Is Michael Owen a flash in the pan ?

mada999 · 06-02-2003 11:34am #1

hey all,
I'm a liverpool supporter but,

Is Michael Owen past it or is he just off form ? Personally think everyone knows how to play against him ( ie. gerrard plays a long ball and hopes owen runs on to it) and the defenders just cut it out, but even when he is one and one with the keeper he bottles it like a turnip, today my friends his nickname is muppet (or Andy cole)

On the LFC Website http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/team/squad/owen/
his characteristics say

A national hero at 18. Lightning fast, deadly finisher.

yeah right, I say sell him to the suckers in europe for 50 million and get a proper striker who can score goals.

Washout · 06-02-2003 11:39am

Originally posted by mada999
Is Michael Owen past it or is he just off form ? Personally think everyone knows how to play against him ( ie. gerrard plays a long ball and hopes owen runs on to it) and the defenders just cut it out

There in lies the problem...liverpool have no creativity in attacking period thus they have become predictable...Teams playing against liverpool know that they dont have to worry about liverpool playing down the flanks. So defenses against yous get alot more central.....Owen never has really done well when defenses close in.

At this point id almost say to any manager playing against liverpool to go three-five-two. But then again maybe thats why im not a manager

mada999 · 06-02-2003 11:46am

I disagree with ya wash,

I think liverpool create their fair share of chances, it's just that they are not taking them at the moment. Liverpool shouldn't have sold Fowler, plain and simple!

The fault lies in attack and some parts of the midfield,

I think we need a left winger and have

Hamman, Murphy in the centre and Gerrard on the right, a decent left winger with pace on the left.

I'd love if we brought Steve McManaman back from Real Madrid , he has matured as a player and he's excellent.

woodyg · 06-02-2003 11:48am

Flash in the pan.Should sell him quick before his value goes down anymore. Realy never was that good bad 1st touch, no left foot, no strenght, no awarness of team mates,poor positional sense and a very poor finisher for some one that is supposedly a top class international(Robbie Keane scored more goals in the world cup in less games against better opposition).Why ohh Why did we ever sell GOD (Robbie Fowler)a man that scored goals for fun,Kevin Keggan is on to a winner whit that sgining.

kamobe · 06-02-2003 11:49am

Yes Liverpool are lacking creativity, and are playing 2 dimensional football, but Owen is still hashing sitter after sitter.

Washout · 06-02-2003 11:52am

I think we need a left winger and have

Hamman, Murphy in the centre and Gerrard on the right, a decent left winger with pace on the left.

this is kind of my point gerrard is in the center and ye have no one to play either left or right...I do agree that liverpool are creating alot of chances though and just not taking them...but they are all coming down the center of midfield...ye lost the plot of trying to stretch the defense that way...I thought Baros might have been THE man for ye but alas no

And hopefullly if stevie Mcmanaman ever came back he might come play for us (Everton)...I can dream cant I

kamobe · 06-02-2003 11:56am

They were rumored to be signing Fernandez during the break, but that never came though

He would have been a great signing

woodyg · 06-02-2003 11:57am

U can dream WASH but SHAGGY to Everton would never happen.

The Answer to our left sided problem has been there whipping us for two seasons his name* DAMIEN DUFF *european team of the year's left sided midfield player and revelation of the WORLD CUP
Houiller made the biggest mistake of his life signing DIOUFF instead of DUFF the BALLYBOADEN flyer.

mada999 · 06-02-2003 12:00pm

Hou's decision not to dip into the transfer market could be that the board wont let him because he's going to be gone next season and they want someone else to have some dosh to buy decent players ?

Anyone comment >?

mada999 · 06-02-2003 12:02pm

Originally posted by woodyg
U can dream WASH but SHAGGY to Everton would never happen.

Houiller made the biggest mistake of his life signing DIOUFF instead of DUFF the BALLYBOADEN flyer.

yeah woody diouff wouldn't be fit for the vauxhall conf league, he is truely shít!

Washout · 06-02-2003 12:04pm

Originally posted by mada999
yeah woody diouff wouldn't be fit for the vauxhall conf league, he is truely shít!

Was diouff bought by liverpool before he appeared in the world cup or was he signed based on his performance in the world cup...I agree though teh guy is a muppet through and through

woodyg · 06-02-2003 12:10pm

I think it was before the world cup that 12million would have got us DUFF and we proably wouldnt be in this ****.
Mada Diouff wouldn't even get a game for Bhos (GO on Glen Crowe) never mind the mite of the vauxhall confrence
Dagenem and Redbrdge

mada999 · 06-02-2003 12:11pm

yeah the mite of Rushen and Diamonds!!!

Waylander · 06-02-2003 12:50pm

In fairness I think it is very difficult for any Liverpool attacking player to look good with their style of play. Look at all their strikers and attacking midfielders and name who is on form? This cannot be a coincedence, they do not enjoy their tactics, and their confidence just keeps going south. I never though Owen was the best striker in the world, similarly I do not think he is the worst now. As for Duff, I hope he never signs for a GH team, because if he does manage to get regular starts, at the first sign of trouble it will be him coming off. Just look at Danny Murphy last night. Finally Cheyrou is a left sided midfielder, but GH insists on playing striker out of position instead of him their. If I was a pool fan my issues would not be with the players but with GH and Phil Thompson!

bucks73 · 06-02-2003 1:01pm

IMO Liverpool lack creativity, movement and pace and any striker would struggle in that team.

But if you ask me Owen can not be past it as he never had it. Was he ever in the same league as Henry, Shearer, RVN, Cole? He has been living on that goal against Argentina in 98. Early on in his Liverpool career teams were caught out by his pace because they were defending too high up the pitch. Now they just hold the line outside the box and Owen has no room to exploit behind them.

The same is now happening with Arsenal. Teams that are not quick at the back will defend deeper and cause Arsenal more problems by pushing them wide which they dont like. Of course Arsenal have that extra creativity to open up defences which Liverpool dont.

They had four or five great chances in the first half last night but when they fall to a midfield workhorse or average striker then you dont have much chance.

mada999 · 06-02-2003 1:30pm

I think arsenal rely very heavilly on Henry and pires and without them they'd be average, though credit goes to Wenger for signing them. Van Bronck is shít, and Bergkamp is not the player he used to be. Lunjdberg is a good player though.

Any Comments ??

Thanx 4 The Fish · 06-02-2003 1:39pm

Liverpool have an excellent winger who has had some cracking performances on the left. Unfortunately he is playing for Coventry at the moment.

bucks73 · 06-02-2003 1:58pm

He probably has too much flair for Houlliers liking.

KdjaCL · 06-02-2003 2:26pm

Sums it up really they are set in a certain system and have no options ,but if they had decent Full backs they could do a wingers job ,Real do it using their Fullbacks as wingers when THEY have the ball and creating a diamond in midfield.

GH has made some bad buys and they are haunting ,if he is refusing point blank to alter the style he needs the likes of Carr a decent rampaging full back who can provide good defense and excellent width going forward which would free up gerrard to knock the long ball to Owen unchallenged.

Another point about Pool is Owen noone can play with him , how many have tried??Owen is a class player but in that team and that system is paying for it dearly. Stick him beside Shearer or Beattie and you see how good he can be (refering Hesker as a big donkey).

GH will more than likely go and the new guy (me puts a tenner on thompson ) will have a great squad but a crap team.

kdjac

kamobe · 06-02-2003 2:36pm

Sweet lord, please oh please, don't let it be Thompson. I'll go mass twice on Sundays, pray ev-ery single day, and be a good boy. PLEeeeeeease don't let his replacement be Thompson

omad · 06-02-2003 2:54pm

watching the highlights of match last night and couldnt believe that owen didnt score.
BUT I have a theory, maybe not true, but here goes.

Palace would have long odds to win last night.
Maybe Mr Owens gamblin problems had got on top of him and saw a easy way of making a few quid.His finishin UNFORTUNATELY let him and his team down and so they lost.
He then offered the rest if the team a cut of his winnings.Heskey and Hyppia gettin a bigger cut than the rest!!!!!!!!
What do ye think???????

woosaysdan · 06-02-2003 3:15pm

imo liverpool should just cash in on owen now and make a good few million, it would be in the interest of both of them imo!!!

darthmise · 06-02-2003 3:38pm

Originally posted by mada999

Hamman, Murphy in the centre and Gerrard on the right, a decent left winger with pace on the left.

I disagree. I think sell Hamman now while ye'll get money for him.
Don't get me wrong he's a great holding palyer but even holding players have to offer something going forward and he gives liverpool nothing.

Gerrard and Murphy in the centre play well together, and sure doesn't everyone need a left winger, cept us and the gooners.

But for me hamman is as much a reason why the pool aren't creative enough going forward as the lack of width.
Gerrard can do as good a job as him, he's younger and he gets forward and can put the ball on a six-pence from 50 yards.

mike65 · 07-02-2003 12:01am

I'd just stick Owen in the reserves for a month....

Mike.

PiE · 07-02-2003 12:42am

Originally posted by darthmise
But for me hamman is as much a reason why the pool aren't creative enough going forward as the lack of width.
Gerrard can do as good a job as him, he's younger and he gets forward and can put the ball on a six-pence from 50 yards.

It wasnt a coincidence that Liverpool's shite streak worsened around the same time Hamann got injured. He steadies a defence that can be very shaky at times, when Gerrard gets caught out of position etc.

I don't think Gerrard and Hamann work together well in midfield though, they're both too defensively minded.


                Kirkland/Dudek
    Babbel - Hyypia - Henchoz - Riise
             Hamann or Gerrard
   Murphy                          Cheyrou?
                        Litmanen
               Heskey        Owen

Would have been Liverpools best team... maybe Fowler instead of Heskey if he'd have gotten himself fit enough.

Ah well, too late now.

mike65 · 07-02-2003 12:45am

Wheres Gary Mac?

Mike.

Waylander · 07-02-2003 11:02am

Seeing as neither him nor Litmanen play for Liverpool anymore it doesn't really matter where he is.

kamobe · 07-02-2003 11:16am

Wheres Gary Mac?

Getting Coventry into the playoffs.....

Ronan|Raven · 07-02-2003 11:38am

He aint a flash in the pan. The lad is going through very bad spell of form. Its unfortunate that he is and he should be rested by Houllier and let Milan who is on form have a run in the side. He will be back hopefully sooner rather that later.

Space Coyote · 11-02-2003 2:15pm

A flash in the pan!!! Ridiculous. He's probably going to end up one of Englands all time greatest goalscorers and he'll be in the top 10 Liverpool strikers of all time.
All young strikers go off the boil at some stage in their careers, he will be back to his best when the Pool start to play with more confidence and more decisive attacking flair. *cough*

mada999 · 11-02-2003 2:54pm

owen has lost it man,

he is shít, league of ireland strikers would do better than him at the moment, he needs a few reserve games imo!

Hagi1513 · 11-02-2003 5:05pm

Its unfair to say he is a flash in the pan.He has missed chances lately and is low on confidence but the team he plays for the way they play and the manager aren't helping.Most of the chances he gets he creates himself,if he were playing for arsenal say he would get alot more chances and therfore score more.Gerard Houllier doesn't help by critsing him for missing chances,by doing this he puts pressure on Owen,plus the team are to reliant on him.

mada999 · 11-02-2003 8:37pm

no offence but owen gets the ball one and one with the goalie and he keeps missing, thats not lack of confidence thats just lack of talent!!

Waylander · 12-02-2003 11:32am

no offence but owen gets the ball one and one with the goalie and he keeps missing, thats not lack of confidence thats just lack of talent!!

But how come he used to always put them away. Has he lost the talent he had for several years? It is purely a lack of form!

WhiteWashMan · 12-02-2003 11:36am

2 things, how can anyone say that owen is a flash in the pan when he has been around for the last 5 or 6 years, scoring goals.
players have good times and bad times, its as simple as that.

secondly, liverpools problems are that they have no midfielder who can take a game by the scruff of the neck.
they have no mcallister. simple as that. its what they need, someone who will slow the game down and pass the ball, and not play at 5 million miles an hour the way houllier likes.

The Reaper · 12-02-2003 11:42am

micheal owen is a pure simple english twat! fame has gone to his head. just gimme a gun!!

Bard · 12-02-2003 11:52am

Originally posted by The Reaper
micheal owen is a pure simple english twat! fame has gone to his head. just gimme a gun!!

What a cleverly constructed, well thought out and superbly supported argument! Well done!

You were captain of your schools debating team weren't you?

:rolleyes:

Thanx 4 The Fish · 12-02-2003 11:57am

Read the charter Reaper, there are some rules on the soccer boards.

The Reaper · 12-02-2003 12:01pm

IM SORRY! its just micheal owen! i dont mean to be offensive to anyone at all except him! he just really gets on my nerves! once again i apologise! sorry!

kamobe · 12-02-2003 12:03pm

All young strikers go off the boil at some stage in their careers

Yeah, but he keeps on going 'off the boil'. Then he might boil again for week or two, only to be off the boil for another few months....

He's a good player, as was shown against boro at the weekend, but he's a poor finisher.