By Chris Wright

No talk, just lovely, lovely photos (open images in a new tab to see them in all their full-size majesty) from what proved to be an amazing tournament for all the right reasons...

[Photos: PA]

More 2012 ACoN-related stuff on Pies.

(Photo: Daniel Gajdamowicz)

What: Philadelphia Union v Houston Dynamo

When: 8:30pm EST

Where: Robertson Stadium, Houston, TX, USA

Why: GAME ON!

TV: ESPN2, ESPN3, ESPN-Deportes

Referee: Ricardo Salazar

Messing with Texas

Despite the number of times Texas has rudely suggested we not mess with it, Thursday, November 3, 2011 needs to go down in future Union lore as the day the Union went down to Houston and messed up Houston's game plan, ultimately stealing victory on the road.

Arsene Wenger says Ryo Miyaichi should be ready in time for Christmas. We stand by our contention that he was the right side of perfectly cooked in July. Image: Julian Finney/Getty Images Europe.

You always know you've hit the midweek hump when Wham puns are acceptable post titles. Luckily though, Arsenal's Adorkable babies were released from their playpen last night for the club's Carling Cup fixture vs.

Tottenham Hotspur desperately need a player like Emmanuel Adebayor. His strength, pace and goalscoring ability on the ground and in the air will if all goes smoothly become the long sought after focal point for our attacking play. No one who was at the Lane to witness his exquisite volley in the 3-1 defeat by our neighbours will need to be convinced it's seared in my brain, probably forever, which can't be said for many of the goals we've scored since then.

Tottenham Hotspur desperately need a player like Emmanuel Adebayor. His strength, pace and goalscoring ability on the ground and in the air will if all goes smoothly become the long sought after focal point for our attacking play. No one who was at the Lane to witness his exquisite volley in the 3-1 defeat by our neighbours will need to be convinced it's seared in my brain, probably forever, which can't be said for many of the goals we've scored since then.

Thank the deity that doesn't exist it's over. The Modric saga and Harry's inability to pass by a camera without giving an interview meant the last few weeks have been excruciating. Let's get on with it now and play some football. However, here's no denying the backdrop of genuine tension on deadline day.

Wham bam thank you Kam The Home Nations are not in great shape at the moment. Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland look as success-orientated as Arsene Wenger in an auction room. England are not looking much sharper, and despite reaching number 4 in the world rankings we have yet to see an open top bus [.

The fix is in Wham! Several match-fixing crises right on top of each other tell us that there are still serious problems with the bona fides of the professional game. Even more disturbing is the fact that the scandals have been spread across different regions and continents. Finland Top-flight club Tampere is under investigation for [.

It's the real thingSo sue me As usual the frequent fliers politely ignore the safety briefing, 'Brace, brace'. As if. 'Life jackets are stowed' Yeh, yeh. 'Seats upright; tables folded, window blinds up' Whats the problem? We aren't going far, just an ordinary run of the mill domestic trip. What can possibly go wrong?

So White Hart Lane it is then. Levy has still got his foot jammed in the door that has just been firmly closed, like the salesman that he is, and will no doubt go down the litigation, Judicial Review route just to save his face, but the game is over. Stuffing another couple of million down the throats of barristers, the only group that make bankers look poor will do nothing to salvage our pride.

Given that nearly everyone these days, especially in places like Singapore and Bangkok, is either on line or not far from being on line is it really necessary for papers to just regurgitate news stories, ok, football stories, from England or Spain?
For example yesterday it was reported in England that West Ham were favorites to win the right to use the Olympic Stadium in London after 2012.