Owen: Criticism is excessive - Liverpool FC

The Reds striker believes that he is often praised too much for a good performance and criticised far too harshly when he plays poorly. Owen reluctantly accepts that such highs and lows are to be the norm in his career.

He said: "My confidence has taken a blow. I am just like any other player - my career is made up of lows and highs.

"Obviously, I would like to be more consistent but I am only 23-years-old and am just at the start of my career. People seem to forget that a lot - I have a lot to learn but a long time to improve as well.

"When I play well and score, the papers seem inclined to give me too much credit - which is frankly a little embarrassing. The flip side to that is that when I don't score and the team don't play well I seem to take lot of criticism. The praise and the criticism have always been a little excessive."

The England forward also believes that it is far too early to make judgements about Liverpool's season. Owen feels that results in Liverpool's two remaining competitions - the UEFA and Worthington Cup's - will decide the success of the season.

"At the moment it is disappointing because at the beginning of the season we were looking to win the title. With the team progressing so much in the last two years it seemed the logical step but we know how hard it is to go that extra mile.

"In retrospect perhaps the expectations came a little too soon, but it could still be a good season. If we win the Uefa Cup and beat Manchester United to take the Worthington Cup, and get into the Champions League then everything will look very different.

"The next ten days with those two Auxerre matches in the Uefa Cup and the Worthington Cup final will decide if our season has been good or very bad."

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