Owen - excellent game against Argentina.

By Mark Bradley, PA Sport Chief Soccer Writer, Japan

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Sven-Goran Eriksson has revealed the inspirational tactical advice which ensured that this World Cup saw "the real Michael Owen" for the first time against Argentina.

Eriksson was not completely satisfied with the positions taken up by the striker in the latter stages of the 1-1 draw against Sweden, although he appreciated the lack of proper service.

So he took the time out to have a word with Owen just before kick-off in Sapporo, with the striker then winning the penalty from which David Beckham scored and twice coming agonisingly close to a goal himself.

Eriksson, who had earlier shown his team a 'video nasty' of their mistakes against Sweden, revealed: "What we saw against Argentina was the real Michael Owen, how we want to see him always.

"Not just waiting for the ball up there but dropping down and going left and right. As I said to Michael, it's very difficult to play against him when you don't know where he is or where he will pop up.

"If you know he will only stay up there fighting with a big centre-half, then it's much easier. He did it very well, was everywhere and could have scored twice with a bit of luck.

"I talked to Michael a little bit about it before the game. I go round to almost all of the players before a match, just saying two words that are important for the game."

Eriksson recognised the difficulties that Owen was having in the second half against Sweden, when he became rather stranded up front.

"We were all disappointed with ourselves in the second half. That means Michael Owen as well, but it was not easy to play up there with the only balls coming in the air," he added.

Asked if his tactics against Argentina resembled those of Liverpool, with Emile Heskey and Michael Owen up front, a compact midfield quartet and an emphasis on the counter-attack, Eriksson replied: "Maybe. But that's a normal 4-4-2. Against Sweden in the second half, we more or less played 4-2-4 and I told the players that if we did that against Argentina, it would almost be better not to play as they would kill us."