在英格蘭前兩場比賽都首發出場但又都被中途換下的前鋒歐文已經厭倦了成為全隊表現不佳的替罪羊。

　　他説：“如果隊友能夠把球送如我擅長的區域，那麼他們將看到一個不同的歐文。”

　　“我承受著主要的指責，因為我是衝在最前面的那個人。”

　　B組最後一場比賽，魯尼有望首發出場，這無疑對歐文是個好消息，因為魯尼會為歐文提供更多的配合。

　　“你可以這麼想”歐文説，“魯尼和我都不是很高，我們不會再打長傳了。我們會有更多的地面進攻。”

　　歐文並不想改變他的踢球風格。

　　他説：“我們只是需要每名球員都有所發揮。如果全隊表現好了，我也會好好表現。中衛的長傳球對我來説並不好處理，如果我們的中場隊員注意抬頭觀察場上情況，多送地面球，那麼我就會有好的表現。”

　　歐文承認被換下的滋味並不好受。前兩場比賽的中途換下也是歐文自埃裏克松接手英格蘭隊以來首次因為非戰術因素而被換下。

　　“我當然不好受，換做是你呢？”歐文反問記者，“就象我對萊因克爾和阿蘭希勒説的那樣，每個人都有不進球的時候，況且我覺得現在我並沒有處於進球荒。”

　　鏈結：http://sports.yahoo.com/sow/news?slug=ap-wcup-england-owen&prov=ap&type=lgns

　　原文：Owen points finger back at teammates

　　By KRYSTYNA RUDZKI, AP Sports Writer

　　June 18, 2006

　　BUEHLERTAL, Germany (AP) -- Michael Owen is getting fed up with being the focus of England's lackluster World Cup form.

　　Owen has been taken off for a substitute in both of England's wins so far and critics have pointed to a lack of sharpness.

　　Owen, who came back from a broken foot last month, knows he's not at his best, but says it's difficult to score when he doesn't get the ball.

　　"If the team are firing on all cylinders and we're getting the ball into places where I come alive then you'll see a different me," Owen said. "I'm the person who takes the brunt of it because I'm the furthest forward."

　　England beat Paraguay 1-0 on an own-goal and needed two late strikes to down Trinidad and Tobago 2-0. Owen started both games with the 6-foot-7 Peter Crouch and struggled to do anything with the long balls directed from midfield.

　　The return of Wayne Rooney to the starting lineup for England's final Group B game against Sweden on Tuesday will help. Rooney, who came on for Owen against Trinidad and Tobago after a swift recovery from a broken foot, provides better service to Owen.

　　"You would think so," Owen said. "We're not going to be playing longer balls because Wayne and myself aren't that tall. So we'll try and keep it on the deck."

　　Owen said there was little point in him changing his game.

　　"We just need everyone to play better," he said. "If the team plays better I play better and I'll make better runs. It's difficult making good runs when the center halves have got it (the ball). If I get someone just behind me or in midfield with their head up, then I come alive."

　　Owen said his goal against Argentina at the 1998 World Cup, where he sped from the halfway line to score and which catapulted him to international prominence, was a one-time thing.

　　"My game is about darting runs across defenders, and hopefully when we play well you will see the best of Michael Owen," he said.

　　Owen admitted he didn't enjoy being substituted twice. They're the only times since that Owen's been replaced for tactical reasons since Sven-Goran Eriksson took charge 5 1/2 years ago.

　　"Of course you do. Wouldn't you?" he said. "I've missed four months of the season ... maybe that's got something to do with it. I'm not sure.

　　"But as I said, I'm feeling fine in training. I'm not tripping over the ball every time I get it. I'm not giving the ball away. I've had one really good chance with my head that I should have put away and that's about it."

　　Owen said he knows his critics have made him the fall guy in the tradition of England strikers before him.

　　"It's just a nice story at the minute," he said. "But as I've said before with Gary Lineker, Alan Shearer and myself, everyone goes through patches where they don't score.

　　"And I don't even see this as a patch where I'm not scoring. It's not like I'm on a long drought or anything. A few games ago (in November) I didn't hardly have a touch against Argentina and then I scored twice."

　　England won that friendly 3-2.

　　作者-北京外國語大學英語　柳瀚

責編：佟杉杉