England try to win the group, says Eriksson
15/6/2006 15:35
England manager Eriksson said on Wednesday that England's players are
desperate to win the group - something they did not manage at the 2002 World Cup
or at Euro 2004.
He said: "Every game is more or less a must here. We want
very much to win this group. If you lose a game, you have to fight to go
further."
Yet while Eriksson admitted he wanted his side to play better
against Trinidad and Tobago, he said England's detractors had been unfair.
"I
think we will have a better performance than we did on Saturday," he
said.
"But it was not that bad against Paraguay. We had 53% possession and
for shots on goal we are the best of all with 13, along with Brazil.
"It was
a very positive opening to the World Cup and I am very pleased we got three
points. The first game is always very difficult."
The Swede said it was
"absolutely impossible" to please everyone in the English media and added "I
haven't opened a newspaper since I came to Germany and my intention is to go on
like that".
Eriksson said he was not concerned that five of his side's last
seven goals have come from set-pieces.
"Michael Owen will score in the
tournament - I am sure of it," he said.
"And Wayne Rooney is almost back. We
are very good on set-pieces -we have got strong players in the box and I hope we
can go on scoring goals like that."
Eriksson also responded to criticism of
his decision to give the players a day off earlier in the week.
It had been
reported that Eriksson had given the players both Sunday and Monday off and Alan
Shearer, Gary Lineker and Martin O' Neill expressed concern on BBC
Television.
Eriksson said: "I gave them one day off. At the end of the season
and beginning of the World Cup, if you don't give them one day off we will kill
them.
"I would have allowed that even if we had lost."
Xinhua News
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