In an attempt to make up for last week here is an extended weekend preview.

James Lawton admits he may have got Manchester City wrong.

Rob Hughes on Adu and Altidore.

How Craig Gordon’s summer move to Sunderland has benefited the team he played for as a 12-year-old.

Robert Philip talks to and about Denis Law before the Scotland and Italy game on Saturday. At the end of the article there is a reference to League Internationals that were mentioned on the blog a couple of months ago.

A look back at the last time Italy faced a European qualifying campaign after winning the World Cup.

Seventeen unlucky for Italy? 

A more measured assessment of the European Union’s free movement of labour. The reason you are hearing British politicians spouting off on the subject is simple - there is no downside for them. 

They can take a political popular - but wrongheaded – stance on foreign players that plays well with the punters. Simple reason for the complex problem of failure at the international level – foreign players.

No evidence, no need to hold the FA accountable or the players for that matter. (Remember this is largely the same team that last summer before Germany 2006 was being described as the golden generation – we found out it was more gilded than gold.)

But no matter at the end of the day the politicians know that they can’t do anything about the number of EU nationals playing in England unless the EU grants a total exemption for football and that will not happen.

MLS Cup Final

I have no idea if MLS intentionally scheduled the Cup Final for a weekend that coincided with European and World Cup qualifying but let us give them credit anyway. The Houston Dynamo versus New England Revolution can take centre stage on Sunday with little else in the soccer world battling for attention.

The Rev’s past failures have been well chronicled as has the Dynamo’s attempt to become the first team since DC United to win back-to-back titles. And of course it is a rematch of last season’s final. During regulation time that game was almost completely devoid of any memorable moments and it took two goals within seconds of each other during extra time to bring the match to life.

New England had the better of the Dynamo during the regular with a 1-0 win and a 3-3 draw although Houston did finish two points ahead of the Revolution. New England edged Houston in goals scored (51 to 43) but that was more than reversed when it came to conceding goals. The Rev’s defence let in close to double what the Dynamo did (43-23).

In setting a new regular season record for the fewest goals against Houston was the model of consistency while shutting out the opposition thirteen times. What’s more the Dynamo only let in more than two goals in a game twice and they lost neither one – the aforementioned six goal thriller with New England and a 4-3 win over Real Salt Lake in September.

For New England it was a case that when it rained on their defence it monsooned. They conceded three goals or more  seven times and only came away with a couple of draws. Over half the goals that New England let in during the regular season came in these seven matches which means that over the other twenty three games they averaged less than a goal against per game.

Nine clean sheets also strengthen the argument that perhaps New England are not such a defensive liability as the goals against column might indicate.  New England fans might also look to the Rev’s not yet conceding a post season goal while the Dynamo gave up two to FC Dallas.

New England’s standard 3-5-2 formation gives them the extra man in midfield over Houston’s 4-4-2. However, the game might come down to how well Michael Parkhurst, Jay Heaps and Avery John can handle Nate Jaqua - or Brian Ching if he is fit. Houston peppered the Kansas City defence with crosses last weekend and delivering quality balls from wide positions will be a key for the Dynamo. If New England are to win then they need to cut that supply route and they will also need Sharlie Joseph to dominate the midfield and feed Noonan, Twellman and Ralston.

The longer the game goes without a goal the more likely it is that we will get MLS 2006 part two. Here’s opening for an early goal and a better spectacle than twelve months ago.

Next to European Championship qualifying.

Group A – The group of draws with fifteen of the 46 games so far having finished tied but trips to Switzerland and Austria next summer are now for Poland and Portugal to lose. A home win for Poland would book a place and save them from a potentially awkward trip to Belgrade to play Serbia on Wednesday. Belgium are at a low point as far the national team is concerned – maybe it is due to the foreigners playing in the country – and Poland should get the three points that they need.

Portugal can only make sure of qualifying if they get a better result at home against Armenia than Finland does versus Azerbaijan and Serbia does against Kazakhstan. In all likelihood all three will win meaning that Portugal will still need to beat Finland in Lisbon next Wednesday to guarantee that they progress. There is still the possibility of a two or three way tie for the runners-up spot. Either possibility would be bad news for Portugal as they would lose out to Finland (two-way) and Serbia (three-way).

Group B – Italy failed to qualify for the finals of the European championships in 1984 after winning the World Cup two years before. They need a tie against Scotland on Saturday to make sure history does not repeat itself – with due respect to the Faroe Islands an Italian win at home on Wednesday is a certainty. In theory a draw could also put Scotland through if France would lose to the Ukraine in five days time – not going to happen.

So Scotland have to beat the reigning World Champions in their final game to qualify for their first major championship since 1998. A tall order but given the group that they were drawn into a one game decider is better than any Scots’ fan could have expected.

Scotland’s best chance to get the win that they need? The longer the game stays scoreless (well up to a point) the better it is for Scotland. Italy will become more and more cautious while Scotland should be able to throw more men forward in an attempt to get a precious winner. (Is there a new John Greig ready to do the business?)

Honestly if I was Roberto Donadoni I would be going for the jugular from the start and come out looking for an early goal that would take the Hampden crowd out of the game and set Scotland a target of at least two goals in order to qualify. Are you listening Roberto?  

Group C – Greece have already qualified and will be defending the trophy they won in 2004. The other spot is between Norway and Turkey and the Norwegians are two points up withTurkey traveling to Oslo for Saturday’s match.

While Turkey started strongly (12 points from the first four games) and have faded badly the Norwegians have gone at it in reverse. Seven points from the first five matches has become 11 points in the second half. A win for Norway seals the runners-up spot while anything else will take the final outcome to the last round of play on Wednesday. Norway are away to Malta and Turkey are at home to Bosnia Herzegovina so a draw (in Turkey the sides shared four goals) would set the Norwegians up nicely. 

Group D - Germany and the Czech Republic are both going to the Alps while four other countries are playing for places and we have no idea what San Marino are playing at.

Group E - There will be a collective holding of breathe in England on Saturday when Russia faces Israel. A Russian win and the English players can book tee times and Steve McClaren can start mailing his CV to former republics of the Soviet Union. Although England needs to rely on Israel for help the English media stands charged with capitulation.  Surely they could wait until death is official.

Croatia only needs a draw in Macedonia although that might be more of a challenge than most realize. Croatia needed two second half goals to erase a 1-0 deficit to Macedonia the first time they played (da Silva with an 88th minute winner) and only Russia with 2-0 and 3-0 wins have handled Macedonia with relative ease.

Group F – Sweden and Spain have almost made it with Northern Ireland and Denmark’s hopes hanging by a gossamer thin thread. Two draws for Spain (home to Sweden then Northern Ireland) will do it while the Swedes need just a single point from their last two matches.

Group G – Romania, along with Croatia, go into the last two rounds as the only two undefeated countries. Romania’s campaign started with a “disappointing” 2-2 home draw with Bulgaria. Disappointing in as much as Romania led 2-0 with eight minutes left. On Saturday Romania travels to Sofia for what fourteen months ago looked like it would be a crucial match. However, two draws against Albania largely put paid to Bulgarian hopes and Holland needs only one point from games against Luxembourg (h) and Belarus (a) in order to join Romania.

COMNEBOL World Cup Qualifying Notes

Argentina v. Bolivia - Javier Zanetti will earn his 116th cap and become Argentina's most capped international if he plays in this match. Bolivia’s last away win in WC qualifying came 14 years ago when they beat Venezuela 7-1. In their last 27 away games Bolivia have picked up only three draws.

 
Colombia v. Venezuela – It’s almost as if Colombia’s campaign has yet to start. They are unbeaten but have yet to win a game. They have not been scored on but have not scored either.

Peru v. Brazil – Another poor start for Peru who made their last WC appearance in1982. Only one point from their opening two games and they have yet to score a goal (0-0 at home to Paraguay and lost 2-0 to Chile).

Uruguay v. Chile - Both countries consider themselves as legitimate contenders for a top four spot and head-to-head games will be important in the final outcome. In 2006 qualifying Chile won 5 matches but all were against countries that finished in 8th, 9th and the bottom spot.

Paraguay v. Ecuador – Ecuador qualifiers for the last two finals, have made a horrible start, losing 1-0 at home to Venezuela and 5-0 in Brazil. Two veterans have been dropped Ivan Hurtado (145 caps) and right back Ulises de la Cruz (98 caps).

Midweek games - Brazil v. Uruguay, Ecuador v. Peru, Venezuela v. Bolivia, Colombia v. Argentina and Chile v. Paraguay.