Michael Owen the ‘Tormentor’ or just a slight annoyance?
Betfair blogger Gareth Freeman wonders if Michael Owen is the tormentor, or just a slight annoyance.
Last week England boss Fabio Capello described Manchester United striker Michael Owen as his ‘tormentor’. The Italian manager was referring to the fact he is continually questioned about leaving one of England’s all time top goal scorers out of his side. Granted, Owen has a great history with the national side but I wonder, is he really causing Capello sleepless nights?
Personally I’m not so sure. Every time Owen scores for United the press seem to jump on Owen’s World Cup chances and whether or not Capello will include him in the next squad. Is this just sentiment? And is Owen good enough (and fit enough) to travel with England to the World Cup in South Africa next summer?
His record speaks for itself and he has been banging in the goals for Manchester United on a fairly regular basis. He did score a cracking goal against Barnsley but, with all due respect to the Tykes, he is going to come up against a much higher standard of defender should he be involved in South Africa. His derby winner against Manchester City demonstrates he can still do it when it matters most. More goals in those kind of games and on that kind of occasion will help his cause – but with Wayne Rooney and Dimitar Berbatov ahead of him in the pecking order at Old Trafford you wonder how many chances he’ll get to prove himself at the very highest level.
The fact Sir Alex Ferguson deemed him good enough to join the United team is a testament to how good he is. But then again it seems quite clear that he has been bought as a squad player. The 29-year-old has also been dogged by injury for some time now, years in fact, and you have to ask just how greater risk it would be to take him.
At the last World Cup Sven Goran Eriksson took four strikers – Owen, Rooney, Peter Crouch and Theo Walcott. Walcott may now be classed as a midfielder should Capello decide to take the Arsenal man to South Africa, if he stays fit Walcott stands a good chance of being involved, but lets consider the strikers who will be going.
Rooney – dead cert, barring injury Wayne will be traveling with the England squad, I don’t think anyone disagrees with that. Crouch and Emile Heskey – Capello likes a big man in his attacking line up so it would seem logical that at least one of these two will be heading to South Africa, with Carlton Cole also impressing whenever called upon. Jermaine Defoe – has been in fine form for Spurs of late and Capello seems to be a fan, I’m going to suggest that if Defoe is called up there will be no room for Owen as they are quite similar players. Gabby Agbonlahor – granted, his England performances may not have been quite up to scratch to date but he looks the real deal at Villa and is playing much more frequently than Owen.
So ahead of Owen, as far as I can see it, we have Rooney, Heskey, Crouch, Cole, Defoe and Agbonlahor. If you also consider the fact Bolton’s Kevin Davies has been included in long squads that Owen has been left out of you can see the task Owen has of proving himself to Capello with at least seven other strikers ahead of him in the manager’s thoughts.
As a player and for what he has done in the past I have a lot of time and respect for Owen but you get the feeling he’s probably chasing a lost cause in terms of making the squad next summer. There is a lot of time left and if he stays injury free and notches up 15-20 goals for Manchester United of course he stands a chance of making the squad but I still think it is a slim one.
I’m not sure Owen is ‘tormenting’ Capello just yet, if he keeps finding the net on a regular basis he may put more pressure of the England boss to select him. There are other players, such as Owen’s United team mate Owen Hargreaves (who is close to a return after a lengthy lay-off), who will probably present Capello with a greater problems when it comes to naming his final squad.
Written by Gareth Freeman, a sports writer who writes about World Cup 2010 betting news for Betfair.
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I think last night’s goal as well as the goal against Barnsley show that Owen still has it in his locker, its just a case of producing it consistantly.
United are looking fragile at the moment, their performances have been nothing on Chelseas, but they are only 2 points behind them and have been grinding out results in typical United fashion, they can easily get a result at the Bridge if they play their game well and keep it tight for the opening 20 minutes.