Topic: Bellamy + Fowler = ?

[bigbear]

Speed of legs is no replacement for speed of thought.

It is when you're trying to burst clear from the half way line.

Very few players have come back to their very best after such a long time out. He's played about 15 games in 2 years.

His pace was already diminished with his hamstring problems and whilst he'll still pop up in good positions and has a cool head and big match temperament i'm not sure he'll ever be as good.

Interestingly and I'd suggest annoyingly if I was a Newcastle fan, Owen has recently come out and said he'd love to play at the first England game at the new wembley. Great, how about playing in one at St James first.

Personally, I'd much prefer David Villa.

[shangtsung]

Interestingly and I'd suggest annoyingly if I was a Newcastle fan, Owen has recently come out and said he'd love to play at the first England game at the new wembley. Great, how about playing in one at St James first.

That's the most annoying thing about the c*nt.

[5BigCups]

A 22 year old Michael Owen? Yes.

Todays Michael Owen. Wouldn't go near him. Great goalscorer, but his ever increasing list of injuries speaks for itself. He might guarantee goals, but all through his career they come in fits and spurts. Takes him an age to recover from injury, he hits form, then he picks up another injury and you're back to square one. Cant see how that would be beneficial?

There are so many better alternatives in the PL at the moment for that sort of player. Saha, Johnson, Defoe, Yakubu,  maybe even Benni McCarthy, though he needs to keep doing the same next season as well.

I remember Kaizer laughing at me last year when I said Andy Johnson was good enough to return to the PL. Good old Kaizer eh.

*Waits for nidgemos obligatory MO rant.

well, i agree with kaizer completely. Andy Johnson is aload of SHIT!

why cant people see it?

[Yorkshire-Red]

It seems to me the pro-MO band are saying:

"He's as good as ever"

and the anti-MO brigade are saying:

"He's had it"

... but none of you knows if he can get back from this injury or not. Before he injured his foot he was performing well for the Toon, since then two bad injuries mean we have to wait and see if he can come back as good as he was then (regardless of how good he was as a 19-20 year old).

In a recent interview he was talking a good game, saying he would be back fitter and faster than ever. Bravado? Probably, personally but I hope he can do it.

[CaseRed]

Yakubu not good enough for us.

End of

[Mark Walters]

Funny how people write Michael Owen off.  Yeah, he's been injured but so has Solskjaer and OGS has come back even at his age.  So why shouldn't a younger Owen be able to do the same?

The other thing is that his game has adapted to be more than just a jet-healed striker and it has absolutely had to.  Teams found out how to play against us (ie: sit deep, don't let Owen get in behind the defence) when he was in the team so having to add other facets to his game isn't something he's now learning. 

People said he couldn't use his left foot but he worked on that (FAC final 2001 anyone?).  People also said he couldn't head the ball.  I remember him scoring a great one with his head against Blackburn at the start of 01/02 when no-one would've given him a cat's chance in hell of getting above the defender and goalkeeper.

I'm not saying I'd have him back and not because I hold any grudges abouot how he left or for not coming back when he had the opportunity, but because it would seem like a backwards step.

[bigbear]

Yakubu not good enough for us.

End of

Don't know, yesterday someone was advocating Jason Roberts.

[shangtsung]

A 22 year old Michael Owen? Yes.

Todays Michael Owen. Wouldn't go near him. Great goalscorer, but his ever increasing list of injuries speaks for itself. He might guarantee goals, but all through his career they come in fits and spurts. Takes him an age to recover from injury, he hits form, then he picks up another injury and you're back to square one. Cant see how that would be beneficial?

There are so many better alternatives in the PL at the moment for that sort of player. Saha, Johnson, Defoe, Yakubu,  maybe even Benni McCarthy, though he needs to keep doing the same next season as well.

I remember Kaizer laughing at me last year when I said Andy Johnson was good enough to return to the PL. Good old Kaizer eh.

*Waits for nidgemos obligatory MO rant.

Rofl @ Andy Johnson. You must be having a laugh. Utter shit. And I ain't saying that cos he plays for fucking Everton. He's crap.

Also please don't put him in the same class as Mcarthy.

[CaseRed]

Fuck it bring back Emile!

[hoonin]

I cant help but wonder what those figures would look like playing with Alonso, Gerrard, Kuyt, Crouch, Bellamy and Momo supplying the ammo as opposed to Boateng, Viduka, Todorov, Whatshisname and Oooh-Jamebob.

Top of the assist charts I think, Oooh-Jamebob. Not bad for a Nigerian.

[MOZ]

Kanoute




*lights blue touch paper and stands well back*

[CaseRed]

In all seriousness I think it would be worth a punt on Owen.
People wrote off Shearer when he had the same injury and look how he came back. Owen in a Liverpool shirt would be a completely different proposition to him in a bar code, more love for the shirt would make him rise to it again.

[hoonin]

Rofl @ Andy Johnson. You must be having a laugh. Utter shit. And I ain't saying that cos he plays for fucking Everton. He's crap.

Also please don't put him in the same class as Mcarthy.

Pick yourself up off the floor. You'll get dirty. I didn't class anyone, just suggested there were better options that Owen.

It seems to me the pro-MO band are saying:

"He's as good as ever"

and the anti-MO brigade are saying:

"He's had it"

Why do you have to be labelled any of the above to have a view?

I'm neither of those, just an individual who loved Owen when he was at Liverpool but dont think he is right for us now, mainly due to his very obvious injury problems.

[leighton]

bring back collymore, he said he was still fit to cut it in the prem

[CaseRed]

after Basic Instinct 2 they should have left him in the fucking river!

[shangtsung]

Pick yourself up off the floor. You'll get dirty. I didn't class anyone, just suggested there were better options that Owen.

I'd rather Owen than Johnson to be honest.

[davidg]

I'd rather Owen than Johnson to be honest.

everyday of the week. Johnson isn't fit to lace Owen's boots.

[Kaizer]

I remember Kaizer laughing at me last year when I said Andy Johnson was good enough to return to the PL. Good old Kaizer eh.

I cant remember that one, but I can certainly believe that I have said that I really did not think A.Johnson was anything special and without the penalties he would be nothing more than a decent PL striker.

So far this season he has scored 10 goals in the league, two of them from penalties in 25 starts, not bad but not great either.

[AussieRedInLondon]

IMO, Bellamy + Fowler = Eto'o

Agreed

[Big-Cisse]

In all seriousness I think it would be worth a punt on Owen.
People wrote off Shearer when he had the same injury and look how he came back. Owen in a Liverpool shirt would be a completely different proposition to him in a bar code, more love for the shirt would make him rise to it again.

Love for the shirt? Are you having a Steffi Graff? Owen is out for personal glory, the money and caps for England. Otherwise he wouldn't have gone anywhere.

Owen is a spent force in football, christ in the last two world cups he scored one goal in each and looked disinterested in the main part, and in the Euro Championship Rooney showed him what it means to play for the shirt and because you love playing football regardless of the circumstances.

Can someone post a year on year account of Owens scoring record during his career? Im guessing it gets progressively worse.

[gjr1]

Can someone post a year on year account of Owens scoring record during his career? Im guessing it gets progressively worse.

I can't but I can tell you when-ever he played for Madrid he did OK I think goal wise.

So far he has played 11 games for Newcastle, 1 as sub, all in the league and scored 7 goals.

[wyburn]

Owen like any other footballer at the top of their game wanted to play in the top competitions.  I suppose Gerrard has no love for the shirt or Fowler either - he had to accept terms of transfer after all.   Whether he's still a world class striker of not it's unfair to label him a glory hunter for chasing dreams that he probably had since he was a kid.  He's always shown dignity and respect for Liverpool FC.

[bobadicious]

bring back collymore, he said he was still fit to cut it in the prem

lol yeah he said he was going to Cyprus or somewhere for a months intensive training. Next thing hes on that Verdict show arguing with everybody lol. good old Stan, hes still the best you know 

[Big-Cisse]

Owen like any other footballer at the top of their game wanted to play in the top competitions.  I suppose Gerrard has no love for the shirt or Fowler either - he had to accept terms of transfer after all.   Whether he's still a world class striker of not it's unfair to label him a glory hunter for chasing dreams that he probably had since he was a kid.  He's always shown dignity and respect for Liverpool FC.

The transfer sagas of Gerrard, Fowler and Owen are all incomparable.

Gerrard could have left of his own accord, to go to a team that has bought success, or stay and fight for success with his team, realising the massive potential that the squad has - he stayed.

Fowler didn't want to go anywhere, and was forced out of the club by Houllier and Thompson.

Owen had options, didn't sign another contract, wittled his value down so he could go and then fucked off. Could have came back after a year but chose a far more lucrative option, but a far worse team - European Champions or Intertoto Champions?

[leroy]

I remember somone suggessting Yakubu when he was about to leave Pompey and then getting laughed off the boards. If you look at his strike rate in the premiership he has been a consistent goalscorer that will guarentee goals, great player in and around the box. Maybe just lacking some pace.

He takes some of the best penatlies I have ever seen as well.

Yakubu would be a great player to have.  Consistently scoring in average sides.  Can be a bit wasteful but hovers around the 1 in 2 mark.

[Mighty Emlyn]

Yakubu??

I'd rather keep Bellamy, he's a lot quicker than Owen.

[yafoy]

Rafas choice not to re-sign MO is proven, MO lost his edge recently and although Robbie has also, Robbies footie brain can make him a deeper playmaker...MO took a decision to go to Madrid, based on personal ambition, shame because if he had held on another season...anyway injuries have taken their tole...Bellamy is better value now within Rafas plan...

[boyham]

It depends what our options (possibilities) are though.  If we have the chance (financially and the player is interested) then surely we should go for Eto'o / Villa or someone of that calibre.  If not, then think about taking cheaper risks such as Bellamy was, and Owen would be (he is allowed to leave for less than 8mil after two years of his contract) < - Source : Todays times

[Garstonite]

Bellamy + Fowler = Fowler of 10 years ago.

[WorldChampions]

Fat midget?

[Gabbage]

Bellamy + Fowler? Why that would be Romario, lightning-quick, a world-class finisher, and a nutcase to boot. 

[Flon]

I'd have Owen back in a flash, there's no question we've lacked his goals since Rafa has been here. Still a top class finisher and his game isn't about pace anymore, it hasn't been for a long time. Taking a look at our current crop and Michael Owen - if I had to pick one of them to finish a one-on-one with my life depending on it, it wouldn't be one of ours.

[LIVE-MAU5]

= zero presence up front, minimal aerial threat also

Bellamy will work the wings and Fowler lie deep, and we'd rely on Gerrard or someone to peg it into the box. In my mind, this is poorest combination.

The following pairs work for me:

Kuyt and Bellamy
Crouch and Bellamy
Kuyt and Crouch
Kuyt and Fowler

I don't like Fowler and Crouch to slow. On the other hand Bellamy/Crouch plus Fowler-of-old - now that's a different story entirely..

I think Rafa was envisaging a younger Fowler, hustling about getting on to the end of things.

Fowler should play up front with Kuyt if in the team - they can take turns to lie deep but Kuyt also has power and some pace and will get into the box far qucker than Crouch, while also a target for more direct passing ("long ball" option) and for crosses.

[The Bill Hicks Appreciation Society]

Anelka in a team playing attacking possession football would score bucketloads imo, I know all previous evidence says he wouldn't but fuck evidence, bring Nico back!

[GinKop]

Anelka in a team playing attacking possession football would score bucketloads imo, I know all previous evidence says he wouldn't but fuck evidence, bring Nico back!

Bit of a shocker that Diouf was picked over him based on a few good games in the world cup and in France, whereas Anelka was proven in the Premiership and looked great in a red shirt. Maybe it was his sulking that got him the boot.

[lamonti]

Kanoute




*lights blue touch paper and stands well back*

I admire your bravery. It'd be interesting, probably for the wrong reasons, but he's having a great season alright.

[Alonso_The_Assassin]

Owen will not be wearing out shirt again. Rafa definitely won't go back there again. He did last year, but then Mikey gave us the brush and fucked off up North! Sorry, Michael Owen is history.

We will get one of Villa or Eto'. Bellamy will stay and Crouch will be on his way.

[7777]

I'm putting money on Michael Owen being the Premier League Top scorer next year

He isn't finished yet

[WorldChampions]

I'm putting money on Michael Owen being the Premier League Top scorer next year

He isn't finished yet

Might as well dump your cash down the nearest grate

[7777]

Might as well dump your cash down the nearest grate

Not exactly hilarious is it