all because you ate there hours ago. Yours, and LFC fan.
Tom G

…I actually hope and pray there is a strong response to Aidan’s missive about saving a seat in the pub. As it is an international break, these are the debates we should be having. In London, I don’t think anyone would consider the behaviour described as acceptable. That’s like trying to save a seat on the bus with a handbag. Any other commuter would be well within their rights to say move the bag, your invisible pal ain’t here. There may be more civilised nations where such behaviour is acceptable, but not in our ends.

Also, if your wife is going shopping, she is definitely giving up that seat. You can’t save a seat for someone who is doing something else that they’d rather do.
John Matrix AFC

That Bukayo Saka England record

What exactly is your point regarding Arsenal, Arteta and the England team? Just another meaningless dig? I’ll admit that 13 goals doesn’t seem much of a record for an Arsenal player playing for England but that didn’t really mean a great deal to me until you made it a topic of debate. In general you’re comparing a winger to centre forwards from mainly different eras.

The only England players in the current squad that have scored more than Saka are Kane (51 excluding penalties according to F365’s article) and Rashford who is also a winger with 18. I couldn’t tell you if Rashford or Saka have taken and scored penalties in normal/extra time.

However, I just wanted to point out the Kane has 109 caps, Rashford 64 and Saka has 45. Assessing this on a goals per game ratio that moves Saka above Rashford. Also Saka’s 7 assists are a reasonably healthy return (not sure of Rashford’s assists record). As you’re referring to different eras, going back to Cliff Bastin’s previous record as an Arsenal player representing England, he scored 12 in in 21 games (1 penalty) moving him well up the ladder, I think above Kane and near to Sir Bobby Charlton.

So there you have my ‘amusing’ look at the subject, not that it means a lot.
Chris, Croydon

What do Scotland need in Greece?

Sitting here trying to work out what Scotland need to do now to finish top of the group and, in particular, what sort of result they need in Greece. Is it a must win game? A game they can’t lose? Pretend you’re a lazy pundit, have a guess, then come back.

Let’s start by assuming, quite reasonably, that Denmark win at home to Belarus. What do Scotland need to do at home to Denmark in their last game, and how does this depend on their result in Greece? Well:

– if they’ve lost in Greece, they need to beat Denmark. They’d then finish level on points with Denmark and Scotland would go through because of their better head to head record.

– if they drew in Greece, they need to beat Denmark, in which case they finish one point clear at the top.

– if they win in Greece, they’ll be level on points with Denmark with the one game to go. Win that and they go through. If they draw, they finish level on points with Denmark and level on head to head so it comes down to goal difference. In which case Scotland would only go through if they’ve beaten Greece by at least six more goals than Denmark beat Belarus. Not going to happen, is it? They’ll still need to beat Denmark.

So the Greece match is looking pretty irrelevant. A 5-0 Scotland win is no better than a defeat. I hope Clarky has worked this all out and will go all out to win the Denmark match and send out a bunch of kids against Greece.
Steve Mills

Not all e-mails make sense

Hahahahahhahahahahahhahaha amazing HK Ian. Too much to laugh at and I’m sure other will dissect better but after that mental suggestion, it’s the ‘it’s not that hard, we can all see it’!

Hahahaha f***ing gold, cheers mate. Sure do hope Yoro does better than ol’ Phil Kebabb and united better than pool under Evans (half the trophy haul of a Ten Hag if anyone is wondering – the shitter trophy too).

Great way to start a Monday hahahahahha. More like Ed and less virtue signalling basement politicians please.
Moses (MAGA – Make Advert365 Great Again!)