Michael Owen Article

[Plewggs]

Owen lost to a life of luxury
Martin Samuel

The sight of Michael Owen coming off the bench for Newcastle United may not be all good news for Steve McClaren, the England head coach. Indeed, it may grow to be his worst nightmare.

At the moment, Owen is working his way back to match fitness after a thigh injury suffered in July. Considering his recent problems, it is understandable that he is not rushed immediately into action. Yet, healthy again, where exactly will Owen figure under Sam Allardyce at Newcastle?

Not in his 4-3-3 system, that is for sure. Owen took Obafemi Martins’s place on the right during his 27-minute appearance against Aston Villa on Saturday, but it is hardly a role that plays to his strengths. Very little about Allardyce’s A game does. He is recreating his new club in the image of his old and there is no natural home for Owen’s type of striker in a Bolton Wanderers-style plan that uses the craft of James Milner on the left, the athleticism of Martins on the right and the imposing presence of Mark Viduka down the middle.

Even if Allardyce switches to 4-4-2, he might elect to reacquaint the successful Leeds United striking partnership of Viduka and Alan Smith.

Then there is Shola Ameobi, another whose physical aptitude conforms to Allardyce’s preferences. So where does that leave Owen in Newcastle’s pecking order. Fourth? Fifth? Heaven forbid, sixth?

Allardyce wrote a national newspaper column during the most recent World Cup. In it, he advocated a 4-3-3 system for England’s first match, which found no room for Owen. Later in the tournament, when he rated Sven-Göran Eriksson’s players out of ten, Owen was given his lowest mark, five (Peter Crouch received eight). Allardyce offered mitigation that he lacked match fitness and acknowledged his status as a player that could change a game, but his summing up will not make comfortable reading with McClaren now relying on regular club football to keep Owen sharp.

“Sven has to live with the fact that Owen is a predator — or rule that he is a luxury he can’t afford,” Allardyce concluded. McClaren’s fear must be that, with Allardyce now making that judgment, option two will be his bottom line.

Quite incredible, isn’t it, that a player who has done nothing all his life but score should suddenly be out of fashion? Owen bristles at the suggestion that the traditional goal-poaching No 9 will go the way of the midfield maestro No 10 and become a redundant figure in our modern game, but evidence is not on his side. Rafael BenÍtez did not want to make him part of the way forward at Liverpool and instead signed a succession of strikers without half Owen’s potency, but offering better support to the team. Indeed, the reason he is at Newcastle is that the top four clubs in English football did little but shuffle their feet and look awkwardly at the floor when he was made available by Real Madrid.

The vogue striker is embodied by Didier Drogba, of Chelsea. Artful, powerful and capable of scoring stunning goals or operating as a selfless target man. Now, even Newcastle, the romantic home of the frontman, may prove a lonely posting for Owen. His announcement last week that he is fit and ready to play had an air of desperation about it, a forlorn attempt to make himself attractive, as if he already suspects that Allardyce’s attention is elsewhere.

There is one team that has an aching need for Owen but, sadly, its plays infrequently. England have floundered terribly without their great match-winner, as strikers that are so valued at club level, where there is often a cunning foreign partner to help them, have struggled to fill his shoes.

Liverpool’s supporters harshly stated that Owen belonged to the national team, not his club, but that slight may soon be his reality. The occasional cameo for Newcastle, however, will not be enough to produce the edge Owen requires to define key matches. If so, Allardyce may get his preferred England team, one way or another.

[Christian]

An absolute load of tosh.

[davelfc]

Originally Posted by Christian An absolute load of tosh.

Was thinking the same and trying to come up with a suitable response when I read yours.

[ritchie]

I agree with most of it. I don't think Owen fits into an Allardyce team and Mourinho/Benitez prefer the Drogba/Kuyt kind of striker. Owen without his old pace is a luxury most managers can't afford, considering his injury record.

I read another Allardyce article prior to the World Cup and he had a 4-5-1 formation with Crouch as the lone striker. Owen wasn't in the team.

[Chris]

"when he rated Sven-Göran Eriksson’s players out of ten, Owen was given his lowest mark, five"

What a retard. The dude was injured.

[Redexile]

TBH - I kind of agree with what was written. I was saying to a mate of mine at the week end that Newcastle are starting to resemble a striped version of Bolton and Michael doesn't really appear to fit the mould of the type of player fat Sam uses. I even thought blue nose at ManU might try and nick him in the next few weeks.

[hamstrung]

I watched the Newcastle game

As soon as Owen came on they went 4-4-2 - he didn't play on the right.

[Dicko]

I got to the journalists name and stopped reading.

[Strontium Dog]

At least Big Sam recognises what a lot of people don't - Owen is finished.

[philyburkhill]

Martin Samuel seems to have a pop at Crouch in every piece he writes.

[hamstrung]

Don't think he was having a pop at Crouch - he was backing up his point about Allardyce favouring a target man.

[RedinSweden]

Originally Posted by philyburkhill Martin Samuel seems to have a pop at Crouch in every piece he writes.

I don't see it in that piece.

[Bourbon]

Originally Posted by hamstrung I watched the Newcastle game As soon as Owen came on they went 4-4-2 - he didn't play on the right.

Was thinking exactly that as I read through the piece; he balanced off in the right-hand channel but did so up top, leading the line.

[Scouse Missionary]

Originally Posted by Plewggs Indeed, the reason he is at Newcastle is that the top four clubs in English football did little but shuffle their feet and look awkwardly at the floor when he was made available by Real Madrid.

Er, Liverpool tried to bring him back but were outbid by a Newcastle board desperate to appease their fans.

[Kurt]

Originally Posted by Strontium Dog At least Big Sam recognises what a lot of people don't - Owen is finished.

Maybe not finished...but i dont think he will ever get close to beeing as good as he was.

[Red Mist]

Rafa wanted to keep Owen, fatass Samuel is suggesting Rafa was happy to let him go. We tried to bring him back too but the little shit shafted us in favour of fucking Newcastle, so again Samuel is wrong about how none of the top sides wanted him.
Crap writer.