DESPITE picking Rob Green over the in-form Joe Hart, despite playing Lampard and Gerrard together as if it’s an idea no-one had thought of before, despite his bizarre insistence that Gareth Barry is some sort of midfield saviour, I cling to the notion that Fabio Capello knows what he’s doing.

I mean, the man wears glasses, he must be smart, right?

So, I’m confident that Sr Capello knows winning against Algeria tonight is not enough.

Yes, it’s important, but after the disappointing draw against a lacklustre USA, so is goal difference.

You can be sure the Americans will raise their game for the remaining matches in a bid to finish top of the group and avoid Germany in the next round.

That’s why I suspect Capello will unleash Jermaine Defoe in place of Emile Heskey tonight. Heskey certainly did his job last Saturday and doesn’t deserve to lose his place. But needs must. He’s not a goal poacher, and he doesn’t have pace.

Lennon and Defoe have pace in abundance, and work well together at club level – it’s a recipe for goals.

And that’s what we need if we’re going to steer clear of the Germans at the first knockout stage.

Otherwise, we’re going to wish we’d had a lot more practice with that ball…