Michael Owen must look at his own failings

[Dr Kenneth Noisewater 0]

Michael Owen must look at his own failings

By Stewart Robson

 

Michael Owen's fears about his possible omission from the England squad to face France next week - citing Newcastle's slump as the reason - reminds me of similar comments made by Tony Woodcock during my time at Arsenal.

 

When Woodcock, an exceptional player if fully motivated, lost his England place in the mid-1980s, he blamed his plight on the poor results Arsenal were having. I was a team-mate but thought his own indifferent form was a big reason why we were struggling. So I advised him that, rather than blame others, he should take a closer look at himself.

 

As a result, our relationship deteriorated to the point where we did not talk to one another and he later claimed in his autobiography that I was headstrong and failed to listen to senior players.

 

Woodcock's complaints did little to help team spirit. I wonder, therefore, how Newcastle's players will react to Owen's comments when most of them are battling a lot harder in the side than the £16 million striker who has scored only six times in 24 games this season.

 

There must be many Newcastle fans who would rather see Owen focused on inspiring his team-mates to climb up the table than worrying about personal glory. Even before his recent comments I felt that, while most players give up international football to extend their club career, Owen was doing it the other way round.

 

For the past few years, I have not seen evidence that Owen has shown the same enthusiasm, devilment or pace that made him such a potent threat as a youngster. Once he would regularly burst on to through-balls and score superb individual goals; now he is only a penalty-box player and Newcastle, just three points off the drop zone, can ill afford that luxury in their position.

 

His finishing skills are nowhere near as sharp as they used to be and his general play has deteriorated beyond recognition. I have seen him play seven times this year and there are few facets of his game that warrant him being in the Newcastle team let alone playing for Fabio Capello.

 

His runs to break offside lines, which once made him such a threat, are now few and far between. When balls are played up to him, he struggles to hold off defenders. Even when he manages to play the ball off to a colleague, he jogs back to a forward position rather than sprinting there. On the occasions that he receives the ball facing defenders, his lack of dribbling ability means that he rarely attempts to beat his opponent. As a result, Newcastle's forward momentum is lost.

 

When closing down defenders, he appears to do it half-heartedly and intermittently, leaving covering players unsure what he will do. So any defensive game plan that new coach Chris Hughton has devised can be dismantled immediately.

 

The one area of Owen's game that defenders should still fear is his excellent positioning and anticipation that enables him to arrive first when crosses come over. When Kevin Keegan returned as Newcastle manager and played Alan Smith and Owen together, he hoped it would inspire the former Liverpool forward to feed off Smith's battling qualities in the same way as he did with Emile Heskey for England.

 

But Keegan's vision was flawed on two accounts. Firstly, because Smith's old-fashioned style of centre-forward play is easy to nullify and, more significantly, Owen will struggle to play effectively with any striking partner until he rediscovers his enthusiasm and pace. I fully appreciate the severity of Owen's cruciate knee ligament injury but wonder how hard he has worked to get himself back to the top of his game. I also wonder how much his game had declined before that injury.

 

Owen's comments suggest that he and the people around him might be in denial regarding his form and fitness over the past three or four years. Can he rediscover his former prowess? Yes, but only if he gets the right sports scientist to re-ignite his acceleration and the right psychologist to help restore his desire. To transform himself, he must first accept that it is he - and nobody else - who is responsible for his decline.

 

Good piece imo, hope Owen reads it.

[Park Life 71]

Without an expensive chance making production line around him he adds very little value to the side.

[Steve 0]

Even before his recent comments I felt that, while most players give up international football to extend their club career, Owen was doing it the other way round.

 

That there is spot on. It really seems that Owen doesn't give a fuck about Newcastle, he's only playing to keep fit for England.

[acrossthepond 711]

And yet when I made these exact points before the season began and in the early weeks, people were queuing up to call me a Yank know-nowt.

 

I have always said that Owen is a mercenary. Now he has proven himself to be a mercenary in serious career decline whose form barely deserves a place in the side and certainly not over Martins. He is the last player, save maybe Chimbonda or Mikel, who I would want in a relegation scrap. All he cares about is his chance to appear in an England shirt.

[sammynb 2933]

Seriously why?

What is the point of your post?

It's like you're just asking to be ridiculed.

[acrossthepond 711]

Seriously why?

What is the point of your post?

It's like you're just asking to be ridiculed.

 

I don't care about "ridicule" on this board. Ridicule me for what? Do you disagree when I say that he's a waster? If so please elaborate. Tell me what he's contributed to our season.

 

I've been saying all year long that he's a spent force and a mercenary. What has he done to prove me wrong?

[sammynb 2933]

Seriously why?

What is the point of your post?

It's like you're just asking to be ridiculed.

 

I don't care about "ridicule" on this board. Ridicule me for what? Do you disagree when I say that he's a waster? If so please elaborate. Tell me what he's contributed to our season.

 

I've been saying all year long that he's a spent force and a mercenary. What has he done to prove me wrong?

 

Mate, it's not about proving to everyone here whether you deserve a medal or a chest to pin it to because you are right!

It's a pointless comment to I was right you were wrong! Especially as the team now finds itself at the wrong end of the table.

 

Personally I wish you were wrong and he was firing on all twelve cylinders and it's a shame you don't feel the same way.

[Tooj 17]

And yet when I made these exact points before the season began and in the early weeks, people were queuing up to call me a Yank know-nowt.

 

I have always said that Owen is a mercenary. Now he has proven himself to be a mercenary in serious career decline whose form barely deserves a place in the side and certainly not over Martins. He is the last player, save maybe Chimbonda or Mikel, who I would want in a relegation scrap. All he cares about is his chance to appear in an England shirt.

Like who?

[David Kelly 1117]

The comments on his performances are certanly warranted but the theme of piece that Owen is blaming the team for bringing him down and taking no resposibility for himself is wide of the mark for me.

Owen came out a blamed himself for us losing to Blackburn and has been saying that all of them as a team are not performing and tbh England are getting pushed more and more to the back of any interview.

 

All this talk of him being a mercanery is moot anyway. How many of our players don't fall into that catagory? If we go down who will still be there in the championship? Harper? Carr (because no one with any sense would take him), Ameobi? Even Taylor would fuck off I'm quite sure. This could be the telling factor in our relegation battle. Other teams have players playing for their jobs, ours will just expect some other premiership or foreign team to pick them up off (for cheap so they will be on to a nice earner).

[Holden McGroin 5048]

And yet when I made these exact points before the season began and in the early weeks, people were queuing up to call me a Yank know-nowt.

 

I have always said that Owen is a mercenary. Now he has proven himself to be a mercenary in serious career decline whose form barely deserves a place in the side and certainly not over Martins. He is the last player, save maybe Chimbonda or Mikel, who I would want in a relegation scrap. All he cares about is his chance to appear in an England shirt.

Like who?

 

Gemmil

[Tooj 17]

And yet when I made these exact points before the season began and in the early weeks, people were queuing up to call me a Yank know-nowt.

 

I have always said that Owen is a mercenary. Now he has proven himself to be a mercenary in serious career decline whose form barely deserves a place in the side and certainly not over Martins. He is the last player, save maybe Chimbonda or Mikel, who I would want in a relegation scrap. All he cares about is his chance to appear in an England shirt.

Like who?

 

Gemmil

I do remember getting a slating off him now you mention it for saying Owen wasn't World Class anymore.

[manc-mag 1]

Tony Woodcock must be turning in his grave.

[The Fish 9193]

Tony Woodcock must be turning in his grave.

 

 

you're doing a lot of "turning in his grave" jokes lately

[luckyluke 1]

Tony Woodcock must be turning in his grave.

 

 

you're doing a lot of "turning in his grave" jokes lately

 

 

Jeremy Beadle would be turning in his grave.