Liverpool FC Forum

by **bigmick** » Tue Aug 02, 2005 12:59 pm

Yeah Ok, I thought the way he behaved over his transfer to Madrid was a disgrace. He's rotted on the bench in Spain and hasn't got a CL medal for his trouble. He isn't the player that some on here claim he is, and we'll probably have to shell out 4m or so on top of what Madrid paid for him. All that said, I think we should sign him and here's why.
While he's not the player that some claim, he is a quality goalscorer. When Baros goes we'll only have 3 strikers in Cisse, Morientes and Crouch (lets be honest, Pongolle Le tellec and Mellor aren't good enough and aren't going to be anytime soon). We NEED another top striker. Owen is English and would have a massive point to prove. Imagine the lift it would give Carra and Gerrard, their old mate back in the fold. Rafa, having given Owen the blank could now call the shots. He could sit all four strikers down and tell them they are part of a squad, no preferences. My suspicion is that the natural pairings would be either Owen or Cisse with Crouch or Morientes but Rafa would sort it. It would further kick the Manx in the nuts and would guive our fans a massive lift, sending out a message that would reverberate accross Europe. Nobody could doubt that we mean business, that we aim to build on last season, that the reds are indeed back.
Big men make big decisions. Sometimes this involves backtracking on a previous position. You've made your point Rafa and most of us have backed you all the way. Now is the time to make a big decision. Don't let Manure pick up the best natural goalscorer in Britain for 12 million quid. Get on the phone and bring our boy home. You know it makes sense.

by **LFC #1** » Tue Aug 02, 2005 1:03 pm

I agree with you mick , but I can't see Rafa 'caving in' if you will, to Owen's demands. I'm sure Rafa wasn't happy with MO going to Madrid in the way he did, and he came out yesterday and said he won't be signing him.

To let him go to Manure would be criminal though, and MO would not be a popular chap on Merseyside.

by **A.B.** » Tue Aug 02, 2005 1:03 pm

Actually bigmick, it seems that Man Utd are not interested in him. Souness today has talked about Owen, perhaps Newcastle will go after him

by **Paul C** » Tue Aug 02, 2005 1:03 pm

I wouldn't agree about Pongolle cos he did well last season but got the bad injury, I don't think Owen will be back at Anfield as we need to strengthen other areas of the field like RM and CB, yeah ok Owen is still a great player and £11-12m is a good price but at this moment in time it ain't gonna happen.

by **Leonmc0708** » Tue Aug 02, 2005 1:05 pm

20 goals guaranteed for next season means at £4m, (with that being recouped by the sale of Baros) is an absolute total and utter snip.

by **Ola Mr Benitez** » Tue Aug 02, 2005 1:08 pm

bigmick wrote:He isn't the player that some on here claim he is,

While he's not the player that some claim, he is a quality goalscorer.

Don't let Manure pick up the best natural goalscorer in Britain for 12 million quid. Get on the phone and bring our boy home. You know it makes sense.

You seem to be saying "he's not all that".. but he is the most talented English striker.

Personally I would pay whatever Real want to get Owen back.. Look at his stats, he is WORLD CLASS!

You can't blame him for going to Real Madrid when the offer came in for him, they are after all the biggest team in the world, with the best squad.

However I am hoping young Michael has all that out of his system now and wants to get back on the RED shirt that means so much too us all.

We need a striker who is going to score more than 20 goals a season on a regular basis and Owen has already proved he can do that in the EPL.

by **tommycockles** » Tue Aug 02, 2005 1:08 pm

i agree- he'll guarantee us 20+ goals a season. £11 million is nothing for a striker of his quality and after all it's important to have a 'home grown' influence throughout the side.

As much as I'll despise him if he goes to Manure- we can't really argue that we're offering him an alternative at the moment!!

by **bigmick** » Tue Aug 02, 2005 1:11 pm

Leonmc0708 wrote:20 goals guaranteed for next season means at £4m, (with that being recouped by the sale of Baros) is an absolute total and utter snip.

Totally agree Leon. I also think we would be getting back a different fella, more humble and mature. I think he would accept a rotational situation more now than before. As it seems his opportunities to go elsewhere are limited, he may just appreciate a little more how lucky he is. FWIW I actually think him and Crouch would be a desperately difficult pairing to play against aswell. They would pose the classic paradox to defences. Defend deep and we load it long to Crouch. Defend high and we ping it in behind for Owen.
Previously I've gone against the idea but I'm coming around now, not least because of the fact that Morientes looks so far off the pace to me.

by **LFC #1** » Tue Aug 02, 2005 1:11 pm

A.B. wrote:Actually bigmick, it seems that Man Utd are not interested in him. Souness today has talked about Owen, perhaps Newcastle will go after him

They could really do with him, they need a striker desperately.

They have lost Kluivert and Bellamy, that leaves an aging Shearer who isn't going to be able to play 90mins week-in week-out, Ameobi and Chopra who has hasn't played much in the league.

Their was even talk of Dyer playing up-front ffs! For a team with Newcastle's aspirations that is hardly a good enough strikeforce.

by **66-1112520797** » Tue Aug 02, 2005 1:12 pm

But wouldnt it also send a messge across Europe that a player can wipe his hands with Liverpool come back a year later and make LFC look like a door matt.
Come and as you please sort of thing.Go, if we are not going to win any trophies,comeback if it didnt workout for you.Na i dont think so.
Seriously people we have got to get over MO im sure we could go and find/buy a striker of the same class/mould .Maybe Anelka or someone,Owen maybe desperate to find a new club but we are not that desperate to find a striker.

by **A.B.** » Tue Aug 02, 2005 1:14 pm

If Newcastle are after him, they can't offer him Champions League footie.

by **Anfield rapper** » Tue Aug 02, 2005 1:16 pm

It might be all about the timing. Had Benitez not yet signed Crouch i think maybe he would have gone for Owen. The problem is we have players who Benitez believes in and he is not the sort of manager who makes decissions based on emotions.

I would like to see Owen playing for us again, but if he did come he wouldn't be a liverpool player in the same sence as Carra and Gerrard are liverpool players. He would be a liverpool player for the same reason Crouch is, because we need a striker. At the moment Benitez doesn't believe we need a striker, end of.

Someone on here wrote not so long ago "people who have wronged Liverpool FC have come to regret it." Well after one season of siting on the bench watching Real Madrid play and earning a bit more money who could deny that Owen now regrets it. We're the champions of Europe!

by **banana** » Tue Aug 02, 2005 1:19 pm

Why start another Owen thread? There is absolutely no point in doing so. We all know Benitez don't rate him. He had 3 managers in spain last season, they all benched him and called his all round game poor. Now they have a new top man, and his first priority was to buy 2 new forwards as he did not rate owen either. Now Owen is 5th or 6th choice striker at his club and desperate to get away to a club that can give him 1st team football as he wants to prepare for next years world cup.

Benitez will play 4-4-1-1 away from home and that means Owen would be completely useless. A guy like Morientes, Crouch or even Cisse would be much better suited to play in that system. Men with strenght and power and skills to hold up the ball, win headers and second balls and get other people into play. At home we can get 4-4-2 or even 4-2-3-1 then maybe there could be room for Owen. But it is pretty obvious that Benitez don't rate him at all. And guess what neither do I. End.

by **Ola Mr Benitez** » Tue Aug 02, 2005 1:21 pm

We are going to sell Baros and Le Tallec, There is now room for Owen in the squad

by **red_indian** » Tue Aug 02, 2005 1:23 pm

if we do get him back it should be on our terms, not Michael's - he had his chance at setting his own terms a year ago and chose Madrid.

if he can accept being part of a squad instead of a Michael Owen roadshow then i don't see the harm in having him back as he would offer us a different option in attack vs our current strike force.

also on the price - well why should we pay more than what we got for him (exc Nunez) - after all if he has some 3 years left on his contract at at least say £100k/week then Madrid stand to lose £15m in wages if he sits on the bench (or perhaps not even there), plus if he does sit on the bench all this season his value will plummet any way. Like i say if he does come back it should be on our terms only!

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