No. But a slew of rags suggested yesterday that we've agreed a fee with FC Porto for the chiseled Brazilian. It's only a matter of time then, right?

Moving in.

The Guardian was the first to tell us that Porto had accepted a £38 million bid from Chelsea for Hulk.

First, apologies for the slight delay in getting this week's player ratings up. I had originally planned on getting them live yesterday, but instead opted to take the day off since, well, most of you were probably doing the same. I decided to kick back and spend the day with a beer and some grilled vegetables.

Their Words "We are delighted to announce that Tuesdays game is Sold Out. Now as the anticipation builds we look forward to our orange clad 12th Man helping to push the team to an important victory." Carolina RailHawks president Curt Johnson. Other Sources The U.S. national team is up next for Fulham's Clint Dempsey but more could be on the way - from The Washington Post's Steven Goff: "You can't believe all the speculation.

In anticipation of Euro 12, Dutch supermarket chain C1000 produced a music video featuring stars of the Netherlands team and hundreds of the little birdie toys they're offering fans/potential shoppers.

During the video, you'll see Nigel De Jong's teammates sticking the orange toys to his head, Klaas-Jan Huntelaar almost eating one (but it wasn't made of grass, so he didn't), someone putting three on a kebab stick and grilling them, plus Arjen Robben sticking them to his backside and bending over.

So you've been waiting in unbearable anticipation, I just know it. The time has come once again for "Fuzion does the Power Rankings". I know it's been a long time coming, mostly due to changing jobs, but nevertheless it is here! Can you feel the excitement? This time around I've changed up the process just a little, and if you're interested -- well, you'll just have to jump to join us, now won't you?

The dread anticipation of the Doomsday Scenario was hideous, elongated as it was over several weeks as first the semi-final and then the season's final day played out. Goals and sendings-off that weren't, the bitter tease of a former Spurs keeper throwing three goals into his net, yet another rearguard action, all of this involving not just any club, not just one rival but both of our bitterest enemies.

Alton Towers the UK's largest theme park today announced their new ride for the summer of 2012. After much anticipation of a colossal rollercoaster that would test the laws of physics, the park's chief went for something much more low-key and unorthodox: a merry-go-round where ‘at least 50 per cent' of the allotted [.

When Chivas USA defeated the rival Galaxy 1-0 on Saturday night, a few new faces donned their signature Red & White.

This past Thursday, the club announced two deals, acquiring US international Juan Agudelo from the Red Bulls and finally completing the Danny Califf trade with the Philadelphia Union, which had been at the forefront of the rumor mill the few days prior to the trade.

Barcelona's Tactical Outlook Post-Guardiola - originally posted on Soccerlens.com

When you look upon FC Barcelona as a squad, you might think you are looking at a squad that is almost perfect in every way.

They have a squad with experienced players that know each other well. Because they know each other, they play exceptionally well together.

Today is the day we were meant to be lifting the trophy. After City lost 1-0 to Arsenal at the Emirates four weeks ago, we were eight points clear at the top. You'd fancy any club to go on and win the league at that stage but the fact it was United meant it was game over. I had City fans begrudgingly congratulating me on the title and whilst not celebrating too soon, for fear of jinxing us, you couldn't help but feel chuffed in anticipation for another title win.

Gracias Pep? Tactical Mistakes Meant Guardiola's Exit Can Only Benefit Barcelona - originally posted on Soccerlens.com

Days have passed since FC Barcelona were eliminated from the Champions League by Chelsea FC. In that time this writer has come full circle in his impression of a man whose tenure has also, come full circle at Barcelona.

Lansbury wonder goal for Under 21′s vs Belgium

Signing for Arsenal at the tender age of 9, central midfielder Henri Lansbury came up through the ranks until he eventually signed a professional contract in 1 July 2008. After a successful loan spell at Scunthorpe United in League One (which included 4 goals and 5 assists in 16 appearances), Lansbury featured in Arsenal's FA Youth Cup winning team (6-2 over Liverpool, Lansbury 2 assists).

Lansbury wonder goal for Under 21′s vs Belgium

Signing for Arsenal at the tender age of 9, central midfielder Henri Lansbury came up through the ranks until he eventually signed a professional contract in 1 July 2008. After a successful loan spell at Scunthorpe United in League One (which included 4 goals and 5 assists in 16 appearances), Lansbury featured in Arsenal's FA Youth Cup winning team (6-2 over Liverpool, Lansbury 2 assists).

I know, I know: technically, tonight's game fits the definition of a derby. Unfortunately, this new L1 fixture (2 years old) is nowhere near in anticipation and expectation as an OL-ASSE, the REAL derby.

So indeed the interest, if any, of this game is not obvious, as the outcome won't make much difference to the two participants fortunes.

There's been a lot of anticipation to see what Everton's home and away shirts will look like for the 2012-13 season especially since Le Coq Sportif will no longer be the club's kit manufacturer, and they've been replaced by Nike. ...
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Bayern Munich celebrated their entry into the Champions League final by tucking into some glorious food at the Westin hotel in Madrid last night. Mario Gomez spent most of his time chatting on the phone presumably with fiancé Silvia Meichel, but you can't blame him.

Geoff Shreeves: "Branislav, I'll continue to tell you that you're out of the final until you cry. If you shed a tear now you'll save us all a lot of time." Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic's yellow card against Barcelona rules him out of the Champions League final. But Sky Sports reporter Geoff Shreeves wasn't entirely [.

One thing we don't seem to do very much of in football is look at a player's career arc. So when people talk about Robin van Persie scoring all these goals it's hard to know whether it's a monumental fluke or something he's been building up to. I confess to having assumed the former, but in that I was probably wrong.

One thing we don't seem to do very much of in football is look at a player's career arc. So when people talk about Robin van Persie scoring all these goals it's hard to know whether it's a monumental fluke or something he's been building up to. I confess to having assumed the former, but in that I was probably wrong.

It's back... Who's ready for another Clásico?

We didn't forget. No, these past four months have felt like an El Clásico continuum that has taken over football? The media frenzy has spun entirely out of control, but nevertheless tomorrow is, once again, worth the hype.

Andy Carroll started the last two Liverpool games, and they were important games in some respect. Liverpool ended a four game win-less streak with a hard-fought 3-2 win over Blackburn Rovers. The Reds followed that up with a come-from-behind FA Cup victory over Everton, thus maintaining their hoodoo spell over the blue of Merseyside.

I've known worse times as a Spurs fan. Forgive me if for the moment I can't quite name them. An afternoon so utterly dispiriting, the fans, the decisions, the outcome, that heart and soul are thoroughly drained. Not anger, though there's just cause the referee, the way we just slipped away without enough of a fight.

Borussia Dortmund took a giant step towards retaining their Bundesliga title after beating Schalke 2-1 yesterday. The win takes Dortmund 8 points clear at the top of the league after their nearest challengers Bayern Munich were held to a barren draw at home to a stubborn Mainz.

Bayern's result will be a big psychological disadvantage ahead of their Champions League semi final fixture with Madrid this week.

If season 2012 were a movie, right now it would be firmly inthe horror genre. TFC continues to stick to the same script for all their homegames. It takes only a quick shot or a lucky break for the road team when the home team never scores. San Jose thumped TFC, and now Chivas took the Columbus route, scoring that minimum goal to take the three points.

With just one sleep to go until one of our favourite days on the sporting and fashion calendar, Coleen Rooney has thrown down a gauntlet on race day garments already.

The aforementioned Ladies Day doesn't occur until tomorrow, but we've successfully retrieved our champagne stash back from the Celtic lads and have begun popping the popcorn and hiding the good chocolate in anticipation of viewing the horrific er, innovative looks Liverpool always serves up for us.

BY DAVE MARTINEZ

Three weeks ago, the New York Red Bulls had scored all of one goal through their first two fixtures. Homeland Security denied a work visa to their star striker Luke Rodgers, who was stuck in England with no hope of a return. Though New York acquired Kenny Cooper from Portland in anticipation of such a scenario, they didn't show outward confidence in pairing the big American forward and Thierry Henry – going so far as to start an out of form Juan Agudelo with the team captain over him for the season opener.

That was the headline that might have been. It was almost perfectly set up. Two Sounders had gone down previously with boots to their nether regions. On comes Marc Burch, fresh from slagging off United in the media, only for Sigi to give him just two and a half minutes to prove what he couldn't in a handful of years with DC.

On April 7, 2012, a new 24/7 sports network named Univision Deportes will launch in the United States.

Univision Deportes, which is touting itself as the new way to see sports, will broadcast in Spanish. There's quite a lot of anticipation building for the new network.

The sports network will broadcast soccer matches from Mexico's Primera Division as well as FIFA World Cup 2014.

From 2-0 up and sleepwalking toward three points to 2-2 and then, amazingly, 4-2 this was not the way any of us expected this match to play out. And if you did, you're a weird soul. Nevertheless, it's a crucial win as we inch closer to the top four.

Relief.

I'm not sure that we've played a more bizarre game this season.

Knock knock, Pep.

Who's there? Zlatan.

Zlatan who? I am Zlatan. And your chin looks like a Greek person's elbow.

How do you like that Pep? I don't mean my joke about your elbow chin -- that's genius, so of course you don't like it -- I mean the fact that I held your band of hormone-infused munchkins scoreless for the first time in their last 30 Champions League matches.

With the 2011-12 soccer seasons getting closer to the final lap, anticipation is building for Euro 2012. Part of the ritual of each major tournament is the collecting of Panini sticker albums. As we get closer to the tournament, ...
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Seriously, just get here already. The anticipation has built to a fever pitch and now all that's left to dissect will take place in a 90-minute window. Ready?

No Explanation Necessary

Team Sheets:

From roughly 3:00 PM EST

Streaming:

My P2P
FirstRow Sports
Sport Lemon

In today's installment of the Couch Captain we take a look at the Revs 1-0 loss to San Jose, and the coaching decisions made by Head Coach Jay Heaps throughout the match. Without his full compliment of players at his disposal, did Coach Heaps' have his hand played for him? Or were there places he maybe could have done a little better?

Coaching changes, personnel moves and the addition of an expansion franchise are about to be relegated to the land of off-season action as Major League Soccer kicks off the 2012 season this weekend.

In anticipation of the season start, here is a look at the league's now 19 teams. We start with the Eastern Conference, we follow with the Western Conference and finish with a preview of the Colorado Rapids.

Team: D.C. United Coach: Ben Olsen Last Season: 9-13-12, 7th Eastern Conference, 13th Overall Hashtag: #DCU There is a sense of anticipation around the DC United fan base this season, a sense of anticipation that fans have not had for a few years. ...
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There's not too many players who take more abuse from the Geordie fans than a certain Shola Ameobi. Shola Ameobi puts the ball home look at the anticipation by Demba Ba But in our match preview of the game on Saturday evening we had this to say about Shola: "And we may even see Shola Ameobi in [.

It is about to go from bad to worse for a number of players at Rangers FC.

With the outlook of the near future looking bleak after the club was forced to go into administration, Rangers players are meeting with union officials to explore their possibilities in anticipation of numerous cuts.

Everyone's favorite Miami-based gangster lookalike got a show from the ultras of Galatasaray this weekend, and quite a good one at that. Although there's a clear aura of childish anticipation from the gentleman standing next to him, making things rather uncomfortable when it takes more than ten seconds for the likenesses of Fatih and his players to rise from the crowd.

Anticipation. Expectation or hope. Realization in advance. Intuition, foreknowledge, or prescience.

It's that excited, nervous feeling you get before the start of something new. The tingle in your gut before you board a plane to a foreign country. The wave of adrenaline as you launch your raft down a turbulent river.

We were in our places a few minutes earlier than usual, standing not sitting, hopping around not so much to stave off the bitter cold, more in excited anticipation. Even the veterans haven't seen anything like this.

The players had a prematch kickabout, the mascot's nervous pride shone through as they found a hero to play with, but all eyes were on the tunnel.