When I was young my best mate’s father was a proof reader. He took great pleasure in informing me what an important job it was and trying to catch me out with examples of word blindness.
Like the title of this article. It looks obvious if you place all the words on the same row, but if they are part of a paragraph and the two ” the ” ‘s are on separate lines, its easy to miss it.
The problem with writing is that your brain knows what it wants to say and will often assume that its been said even when errors are blindingly obvious. He always taught me to read everything backwards before you post it.
The trouble with this is its very boring, particularly when you get to the end of writing an article and your mind is already onto the astrological connections required for the next one.
It must be a bit like picking the England squad. They’re mostly such a bunch of uninspiring plodders, that when trying to finalise the squad of 23, your mind naturally drifts enviously towards the great wealth of talent available to Spain, Germany or France.
Capricorn Research has cast a weary eye over the transits of anyone even vaguely connected to the England squad, just so that noone else has to.
The goalkeeping position has generally been the most boring of the lot. Joe Hart is assumed to start but this summer he has nothing going on. Although Saturn and Neptune are afflicting his Mars from July to December which might well mean that Pep Guardiola gets someone better in at City for next season.
Fraser Forster has Pluto conjunct Mars during the tournament so should definitely be in the England team ahead of Hart.
Ben Foster might have Uranus square the Moon so he can be the 3rd goalie.
Right back should be Nathaniel Clyne who is still going through Pluto square his Sun that has been his big breakthrough. The timing is not spot on but Kyle Walker has nothing much so he can be back up.
Danny Rose’s success this season has been down to Neptune forming a Grand Trine with his Sun and Moon. Uranus is conjunct his Mars for the 1st fortnight so he should definitely start at left back.
Leighton Baines has nothing and has probably missed the boat. Saturn conjunct his Sun in the Autumn will not do him any favours either.
One of the problems with being born on a Full Moon means whenever good things happen there’s invariably something that undermines it. This is particularly true if a planet like Uranus forms a T Square to it as it did for Luke Shaw when he got that nasty injury.
Jupiter conjunct Shaw’s Mars suggests he will be ready for the start of next season but the Euros are too soon. However Uranus will be back at the end of 2016 and Pluto takes over from the New Year so watch this space.
Aaron Cresswell has Uranus trine his Sun so he’s on the bench.
In the past, central defence was England’s rock but these days its really difficult to choose between any of them.
Chris Smalling has Pluto conjunct his Venus and Neptune trine Mars so he’s probably the best of an iffy bunch.
Gary Cahill has nothing much at all although Jupiter square his Venus / Uranus might just be enough.
As a Gemini, John Stones will never be the hoof it into row Z type central defender but Saturn and Neptune afflicting his Sun in the first half of this season must have halved any transfer fee that Everton were expecting. Serves them right for not consulting Capricorn Research when Chelsea came calling last summer.
Pundits are constantly asking when will he learn the basics of defending. The answer to that is probably some time over the next few years as Jupiter, Uranus and Pluto all aspect his Capricorn Moon. Exactly when is impossible to tell without a birth time but he’s probably worth a place in the squad just in case its around noon.
Some might plead for Ryan Shawcross, but he has nothing much going on in June / July. However Jupiter conjunct his Mars at the end of August might signal a move and as its conjunct his Sun in October it should be a good one.
What about John Terry ? Saturn conjunct both his Sun and Moon has seen him out through injury and go unrewarded by a new contract at Chelsea. Despite the protestations of many in the media, Abramovich is right particularly as Saturn comes back again in the Autumn.
However Jupiter is square his Sun and Moon in June and in the light of England’s problems in central defence, it might be tempting to take him along for the one last tilt. But its important to see transits as an overall picture and not just be tempted by whats happening on the day. Jupiter is far more likely to bring a lucrative move to the US or China for EBJT.
Phil Jagielka would not be considered by many due to age and form but Uranus trine his Sun makes him worth taking, just about.
In midfield, Jordan Henderson looks like he could be out through injury but there’s nothing much to recommend him this summer anyway.
Fabian Delph might have Jupiter conjunct his Moon or Saturn square it. Without birth time can’t tell, either way its not worth bothering.
Danny Drinkwater has had Pluto sextile his Sun this year which explains his remarkable rise to prominence. He has Saturn square his Sun for the remainder of the season so he might get injured but Jupiter opposite his Sun at the beginning of the tournament so he’s worth taking along.
Eric Dier has Uranus square Mars at the moment and square Sun for tournament, so he has to be in the starting eleven.
Jonjo Shelvey seems to have slipped out of contention which is the kind of thing that happens when Neptune is conjunct your Sun. Shelvey has the Sun in Pisces opposite Jupiter which suggests that when things get difficult, he leaves for pastures new only to find that he’s still a Pisces. There’s nothing to suggest an England recall.
Delle Alli has Uranus conjunct his Sun from now until the end of the season so expect him to pick up an award or two as well as a starting place. Uranus is also conjunct his Mars for the final week, if we’re still around then.
Alex Oxlade Chamberlain has Uranus trine Sun but its finished before the tournament starts so why take him at all ?
Adam Lallana Jupiter trine Sun just after tournament, but take him anyway just on the off chance that we do make the latter stages.
James Milner has Neptune trine his Mars and Jupiter trine Sun before tournament starts so he gets on the pitch.
Ross Barkley seems to have gone backwards this season which is only natural seeing as Saturn has been conjunct his Sun. Its back again in the month before the tournament so best just to leave him at home.
Sick note Jack Wilshere had Saturn conjunct his Moon and Venus for much of 2015 but Uranus trine his Mars and a Jupiter Return during the tournament should be tempting enough to take him along, even if he hasn’t played at least he will be well rested.
A controversial choice might be Mark Noble, but since Pluto and Jupiter will be trine Sun, Capricorn Research would not only take him, I’d put him on from the start.
Up front we apparently have an embarrassment of riches for once, so Roy’s problem is how to narrow it down to a field of 5, or 4 since he’s bound to take Rooney.
Capricorn Research would like to make things easier for the England manager. Depending on his birth time, Rooney has Saturn square and Jupiter opposite Moon but probably before tournament. Otherwise nothing until Jupiter conjunct Mars end of August so could he be off to China ? So best to drop him from the squad now and get it over with.
Obviously Harry Kane is a cert. Jupiter is conjunct Mars but after the tournament which could herald a big money move.
Raheem Sterling ( remember him ? ) has had exactly the sort of season predicted by Capricorn Research. Saturn being conjunct his Sun for the last couple of months has meant that City’s £ 49 million investment has produced about £ 49 of product. However Jupiter is square his Sun for the 1st half of the tournament so Roy Hodgson might benefit when Manuel Pellegrini clearly has not.
Normal Saturn service will be resumed in November when Sterling will not be Pep Guardiola’s favourite bunny.
For much of 2015 Theo Walcott was plagued with Saturn being opposite his Mars. He has nothing much going on during the tournament, possibly some lunar transits, but best to leave him at home. August sees Jupiter opposite his Sun so a move away from the Emirates could be the answer.
Danny Welbeck suffered from Saturn and Neptune afflicting his Sun and Mars throughout 2015 and although he is through that now, this summer could see Saturn squaring his Moon so he’s not a gamble worth taking.
Has Daniel Sturridge put his Neptune opposite Sun injuries behind him ? Not entirely as it comes back for another go in the Autumn but he should be on the plane to France as Jupiter conjunct Mars for the last week of the tournament would be amazing if we’re still in it.
Jamie Vardy has been an extraordinary phenomenon this year which fits perfectly with Uranus being square to his Sun. The transit was exact when he was scoring in every game at the beginning of the season and it has been again as he scored his first for England against Germany. However Uranus’ unpredictability has probably also contributed to his current ban.
Depending on his birth time both Neptune and Saturn could be afflicting his Moon this summer. Take him along but don’t necessarily expect too much.
And finally, Andy Carroll has Pluto conjunct Sun and Uranus conjunct Mars so just get him there. Put him on the bench as England’s secret weapon.
So the team to start the opening game
Forster, Clyne, Rose, Smalling, Cahill, Dier, Milner, Noble, Alli, Sterling, Kane
On the bench, three strikers because its England, you know we’re going to need them.
Hart, Cresswell, Jagielka, Drinkwater, Vardy, Carroll, Sturridge
And making up the numbers
Foster, Walker, Stones, Wilshere, Lallana
Of course we all love Alli, Kane and Vardy but when you look at the squad as a whole it hardly fills you with confidence. But then even if you scour the Premier League with the eye of a proof reader its hard to come up with anything else.