"AFTER some very indifferent results, Brazil sent out a warning to their rivals on Wednesday night of just how good they are when they beat Portugal 6-2. Portugal had pretty well a full team out as did Brazil who were only missing Ronaldinho, and although Portugal went ahead early on with a superb goal by Danny, Brazil then showed their skill and flair and romped to their victory in emphatic style. This is the Brazil we all love ¿ they played with complete confidence and it showed in the scoreline. One person who must have been very relieved to see Brazil play like that was their coach Dunga who has been in the firing line lately for the team's sluggish play. Dunga has been under much pressure from the fans and even the president of Brazil and no wonder ¿ Brazil have been held scoreless in three consecutive home games in World Cup qualifying. Hopefully this will be the Brazil we will be seeing in the future.

Luis Fabiano scored a hat-trick in a game which saw two of the best players in the world compete ¿ current World Player of the Year Kaka and Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo who is expected to be crowned the new FIFA Player of the Year next month.

While Ronaldo was not at his best Kaka was as he orchestrated many of Brazil's attacks.

Manchester City's Robhino also was on form and fellow City player Elano scored which he must be happy about since he hasn't figured much in City's games lately.

One thing was a bit strange ¿ the game was played in Brazil. Most of the players on the field for both teams play their club football in Europe so it does seem a little odd that they would all take that long flight to Brazil for the match and then have to fly back again for their club matches this weekend.

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GET OVER IT!

I wish former England defender Terry Butcher would get over the Hand of God goal Maradona scored 22 years ago at the 1986 World Cup in Mexico. Butcher is an assistant coach for Scotland's national team these days and has been harping on about how he would not shake Maradona's hand when the two teams met in a friendly on Wednesday which Argentina won 1-0.

Butcher should get over it. After all who is to say that England would have won that game. As far as I am concerned Argentina were the better team anyway. And Butcher should remember that he is a coach for Scotland ¿ not England ¿ and I imagine that Scotland's players and fans are not that impressed with the Englishman.

As it was Maxi Rodriguez scored a good goal which saw some excellent build-up play by Argentina who then took their foot off the gas and just passed the ball around.

Personally I felt that Scotland should have got in the Argentina players' faces more ¿ not give them so much room to move. You have to do that when you are the inferior team which Scotland obviously were.

They should take a page out of Stoke or Hull's book in the Premier league ¿ especially Hull who have managed to beat much better teams through hard work and a lot of running and tough tackling.

It was a good start for Maradona in his first game in charge of Argentina. I must admit I do like his response when asked about Butcher. He said: 'Butcher? Who's Butcher?'

We will just have to see how Argentina do over the long run with Maradona in charge ¿ personally I am hoping for the best.

I was impressed with England's victory over Germany in Berlin. It was a makeshift England side since a number of players were out injured. They played with a lot of steel and I was also impressed with John Terry who took responsibility for Germany's goal. He held up his hand and that is what a man does. Then he went and scored the winner for England.

It was another impressive performance by Fabio Capello's team who have also won all four of their World Cup qualifying matches.

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CONCACAF

There will be no World Cup for Jamaica in 2010 after they failed to make it through to the final round of CONCACAF qualifying even though they beat Canada this week 3-0. Jamaica missed out because Honduras downed Mexico 1-0 to top Group 2 on 12 points. Mexico and Jamaica finished with 10 each, but Mexico advanced on a better goals difference. In fact Jamaica would have needed to beat Canada by 7-0 to overtake Mexico.

Jamaica were undone by a slow start in the group stage and they only took one point and scored only once in the first three games. That will hurt you.

Going into the final round will be the US, Trinidad, Honduras, Mexico, Costa Rica and El Salvador.

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ARSENAL

Arsenal are a bit troubled these days. And now they will have to do without speedy winger Theo Walcott who hurt himself in training with England for the game in Berlin. He has a dislocated shoulder that will keep him out for at least three months and that will hurt the Gunners.

Last weekend at home Arsenal were beaten by Aston Villa 2-0 and in fact it should have been 3-0 since keeper Manuel Almunia saved Ashley Young's penalty.

As I have said many times here, I love Arsenal's youth policy and Wenger has the best eye for up and coming players I have seen. But I think he relies just too much on that youth policy. You have to have some experienced players in the team. It is great having so many talented youngsters who can play the game with such beauty and speed but sometimes you have to have some veterans to guide those young players. That has been Arsenal's downfall really. Wenger needs some veteran players ¿ let them show the way especially when you have a long, tough season to get through.

That is why I do like Manchester United's policy of blooding younger players with experienced players.

In fact just look at last weekend's match against Stoke which United won 5-0.

While Ronaldo hit two of the goals with free kicks and Carrick and Berbatov also scored it was a goal by teenage Danny Welbeck which was the real stunner. And the kids was making his league debut.

Ferguson is also bringing along other young players but he doesn't stick them all in at the same time ¿ especially not in a league match. That is the way you do it.

Hull City carried on and won a point when they hosted Manchester City who looked as if they would take all three points before Brazil's Geovanni saw his free kick deflected into the net. Things like that happen when the going is good for you.

I really like Geovanni and cannot understand why a bigger team didn't pick him up. In fact I don't understand why he got so little starts at Manchester City last year. He is a super player with a lot of skill and Hull fans must really love him.

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FEUD

Former Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho and Claudio Ranieri will meet for the first time when Serie A leaders Inter Milan host Juventus this weekend. Both teams are going for the title with Inter at the top but Juv are only three points behind.

Mourinho succeeded Ranieri at Chelsea and the pair have been trading verbal jabs since the beginning of this season so the match could be quite fun.

Everyone knows how rude Mourinho can be and in fact he is not liked much by his fellow Serie A managers. But then that is why we all love ¿ or hate ¿ Mourinho! He is certainly entertaining.

Besides the feud between the two it should be a good match as both teams are playing some good football right now.

Last weekend Inter beat Palermo 2-0 away from home thanks to two excellent goals by Zlatan Ibrahimovic who was also voted Sweden's Player of the Year for the third consecutive time this week ¿ and rightly so. If young people want to learn how to be a top player just watch Ibrahimovic who despite being a big guy has got superb technical ability.

Juv meanwhile scored a 4-1 victory over Genoa last weekend and that is their seventh straight win in all competitions so they are on form.

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WHAT DO OWNERS KNOW?

You win the Serie A title three times in a row and what happens? You get fired! That is the crazy world of football when owners, who don't know much about the game, call the shots.

Last season Roberto Mancini took Inter to their third consecutive title but was fired and in came Jose Mourinho.

This week all the Italian managers voted Mancini as the Italian league's Manager of the Year for 2007-08. Quite right too! We live in a crazy world.