PORT ELIZABETH LETTER:ENGLAND HASN'T the same tradition as France when it comes to social upheaval, so it's no great surprise that John Terry's crack at igniting player power within Fabio Capello's squad has been comprehensively overshadowed by the events that rocked Raymond Domenech's group.

It has also ended in humiliation for the Chelsea skipper with a grovelling apology – made bizarrely via the Daily Mail– for suggesting that Capello's handling of the team was not going down well with his players.

In the meantime, Capello scoffed at the idea that he might have dropped his former captain for Sunday’s hint of dissent.

“Pah!,” he snorted when asked whether he had considered the sanction. “He is one of the most important players. We know that what is important is the game, not what one player thinks.”

The fourth estate let the matter rest there but there was a strong sense at yesterday’s pre-match press conference in the bowels of the Nelson Mandela Bay stadium that the reporters, like a few of the players Terry expected to come out and support him, were biding their time, waiting until after this evening’s critically important game to decide whether the time is ripe to have a go at the previously untouchable England coach.

The atmosphere in Port Elizabeth ahead of the game was a little bizarre yesterday, with many fans delaying their arrival in the city due to the relative scarcity of accommodation within reasonable proximity of the stadium. The team did not land from their Sun City base via Rustenburg until late afternoon, having been refused permission to train at the stadium here because the pitch was not deemed up to it.

By late afternoon, though, all was in place for what, during previous regimes, might have turned into something of a showdown.

Slovenian manager Matjaz Kek was first up in what was, at that stage, still a half-emply room but having repeatedly declined to bite when offered the opportunity to discuss the problems that have gripped tonight’s opponents, he was swiftly allowed to go.

Half an hour later, that portion of the British press pack that had travelled ahead for Kek received substantial reinforcements from the nearby press centre. Still, they did little more than gently prod Capello and team captain Steven Gerrard about how poorly things have gone.

Gerrard readily accepted that the team’s performances have been nowhere close to what was expected and insisted, when asked about the booing that accompanied the final whistle on Friday night, that if the team fails to produce something better this evening there will be no complaints from the players should the fans turn on them.

“We need to perform,” he acknowledged without any hint of rancour over the criticism that has been directed at the team so far. “We need to improve and be ready to go out there and do the business.”

Asked what had changed since England coasted through the qualification process, Gerrard observed: “We were confident, aggressive, compact and hard to beat. Against Algeria some of that was certainly missing. We want to be compact and hard to beat again but also to have a cutting edge in the final third of the pitch so as to score goals.

“We have come into this tournament with big expectations, we have big support out here. People have paid good money and expect us to win football matches. We as players take responsibility for under-performing in the last game.

“The idea is to put in a good performance, win the game and change the perception of how we have done so far. If we don’t do that then I’ll be the first to come out and hold my hands up and the fans will be entitled to boo us, but right now I’m asking them to get behind the team.”

A few miles up the road, those supporters who had arrived were in bullish form as they enjoyed a night out in a city that has, at first glance, a particularly English feel to it. With its built-up but run-down centre, slightly faded seafront resort area and extensive middle-class suburbs, it seems to have something to make English fans a little homesick.

Bar a big improvement by their team tonight, though, the cure to that particular ailment is only a day away now.

USA v ALGERIATHE ALGERIA coach, Rabah Saadane, insists his side have no need to fear the USA today having already given England a footballing lesson. Although they failed to score and have only that single point from their first two games, Algeria have taken great confidence from their display last Friday and believe they can create history by qualifying for the last 16.

"It has made us more confident," Saadane said. "The World Cup is teaching us lessons every day, and although we were low on confidence at first now we feel we can play another great game. That result has given us all hope. We trust in ourselves now, we are looking to bring more efficiency to our attack, and we have the means to write Algerian football history. In the beginning England were the favourites for this group, but now everyone is in the same boat. Of course we will need the result to go our way in the other match but we cannot afford to think of that, we have to count on ourselves."

The USA are determined to put history behind them and advance into the knockout stage, refusing to let their controversially disallowed winner against Slovenia upset their preparation. "All we need to do to qualify is go out and win our final game," their coach, Bob Bradley, said. "That is all we are concentrating on. We played a very good second half against Slovenia, regardless of the final result, and if we take that momentum into the game against Algeria we have a great chance."

Jozy Altidore missed training yesterday but should be available.

The USA have two points from two games so far, the same as England, and there is a faint possibility that two more draws today would see lots being drawn to settle second place in the group (England would have to draw 2-2 and USA 0-0, or similar permutations). Guardian Service