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 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.
In their second ever game Toronto went to Gillette Stadium and looked awful in losing 4-0. Nearly ten weeks on TFC returned to the same scene and produced another dreadful performance. Even though this loss was by a goal less it was arguably a worse result than the one back in April given that the Revolution were without three legitimate starters in Twellman, Ralston and Parkhurst.
The Toronto FC squad may have a threadbare look at the moment but with the exception of goalkeeper Greg Sutton, who continues to suffer from the repercussions of a concussion at the Gold Cup, but it was the recognized starting eleven that started and finished the match.
However, Toronto was simply never in the game with far too many players missing for large periods of the game. The Revolution was up by two with a little over thirty minutes gone and cruised through the rest of the match before a third goal with nine minutes left completed the scoring.
The first goal came after Avery John was given all sorts of time to cross into the heart of the Toronto defence. All it required was a routine bit of defending to deal with the cross. However, midfielder Carl Robinson (?) dropped to deep and missed the clearing header only for the ball to rebound from a surprised Kevin Goldthwaite to Andy Dorman who scored easily.
The second goal was remarkably similar in the obscene amount of time provided to Jeff Larentowicz. Larentowicz was allowed to control the ball, look up and pick out Pat Noonan as he arrived in the penalty to place a header past TFC keeper Djekanovic from about 12 yards.
The third New England goal looked good but again Toronto’s defence was poor as Smith, Christman and Dorman combined to set up the midfielder for a deuce and his third goal in two games against Toronto.
"The Sea of Orange that flooded Pizza Hut Park is heading back to Houston a very happy bunch. Thousands of Dynamo supporters arriving at the Park hours before Sunday's MLS Cup Final sporting orange t-shirts, face paint, scarves, you name it - if it was orange they had it and man could they sing. A city without a team a year ago has really found a home, and the PK win over New England only puts the icing on the cake for a whirlwind year for the fomer Earthquakes. Congratulations to a rabid fan-base...that is a very special group of staff and players.
New England fans weren't as numerous as Houston fans, but those making the trip where every bit as colorful and full of voice. How tough it's got to be to see their side take an extra-time lead, watch it disappear in an instant, and then witness the season end on a PK save by Pat Onstad? Five straight Eastern Conference Championship appearances, and three Conference titles is something to be proud of, and though that 'un-finished' business theme will linger for another year there were 10 other teams at home and watching Sunday.
Although there were moments of activity inside the 90, the nil-nil score through two halves had to be a disappointment for the teams, the league, and the supporters because both sides showed alot of offensive ability all season. Other than Taylor Twellman getting robbed mid first-half by Pat Onstad, and a boost in energy when Clint Dempsey came on just past the hour, the match was far from the high-scoring contest guys like Twellman and Ching were anticipating Saturday. That said, I understand no one wants to be the one to throw away one-shot at a title...I only wonder what we would have seen if someone had cashed in early.
Hard to believe Monday is a trade-period day. Tuesday protected lists get turned in, and Friday Toronto FC selects 10 players...just like that the off-season is here, and the Houston Dynamo head into 2007 as defending champs with now 12 teams looking to knock them off.
Might one of those teams be fielding a David Beckham or a Luis Figo...can't wait to find out!"
I am the soccer analyst for the Fox Soccer Report and appear twice a week - every Monday and Friday at 10:00 EST. I have also been a regular contributor to the Fox Soccer Channel website since the summer of 2004. Over the last twenty years I have contributed to various radio and television programs throughout North America as well writing about the game for newspapers, magazines and websites.
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