Owen is Fantastic Mr Fox In-The-Box
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Watch Owen's goal...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ZyXQ8PfhDY
MICHAEL OWEN is proving again he is the Fantastic Mr Fox In-The-Box.
The cunning Manchester United striker snuck past Barnsley's defenders before firing in a superb goal in Tuesday's Carling Cup tie. The former Newcastle star, 29, has bagged three goals for United since his shock free transfer to Old Trafford in the summer - and all from inside the 18-yard box.
And England boss Fabio Capello would be crazy like a fox to leave him out of his squad for next summer's World Cup. Stats show that 84 per cent - 99 goals - of the 118 he scored in the Premier League during his time at Liverpool were inside the area. And during his injury-plagued four years at St James' Park, 85 per cent of his 26-goal tally in the top-flight were from a similar position.
United team-mate Jonny Evans said: "Every time Michael comes on he gets into really good positions. "It was good for him against Barnsley to get another goal. It was a great finish. He made it look easy by passing the ball into the corner. "And he changed the game when he came on at Anfield on Sunday. "It was the first time we really looked like getting in behind Liverpool."
Barnsley defender Rob Kozluk was first terrorised by Owen on his debut for Derby in the 4-0 drubbing by Liverpool in October 1997. Kozluk, 32, said: "He is the original - and still the best - fox in the box.
"Michael is unique. There is not another country in the world with a striker like him. "The way he loses his markers, makes time and space for himself and, of course, the way he finishes. "I cannot think of another striker who would have passed the ball into our net the way he did.
"Michael made the whole move look effortless, the way he first pulled away from his marker on his shoulder and then slid the ball past keeper Luke Steele.
"I was making my debut for Derby when Michael was still only 17 but already established as a star with Liverpool and England. "He was a real pain in the backside that day and we could not afford to leave him alone for a second.
"Michael was world-class back then and his goal at Oakwell shows he still is. "He is just one of those players who can transform a game, either playing from the start or coming on as a sub.
"If he stays free of injury and gets the service he thrives on, then there's no reason why he should not show he is still at the top of his game.
"He has to go to next summer's World Cup because he is a player who can be the difference between success and failure. I don't see how England can do without him."
And Barnsley boss Mark Robins, a former United striker, said: "Every club looks for someone like Owen. He was the difference on Tuesday. "We played well and coped with the threat on goal for the most part but Michael had two of United's five chances and scored.
"That's a 50 per cent strike rate. He will always provide goals. There are a lot of good, younger players in with a chance of being at the World Cup but you can't replicate his experience at the top level.
"Injuries have hampered him but he's always shown how he can bounce back. "Once again, Alex Ferguson looks to have done a good bit of business. "I think he will prove to be another inspired signing. I only wish we had someone like him."
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I would say that England should use either a Rooney/Crouch or Rooney/Heskey pairing in the starting lineup.
Crouch is a pretty solid goalscorer, and while Heskey is not as skilled, he's a friggin' tank who can bully the defence so that Rooney has the freedom to perform.
Owen can be used as a supersub to turn the game around if the starting strikers aren't performing as well. The last match against Liverpool showed that - in my opinion he was more inventive and threatening than Berbatov was in that match.
Like it or not, though, Owen still can't last for 90 full minutes. So just use him as a supersub.
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huh
cut through barnsley defenders very good meh?
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try cutting through some of the bigger team defence.. like chelsea and barca..
bet owen can't do that anymore.
and i bet there are better goalkeepers
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huh didnt he cut thru liverpool defence last wk only for carragher to pull him down? or is liverpool not a big enough team to be up there with chelsea or barca lol
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Originally posted by Breakingstyle:
huh didnt he cut thru liverpool defence last wk only for carragher to pull him down? or is liverpool not a big enough team to be up there with chelsea or barca lol
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thot he dribble all the way to another box and scored
then see
chey -
by status, liverpool is up there with barce of course.
but talking about quality, hell no man
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still farrrrrrrrrr away
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Hmmm... Isn't this the Barnsley team that beat Liverpool last year in the FA Cup?
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yup, it is.
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as much as i like crouch, i will have to replace him with owen, as he has better positional sense which may mean more goals and he can link well with rooney