Five blues but no goals for England

Despite the presence of five Manchester City players last night, England could only manage a 0-0 draw with Montenegro at Wembley last night.

Joe Hart and Joleon Lescott both started, and were fairly untroubled all night. Hart was beaten once, by a volley from Milan Jovanović late on, but it thumped into the crossbar as it plunged downwards.

Gareth Barry played alongside Steven Gerrard in central midfield but could not replicate his recent improved form for City. This was the Barry of early 2010: lazy, sluggish, and careless in possession. He must be fairly tired given how he's started with City but this was not too impressive.

The one that stood out was Adam Johnson. With Montenegro lining up with three holding midfielders (sound familiar?), there was never much space for him on the inside but he had real success going outside and down to the by-line. He put in a few decent crosses with his right foot; when he improves this aspect of his game he'll double his threat. He also hit a few free-kicks over.

Shaun Wright-Phillips came on late, which is bizarre given that with no injuries he would not get into an 18 man MCFC match-day squad of my choosing. He tried hard, running quickly with his head down, but didn't really get anywhere.

Silva scores for Spain

David Silva scored the third goal in Spain's 3-1 win over Lithuania last Friday.

It's the best header I've seen in years.

You can see every perfect touch and feint here.

Six blues play in England win

Records were broken last night, as at one point six MCFC players were on the pitch in England's 3-1 win over Switzerland in Basle.

Four started, Adam Johnson came on in the first half - and when Shaun Wright-Phillips replaced Wayne Rooney with 11 minutes left there were more City players on the England team than those that weren't. It's certainly something worth reflecting on. It's one of the best examples yet of the near-unique richness and depth of our squad. It also shows, I think, how low the bar is of England squad entry: simply having a contract with a top half Premier League side seems to be enough. Although not, for some reason, for Tom Huddlestone.

The four starters were Joe Hart, James Milner and Gareth Barry - who started against Bulgaria - and then Joleon Lescott, replacing Michael Dawson. Lescott was a surprise. Not only because it was Gary Cahill who came on last Friday, but because Lescott had not started a competitive game at centre-back since March 14. He did well enough on his return to the side, winning a few important headers.

In the midfield, Barry and Milner both had good games. This was England's best midfield performance for at least one year, and the passing and movement was crisp and imaginative. Barry did particularly well cleaning up in front of the back four (so much so that I think he could perform Nigel de Jong's role successfully), and Milner played intelligently - staying wide when necessary but sometimes coming inside to help out.

The headlines, though, are Adam Johnson's, again. He came on early in the first half for the injured Theo Walcott, again playing off the right. With his first touch he darted down Reto Ziegler's outside, and crossed low with his right to Jermain Defoe. Johnson is open to accusations of predictability and so his having this Plan B to call upon is of immense value. Soon later he shot just over from distance, but his goal was to come in the second half.

England were counter-attacking and he drifted inside, ran off one of the centre backs and was found by Steven Gerrard's through ball. Facing down the 'keeper, he swerved left, took the ball past him and finished into an empty net. Two competitive international appearances - both off the bench - and two goals.

Joe Hart could not replicate his Friday night heroics, letting in a swerving shot from Xherdan Shaqiri and making two or three uncharacteristic handling errors. He was better, though, than Shaun Wright-Phillips who was twice in dream positions behind the left back but sent two woeful final balls across.

Robi scores but de Jong through

What a night of football. Two Manchester City players going head to head for a place in the semi-final. Robinho v Nigel de Jong. And City legend Elano, still injured, could only watch.

Robinho started well, playing with the imagination and audacity we saw at City and the energy and bite that we didn't. His tracking, tackling and efforts to win the ball back made him look like a different player altogether from our £32m man.

Only five minutes in he thought he put Brazil ahead, ghosting behind Andre Ooijer, receiving Dani Alves' pass and scoring. Just as he wheeled away to celebrate the flag shot up - Alves had been offside. Tight call. But five minutes later Robinho put Brazil ahead. Holland lost the ball, and their transition from an attacking to a defensive set-up was haphazard at the least. Robinho drifted into the chasm between Ooijer and Johnny Heitinga, and was half-heartedly tracked by Arjen Robben. But he received a straight ball from Felipe Melo and replicated that open body right foot finish we saw against Chile (and against Portsmouth in the 6-0.)

Once ahead Brazil dominated. Robinho's movement was too much for Gregory van der Wiel to comprehend, and Robi was even involved in spats for - get this - over-zealous tackling. Nigel de Jong had to restrain him once. But Brazil couldn't double their advantage and went into half-time one ahead.

The game looked sewn up. The one thing I was sure of was that Brazil would never implode, never capitulate. So the second half was shocking. The Dutch were brighter but could have expected to be gifted a goal. Wesley Sneijder swung a cross in, Felipe Melo and Júlio César jumped into one another and the ball was deflected into the net. Soon after a Dirk Kuyt near post run was ignored, he flicked a corner on and Sneijder buried the second ball.

But there was disappointment in between the goals for de Jong. His harrying and tackling was so relentless, so heroic that he picked up a yellow card. This was his second booking of the tournament and means he misses the semi-final. A personal blow but how else was he meant to keep Kaká quiet? It was a noble act of self-sacrifice to rival Jesus of Nazareth Luis Suárez.

When Felipe Melo was sent off for stamping on Arjen Robben the game was up. Ten man Brazil were stunned and could not create anything. Holland's extra man told and they had their own chances on the break. Robinho and Elano are flying home, and while Nigel de Jong won't play in the semi final he might just be strutting around Soccer City next Sunday night.

Robi scores, Brazil progress

Brazil's serene progress through the World Cup continued last night with a 3-0 win over Chile. There was some disappointment that Elano still had not recovered from the injury he suffered against Ivory Coast, but this was tempered by the personal success of Robinho.

After Juan headed Brazil 1-0 ahead, Robinho was involved in the second goal. He picked the ball up on the left touchline, ran at the Chilean defensive, dragging them towards him before moving the ball to Kaká. Just like Brazil's first goal against Ivory Coast, Kaká quickly pushed the ball between two defenders, Luís Fabiano received it and rounded Claudio Bravo to score.

The third goal was scored by Robinho himself. Ramires surged through midfield and was tackled on the edge of the Chilean box. The ball fell to Robinho who opened his body out and strummed the ball with his right foot into the far corner. It was remarkably similar to his goal from a similar position against Portsmouth in the 6-0 win in September 2008, for those that remember. A reminder, as that was, what a natural finisher de Souza is in those types of positions.

Robinho and, I hope, Elano will face Nigel de Jong's Holland on Friday afternoon.

De Jong into quarters, Vladi out

Nigel de Jong's Holland made the quarter finals of the World Cup with a 2-1 win over Slovakia. It wasn't a great game; in keeping with Holland's group stage matches they were cautious and patient, and produced only occasional moments of attacking quality. Arjen Robben and Wesley Sneijder put them 2-0 up before Robert Vittek pulled back a late penalty. My report for Telegraph.co.uk is here.

For de Jong it was another solid game. His combination with Mark van Bommel is probably the least-compromising 'doble pivot' in the World Cup, with a hat nervously tipped to Gilberto Silva and Felipe Melo. They closed down Slovakia and denied them space.

Some of Slovakia's opportunities came from Vladimir Weiss exploiting the positional naivety of Gregory van der Wiel. Two or three times Weiss surged behind van der Wiel but without much end product. Even with Vittek's late penalty it was a safe enough win for Holland, who now progress to the quater-finals.

Barry, SWP out, Boateng through

England crashed out of the 2010 World Cup on Sunday with a 4-1 loss to Bloemfontein, with MCFC players on either side.

Gareth Barry started for England in his defensive midfield role. This placed him in opposition to Germany's star man and one-time City target Mesut Özil. Barry might have wanted to track him across the pitch but with Özil's imagination so lively, and with Germany having an extra man in midfield Barry spent much of the game having to choose whether to leave Özil or Bastian Schweinsteiger unmarked and untroubled.

And aside from the fact Germany were better throughout, Barry was unfortunately at fault for Germany's third and fourth goals. The third came when he gave it away in the opposition penalty area, setting up a counter-attack that ended with Thomas Müller scoring. And the game was over when Özil glided past Barry and round the back before setting up Müller. Barry could have brought Özil down and escaped with a yellow but he was too gentlemanly slow even to do that.

Jérôme Boateng started at left back in the absence of Holger Badstuber. He does not look like a natural left back but still did his job well. He's big, physically imposing and cuts off danger well. It was to his credit that James Milner was withdrawn for Joe Cole after 64 minutes. If we do not sign a more able specialist, it's quite possible Boateng will play left back at times next season.

There was more MCFC involvement: Shaun Wright-Phillips came on for Glen Johnson with three minutes left. He hit one cross straight to Manuel Neuer. England are out, but Boateng is through to the quarter-final.

RSC through to last 16

Roque Santa Cruz's Paraguay are through to the last sixteen of the World Cup after topping Group F. They confirmed this position after a 0-0 draw with New Zealand, in which our very own Santa Cruz played all ninety minutes for the second consecutive game.

I don't know if this is some sort of bizarre astrological occurrence based on proximity to the summer solstice but if you've got a better explanation please leave it in the comments.

Rocky's Paraguay play Japan in Pretoria on Tuesday afternoon.

De Jong nearly scores for Holland

Holland played out their third consecutive win yesterday, beating a lively but poorly organised Cameroon side 2-1 in Cape Town.

Nigel de Jong played, and he nearly scored his second goal at international level when he got on the end of a free kick from Rafael van der Vaart, but he could not control his volley and it went over the bar.

His Dutch side will play Vladi Weiss' Slovakia in Durban on Monday afternoon.

Barry plays in England win

Gareth Barry played again yesterday as England moved into the last sixteen. Starting again as the deepest of a midfield four, he still did not look fully fit but made a few important interventions in front of our defence. His passing was good when looking wide but at times he tried something a bit too penetrative and conceded possession. Still a vital part of the side, though, he is sure to play in England's last sixteen game with Germany.

City legend David James was assured in goal, and City target James Milner played well down the right, putting the cross in for England's only goal.

Elano, Sven reunited in Soccer CIty

A special moment tonight for City fans as one of our finest players of recent years - Elano - played and scored in front of the world at Soccer City. All the more meaningful, though, was his emotional reunion with Sven-Göran Eriksson, the man who brought him to MCFC in that fantasy summer of 2007. To see the two of them together, albeit on opposite sides, in such a showcase occasion felt important.

And Elano did very well. He was well involved in that right-inclined midfield position, as Brazil dominated possession against a fairly limited Ivory Coast side. Luis Fabiano put them two goals ahead, and Elano scored the third early in the second half - darting into the box, receiving a cross from Kaká and sweeping the ball past Boubacar Barry with his left foot. But just as Brazil were threatening to step up from excellent to glorious Chiock Tioté jumped onto Elano's shin, who was stretchered off. I am praying it's bruising rather than a break.

There was other City involvement too. Robinho played, and had a few good moments but never quite recovered from the shame of a selfish 35 yard shot in the second minute when he ought to have slid Fabiano in. There was a comic moment late in the second half when the game had descended into discord and drama: Robinho was fouled, went to ground writhing and rolling but on seeing that none of his team mates had surrounded his assailant he had to jump back up and take the throw in. And of course the Touré brothers, who might play together at City next year, did well enough in difficult circumstances.

Elano inspires Brazil win

In all my dreams for this World Cup, this was fairly prominent: a Brazil inspired by two City legends. This was just the first game, and against the weakest side in the group. But if the rest of the tournament is like this it will be a delight.

This was not the easiest win for the Seleção against a very well regimented North Korean side. They defended in numbers, threw themselves in front of everything in the vox and kept them out for the whole first half. Elano, willing to shoot from range, posed a threat, as did Robinho's quick footwork at times.

But the breakthrough came with help from Elano. Early in the second half he slid Maicon on the overlap, who reached the byline and shot with the outside of his right boot, angling the ball with ferocity behind the keeper and in. I think he meant it.

An assist for Elano was good. But his goal was even better. Robinho, growing in confidence, picked the ball up and played the perfect pass between defenders, Elano strolled on to meet it and casually placed it into the bottom corner. It was a goal of almost insulting ease, and reminded me just how much I missed them. Elano especially. Since he went I've missed him like a dead pet. I'm more keen for him to succeed in South Africa than any other individual.

After a goal and an assist in his first game, I'm dreaming he can keep this up into the final.

Late surge from SWP?

For all the talk about Adam Johnson, it appears this evening that Shaun Wright-Phillips probably has an equal chance of making Fabio Capello's 23 man squad. This is my best guess of the situation after Johnson played only five minutes of the Mexico and Japan friendlies.

Wright-Phillips played the whole second half today, though, playing from the left as he did at the Boleyn Ground (a selection which I imagine might have been prompted by Fabio Capello.) He looked a better fit there than Aaron Lennon did, drifting inside, linking well with Ashley Cole, and trying a few shots.

Enough to muscle his way onto the plane? Probably not. But my rough guess is that he's probably about 4-1 to join the select, similar odds as those I'd give AJ.

'We could use a good right-back'

Just because something is true it does not mean that you have to say it.

Nigel de Jong has implored MCFC to buy Ajax's young right-back Gregory van der Wiel, currently alongside de Jong in the Dutch squad. He said:

"I know that Greg is on our wanted list at Manchester City." De Jong told the Daily Star.

"I have pleaded with them to sign him, as we could use a good right-back.

"The tempo of English football will make him stronger still and I've recommended him to City's management."

True enough - we could use a good right back. But I'm not sure this is de Jong's jurisdiction, and even then I think it's only worth buying if we can seriously upgrade on Zabaleta, Richards and of course Jérôme Boateng. But it's interesting in further revealing 'the Boateng plan' - that is, young, talented players based on the continent.

Neither de Jong nor van der Wiel played in Holland's 2-1 friendly win over Mexico last night, which I will be reporting on as part of another new project soon to be confirmed.

Capello talks up AJ

We might well have another representative in the England squad, based on Fabio Capello's recent comments:

"Johnson has caught my eye," said the Italian. "Now it's important he gets some international experience.

"He has come up from the Championship at Middlesbrough, where he played in a different position, and he has done well with Manchester City."

We can take it from this that he will make the 30 man squad named on 16 May for the Mexico friendly at Wembley (24 May), the Austrian training camp and the Japan friendly in Sturm Graz (30 May). Whether or not he makes the 23 which goes to South Africa probably depends more on those two weeks than anything else but he's got to have a decent shot. We don't have a left-footed wide option aside from Stewart Downing, and given that Johnson and Downing would only go as impact players it probably makes sense to take the less predictable, more audacious option of the two.

It's not great news for Shaun Wright-Phillips, though, who Capello has spoken of using on the left in the past.

Ade quits Togo

Sad but quite understandable news:

I have weighed up my feelings in the weeks and months since the attack, and I am still haunted by the events which I witnessed on that horrible afternoon on the Togo team bus. We were just footballers going to play a football match and represent our country, yet we were attacked by people who wanted to kill us all. It is a moment I will never forget and one I never want to experience again.

Ned considers Super Eagles

Manchester City's representation at the World Cup might increase by one, with news today that Nedum Onuoha is considering playing for the country of his birth in South Africa:

"I'd like to play in the remaining six games for City, and if I did that maybe the chance would be there to play for Nigeria," said Onuoha.

"But if I am not playing week in, week out, I wouldn't expect to receive a call from anyone, because it wouldn't be right.

"Everyone wants to play in the World Cup, but things have to be right and you have to be selected. A lot of people are talking about it as though it is an option, but I have never been called up, so it's not something I can really talk about."

Nedum has had a successful spell in the England U-21s, winning 21 caps and captaining the side a few times. But he's very unlikely to make the senior squad any time soon. We already know, from Fabio Capello's selections, that he is behind John Terry, Rio Ferdinand, Joleon Lescott, Phil Jagielka, Matthew Upson, Wes Brown, Gary Cahill and Ryan Shawcross in the pecking order. We can presume that Michael Dawson and Roger Johnson, both of whom have had excellent seasons, are ahead of him too. So the chances of Onuoha winning full international honours with England are slim, and the attraction of playing in a World Cup must be strong.

In one sense this is disappointing - Onuoha's playing for England is an ambition unfulfilled and now probably abandoned. I fear he will have to make a similar decision about his future at Manchester City this summer; despite Saturday's start he seems to be drifting down the pecking order rather than coming up. But to have not just Manchester City players, but Manchester City academy players featuring in South Africa - alongside Vladimir Weiss, Dickson Etuhu and quite possibly Shaun Wright-Phillips - is something to be proud about.

England squad prospects

As we get closer to the World Cup, the make-up of the elect 23 grows larger and larger in the public consciousness. David Beckham's Achilles snap has only heightened this. Rather than copying and pasting various City player's declarations that 'fourth is important to us' (I'll come back to that tomorrow) I think it's time to have a look at the City players with a shot at making Fabio Capello's final squad, and to attach relatively arbitrary percentage chances of their being included.

Gareth Barry

The lone certainty. Barry has played almost every game under Capello, who brought to England the doble pivote system which served him so well in previous jobs. The partnership of Barry and Frank Lampard is the foundation of the England side, breaking down opposition play and making it possible for Steven Gerrard and Wayne Rooney to perform further up the pitch. As we all know Barry's had a pretty patchy season in blue but Owen Hargreaves' injury makes him odds-on to keep his place in the side. Michael Carrick is improving but Barry's selection and assured performance against Egypt two weeks ago ensure he'll start at Rustenberg on June 12. Chance of making squad: 100%

Joe Hart

Of course he's been at Birmingham City all season but he's still ours - and may well be a full-time Manchester City player again come June. He has had an exceptional season at St. Andrew's - the best English goalkeeper this season by a distance. Were it not for the continuing mastery of Cesc Fàbregas he would be a certainty for the PFA Young Player of the Year - the first goalkeeper since Mervyn Day to win it. But recent evidence suggests that Capello is likely to prefer the experience of David James or Rob Green. This is fairly puzzling, but Hart's inclusion in the squad for the Egypt game suggests he's next in line. That, and Paul Robinson's month-long absence with a calf strain more or less confirm Hart's place on the plan. 90%

Joleon Lescott

Like Joe Hart, Lescott is currently behind an out-of-form West Ham player in the pecking order. Capello clearly rates Matthew Upson - partnering him alongside John Terry against Egypt - despite the humiliation visited on him by Nilmar in Qatar in November. But with long-term injuries to Phil Jagielka and Gary Cahill, Lescott seems to have a decent hold on fourth choice, ahead of Ryan Shawcross, Roger Johnson and Matthew Dawson. So if Lescott keeps up the form which won him the prestigious TLDORC Player of February gong he should keep his place - particularly given his ability to play left-back in a crisis. Of course, all it would take is an injury or a dip in form and Shawcross, Johnson or Dawson - all of whom have been better than Lescott over the course of the season - could steal in. But I reckon he's got a decent chance. 60%

Shaun Wright-Phillips

Shaun is the player I'd most like to make it, as the MCFC Academy graduate with the best chance. But I fear he will just miss out. The right wing position is famously competitive and even with David Beckham absent I think he's behind Aaron Lennon and a resurgent Theo Walcott in Capello's preferences. SWP has seen a lot of England gametime recently, and has a good scoring record, but deep down City fans know that he is not quite of international class. And if we've spotted this then I'm sure that Fabio Capello and Franco Baldini have. The one possible opening is if Aaron Lennon fails to recover from his muscle injury, in which case SWP could go as back-up to Walcott. But with Milner, Gerrard and possibly Joe Cole offering choices down the right it's not looking great for our Shaun. 40%

Adam Johnson

This is an interesting one. The combination of Beckham's injury and Johnson's audacious goal on Sunday afternoon led to some speculative press about the chances of AJ's inclusion on Monday. Capello is known to be fan of his and he would offer something slightly different. Being one of the two quick English left footers helps, given that we have a tradition of playing right footers - Paul Scholes, Joe Cole and Steven Gerrard out there. And while Steward Downing has his own admirable qualities, Johnson has a bit more pace and a bit more magic than his former Middlesbrough team-mate. He's nowhere near the finished product, and was noticeably quiet against Liverpool and Chelsea recently - but stranger things have happened than his inclusion. 20%

Micah Richards

This is a disappointment. Four years ago it looked very likely that Richards would make this plane - and many other such planes in the future - but we all know that it hasn't quite happened for him. He's had a good season, better than last year certainly, but he still does not have total ownership of the right-back slot, and the failings Capello is so critical of have not been entirely expunged. Now that Glen Johnson is fit, and with Wes Brown as a solid understudy it would take at least one injury for Micah to muscle his way onboard. And with James Milner fancied as a right back even that is not assured. But he's still 21 - there will be more chances in future. 5%

De Jong in the headlines

And not in a good way.

A late tackle in last night's 2-1 win over the USA saw Bolton Wanderer's Stuart Holden fracturing his fibula, putting him out for six weeks. Our Nigel said:

'Such offences are part of football,' he said on www.knvb.nl. 'I went for the ball and got the opponent at the end. I had no evil intent. If the ball is between me and the opponent, you have to go in full. If you do not then the opponent takes you. And if you're scared in a game you get injured yourself.'

Everyone knows I love de Jong, and of course I recognise that severity of injury and malice of tackle do not correlate 100%, but it still is a bit of a shame to see that happening in an international friendly.

On the other hand, it might help Vladimir Weiss get a game for Bolton.

Robinho 2 - 0 Given

Mark Hughes' best and worst value for money signings went head to head tonight in an international friendly at the Emirates. And it was the £32.5m man who came out on top. Brazil won 2-0 and both goals came from our very own Santos FC's Robson de Souza.

It wasn't a great match and Brazil never got going. They're set up to counter-attack through Robinho and Kaká but in the first half they could only run into the Keith Andrews-Glenn Whelan wall in midfield.

But they went ahead just before half time: Kaká put in Robinho down the right hand side, and he whipped in a cross that Andrews diverted past Shay Given. I don't know whether it's an own goal but Robinho's not exactly the sort to decline to celebrate lest he later lose the goal to the dubious goals panel.

Brazil improved in the second half, playing possession football in opposition territory. Robinho had one goal disallowed after Grafite robbed Paul McShane and then missed a great chance after Kaká did the same to Andrews.

He made up for these when he finished off the game's stand-out move. It started further back but it climaxed with an interchange between Kaká and Grafite before Robinho played a one-two with the Wolfsburg striker and scored with one of those perfectly placed side-foot finishes of his, beyond the sprawling Given.

He then went off for Nilmar, and the game finished 2-0. City legends Richard Dunne and Elano were both injured for the tie, while City's Greg Cunningham was on the Irish bench.