England 0-0 Algeria - Shocking Performance Leaves England On The Brink

England’s over-paid footballers produced a shocking performance in Cape Town tonight that pretty much leaves their 2010 World Cup dreams in tatters.  Their limp display in the 0-0 draw with African outsiders Algeria leaves Fabio Capello’s side needing a win against Slovenia in Port Elizabeth on Wednesday to even escape Group C.

Following Saturday’s average 1-1 performance with the USA, Capello decided to drop Robert Green, following his horrific clanger in Rustenberg and bring in the experienced David James.  Gareth Barry returned from injury, in place of James Milner, which pushed Captain Steven Gerrard onto the left-side of midfield.  This tactic, on Capello 64^th birthday was a massive mistake.  Gerrard produced an error-strewn display, and once the captain produces this, then it will hurt the confidence of the other players.

Capello must take some of the flack from tomorrow’s damming newspaper headlines, especially for taking off the only player who looked like a serious threat, Aaron Lennon for Shaun Wright-Phillips, who failed to get into the game.  His persistence to stick with the ailing Emile Heskey is beyond belief.  Heskey scored only three Premiership goals throughout last season and by the end of it, was in the reserves at Aston Villa.  He is not England material, and Darren Bent must be wondering back at home, what he had to do to get in the squad.  Whenever Heskey gets the ball, he dithers, sloppily gives away possession or falls over like a flat pancake.  Technically, it means we only play with ten players.

It wasn’t even England’s lack of goals that frightens the fans; it was the lack of courage in the final third and even the lack of attempts in goal.  England looked nervous and frightened all over the park, especially in the final third, where are finishing looked more like a Sunday League side.  The players need to take courage and responsibility for their failings, and if they don’t, an early flight back to Luton next Thursday beckons.

Slovenia’s 2-2 stalemate with the USA earlier today leaves the group wide open, but Fabio Capello will be scratching his head and wondering where the qualifying form has gone.  England end up on the brink of a humiliating embarrassment, and an indigenous exit from the FIFA World Cup, if things don’t change ASAP. 

This was a miserable 64^th birthday to forget for Fabio Capello.