Owen Excited About Rooney Return

[Bert]

Michael Owen believes the return of Wayne Rooney as his strike partner can fire up England's World Cup bid against Sweden in Cologne.

England's two main marksmen are reunited for the first time since the win against Argentina in November.

Owen has struggled so far, but he said: "You would have thought there won't be so many long balls with Wayne back. We might keep it on the deck a bit more.

"If we're playing well, I will look as good as ever. I'm as sharp as ever."

Owen and Rooney will play up front, with Peter Crouch - who is only one booking away from a suspension - dropping down to the bench.

Owen added: "I've got a lot of self-belief. You've not seen it because we're not firing on all cylinders at the moment.

"I'm the person who takes the brunt of it because I'm the furthest forward.

"There's no point me changing my game to try and be something different. Things can turn around quickly. It's not like I'm on a long drought or anything.

"Only a few games ago, I hardly had a touch against Argentina and scored two. That shows you what can happen."

Rooney played 33 minutes as a substitute against Trinidad and Tobago and showed no ill-effects after his broken metatarsal injury.

"The medical people say he can play more than 45 minutes, so if that is the case it is better he starts the game," said England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson.

England's Swedish coach is almost certain to draft Owen Hargreaves into a holding midfield role on Tuesday, with Steven Gerrard also rested.

Gerrard would be suspended for the last 16 clash with either Ecuador or Germany if he was booked, and Eriksson is keen to ensure he is available for the knockout rounds.

Frank Lampard is also on a yellow card, but the Chelsea midfielder is expected to play against Sweden.

England defender John Terry, meanwhile, sang the praises of strikers Rooney and Owen.

"Marking Rooney is a nightmare and he is looking sharp and ready to go," he said.

"Rooney would tell you he had 160 minutes in him as long as he playing, his touch is good and he looks sharp."

England go into Tuesday's match in Cologne knowing that their place in the knock-out stages is secured following their group wins against Paraguay and Trinidad and Tobago.

They will win Group B, provided they avoid defeat against Lars Lagerback's side - although they will be aware they have not beaten Sweden in 11 attempts since 1968.

Terry said he was in a positive mood, despite England performing below their best so far.

"Two out of two and six points - it can't be much better and let's be encouraged that things can only get better from a performance point of view," he commented.

Switzerland's Massimo Busacca has been nominated to referee England's game against Sweden.

Busacca was the referee for England's 1-0 defeat to Northern Ireland last September in a World Cup qualifier.

I think Owen will come good when he starts playing with Rooney as Big Wayne, provides that link from midfield to forward. When Owen and Crouch play together we pump long balls to Crouch for him hold up, which is really so our midfielders can get into the box and do the business.

[Tommeh]

If he doesn't score and gets taken off after 55 mins again v Sweden I think the pressure will really be on Sven to play Rooney and Crouch v Ecuadoor or Germany in the secon round.

I also feel that Owen is Lucky that crouch has been booked as Sven might well have played crouch /Rooney v Sweden

[Monk]

Crouch is on form but he forces the team to play a style which doesnt suite Owen. Therefore I'd much prefer Owen and Rooney up front as thats how we will see more of the through balls that Owen loves to latch onto.

[davieG]

If he doesn't score and gets taken off after 55 mins again v Sweden I think the pressure will really be on Sven to play Rooney and Crouch v Ecuadoor or Germany in the secon round.

I also feel that Owen is Lucky that crouch has been booked as Sven might well have played crouch /Rooney v Sweden

I don't think so the Owen/Rooney combination has always been Sven first choice, Crouch is only in the team because of Rooney's injury otherwise he'd be a well used sub only.

[Thracian]

I don't know about anything else but I'm sick of hearing Owen suddenly trying to talk his way into the team.

He claims to be sharp as ever but that's not what I've been seeing. He did sod all for Newcastle and so far he's done sod all for England in this World Cup.

I wish he'd stop playing dressing room politics and get on with his job. Not only has Crouch quietly got on with scoring goals despite all the piss taking he has to put up with but Owen's success in the win against Argentina was also down in no small part to Crouch.

I don't hear him lobbying.

[Tommeh]

I don't think so the Owen/Rooney combination has always been Sven first choice, Crouch is only in the team because of Rooney's injury otherwise he'd be a well used sub only.

I think Crouch has forced his way into the team and is not just a "last 20 minutes when your losing" player. And has certainly given Sven a dilemma

[The People's Hero]

Fu ck it, I'm gonna say it.. I think Crouch has been fairly poor in the first two games.

Not getting on the lads back.. Really hope that he can contribute if and when he plays in future games but I just haven't been impressed.

[Thracian]

For all the praise he gets I don't know why Crouchy doesn't call it a day and piss off on holiday.

Leave it to media manipulating Michael Owen who has done virtually sod all for a season but is virtually guaranteed to make his main contribution in the game after Sweden - just to cement his preference to Crouch when it counts.

[davieG]

For all the praise he gets I don't know why Crouchy doesn't call it a day and piss off on holiday.

Leave it to media manipulating Michael Owen who has done virtually sod all for a season but is virtually guaranteed to make his main contribution in the game after Sweden - just to cement his preference to Crouch when it counts.

I have to say I think you're being somewhat harsh re his season at Newcastle, you can hardly blame him for being injured and with a record of 10 (1) appearances and 7 goals I wouldn't call that sod all. Prior to that his season at Real Madrid he scored 13 goals from 20 (17) appearances, which again is not bad considering he never got a consistent run and was playing his first season away from Liverpool and abroad.

Having said that he hasn't exactly set the world alight but then who of the England players has?

[Thracian]

To me it doesn't matter whether a bloke is injured or not. If he's not there he can't contribute and his goals total at Newcastle was nothing like what the club wanted from the number of games available whether Owen wanted to be injured or not.

Tiatto was the same in a way. Not much use last season because he was never around for one reason or another so whether he had ability or not was irrelevent.

I just think Owen's overhyped for a bloke who seems to be forever injured especially in mid season. I'd just rather he'd concentrate on doing his job on the field of play and forget the politics of touting for a team place, especially as he's bloody lucky to be there at all.

So far he's looked nothing like his best whatever his goals ratio at either Newcastle or Real Madrid.

[dandannieldanok]

I don't know about anything else but I'm sick of hearing Owen suddenly trying to talk his way into the team.

He claims to be sharp as ever but that's not what I've been seeing. He did sod all for Newcastle and so far he's done sod all for England in this World Cup.

I wish he'd stop playing dressing room politics and get on with his job. Not only has Crouch quietly got on with scoring goals despite all the piss taking he has to put up with but Owen's success in the win against Argentina was also down in no small part to Crouch.

I don't hear him lobbying.

I agree with you, owen's trying to big up his reputation whereas crouchy like most of the other players are just happy to be in the mix-up. I also don't think it will improve Owen's performance playing alongside Rooney because you can cleary see he isn't sharp enough. However hopefully Owen proves me wrong and gets a hattrick!

[Thracian]

So much for Michael Owen

[The People's Hero]

So much for Michael Owen

Who?

[Anish]

So much for Peter Crouch. What did he do tonight? Apart from an appalling header which was neither a header on goal nor a header across goal (in the first half).

I'm with TPH on Crouch, he hasn't impressed me in any of the 3 games, despite his goal.

[Daggers]

So much for Peter Crouch. What did he do tonight? Apart from an appalling header which was neither a header on goal nor a header across goal (in the first half).

I'm with TPH on Crouch, he hasn't impressed me in any of the 3 games, despite his goal.

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[The People's Hero]

So much for Peter Crouch. What did he do tonight? Apart from an appalling header which was neither a header on goal nor a header across goal (in the first half).

I'm with TPH on Crouch, he hasn't impressed me in any of the 3 games, despite his goal.

I still just don't rate him at this level.

I'm not dissenting though - I wish him all the best. This is a big opportunity for him and I really, really hope he makes the most of it...

On the evidence of the last three games though, does anyone think he's going to provide the firepower to win us the world cup?

[Thracian]

I didn't think Crouch played badly at all. Nothing is simple with England and Crouch was used principally as a front end midfielder in the first half trying to supply Rooney whereas it should have been the other way round with Crouch up front and Rooney bobbing and weaving.

Despite that, Crouch held the ball well and was even prepared to bat men to be creative. The supply to either Crouch, Rooney or whoever else they might have put up front was appalling, Beckham was a joke, and there we are with two apparently talented wingers wasting their time on the sidelines.

Like I've said before. We are wholly governed by fear and self doubt and tactically haven't got the first idea how to present and utilise a balanced team. Lampard supplied nothing. He had a couple of shit shots but couldn't achieve the main thing required in his position which is to pass the ball effectively.

Cole was the one person with any menace and even he had to continually pull back onto his right foot because he is not a natural left winger.

And with Beckham misfiring from the right there was no chance o service from there because Carragher was simply a defender who passed the ball and the buck once in possession.

But like I say we're through, we won the group, we've gone nine matches without defeat if memory serves so Sven presently sits on the perfect advertisement for ineptitude.

[Mort]

So much for Michael Owen

It's bloody gutting

The groan that rang round the varsity in town last night when he went down was somthing i never want to hear again.