Anyone who thinks he is not the player he was should look at his record. Owen's goal tally has gone from 23, 23 (then the hamstring injury-hit season), then 24, 28 and 28. Last season it was 19, but he was only two goals short, with 17, of his best league total, despite missing a quarter of the league campaign and playing in a team lacking direction and nowhere near as good as the top sides (who were an embarrassing 15-30 points ahead); and also a side that didn't progress in any of the cups (and these days he doesn't line up against the poor sides in the League Cup, where he would score hat-tricks in his early years).
The Liverpool side during recent seasons has played to some of his strengths (long quick passes) but also failed to deliver a variety of chances - no one gets to the byline to pull the ball back, for example, and there have been too few hard-and-low crosses from either flank. The style of play became increasingly predictable, making it easier to stop him. Yet still he scored at the same impressive ratio. And still he more-often-than-not scores in the big games - he has his entire career. It is a mark of his quality. He will never be the best striker in the world; but he will always be in and around the top ten.
He'll never be the best in the world? I agree with most of the post but not that statement. At the end of that treble season and into the start of the next season he was unstoppable and went on a run of 29 goals from 24 games.... name another striker who's done something as impressive as that over a period as long as that? He built his confidence up and looked the 100% complete player. He then fired a blank against Fulham after trying to single handedly win us the game by ripping them to shreds then the game after he picked up an injury. Since then he's never shown the same FORM... the ABILITY is CLEARLY still there... its just a question of confidence and the team he's playing in.
stmichael, be realistic. Really look at the tapes of Owen's performance that past two seasons and then tells us if you don't notice the difference to the Owen we once knew. This guys keep blaming the team for poor results and give credit to Owen amidst it all. Tell me was the team holding Owen when he was kicking penalties? I guess not. A great player is one that carries the team not one that blames the team for a poor season. Gerrard can get credit because his involvement was visible million miles away. I bet Owen has got his tail between the legs after the EURO. There was too much fuss about him leaving the club, guess what, the offers were not coming anymore after EURO. He retracted into his shell. I really hope he will come up shining but please guys don't try convince us that Owen is as good as two seasons ago. I know he's human too and a fallible one for that matter
Thats simply ******. The ability is clearly still all there. He's still lightening quick, a lethal finisher with either foot and his head, intelligent running, good passing, excellent skill and dribbling and good technique. He's simply lost form and confidence. It only takes a good pass from a team mate and him to score a good goal to get that arrogance back. Confidence can change very quickly and over the last two seasons Owen's form suffered because he lost confidence in the side he was playing in... and rightly so. Under Benitez this WILL change and he will shove every word back down the idiots throats. Next season Banana... i hope you've got the decency to admit you know nothing about football when Owen starts single handedly ripping teams to shreds again.
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