John Terry's performance at White Hart Lane on Saturday evening frightened the life out of me.

With the World Cup coming and excitement starting to build JT lost the plot.

Terry conceded a penalty and then was sent-off after two quick-fire yellow cards and even Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti admitted the England man lost his discipline.

That has to be a worry for England coach Fabio Capello as Terry will be the mainstay of the England rearguard in South Africa this summer.

JT has had his fair share of personal problems this term but he looked as though he had ridden out the storm.

However, in the last few weeks his decision making has been suspect and this could dent England's 2010 World cup chances.

Terry could easily have found himself in the book in the first half against Spurs, but to commit two rash challenges in quick succession was petulant and doesn't bode well.

The Chelsea man was also in the news after the FA Cup semi-final when his knee-high lunge on England team-mate James Milner went unpunished - that should have been another red card.

England were hardly rock solid in qualification and suffered a 1-0 defeat away in Ukraine, a game which Terry and Rio Ferdinand - England's first-choice centre-back pairing - played in.

Capello's men also conceded five other goals, including one against Belarus and one against international no-hopers Kazakhstan.

There's no doubt Terry will be targeted by England's opponents at the World Cup.

The World Cup 2010 betting makes the Three Lions third favourites for the competition, but they will need their players to keep a level head if they are to succeed.

Terry's temperament will be stretched to the limit and in the pressure-cooker atmosphere of the knockout phases England could pay the price.