Source: Daily_Mail
Calamity! Robert Green faces England axe after his howler hands Americans a draw
Robert Green's World Cup looks as though it is over after his calamitous mistake cost England victory in a disappointing draw with the United States on Saturday night. [LNB]Green let a low shot from Fulham's Clint Dempsey slip through his fingers in the 40th minute to cancel out Steven Gerrard's early opener - and an angry Fabio Capello is poised to wield the axe. [LNB] Shocking: Goalkeeper Robert Green buries his head, scarcely able to believe he has let in Dempsey's weak shot.[LNB]The West Ham goalkeeper apologised for the king-sized blunder which cost his country a winning World Cup start. 'It was my mistake and I'm responsible for it,' said a red-faced Green. [LNB]Capello: Not happy[LNB]But the damage has been done and his howler means either David James or Joe Hart is set to wear the gloves in England's must-win showdown with Algeria in Cape Town on Friday. [LNB]Gerrard and former captain John Terry gave Green their backing last night but Capello said: 'We have time to decide and time to speak with him and then we will decide.[LNB]'When I decided Green would be the keeper, he had played the last game very well and the performance was good. He made one mistake but in the second half he made also a good save. This is the problem with being a keeper. We have to accept the mistakes of the keeper in football, just like we have to accept the mistakes of the referees or the forwards.' [LNB]Green's place in the starting XI against the US had been in doubt right until kick-off. Not one of Green, James or Hart had made a watertight case for selection and fans feared the last line of defence was going to be the Achilles heel. [LNB]And after Green added his name to a growing list of calamity keepers, it looks like those fears were not misplaced. [LNB]Green said: 'I don't want to make any excuses about the ball. It might have moved, I don't know. [LNB]'But it was my mistake and I'm responsible. I've made errors before and I've been big enough to get over them and I will this one. [LNB] Heading for goal: Dempsey unleashes the shot that troubled Green[LNB] HAVE YOUR SAY... Should Capello drop Green after his howler against USA? Robert Green made an awful mistake to hand the United States a draw in England's opening Group C match at the World Cup. Fabio Capello left it until the last moment before picking him ahead of David James and Joe Hart but should he now be dropped for the match with Algeria? TELL US WHAT YOU THINK 'I'm man enough to admit what went wrong and now it's time to move on. [LNB]'Of course I want the opportunity to put it right in the next game against Algeria. You have to be strong and I know I have the character to bounce back.' [LNB]Gerrard later called Green's error 'a freak' while Terry said: 'These things happen. But Greeny is OK. He's a big lad and we are a tight bunch and we'll stick together.' [LNB]Tim Howard, the America keeper who pulled off a handful of excellent stops, sympathised with his opposite number. [LNB]He said: 'We've all made mistakes and I know Robert has the character to get over it. Obviously, I was pleased with the equaliser but clearly there are mixed emotions about this. [LNB]'You don't like to see anybody suffer the way he did.' [LNB]Capello has another selection headache afterLedley King was ruled out of the Algeria game with a groin injury.[LNB] Horror show: Green dives back in vain to retrieve the ball[LNB] England keeper Robert Green makes no excuses after howler gifts USA World Cup drawVIDEO SPECIAL: Rob Green joins David James, Paul Robinson and co to drop clanger in goal for England Piers Morgan: Blame England's Robert Green if you want, but Capello needs to raise his game tooSir Bobby Charlton: All is not lost... I remember national misery after 1966 first round draw2018 ambassador Beckham can be England's World Cup hero at last [LNB] [LNB]
