Leaders required, pace a definite advantage.

That was woeful, truly woeful. If anyone can point out a clear cut England chance please send it too me because apart from a few passes to the Algerian keeper I don't remember one.

It's hard to even know where to start, I think they miss Beckham, they miss an elder statesman a talisman and Beckham is that man.
The scary thing is with Gerrard 30, Lampard 31, Heskey 32, Carragher 32, Terry 29, A.Cole 29 (James is 40 but last night was his first action in a World Cup) England aren't short of experience, they're all at their (minimum) second World Cup, as is Rooney. For some of them, this is their last Coupe de Monde and you'd expect the to want to make the most of it and play with some pride. Can anyone see Lampard for England in 4 years? Terry? certainly not Heskey, and Carragher was lucky to make this one. Maybe Gerrard. Yet they were insipid in play but worst of all leaderless on the pitch. Gerrard looked lost, he had no real drive and in trying to find the ball clogged up an already very packed middle of the park. Lampard's incredible scoring record at Chelsea remains in Chelsea, and Rooney was anonymous. Gerrard just doesn't seem like a leader out there. Maybe Gerrard's worried about the Europa League, the fact that Liverpool's qualifying campaign starts in July and he'll only get a week in Marbella on his way home, maybe he's saving himself for that tiring trip to Liechtenstein, Cyprus or Wales.

England also struggle with the loss of Ferdinand, they seem so scared with the lack of pace in the centre backs their playing deep even when England are in possession. Cole and Johnson can't get as far forward as they need to be available to cover for the middle pairing, plus Terry and Carrgher aren't as assured on the ball as Ferdinand. It limits England and Gerrard playing on the left is dependent on Cole overlapping and giving them width, attacking full backs are essential at international level. I remember the excellent Roberto Carlos and Cafu for Brazil being the most advanced players on the pitch for Brazil, which offered options out wide and created space in the middle for the likes of Ronaldhino, Rivaldo and the real Ronaldo, oh and Kleberson. Johnson and Cole cant get far enough forward for fear of leaving the back exposed.

The other problem with playing this deep is that Barry and Lampard have to play deeper, Capello's normal game plan is possession and pressuring the ball when the opposition have it. But if your back line aren't up towards the halfway line gaps appear, Barry and Lampard can't pressure far into the oppositions half as they leave spaces between the midfield and the defence. By the same token it also means Gerrard, Rooney and Lennon have to drop deeper looking for ball and leave themselves with 8 bodies to beat and a lot of ground between them and goal. Heskey can hold the ball up but he's not a miracle worker, nor can he shoot.

truly disappointing, beat Slovenia and England qualify, the rest of the tournament must be dreaming of playing England in the next round assuming they make it. Also fair play to Algeria, at times they must have believed they could win it, they played with more cohesion, more intent and purpose.

Leaving the pub last night I was crying on the inside and not just at the introduction of Shaun Wright-Phillips.