Owen shoots down long-ball jibes and sets sights on a win

'We know what type of tactics Argentina use. They do everything not to let the man they are marking score. It's different to our culture'

The security men stood poised, faces cold and impassive as they scrutinised everyone present. These characters at England's base camp on Awaji island reminded you of a couple of Oddjobs protecting Goldfinger... or, in Michael Owen's case, the man with his eyes on the Golden Boot.

Not that the Liverpool striker will admit to such singular ambition, of course. "Obviously, you want to do well for yourself, but I want to help us get through the group stage before I think about scoring my own goals," declared a player who established himself the most ruthless of executioners four years ago in a corner of France that will be forever his.

Yet, the savage blade which severed the spinal cord of Argentina that night at St-Etienne has proven to be two-edged. It has created a scoring phenomenon, of whom opponents in the Premiership and beyond are understandably so wary. But it has also produced exceptional demands from a nation on a player who, at still only 22, has run the gamut of emotions in a career punctuated by injury in the intervening years.

On a day when the atmosphere was already thick with hyperbole as the players prepared to depart on the 600-mile journey to northern Japan, where they face Argentina here today, Owen was reluctant to add to the commotion. But he was defiance itself when asked whether he believed present-day Argentina were conscious of his record as a big-occasion goalscorer since France 98.

"I hope they're aware of it," he retorted. "And I have every intention of making them more aware of it." To do so, however, the European Footballer of the Year will need to be the beneficiary of service much improved from that which he received against Sweden, a game that, like the majority since the massacre of Munich – scene of an Owen hat-trick – has merely served to demonstrate England's shortcomings.

Sweden smothered the life out of Owen, defending deep and permitting him no time to strike a rhythm, even on the rare occasions the ball was played to his feet. Argentina, blessed with a wealth of talent in the form of Juan Sebastian Veron and a resurgent Gabriel Batistuta and confidence borne of 20 games without defeat, will be a different proposition, possibly more vulnerable in defence. Except where Owen is concerned, once bitten...?

As the scorer of 15 goals for his country considered this latest re-match with the old enemy, it was evident that England's Japanese hosts were taking no chances with the welfare of the team, even in the relatively benign presence of an English media who may be capable of wounding, but only by punching lap-top keys. What the ever-present security men could do nothing about were constant references to England's "long-ball" strategy.

"Everybody's going on about this, but the way it was working out in the [Sweden] game there was little option but to knock a longer ball," Owen said. "We weren't in a situation where we could pass through them on Sunday because we were a bit stretched. If we could get more compact we could play a lot of short passes. But I'm sure people prefer to see a longer ball that's safe rather than to be passing it around and losing a goal because of it. Even though we probably played a couple of long balls too many, it's probably safer doing that."

One suspects that Eriksson adopted that particular pragmatic policy because he recognised early on that, while England have quality passers, they do not possess sufficient players capable of maintaining possession.

Owen added: "You'd be a fool to say we can't pass and we had to resort to playing the long ball. We've got some of the best players in the world in midfield who can use a long pass as a great weapon: David [Beckham], Steven Gerrard -- who's unfortunately not here -- and Scholesy [Paul Scholes]. People would die for their long passing in their team."

The likelihood against Argentina is that the herculean physical presence of Emile Heskey, playing in tandem with Owen, will provide the focus for England's attacks from the start. On Sunday, that contribution to Owen's game was missing until Heskey was switched there belatedly in place of Darius Vassell.

Both will have gained an insight into Argentina from Liverpool's ventures into Europe. "We know from playing against some of them in the Champions' League what players they are, what type of tactics they use," said Owen. "They do everything not to let the man they are marking score. It's different to our culture.

He added: "There'll be shirt-pulling at set-pieces, and it's frustrating some of the time when you want to get half a yard in the box and try to get a chance and someone's not interested where the ball is as long as you don't score. It's not nice, but at least they can't do anything in open play."

Relative recent records suggest nothing but an Argentina triumph. But although England may have rarely performed with distinction since Munich, for Owen that one game was a sufficient indicator of his team's merit. "At least we know we can play well against top opposition. All this negative stuff, we can't win the World Cup and all that... if we play well against Argentina and beat them there'll be a real change of heart. We know, you know, everyone knows, that we are capable of being a good team."

If that is indeed true, it is surely time that England exhibited the fact.