AFP: Paula the Octopus in action for women's World Cup 
Paula the Octopus!
(ed. note: this blog is solely about football and octopi, preferably of the psychic, football-related variety.)
Here’s a bracket for the knockout stages of the upcoming (June 26) Women’s World Cup in Germany, sized to print out on an 8.5 x 11 sheet. Enjoy!
The 2011 women’s World Cup begins in Germany on June 26th. If anyone is interested, this wall chart for the group stage should fit on an 8.5 x 11 sheet. I’ll throw together a bracket for the knockout stages when they get there.
Looking ahead to some of the internationals this weekend, one of which being Brazil-Scotland (because, let’s be honest, deep down we all love to see Brazil absolutely demolish someone). Maybe something along the lines of when the two sides met at the 1982 World Cup? It’s unbelievable that that team, with the likes of Zico, Socrates, Eder, Falcao, etc, not only didn’t win the tournament, but didn’t even make it to the semi-finals - victims of a bizarre format, among other things.
Or perhaps when they met again in 1998? Featuring yet another ridiculous Brazil team not to have won, this time undone in the final by Zizou and les bleus.
a series of advertising jingles vs. jazz; sounds about right.
(Source: youtube.com)
3rd Round FA Cup; Arsenal v Leeds Utd
Leeds look up for it. To hell with anyone who says the FA Cup has “lost its magic.”
Bolton Wanderers v Liverpool, etc.
I never would have thought I would be so anxious about a trip to the Reebok, but I suppose such are the realities of being a Liverpool supporter these days. Sure, a 2-1 result against a Blackburn team missing both center-halves (among other things) doesn’t exactly leave one overflowing with confidence, but I think the team certainly put in one of their better, if not the best, display of the year yet. [Also, let’s be fair, if it weren’t for Paul Robinson, who had a terrific game in goal, it easily could have been 3- or 4-0 at half.] Let’s hope they can keep up the same level of attacking intensity and high pressing from the start against Bolton (as opposed to the traditional Hodgson style of defend-deep-for-70-minutes-and-only-actually-try-to-win-the-game-in-the-last-20).
I like the midfield pairing that is developing between Lucas and Meireles (who I think is still underrated in terms of what he brings to the team), and I like the freedom that Steven Gerrard enjoyed last week in the center of midfield. I feel encouraged by the fact that Joe Cole seems to slowly be finding his feet at the club, and (certainly after the Blackburn game) Fernando is inching back towards his old ways. As much as Jamie Carragher’s bombing runs down the right make be nervous, I do prefer him and Skrtel on the right side of defense to him in the center and Johnson out wide at the moment. Especially against the relatively in-form Johan Elmander.
On a side-ish note, in the tiny-shred-of-evidence-that-the-Premier-League-is-still-a-compelling-and-competitive-competition department (as well as the never-thought-i-would-be-saying-this-at-the-start-of-the-season dept.): I’m very excited for the Blackpool v West Brom fixture on Monday. Two newly promoted sides doing remarkably well (Blackpool relatively unlucky in their recent run of games), both playing wonderful football exactly the way they want to, thank you very much.
Five things we learned from the Premier League this weekend | Barney Ronay
Cautious optimism. Of course it makes me a bit nervous, the whole exchanging one set of American owners for another, however it is undoubtedly a massive victory to be rid of Hicks & Gillett. This is certainly a step in the right direction, and not a moment too soon, with the trip across town at the weekend.
It is way too early to start speculating about what this will specifically mean for the immediate future (transfers, management changes, stadium issues, etc.), but it means a lot to finally get a victory (of any kind, on or off the pitch) this hard won. There has been very little positivity around the club for at least a year or so now, so it feels good.
BTW, The Guardian’s coverage is continuing throughout the day.
