Shooting the Breeze: World Cup 2010 Day 3 - Group C - Algeria vs Slovenia
Robert Koren's goal sealed victory Slovenia over 10 man Algeria
A dull game with few chances between the two teams will have had England and USA rubbing their hands at the prospect of playing against both of the teams on show today.
Algerian substitute Abdelkader Ghezzal's 72nd minute sending off for handball put the Algerians at a disadvantage but the game was already a tense affair with both sides knowing that a win would put them top of the group but neither side seemingly daring enough to commit enough people into attack to earn a win.
England 'keeper Robert Green will sympathise with eccentric Algerian goalkeeper Faouzi Chaouchi who let Robert Koren's tame looking effort bounce off his hands and into the back of the net. It didn't look as bad as Green's howler last night but the end result was the same.
After the high altitude game against the USA, England must look towards topping the group by beating both Algeria and Slovenia and posting a higher goal difference against the two than the USA assuming they get two wins too.
Much has been said about Fabio Capello's selection choices for the USA game. With Gareth Barry's return to fitness for next Friday's game against Algeria Capello has the following conundrums to consider:
1. Restore Gareth Barry to the side at the expensive of a midfielder or a striker?
2. Rest Robert Green following his howler against the USA - but with injury prone David James or 22 year old rookie Joe Hart?
3. Play Steven Gerrard off Wayne Rooney as a lone striker? Emile Heskey's done nothing wrong but unless England are planning to play a more direct game he could be a bit of a passenger.
4. Replace injured Ledley King with Jamie Carragher or Matthew Upson.
With Gareth Barry shielding the central defenders, their relative lack of pace is less likely to be exposed, and while Barry's inclusion may force Steven Gerrard out to the left flank I'd prefer to see him partnering Wayne Rooney upfront with the addition of some pace from Shaun Wright-Phillips or guile from Joe Cole down the left wing.
My team to face Algeria (4-3-3):
Hart; Ashley Cole, Carragher, Terry, Johnson; Barry, Lampard, Gerrard; Joe Cole, Rooney, Lennon
4-3-3 isn't a Capello formation but it's one that many other teams in the World Cup are employing and, crucially, one that many of the current England team are comfortable with.
