Ballon D’blanquitas

interesting, can't qwhite put my finger on why

Cheers to MLS for putting LAFC vs RSL on FS1, I am thoroughly enjoying it. #NiceOneSonny

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What an awful, sad weekend. Here's my attempt to pay tribute to Matt Beard for @sport.theguardian.com www.theguardian.com/football/202...

Jorge Hernandez, stop that. His 11th goal of the season moves Hernandez within one of his single-season best in the #USL-C.

Sounds like I’m missing a lot of NWSL drama, but my beloved SAFC have a 3-1 lead in a must-win game for playoff seeding, let me have this 😝

Matt was a lovely bloke who really cared about his players, I don't know anyone who covered women's football in England who's ever had a bad word to say about him. Women's football is poorer for his passing.

Considering Brighton have been a bit of a bogey team for us and we went 2-0 down, that feels like a good point. I liked the mentality to stay in the game and keep pushing for a winning goal, even if it didn’t happen. Some pretty poor individual performances though.

Actually a very interesting week for me film-wise, even if I had some quibbles about all of them. #LetterboxdFriday #LastFourWatched

Okay. The thing that’ll reassure me we’re dealing with a competent manager now will be if Martin refuses to get precious about team selection. Play the players who show up, bench the ones who aren’t giving enough quality to merit their place. I’m not saying write them off forever, but form is form.

YES LIZE

Good coaching has made us better able to compete against the teams around us. Only investment in the squad is going to make us better able to compete against the top teams. Right now, we aren’t competing. I wish I could be more positive but 0-3 at halftime says it all. City are the better team.

Jess needed to get involved there.

Why *is* Kerolin not starting for City?

United States-based female refugee soccer players from Afghanistan will not have access to FIFA-organised training camps that determine the selection process for the newly-created Afghanistan women’s refugee team. More from @colinmillar.bsky.social ⤵️

ICYMI

LFG Allison and Saulius!

I’m glad Abiodun is okay, I was so worried about eye damage after that replay!

New midweek issue of SAtP, with thoughts on Spurs Men's CL League Phase opener. Plus, a new mini section to preview (kind of) the weekend fixtures. #COYS #THFC #THWFC spurs-across-the-pond.ghost.io/lucky-lucas/

Apparently my teams are going to own goal their way to the CL final.

Honestly think the ref has killed this game. Blowing up for everything and handing out cards has killed its flow.

All of us COYS over the past two Spurs Men games:

Juan has a really awful haircut. That’s my only real commentary so far besides the ref being utterly clueless and out of control.

It almost feels unfair to go ahead on that kind of keeper error, but… we will absolutely take it.

Aww Juan Foyth is their captain. Pity it’s for such a terrible club. I’m still upset about Tani Oluwaseyi signing with them instead of a Championship club as had been first rumored.

Go check the Spurs Men starting lineup in a few minutes, then come back for your pre-game reading. Not including an actual preview of this game, since I'm not doing match previews anymore, but there are bonus bookmarks this week! #COYS #THFC #THWFC spurs-across-the-pond.ghost.io/clean-sheet-...

I just checked, and at least this new Victory+ streamer is available on my main TV’s app library, unlike NWSL+. I wish they would just get rid of the league streamer if they’re not going to make an effort to make it more accessible. As a neutral, I usually don’t bother with the games on NWSL+.

Isn't it fun to have stuff to talk about?

Candidly, I did not vote for any of the Americans. These award nominations are always wild, though, it's not my fault. www.concacaf.com/awards/

An early PSA that Spurs Women play on *Friday* this week. I just learned this information today while recording the pod 😛

Vote for Jimmy! #Defend210 #USLChampionship www.uslchampionship.com/news_article...

Extremely tempted by this year’s Wiesn kit. Wish it was available on one of the US stores in the women’s cut though… I’m reluctant to order from the actual Bayern shop after my last experience.

Week 20 #NWSL standings have Gotham and North Carolina as the big winners. Seattle and Louisville have a game in hand now. Sending well wishes to DeMelo 💜

Insane stat. This is the same team that last year faced 116 shots on target (5.3 per game) and conceded 44 goals.

not the league using his opportunity to spread propaganda. we know player safety isn’t always top of mind, this same season they made teams finish a game after savy king was resuscitated on the pitch and just a couple weekends ago berman threatened to fine teams if they didn’t play in extreme heat.

It seems fairly obvious that the full amount of money will be donated no matter what, but given we're living in an era where essential programs and institutions left and right are being gutted and having their funding rescinded (*ahem*), this is in the poorest of taste, and worse: it ain't funny!

Really sad to hear about Savannah DeMelo. Wishing her a speedy recovery. And I’m so glad the NWSL has finally learned some lessons and did the right thing in suspending the game.

Hard to overstate what an unpleasant Emmy telecast this is so far. It feels like it’s being run with genuine hostility toward the people it’s supposed to be honoring.

Is the official move to the lakeside stadium not happening until next season for the Stars?

Phil Foden needed to grow out that haircut years ago.

A good weekend to be a Tottenham fan ⚽️⚽️ #COYS 🤍

Turns out it was. 💪

Drew was unlucky not to get a goal today.

This is honestly a great result. We’ve always struggled away to Everton and finally broke that curse, and we played really well in the process. New signings are making big impacts already. Old players looking revitalized under the new tactics. The only team not to be scored on through MD2! #COYS 🤍

Man, wish that great work from Lenna had been rewarded with an assist. Brosnan again 😛

🥹

Poor Tōko Koga has her work cut out for her today between Vignola and Gago. But I love that she’s undaunted! Extreme trail by fire in her debut WSL season, this is going to be so beneficial to her down the line.

Okay I deeply respect Courtney Brosnan as a keeper… which is what makes Tinka Tandberg totally embarrassing her with her first Spurs goal even more satisfying. Good lord!