Fabio Capello Knows Which 11 Will Face USA, but Not Which Team

Fabio Capello has decided on his England lineup for their opening World Cup match against the USA, but questions remain over the Three Lions' consistency.

Eight of the 11 names on the team sheet are a given and, although the media and players are still in the dark, Capello has now decided on his goalkeeper, as well as the replacements for Gareth Barry and the center-back partner for John Terry.

However, what nobody knows is which England side will turn up to face the USA in Rustenberg on Saturday evening.

Will it be the inspired qualifiers, who have scythed their way through their group like the Sven Goran Eriksson teams of old?

Or the nervy, seemingly lost team, which have repeatedly bombed out of tournaments to the first good team they face?

England are slow starters in international tournaments. Since 1990, England have taken an average of just 1.25 points from their opening group fixture, winning just twice, against Paraguay in 2006 and Tunisia in 1998.

This comes in spite of often starting as the group's top seed.

In this time, they have dropped points to lesser sides than the USA. They have been held by Switzerland and the Republic of Ireland.

They have faced only two world powers in their first fixture, France and Portugal, and lost to both, having led early on.

Their recent history is also chequered, with unconvincing friendly wins against Mexico and Japan doing little to ease pre-tournament nerves and much to banish England's barnstorming qualification campaign, at least temporarily, to the backs of minds.

On the surface, the past is even more gloomy for the USA. However, their 0.8 points per opening game since 1990 betrays the fact that they gained 0.6 of them by beating Portugal 3-2 in Suwon, on their way to the quarterfinals.

USA drew 1-1 with Switzerland in 1994, and have otherwise been beaten by Germany (who reached the quarterfinals in 1990) and Czechoslovakia, who narrowly lost in the quarterfinals themselves, to eventual winners West Germany.

They will be eager to dispel the memory of 2006, when they picked up their solitary point in a battle against Italy, and they will be confident of reaching the quarterfinal, should they qualify from Group C.

Their recent friendly results are arguably more impressive than England's, having beaten Turkey and Australia and seeing their reserve team put up a fight against the Czech Republic.

But they lack the pedigree that courses through the veins of the England camp. Nine of their squad were Champions League regulars in the season just past, with another 10 either having experience of playing amongst the elite or, in the case of the Spurs players and Arsenal target Robert Green, looking forward to gaining it next season.

On the other hand, in 2009-10, the USA can only draw on injury-plagued Oguchi Onyewu's single top table appearance for Milan.

There is no shortage of belief amongst the American squad—impressive for a side drawn from far and wide—but they will need more than just that to defeat England.

England are, despite the pre-tournament jitters, riding on the crest of a wave.

At the head of that charge is Fabio Capello.

The USA are in grave danger of being washed away. Of course, should the USA lose, their World Cup will be far from over.

With England expected to beat Algeria and Slovenia, they will only have to do the same to progress. They would expect to, and would have a sporting chance against whomever emerges as winners from Group D. 

But should England fall at the first hurdle, the knives will be out after just one game.