Cracks appearing in Fabio Capello's masterplan

When Capello's side qualified with a 5-1 thrashing of Croatia five months ago, it appeared all was rosy in England's garden but while fears about their training base in Rustenburg have finally been allayed, there are still worries over who should inhabit it.

The goalkeeping situation has long been a cause for concern and despite David James's admirable concession of future earnings at Portsmouth, his form has convinced few that he is the undisputed first choice at the 2010 World Cup.

Joe Hart has potential and inexperience in equal measure, while Rob Green, Ben Foster and Paul Robinson all temper enthusiasm for different reason and the mere fact an out-of-form 39-year-old is still the prime candidate speaks volumes for those pursuing his position.

Right-back poses its own dilemma with apparent preference for Glen Johnson, who has not played since December and his attacking qualities are offset by his defensive naivety, while Manchester United's Wes Brown has been out of sorts and out of position at centre-back.

John Terry's recent turmoil places question marks over his own contribution while his successor as captain, Rio Ferdinand, has featured in three games since October and has shown painfully little of the form that made him irreplaceable at the last World Cup.

Ashley Cole is facing the prospect of life without Cheryl as deputy Wayne Bridge deals with the consequences of Terry's indiscretion and a loss of form and availability that have restricted him to six appearances since November.

There is no respite in midfield, where the right-sided berth appeared Aaron Lennon's to lose before his injury setback opened the door for Theo Walcott, who a few flashes of his enduring potential aside, has failed so far to convince he is any kind of form to repeat anything like his devastating hat-trick against Croatia in September 2008.

At the heart of England's midfield, Gareth Barry continues to impress for Manchester City yet doubts remain about his ability to both unlock tight defences and stave off the most deadly attacks.

Steven Gerrard has disappointed for Liverpool this season, Michael Carrick is unconvincing in the heart of midfield, while Owen Hargreaves remains all but a distant memory.

Frank Lampard's form for Chelsea is one of the enduring hopes for Capello and although James Milner's development at Aston Villa is worthy of the highest praise, his ability to influence games at the highest level is unproven and concerns over burnout are valid.

England's one truly world-class player, Wayne Rooney, faces similar fears over his ability to endure his workload given he is almost single-handedly carrying United's trophy aspirations at home and abroad before undergoing a similar role for his country.

Peter Crouch is horribly out of form for Tottenham, as is Emile Heskey at Villa, while Jermain Defoe is a proven goalscorer against all but the very best sides and his compatibility with Rooney remains a large doubt in Capello's mind.

It is painful to be this negative about England's prospects but much has changed since Capello rightly warned that form means little nearly a year before the tournament when discussing the potential of victory.

It must be remembered that enough time exists to change the landscape but Capello has more than tabloid headlines to ponder ahead of the sojourn to South Africa.

Why Berbatov has to take a back seat at United

Dimitar Berbatov has come in for criticism from Manchester United fans for failing to justify his £30.75million move from Tottenham but the moody Bulgarian can find some comfort in statistical analysis.

Berbatov has scored in each of his last five Premier League starts and has nine in as many League games this season, while the Actim Index ranks him among the top 10 strikers this season.

There is little argument over the 29-year-old's class and ability to produce moments of dazzling skill but the reality is that United are yet to play to the strengths of a player who is among several forced to recede under the imperial presence of Wayne Rooney.

Berbatov is a supremely gifted player who often delivers yet is disconcertingly vulnerable – it is a description that perhaps sums up his conundrum best when considering that it also befits his team-mates at present.