If possible I would sell Michael Owen in Jan...

[Guest justin99.]

Owen is a much better player than Martins.

 

[dustynrg]

"Owen is a much better player than Martins."

 

Well he hasn't been this season if number of goals and assists is the criteria you're basing your judgement on. And what else can you base a striker's measure of success on?

 

 

[Kev]

"Owen is a much better player than Martins."

 

Well he hasn't been this season if number of goals and assists is the criteria you're basing your judgement on. And what else can you base a striker's measure of success on?

 

 

 

agree 100% most goals and assists = better player

 

michael owen 4 years ago was better than martins is now, but hes finished and will never be better than martins

[Guest Tiger Tony]

If you were to sell him who would buy him? Could not see any of the top 4 wanting him, and don't see where else he would want to go to be honest. Can't see him trying abroad again.

[The College Dropout]

Who would buy him though and be able to pay is wages?

 

The only team I can think of is Manchester City.

[Andy]

I think there's a tendency to overrate Martins on here, but I agree that he should be in the team ahead of Owen at the moment (if Owen wasn't injured, that is), if just on his Goals Scored tally.

 

The fact is, the only argument for including Owen in the side is that he is "a better goalscorer." There's no other element of his game that is particularly superior to Martins. He is less pacey, is generally technically inferior, and he doesn't cover anywhere close to the same amount of ground. Therefore, if he is also falling behind as a "goalscorer" - his one and only real strength - it's pretty illogical to say that he should be in the team really.

[johnnypd]

Who would buy him though and be able to pay is wages?

 

The only team I can think of is Manchester City.

 

with the new tv deal i think there's plenty of teams who could pay his wages and plenty would make a special case for owen as he has such a high reputation. wigan, spurs and west ham are the three who would probably be most interested, but i could also see the likes of villa and birmingham backed by their new owners making a speculative bid. i don't think there'd be any shortage of takers at all, the problem is, would Owen want to move to any of those clubs? as i've said elsewhere i think the best he can hope for is that man utd or chelsea make a bid for him and use him as a squad player who plays sparingly, the kind of way Man Utd use Giggs or Saha, as that is the very best he can possibly hope for these days.

[Guest Phil K]

Yawn! 12 games FFS

You don't seem to have noticed we're getting close to both halfway point in the league and the January Transfer Window have you ?

[The College Dropout]

Who would buy him though and be able to pay is wages?

 

The only team I can think of is Manchester City.

 

with the new tv deal i think there's plenty of teams who could pay his wages and plenty would make a special case for owen as he has such a high reputation. wigan, spurs and west ham are the three who would probably be most interested, but i could also see the likes of villa and birmingham backed by their new owners making a speculative bid. i don't think there'd be any shortage of takers at all, the problem is, would Owen want to move to any of those clubs? as i've said elsewhere i think the best he can hope for is that man utd or chelsea make a bid for him and use him as a squad player who plays sparingly, the kind of way Man Utd use Giggs or Saha, as that is the very best he can possibly hope for these days.

 

Wigan? Birmingham? He'll never go there.

 

Villa? Sideways step.

Spurs? Maybe. if they threw in Defoe or Bent as part of the deal. Yet Keane is one of their best players and is in great form.

And the top 4 don't want him.

 

Only realistically leaves Man City.

[Dr Spectrum]

Who would buy him though and be able to pay is wages?

 

The only team I can think of is Manchester City.

 

with the new tv deal i think there's plenty of teams who could pay his wages and plenty would make a special case for owen as he has such a high reputation. wigan, spurs and west ham are the three who would probably be most interested, but i could also see the likes of villa and birmingham backed by their new owners making a speculative bid. i don't think there'd be any shortage of takers at all, the problem is, would Owen want to move to any of those clubs? as i've said elsewhere i think the best he can hope for is that man utd or chelsea make a bid for him and use him as a squad player who plays sparingly, the kind of way Man Utd use Giggs or Saha, as that is the very best he can possibly hope for these days.

 

Wigan? Birmingham? He'll never go there.

 

Villa? Sideways step.

Spurs? Maybe. if they threw in Defoe or Bent as part of the deal. Yet Keane is one of their best players and is in great form.

And the top 4 don't want him.

 

Only realistically leaves Man City.

 

West Ham. They'll buy anyone. And pay them anything. Not that he'd go that far from his horsies. 

 

...anyone but City. Please. Don't want him, crocked.

 

Anyways. Aside from the technicalities of would he want to go somewhere, he would have to pass a medical to get a move. Likely? Perhaps not.

[Guest justin99.]

Granted Martins has scored more goals than Owen, but I think Owen has used the ball much better. Oba can't pass for peanuts.

 

Also it was basically Owen's goal against Portsmouth.

 

[Threelegs]

Michael Owen should walk across the runway with a crutch under his arm, a bandage around his head, a band-aid on his toe, a cut on his finger, and some sliced balls, so that instead of blood he was bleeding semen. then he should get on the heli and fuck off.

[James]

Put it this way, if Martins was on the pitch instead of Owen when Milner scored against the Mackems we wouldn't have scored, and we would have lost.

 

We wouldn't have scored against Portsmouth either. Nor Reading either (iirc Owen's involvement).

 

That means Owen has played a vital contribution in our last two or three goals.

 

Add to that the fact that Owen is consistently completing 10-20% more passes than Martins.

 

Owen's overall contribution has been let down by injuries and poor tactics. If the rest of the team were playing as well as earlier in the season when Owen was injured and Martins was in his place, I'm sure that he'd be our top scorer by now.

[The College Dropout]

If's, but's

 

The lad is a liability.

[Cajun]

Put it this way, if Martins was on the pitch instead of Owen when Milner scored against the Mackems we wouldn't have scored, and we would have lost.

 

We wouldn't have scored against Portsmouth either. Nor Reading either (iirc Owen's involvement).

 

That means Owen has played a vital contribution in our last two or three goals.

 

Add to that the fact that Owen is consistently completing 10-20% more passes than Martins.

 

Owen's overall contribution has been let down by injuries and poor tactics. If the rest of the team were playing as well as earlier in the season when Owen was injured and Martins was in his place, I'm sure that he'd be our top scorer by now.

 

I hope this post is a piss take

[Howaythelads]

Owen is obviously a much better all-round team player than Martins and is also a more clinical finisher. However, he's also a crock and I'm fed up with it.

 

Ultimately we could do with getting rid of both unless Martins improves.

 

Martins reminds of Varardi by needing about 6 chances to score 1 goal, other than the spectacular stuff. He also reminds me of Macdonald because of the one man band stuff. He needs to get his head up more often and improve his general team play. If he doesn't do these things then I'd shift him as well.

[James]

Put it this way, if Martins was on the pitch instead of Owen when Milner scored against the Mackems we wouldn't have scored, and we would have lost.

 

We wouldn't have scored against Portsmouth either. Nor Reading either (iirc Owen's involvement).

 

That means Owen has played a vital contribution in our last two or three goals.

 

Add to that the fact that Owen is consistently completing 10-20% more passes than Martins.

 

Owen's overall contribution has been let down by injuries and poor tactics. If the rest of the team were playing as well as earlier in the season when Owen was injured and Martins was in his place, I'm sure that he'd be our top scorer by now.

 

I hope this post is a piss take

 

Obviously I'm ignoring the hideous injury record and his inability to fit in with the team's best system, but when it comes down to quality, there is only one winner.

[Dr. Nguyen Van Falk]

Put it this way, if Martins was on the pitch instead of Owen when Milner scored against the Mackems we wouldn't have scored, and we would have lost.

 

We wouldn't have scored against Portsmouth either. Nor Reading either (iirc Owen's involvement).

 

That means Owen has played a vital contribution in our last two or three goals.

 

Add to that the fact that Owen is consistently completing 10-20% more passes than Martins.

 

Owen's overall contribution has been let down by injuries and poor tactics. If the rest of the team were playing as well as earlier in the season when Owen was injured and Martins was in his place, I'm sure that he'd be our top scorer by now.

 

You're a fucking fruit loop.

[Cajun]

Put it this way, if Martins was on the pitch instead of Owen when Milner scored against the Mackems we wouldn't have scored, and we would have lost.

 

We wouldn't have scored against Portsmouth either. Nor Reading either (iirc Owen's involvement).

 

That means Owen has played a vital contribution in our last two or three goals.

 

Add to that the fact that Owen is consistently completing 10-20% more passes than Martins.

 

Owen's overall contribution has been let down by injuries and poor tactics. If the rest of the team were playing as well as earlier in the season when Owen was injured and Martins was in his place, I'm sure that he'd be our top scorer by now.

 

I hope this post is a piss take

 

Obviously I'm ignoring the hideous injury record and his inability to fit in with the team's best system, but when it comes down to quality, there is only one winner.

 

Owen is the better player but your post was just 

[James]

Put it this way, if Martins was on the pitch instead of Owen when Milner scored against the Mackems we wouldn't have scored, and we would have lost.

 

We wouldn't have scored against Portsmouth either. Nor Reading either (iirc Owen's involvement).

 

That means Owen has played a vital contribution in our last two or three goals.

 

Add to that the fact that Owen is consistently completing 10-20% more passes than Martins.

 

Owen's overall contribution has been let down by injuries and poor tactics. If the rest of the team were playing as well as earlier in the season when Owen was injured and Martins was in his place, I'm sure that he'd be our top scorer by now.

 

You're a fucking fruit loop.

 

I don't care what you think thank you.

 

 

[Unbelievable]

Put it this way, if Martins was on the pitch instead of Owen when Milner scored against the Mackems we wouldn't have scored, and we would have lost.

 

We wouldn't have scored against Portsmouth either. Nor Reading either (iirc Owen's involvement).

 

That means Owen has played a vital contribution in our last two or three goals.

 

Add to that the fact that Owen is consistently completing 10-20% more passes than Martins.

 

Owen's overall contribution has been let down by injuries and poor tactics. If the rest of the team were playing as well as earlier in the season when Owen was injured and Martins was in his place, I'm sure that he'd be our top scorer by now.

 

I hope this post is a piss take

 

Obviously I'm ignoring the hideous injury record and his inability to fit in with the team's best system, but when it comes down to quality, there is only one winner.

 

Does this mean you are seriously stating that Owen played a big part in Milner's fluke goal v Sunderland and Reading's own goal and use them to make a point that Owen has been more effective than Martins?! How exactly do you know Martins wouldn't have scored in those matches also? Or is your statement "We wouldn't have scored against Portsmouth either. Nor Reading either (iirc Owen's involvement)" meant to clarify that we have a better chance to score when we play with 11 players including Owen than 10 players with no Owen replacement..? 

[James]

 

Owen is the better player but your post was just 

 

Gejon let me explain the points I made, then perhaps you will better understand where i am coming from.:

 

Milner basically confirmed that his cross went in because the run from Owen drew Craig Gordon out of position. When the ball has been in that kind of area, and Martins was on the pitch, Martins would have (probably)ran backwards towards the eighteen yard line to find space, which would have meant that Gordon had an easy catch.

 

There were similar situations for the Portsmouth and Reading goals where Owen occupied areas where Martins would normally have not.

 

The passing success rates come from Telegraph match stats.

 

And the last paragraph consists of ifs and buts based on what went before.

[NJS]

Owen is obviously a much better all-round team player than Martins and is also a more clinical finisher. However, he's also a crock and I'm fed up with it.

 

Ultimately we could do with getting rid of both unless Martins improves.

 

Martins reminds of Varardi by needing about 6 chances to score 1 goal, other than the spectacular stuff. He also reminds me of Macdonald because of the one man band stuff. He needs to get his head up more often and improve his general team play. If he doesn't do these things then I'd shift him as well.

 

Too young to really know about MacDonald but otherwise that sums up my view.

 

 

[Dave]

I think in general Martins' link-up play has been much improved this year.

[James]

Does this mean you are seriously stating that Owen played a big part in Milner's fluke goal v Sunderland and Reading's own goal and use them to make a point that Owen has been more effective than Martins?! How exactly do you know Martins wouldn't have scored in those matches also? Or is your statement "We wouldn't have scored against Portsmouth either. Nor Reading either (iirc Owen's involvement)" meant to clarify that we have a better chance to score when we play with 11 players including Owen than 10 players with no Owen replacement..? 

 

Milner said Owen deserved credit for his goal vs Sunderland. I dont know if you see MOTD in Holland, but last season, Martins was criticised by Shearer for not attacking the six yard box, but instead looking for space at the edge of the box. Thus Owen is making the right decisions, and Martins has not.

 

I cant fully remember the Reading goal, as stated in my initial post, so I wont discuss that one until I see it again.