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Upson backs Rooney to find the net

Matthew Upson is hoping for a start against Algeria © Getty Images

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Matthew Upson is certain the goals will soon start flowing again for Wayne Rooney, even if the Jabulani ball is contributing to "dull" football.

England striker Rooney heads into Friday's Group C clash with Algeria in Cape Town having scored just once in eight internationals over the past 12 months. His only goal came in last September's 5-1 drubbing of Croatia, and he drew another blank on Saturday as England opened their World Cup campaign with a disappointing 1-1 draw against the United States. But Upson does not believe there is any need to panic just yet.

"As a striker, the worst thing you can do is start thinking about scoring all the time,'' said Upson. "It will happen. Wayne's movement is great. He is a class player and he is totally gifted. He just needs to relax, play his game and the goals will come because he is top drawer.''

Upson believes Rooney's cause - and that of all the tournament's strikers - is not being helped by the much-talked about Jabulani ball. Upson believes the ball's creation was "unnecessary" and its unpredictable flight is restricting the range passes and therefore leading to dull, predictable football.

"We get tired talking about the ball. It's certainly different. There is no doubt that people are finding it hard work. You can see that from the games. Ourselves, when we played the Platinum Stars, that was incredible. We were a bit higher up than our base in Rustenburg and the ball was flying about and really kicking on.

"You'll notice it in the quality of headed goals or goals from crosses. It's so hard to read. There may be defensive errors or strikers missing chances, not making the right contact or getting the right guidance into the goal. It can just move about so it makes it interesting. Whether or not the game needed to be made more interesting than it was, I don't know. Personally, I don't think it did. The quality with the usual ball is ample for spectators and players, so to tamper with that seems unnecessary.''

"Because of the ball, people try and keep things safe. It ends up as a bit of a dull game of chess instead of hitting long balls and trying to stretch the play. It's difficult. Also, with the pitches, when they're wet, the ball really zips on. If it bounces as it comes on to you, it's doubly hard.''

While Rooney is certain of his place on Friday, Upson - speaking on a visit to an SOS Village in Rustenburg, where children, many of whom have been orphaned, are housed in homes that in a couple of instances have been built with the assistance of the Football Association and Tottenham Hotspur - knows his own position is rather more shaky.

He was first-choice replacement for Rio Ferdinand until a week before Fabio Capello announced his 30-man provisional squad, when Jamie Carragher and Ledley King - neither of whom had played a minute for Capello at the time - were drafted in.

As King is now sidelined with a groin strain and Carragher's position is under threat due to the way he was burned off by Jozy Altidore on Saturday, Upson may be due a recall. However, the West Ham man will carry on giving his best for the team regardless of whether Capello turns to him or not.

"It is disappointing because I want to play,'' he said. "It was an objective for me to be here and I achieved that. While I am here I want to play as much as I can. I do feel very happy with my international contribution under Fabio Capello but these are his decisions, which I am willing to accept because we are here to win something as a group.''

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