An international break

With the leagues across Europe taking a breather for international football, let's have a look-see about who needs to do what from the leagues we follow.

The Netherlands don't need to do anything. They were the first European qualifiers for South Africa after cutting a swathe through what, for them at least, is a pretty easy group. Bert van Marwijk's side (he's Mark van Bommel's father in-law - FACT!) have won seven from seven, scored 16 goals with just two coming back the other way and sit fourteen points clear of Macedonia - a huge margin. Put it another way: they are two points per match better than any other side in the group. A potential stumbling block for van Marwijk in the lead-up to the finals was the fate of the Dutch contingent at Real Madrid, all of whom were on the outer as soon as Florentino Perez walked back into the boardroom and started doing all that galactico bollocks again. Arjen Robben (Bayern) and Wesley Sneijder (Inter) have moved on, but Rafael van der Vaart has chosen to remain. With little chance of regular football, it'll be hard for van Marwijk to pick him and a move in January may be the only chance van der Vaart has to force himself into the reckoning for South Africa.
On Saturday, the Dutch have a friendly against Japan before Wednesday's trip to Glasgow for what looks a routine job to go eight from eight against Scotland.

France haven't had a great campaign, but lie second in group 7, five points behind Serbia with a game in hand. Goals have been at a premium with none of Les Bleus four wins being by more than one goal. Indeed, Yoann Gourcuff's virtuoso performances have been the only thing keeping the French in it and, perhaps more pertinently, keeping Raymond Domenech in a job. Saturday sees them take on Romania who have struggled to make an impact in the tournament, before an absolutely crunch game in Belgrade. Lose that one and they can kiss goodbye to top spot and automatic qualification. Win it and it's all back on again. A fit Franck Ribéry is vital to their hopes, but with some bizarre tactical formations from Domenech, it could quite easily unravel.

Germany have dropped just two points from their first seven games, but are only four points clear of Russia in second. Crucially, the Russians have a game in hand which they'll play while the Germans have a friendly against South Africa on Saturday. Wednesday sees Azerbaijan go to Germany and it's impossible to think there's any hope of an upset there. While other countries may see their national side succumb to the odd shock result, Germany doesn't tend to. Instead, they improve their goal difference in ruthless fashion as recent demolition jobs bare testament to, such as the 12-0 drubbing of San Marino a couple of years ago. Next month's game in Russia will be the big one in this group.

Group 5 hasn't troubled Spain any, six wins from six seeing them six points clear at the top. Belgium are Saturday's opponents and while they're an up and coming side are Belgium, they lack a little experience at the moment. They're certainly a side to keep an eye on in the not too distant future, but Spain should have few issues in this one. It's another home game on Wednesday too, against Estonia, and you can't see past del Bosque's charges making it eight from eight.

Italy are just a point clear of the Republic of Ireland in group 8, but do have a game in hand. They go away to winless Georgia on Saturday before third placed Bulgaria - not the force they were back 1994 - come to Italy on Wednesday. It's Italy's group to lose and it's almost impossible to imagine they'd do that. Two wins this week and it begins to look very straightforward.

Portugal have a struggle on to make second and the play-offs, lying in third place seven points off leaders Denmark and four behind a resurgent Hungary in second. The fixtures this week therefore become make-or-break as it's off to Copenhagen on Saturday before Hungary visit the Iberian peninsula on Wednesday. Six points from these two games is a must or they can forget about South Africa. Even that may not be enough, but it would certainly get them going in the right direction.

Group 3 is the tightest of the European groups with the top five clubs covered by seven points. Poland are fourth but have played a game fewer than the two sides immediately above them and those same sides are Poland's opponents over the next few days. Northern Ireland visit Poland on Saturday before a trip to Slovenia on Wednesday. Win those and they'll go into second and look good for the play-offs, but this is Poland and something is going to go horribly wrong at some point. It's just what happens.

It's all hotting up in South America as well, and you can read more about that on CONMEBalls.