Bamaga man wrote:tel wrote:SouthCoastShankly wrote:Tel i think you exaggerate slighty about Owen having a "shocking first touch" and "the worst dribbler at liverpool..."
The fact of the matter is he never failed to score goals for Liverpool regardless who he was partnered with, who says Crouch or Cisse can't fill the role that Heskey played??
If you don't like him thats fine but to make it seem like he was a bad striker just makes you look like you know f.uck all
Read the post. He is not a bad striker, he ia one dimensional striker. He's not in the league of the Henry's. A top striker in the modern game is not the Ian Rush type goal poacher, but has more dimensions.
Henry scores a lot of goals and creates even more. He also holds the ball, carries between the lines, involved in build up play and absorbs pressure. He is a modern striker.
Owen was a great player for us, but he's no Henry, Ronaldo or Schevchenko. And the modern game needs a modern striker. Owen scores goals, but the biggest criticism of him at Madrid is that he doesnt get involved in build up play and hold the ball to get midfielders involved. He just wants to play off the shoulder of defenders. We did that for years at Anfield under Houllier, and how did we go against top teams? Still makes me sick thinking about how outmatched we were against the Arsenals and mancs even in our home league. And in Europe, we were getting knocked out byteams from Switzerland.
In Rafa's eyes, even Crouch is a better option upfront than Owen because he can at least hold the ball and relieve midfield pressure when we're playing away from home.
I dont like the way Owen left and it wouldnt bother me one bit if he didnt come back.
I disagree with your post to a certain extent because i dont doubt his ability.
The one ability you do need as a striker is to put the ball in the back of the net ,if nothing else.
That is Owens best ability sniffing out goals and thats what you want from a striker.
I agree Strikers are all different, if Owen scores 25 goals all tap ins - who cares the fact of the matter is that he's scored them. Ronaldo, shevchenko, etc are good strikers but different strikers. We've commented before on how the premiership is not a technical and flair orientated league, may have one off players but never will be La Liga. If you want to watch La Liga strikers support Madrid or Barca.
I personally like Owens style of play, yeah he has downsides - which striker doesn't. But you can't tell me moments like watching Michael skin the Arsenal defence alive in an FA Cup final isn't entertaining, no flair just route one.
Liverpools lack of league success under Houllier wasn't Michael Owens fault, it was houlliers.