GROUP C: ENGLAND v ALGERIA: SUDDENLY EVERYONE is having a pop at England. From Franz Beckenbauer's sniffy dismissal of England's style to the brazen front of the Algerian camp, the implication is the last chance of the golden generation came and left again in the threadbare mining town of Rustenberg.
That 1-1 draw against the USA already seems to have slashed the odds of England beating the world: not since Italy in 1982 has the winning tournament team failed to win the first game. Robert Green’s jittery hands cost England a spectacularly unexpected goal but more than that, it seemed to erase much of the assurance with which Fabio Capello’s men had swept through their qualifying campaign.
As well as Green’s embarrassment, the England manager was left to cope with other glaring shortcomings. It is not his fault Rio Ferdinand is watching this World Cup back in England or that Ledley King has been stalked by injury. Nonetheless, the sight of Jamie Carragher desperately scrambling after American speed merchant Jozy Altidore did not bode well for the weeks ahead.
The lack of goal-scoring creativity after Steven Gerrard’s early bullet did not presage a team on the verge of all-conquering invention. Too often Wayne Rooney looked like someone operating on a different wavelength to his fellow players as he ran angles his team-mates could not read and instead of England’s game revolving around their stocky wizard, he spent most of the night just trying to feel part of it.
The appearance around Rooney’s neck of the sort of crucifix at a recent England training session that might have been plundered from Madonna’s jewellery box might have been interpreted as a search for divine inspiration. Afterwards, Rooney told observers he regularly wore the crucifix at training.
But with England looking distinctly ordinary on their debut in South Africa, these private idiosyncrasies become part of the greater story.
Tonight, the Three Lions brigade moves to Cape Town for what must be regarded as a bread-and-butter assignment. The cold salt air of the Cape is likely to be a relief for the England boys, who have spent a fortnight in the secluded luxury of the Royal Bafokeng Sports Palace. So far, it has not inspired them.
Carragher is certain to start for England and Gareth Barry has been confirmed by Capello as Frank Lampard’s partner in central midfield, with Steven Gerrard pushing out to the left wing.
The other major decisions for Capello are whether to persevere with Green despite his blunder and start Jermain Defoe – touted as the solution to England’s blunted attack – or to introduce him as the game unfolds.
But none of these changes in personnel will lead to a reinvention of England. That realisation seemed to fall on England’s travelling army of fans and press corps in the opening game: that regardless of who patrols the sidelines, England can only ever be England.
Nonetheless, England will be too good for Algeria. It remains to be seen if Zinedine Zidane will turn up for this match having endured the 90 minutes of stupefying football which Algeria, homeland of his parents, produced with Slovenia.
Algeria goalkeeper Faouzi Chaouchi conceded a goal that was almost as staggering as Green’s blunder. They will have to offer something beyond grim defence but only Nadir Belhadj broke forward with any real intent.
Opinions from the Algerian camp have been provocative. The Portsmouth winger has been remarkably liberal with his opinions of the state of affairs in the England camp, branding the defence as “weak” and suggesting his club-mate David James is a much superior goalkeeper to Green.
The casual insolence is probably deliberate. As coach Rabaah Saadane said: “We have nothing to lose and everything to win.”
But Algeria have their own World Cup heritage to enhance – they have not made it to the finals since 1986. Whether Algeria enter this prize match mindful of that spirit of improvement or to just frustrate England remains to be seen. They have scored just once in their last five fixtures and managed just two strikes at goal against Slovenia, so are likely to settle for a siege in Cape Town, making England prove they can break down a defence for whom Madjid Bougherra of Rangers fame has been the outstanding performer.
Midfielder Karim Matmour has been tipped for a role at centre forward as Algeria try to harness some kind of goal-scoring threat.
That option could restore team captain Yazid Mansouri to the team. The veteran was so upset at being left out of the side to face Slovenia he packed his bags with the intention of going home until he was persuaded to stay on by team officials.
It will be cold and showery in Cape Town tonight, traditional English weather. Victory is not the real issue for England here. It is how they play that has become crucial to their long-term hopes and the prospect of Der Kaiser eating his words in the weeks ahead.
