So the bracket has been set, the map has been drawn, the Yellow Brick Road to Glory has been laid.
For one team, this is the map that will chart their journey to a new title. Between now and the end of the season, someone will guide their charges to five (or six) straight victories and claim the silverware, leaving all other opponents in their wake.
The first round of games will begin by pitting the bottom sixteen against each other to remove the first eight of the unworthy, and load up the other eight like arrows on readied bows.
Right from the outset it looks like we could have a few too-close-to-call games on the docket. The third game drawn, “C1” (on the left hand side), will put teams #37 and #38 together, and is surely destined to be a close-run opener. Games A1 and G1 (RHS) will also be setting up very similarly-scoring teams. By close of play on Thursday (or “bedtime” as we like to call it) we should know which teams will be allocated those prime starting blocks.
Second Round
There are already some intimidatingly high hurdles for the winners of the First Round games. Two of those winners (from E1 & G1) will have to go up against the top two seeds in GW30. Unfortunately there’s no “Cool Match Bro” bonus and no broadcasting rights, but there is the eternal giant-killing potential that still makes for big news and big World Ranking points, on top of the standard boasting rights. Suffice to say, if any of them can get past the favourites, they can take on anybody!
Watch out for who fills Match P2 (LHS) as the number 15 & 18 seeds get forced together. Potentially another close game (based on Season 12 totals), from which the winner will get a Third Round tie against either #6, or one of #30/#38. So being placed 15/18 could prove to be a blessing or a curse.
Also keep a wry eye on #13v#17 & #16v#22 (E2 & G2, RHS), the winners of each feed into G3. You can expect two or three of those to go down to the wire. (NB: set your subs kids; you never know when you might need them!)
Third Round
And speaking of the blessing/curse conundrum… how the top eight line up after the Molyneux matchup could prove crucial deeper into the tourney. While the Second Round might seem like easy pickings for some, the Third Round could develop into something much, much scarier.
Assuming the early fixtures go the way of the (heavy) favourites… we are anticipating #1 vs. #2 and also #3 vs. #4 in the Third Round! <Hashtag>NoEasyGames. Does that mean it’s better to be seeded #5-#8 this season? Very possibly. None of them will face a top four side at least until the Semi’s, and #8 will be the top seed in the bottom-right quarter of the bracket.
But everyone is a target and all forty entrants want to be the one with their name in the history books. It doesn’t seem like that long ago that #40 Mourinho-LO were slaying top teams every week!*
* 2019 BFFA Cup – #40 Mourinho-LO KO’d:
#25 AC Reykavik BC (the highest-ranked team in R1),
#1 Tralfamadore Zoo (R2) &
#7 The Money Team (R3).
(Okay, that was a few years ago…)
So… good luck, safe travels, fight hard and lose well. (Unless you win it, in which case – kudos, you rule!)
We’ll get the First Round previews put together for you very soon.
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