Michael Owen has dismissed the notion that England's World Cup campaign is unravelling after a frustrating goalless draw against Ghana, insisting the squad will be far more positive than the outside noise suggests.
The former striker, who played in three World Cups, hit back at the negativity that followed the stalemate in Group L. England had opened their tournament with a 4-2 victory over Croatia, but the 0-0 draw tempered momentum and raised questions about Thomas Tuchel's side's ability to break down a compact defence. Jude Bellingham was clear he did not deserve the man of the match award he received.
“Michael Owen says England's players are more positive than critics after a 0-0 World Cup draw with Ghana.”
But Owen believes the dressing room will be reflecting on their position of strength rather than panicking. "Inside the camp, I suspect there was a lot more positivity than there has been on the outside," he told Mail Online. "We're not here yet, far from it, but a dressing room starts telling itself that outsiders don't understand, that it's them against the world. You develop a siege mentality. For now, though, I don't think that's necessary."
He emphasised that the players will not be dwelling on the draw. "Trust me, the players will not be sitting in their hotel rooms thinking, 'Oh, I'm the worst player and we're the worst team.' They'll be reminding themselves they scored four goals in their previous game. They'll be reminding themselves they have world-class attackers. They'll be reminding themselves they already have four points from two matches. And so they should."
Owen wants perspective. "We all need to calm down a little when it comes to the reaction to England's goalless draw with Ghana," he said. "I've been there, I've lived it, and one game this early in the World Cup changes nothing. I woke up to a lot of negativity on Wednesday, but I really think we need a bit of perspective here. Was it a brilliant performance? No. Was it disappointing? Of course. But some of the fallout would have you believe England's challenge has fallen apart overnight. Having played in three World Cups, I can tell you that tournaments simply don't work like that."
England still top the group on four points and face Panama in their final group fixture, needing only a draw to guarantee progress as group winners. The Three Lions remain favourites to advance, but the Ghana result has exposed vulnerabilities Tuchel will hope to address before the knockout stages.