Passionless Disinterested

England 1 v Slovenia 0

World Cup Qualifying, Group F

Thursday 5 October 2017

A little walk around N1 at lunchtime before the game. The Earl Of Essex. I've always had a great experience/time in The Earl. It never disappoints. A great range on keg & cask. Great & helpful service.

Deya, Into The Haze IPA on keg at 6.2%.
Sensory overload. Here have this. I can't remember a hoppy beer that smelled as GLORIOUS as that. Backed up by a very citrus, but deep intense bitterness.

Then. The Wenlock Arms. Of course, more rough n ready. Less hip. Than The Earl. An “interesting character” at the bar.

Windsor & Eton, Guardsman, Fresh Green Hop, Best Bitter on cask at 4.2%.
Great beer that. Perfect combination. A hoppy best bitter. Lesser spotted.

And, finally. The New Rose. If I've ever been in there before, I can't recall.
Hackney, APA on cask at 4.5%.

Despite all the Bollocks you can read elsewhere. England are my team. England win. Me likee. Celebrate. The Three Johns.

Thornbridge, Coritani, Imperial English IPA on keg at 7.4%.

Sierra Nevada, Hop Hunter IPA on keg at 6.2%.
That one claims some new process with Hops. Steam distilling wet hops before they leave the fields. Science. I'm all for it. Have to say. Didn't get much off it all. Nice beer though.

I'm not going to put my head all the way in the sand. I understand that this England team & set up do not look like exciting the Nation any time soon. The expectation is we'll just crack on and beat “the likes of Slovenia” easily. The aspiration is for open, pacy, attacking football.

Look, if I think I won't enjoy a game. I won't go. Enjoyment is dimensional. The people you are with. The experience at the ground. The way your team play. The result. I'm pleased England stuck at it. The winner came from players sticking to their task & showing their skills well over 90 minutes. Everyone to The Three Johns to celebrate.

I will also not have a dig at the Wembley crowd. Which of course is an introduction to just such a dig. The thing I'll say is - it doesn't feel like a football crowd. Passionless. Disinterested. OK. I'll hear arguments that of course it is, they're feeding off the team. People making paper planes & trying to get them on the pitch. Funny hats. Videoing corners. Coming in after half an hour. Leaving with 25 to go. More interested in shopping downstairs than watching the game.

548/1143