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Capello insists he is blameless for USA draw

Fabio Capello believes missed chances cost England more than Robert Green's first-half error © Getty Images

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Fabio Capello insists England's World Cup campaign is on track despite Saturday's disappointing draw against USA.

Preparations are underway for Friday's encounter with Algeria, with the backdrop of Robert Green's howler, a groin injury for Ledley King that could effectively rule him out of the competition and the dismal performance of James Milner, who was taken off after just half an hour in Rustenburg.

Yet rather than being pessimistic, Capello can see the positives from a performance that has done little to shake his belief a place in the final on July 11 can be achieved.

"I didn't make mistakes and I'm not worried for the future,'' Capello said. "We played a good game and, for me, the most important thing is to see the spirit of the team and also the physical condition of the players.

"I was worried about the result because it is possible to lose a game like this. We had seven or eight chances. That is good football. But it is not enough just to create the chances. To win we have to score. Twice we were in front of the goal, once with Shaun Wright-Phillips, once with Emile (Heskey). Alone, Absolutely alone.''

That Heskey should miss in such a situation is perhaps hardly a surprise but the Aston Villa man did set up skipper Steven Gerrard for England's fourth-minute opener with a deft touch. Had Green not suffered the inexplicable aberration that places a huge question mark over his chances of featuring on Friday, England would be looking back on a result and a performance that provides plenty to build on.

As it is, news that King - a man Capello was prepared to take a chance on despite suffering so many recent injury problems - could be out of action for at least a fortnight with the injury that forced him off at half-time merely compounds Green's performance.

Should King's absence be confirmed, he would be out at least until after a last-16 knockout game and, with his general fitness suffering as a result, is hardly likely to be plunged into a potential quarter-final.

For Green, the damage is completely self-inflicted and Capello now needs to assess the West Ham keeper's mental state before deciding whether to risk him against Algeria.

"We must think about this problem psychologically,'' Capello said. "Goalkeepers make mistakes. This is part of football. You have to accept that.

"I decided on Green because he played very well in the last game against Platinum Stars and also against Mexico at Wembley, and in the second-half last night he played very well and made a really important save. But a mistake remains a mistake. Now I have to speak with him, then I will decide what to do.''

Meanwhile, Robert Green has insisted that Capello's late team announcements had no bearing on his goal-costing error against USA.

"Only knowing two hours before the game that you are playing is not a problem. You prepare as though you're playing," Green said. "If you don't, that's the mistake. The other guys prepared as though they were playing today and we will again for Friday.

"You prepare for Friday as though you are playing again. It's not a surprise when you are playing then. It's not a problem, it's not an issue, you deal with it. It's fine, you carry on.

"Tell me why is it easier if you know the number one? You prepare as though you are number one anyway. That's it.''

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