I watched FC Barcelona in the wee smalls on Sunday, mesmerized as always by the side's peerless ability to hold possession and work nimbly out of pressure, as Pep Guardiola's men operated in Asia. It took me back a couple of weeks to my trip into that stylish and splendid Catalan city.

Just after sunset, my girlfriend and I sat in a coffee shop not far from the Barcelona's main port.

After a Ramsey own goal, Arsenal just seemingly gave up. Until then, it had actually been close (as close as a 70' red card to Frimpong can get you). Suarez enters late and finishes the Gunners off as Arsenal fans boo and leave before the final whistle. It's going to be a long season for Arsene and his band of merry 12 year olds.

There still seems to be a lack of Technical Development in Aussie football - not perhaps for the chosen 12 kids in a High Performance Federation program but in the rest of the cohort - the other 99% of players.
Australia: Does anyone care?
If 12 and 13 year old boys and girls at ALL levels of the game are expected to play on the same field as our men - ie the biggest ones you can find - how do we expect the culture of the players, the watching parents and the small-sided games philosophy to actually take hold across the land.

Back in 1996, two 12 year olds arrived in Barcelona called on by La Masia. One was Andres Iniesta, the other, Jorge Troiteiro. In Barcelona they used to say that... Read more »

A blitz on anti-social behaviour has won backing from Liverpool FC.
The council's latest Respect week will focus on Yew Tree ward, in West Derby, which includes the Reds' Melwood training ground.
Club representatives will be meeting some of the agencies involved to show their support for the week.