Aug 12
It’s Make Or Break For Michael Owen
The brochure worked then. Brochure? What brochure? The Michael Owen brochure ofcourse. Yes Sir Alex has taken a gamble, of sorts, in bringing the striker to Old Trafford, offering him the chance to resurrect his career.
It’s make or break time for our new number 7. With a World Cup only just around the corner, Owen will know that a successful season for United will see him creep into Fabio Capello’s England squad that, bar an absolutely catastrophic collapse, will be heading to South Africa.
I’m hesitant to say that the signing of Owen is a gamble. I mean we haven’t had to shell out any sort of transfer fee for the former Newcastle captain and with a pay-as-you-play deal in place, we won’t be out of pocket even if he does turn out to be the flop of the century.
What we do have is a man that is chomping at the bit to go out and prove his doubters wrong. We also have a striker that loves playing for his country and with a World Cup approaching, he will be desperate to be on the plane jetting off to South Africa. Surely that can only be good news for United.
So just how important will Michael Owen prove to be in our hunt for silverware this season? Well we all know just how much Ferguson loves to show the world that he is the daddy when it comes to decision making of the controversial kind. Therefore I certainly expect Owen to get a fair crack of the whip. Whether that’s in the earlier stages of the Champions League, the Carling Cup or against the so-called lesser teams of the Premier League, Michael Owen will get games in a United shirt – if he stays fit ofcourse!
Given Owen’s injury past, I’m rather surprised that I’m not even a little bit worried that he may just turn out to spend more time on the physio’s table than on the pitch. Whether that’s because we’re getting the 29-year-old for free or that I’m using his decent pre-season as an adequate benchmark, I’m not so sure but, perhaps somewhat strangely, I’m really not concerned.
I don’t think I’m alone in suggesting that I wouldn’t consider Owen a part of our strongest eleven. At the likes of the Emirates Stadium and Stamford Bridge, although perhaps not Anfield, I would feel much more comfortable with Berbatov and Rooney heading up the attack. That’s not to say I don’t see him playing a part and with four goals in pre-season (albeit against mediocre opponents), he’s shown that he knows exactly how to find the back of the net.
Words can’t describe just how utterly brilliant it would be if Owen notched against Liverpool in front of the Kop in a United win at Anfield. You can be sure that Fergie will give him the chance to do just that and I’ll end the season a happy man if that’s his only notable contribution of the season!
There’s no question that this season is set to be a big one for Michael Owen, if not his biggest. While I’m not expecting a hatful of goals, a few here and there would certainly be a bonus. It’s just about last chance saloon for the striker’s England prospects too although with competition from the likes of Carlton Cole, Emile Heskey and Peter Crouch, I wouldn’t bet against him eventually being a part of Capello’s World Cup plans.
Related items from Red Rants:
- United’s Malaysia Rematch
- Owen Signs, and he’s no Henrik Larsson
- Manchester United v CSKA Moscow: Preview
- Was Michael Owen a successful punt?
- Featured Video: Hargo’s Crackers
Tags: Manchester United News
Opti (541)
Stephen (479)
RedDevilEddy (459)
Craig Mc (345)
Moscow is my heaven (272)
my oh my!!! Everton are gettin whooped!!
4-0 now!! and it looks like there’s gona be more!! 
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this is too comical to watch!!
I thought it was only Lescott’s head that was turned by City?? Seems like the whole team are suffering from that sickness too, Craigy!! lol
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@Gabriel: @Craig Mc: I’m torn.
On the one part I want Moyes to be shown up as the overrated manager he is, and on the other Arsenal are probably my least favorite team. And Arshavin still hasn’t scored…
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5-0. They’re working on goal difference early on…
Will be helpful when the scrap for that 4th place champions league spot.
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You have to give Arsenal credit. On their day they can really SPANK a team. It was the same last season. The teams we were beating 1-0 they were beating 3 or 4 nil. I do not see them falling out of the top 4 simply because their first XI can still beat virtually any team on a good day. But they will never be a serious title challenger because injuries and an inability to grind out results when they are playing badly will always count against them.
Drogba is looking dangerous this season. If Ancelotti keeps him motivated he can score 20 goals a season easily. Thank God all of the Chelsea players are off to the African Nations in spring.
For that reason I still think we have an outside chance at the title provided we manage to stay within chasing distance of the title the first half of the season. Then in spring when Essien, Drogba and co are at the ACN we can make up ground!
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@NicoQB: I ain’t torn… i’m loving it!!
This is good footy man!! The way arsenal play, it is almost impossible for you to hate them, unless you support them obv 
Also, Moyes is still an ok manager, his team just got hoodwinked in this match. They’ll bounce back!!
Btw, did you see Arshavin on the Nike Arsenal pledge thingy?? He pledged to score 5 goals in one match!! In his frakken dreams
As I type, arsenal have scored another!!
a rebound from an arshavin miss too!! 
priceless
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HOLY SHIT, ARSENAL GOT PILEDRIVED!!!
That was a hard on Everton, really hard… Fabregas and Arseshaving raped them!
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I hate Arsenal to guts, but I gotta give them credit. They played beautiful football today, absolutely beautiful. One touch passing, great shots and they just fucked Everton up, down, sideways and twisting. The 4th goal was just incredible! Arshaving-through the legs of Hibbert-Song-Van Persie-Through the legs of Yobo-Fabregas-Through the legs of Howard-Goal. Just incredible…
But Arsenal do have these one-off games. They will not be aserious title contender, their squad is too small and even though their first XI is strong, and injury or suspension will fuck their season up. Song was really on song today(Sorry for the bad pun), andhe was important for their good play. But he is waay to incosistent to be Arsenals hero as their DM, and that will show later on in the season…
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@Footy4Eddy: Meant “Everton” got piledrived, not Arsenal…
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Eddy good assessment and one I share. When everything clicks for Arsenal watching them play is poetry in motion. Considering they spend far less on players than Everton do (and for that matter most of the teams in the top half) what they have achieved is really impressive.
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@NicoQB: That second goal by Drogba had nothing to do with skill. It was a failed cross that the keeper misplayed and allowed to get past him. It was a lucky goal but sometimes when you are good, you are lucky too. There was no sublime touch there as much as there was a lucky touch. Still, all credit to him for scoring because sometimes you just come at teams and goals come from unlikely places.
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@Gabriel: You should seriously consider coming out of the closet and pledge your full support to them from now on!
I have one word, or rather two, for you though:
Martin Keown.
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@Grognard: Ok, I just read that he admitted it. Still, a bloody good chipped cross that not many players would have managed.
I was just having a mini-argument the other day with Stephen who claimed that Drogba had no touch. As much as the guy is a prick, I personally always rated his talent.
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At all:
Now, let’s all unite our forces here on redrants and ask for a new thread as this one is getting way too slow. Just copy-paste this sentence at the end of your next comment:
RR, pull your finger out and start a new thread!!!
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@NicoQB: haha.. that hatred has mellowed over the years coinciding with their barren run and lack of threat to United!! Btw, my best mate’s an arsenal fan, so i’ve watched a ton of their games and they do play exquisite footy!! Point-in-case, today!! They just demolished Everton like they were a conference team!! It was pure beauty mate!
Btw, I still hate that chimp-faced twat!! Outright thug, would put even keano to shame!! Plus there’s Vieira, Pires, Ljundberg, A. Cole and that arrogant bastard, Henry. The hatred sure is coming back now!!
RR, pull your finger out and start a new thread!!!
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@Grognard: I know it’s a little late, but I wanted to tell you I enjoyed your Gk breakdown a few days ago. Alot of us don’t really know much about what makes a keeper good. And your post did a good job of breaking it down.
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@Johnsom33: Speak for your self mate.
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@Dan:
He may have been a “little” harsh on Foster, but he was spot on concerning Neuer, Casillas and Buffon…
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@colver: An OUTSIDE chance at the title – yeah right – glad to see you ooze with confidence then
.
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No one takes our trophy, no one takes our trophy,
When we celebrate, let DOOMSTERS stay away.
When the scousers come to Town,
They’ll know we’ve got the crown.
The City fans can shout,
but they will still win NOWT.
The Chelsea team of grandads,
Wish they had our young lads.
They’ll run out of legs,
Never mind play til they’re dead.
We are Man United, let no one ROB our cabinet.
Come on you mighty reds, clean up those trophies AGAIN.
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@Dan: It werent even that, its when he said “Alot of us don’t really know much about what makes a keeper good.” thats the bit that annoyed me.
He should speak for himself and not other people.
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How did CARLA play today for the Pity? Was he all guns blazing, and soaking up the accolades? Snivelling little poor player – who Fergie disrespected?
. Bet the Man City tea towel head dressed fans were all over him with accolades. As usual though, we were and always will be there before them 
.
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@Gabriel: The very fact that they play beautiful attacking football makes me hate them even more as this used to be our trademark in the early 00s!!!
Seems you’re the only one doing signature thing though… Oh well we’ll have to wait for the match preview.
@Johnsom33: @Dan: @Grognard: One thing Gorg didn’t mention in his keeping analysis was the keepers’ proficiency at “catching balls”.
Some GKs prefer to punch, deflect or parry instead of the safe “grab/catch” save. I’ve seen next to zero minutes of Neuer except for, surprise, youtube, and youtube does shows him to have a tendency to
not go for the safe catch.
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@Craig Mc: CARLA played as usual mate… incapable of trapping the ball or spotting open team mates during an attack!!
.. god, do I despise Traitor-vez so 
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@Gabriel: oh yeah… I almost forgot Nico..
RR, pull your finger out and start a new thread!!!
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@Gabriel: Good lad.
But what’s with the avatar though??!!
RR, pull your finger out and start a new thread!!!
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@NicoQB: I rate his talent too but he is a giant prick. It amazes me how so many on this blog dislike Ballack with such passion when I personally think Ballack doesn’t even come close to all time cuntism like Drogba and Terry.
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@NicoQB:
it’s my boy Rooney at his prettiest!! 
Nah, i’m just bored, stuck in the library trying to work on my dissertation but my brain just refuses to work!! 
Maybe it’s b’cos it’s saturday night, but i’m sticking to my gunz, books over booze for the next few weeks!! 
RR, pull your finger out and start a new thread!!!
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@Johnsom33: Thanks mate, I try.
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@Dan: Such bitterness.
Sometimes the truth can bit like a cobra eh ? 
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@Gabriel: WHAT THE FUCK IS UP WITH YOUR AVATAR?!
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@Footy4Eddy: I was being harsh but I was also being fair and honest. I really do grade him on all those skill sets honestly. That is how poor he is at certain things but as you saw, I do rate him highly as a shot stopper.
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Hi, my name is Eddy and I have a story to tell you!
RR, pull your finger out and start a new thread!!!
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@Dan: I call it as I see it buddy. Alot of people on this blog don’t know what the fuck they are talking about when it comes to keepers and it’s evident from the stuff they write.
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@NicoQB: Many German keepers are taught to punch away. Over the past ten years many young keepers in Germany have decided to emulate one of their heroes, that being Oliver Kahn. Kahn always preferred the punch in crowded situations over the catch because too much bad can come from catching in a crowd like an elbow or hand jarring the keeper or the ball etc. But they don’t just punch the ball. They are taught to punch as far away as possible or punch or direct it out of play. It’s just a different style. It takes some getting used to but it is pretty safe. After all, Kahn didn’t exactly suck as a keeper. By the way, Neuer is still good at catching the ball and then initiating a good counter attack with a good long throw.
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@Footy4Eddy: don’t you like?? That picture is dead zeggsy mate!! makes girls all wet….
…with tears of joy !!
You know, how they cry for those Boyband douchebags at their concerts?! 
RR, pull your finger out and start a new thread!!!
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Well today I had my cherry popped. I got to play my XBOX 360 and FIFA 09 IN HD for the first time ever. My God, I never knew.
Amazing. It’s like playing something foreign it looked so different. Amazing clarity. Now I realize that I was playing my games under a stone aged system for so long. I’m reborn. Truly amazing stuff. Love my new tv. Now I need to get a HD Cable box so that i can experience channels in HD too. Too bad the footy channels have not moved to HD yet. Can’t wait for that. By the way, I thought all along that Arsenal would surprise this year but based on today, they just might runa away with it. Remember, Everton are not chumps. To butt kick them like that says a lot about their quality and the fact that Wenger does know what he’s doing with his youth program and getting rid of the malcontents.
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@Gabriel: You are being cruel to our boy Wayne there.
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@Johnsom33: And i call it as i feel it. Speak for yourself.
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Gabriel – stay away from the NANI pictures mate – if that is an example of you art work
. Rooney will NOT thank you Bro!
I watched MOTD, and how the feck Blackburn didn’t score a bag full in that match, I will never understand. They SILENCED the City fans, SLICING through the City defence like the parting of the sea. The only time I could hear the City fans, who were 1-0 up incidentally, was in the dying minutes, when Ireland got his goal. That’s how much B’Burn were scaring the shit out of them with their pressurised attacking. City defence is SHITE personified! I have no fear of them
.
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What team are we going to put out tomorrow? Will Owen start? Will De Laet start. Brown is playing – yes Mr Immense Wesley Brown, back in town. I think Rio will play, and skinned sausage too. It is our MF that will bother me, as it always does.
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@Grognard: Everton where missing their best defender, their best midfielder who is also their best player and their best striker. Thats worth noting.
And you get used to the HD gaming tbh.
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DOGba is really, really, really, trying to be Ronaldo now. Scores the winning goal, strips off his shirt, and struts about running wild, hairless shaven chest, and rippling muscles. Everybody wants to be Ronnie now he has gone
. DOGba give it up mate, you are not pretty enough, or GAY enough 
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@Craig Mc: I hope we’ll see a midfield of Cazza and Ando. Fletch would prob be rested after his exertions for Scotland midweek. Or since it’s Fergie we’re talking about, he’ll probably go for sentiment and start both Giggs and Neville.
Birmingham are more likely to park the bus more and more as the game progresses, so we will need two midfield players capable of unlocking defenses; Carrick/Ando with Gibbo coming on for the obligatory belter to seal the game.
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@Craig Mc: My prediction:
Foster
Oshea Rio Wes Evra
Valencia Carrick Anderson Nani
Rooney Berbatov
At least its the team I hope we play… Or maybe De Laet or Fabio instead of Sheasy
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@Craig Mc: Even his free-kick tecnique looks so Ronaldo wannabe! Pathetic donkey…
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@Dan: Truth hurts mate. Anybody that thinks Foster is good just proves my point.
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@Dan: I’m sure Everton were not up to snuff but still, 6-1? You have to give Arsenal a lot of credit too.
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@Dan: Fuck off
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@Gabriel: Just focus on giving it -the dissert – direction and getting things done and it’ll be alright!
@Footy4Eddy: Go Eddy, m’ boy!
@Craig Mc:
Ben
O’shea Rio Wes Pat
Tony Mike Paul Ji
Dimi
Wayne
If it was me Luis would start ahead of Ji, but because of his recent injury… And Paul always started the first game of the season, wouldn’t surprise me to see Alex play him and Mike, even though this partnership always sucked big time.
@Grognard: Fair enough, if it serves its purpose I’m ok with it. But there’s always the risk of being caught off guard with the follow-up though and defenders have to be much more on their toes if they have to follow through with clearances.
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