Owen in a deeper role - could it be the way forward?

[Guest Stephen927]

I don't think it will work long-term, as it was a role for Owen which Fulham couldn't have predicted in a million years. For that, hats off to Kevin Keegan, for a great bit of tactical work, and Owen for adapting well to it. Don't think I saw him waste a pass all game.

 

Worth trying against Tottenham, but I don't think it will have as big an impact.

[Guest]

All three of our strikers have 6 league goals in around about 15-20 starts. Would be good to see at least two of them hit double-figures before the season's out.

[WhatTheFunk]

any other fancy named dutchman or whatever would be getting praise for such a role, dropping deep etc... and we wouldnt hear the end of the sheer brilliance of playing in that role where defenders would have to move out of position to cover, hence leaving a dis-jointed opposition back line.

 

IMO, Owen (and Keegan) have executed this plan brilliantly, where by now Owen, a top class footballer and team captain, sees more of the ball throughout the game, thus allowing him to stay involved and sharp, rather than toil further up on his own, being either marked out of the game, or isolated due to a lack of creativity leaving him frustrated and less "on his heels".

 

I have nothing but praise for the way Owen has performed and adapted, and I am certainly not against him playing this role until we get a proper creative unit behind him to give him a fruitful supply line.

 

Quit moaning and undermining our players. Elano is s***!!

[Skirge]

Two games now its been the bets he has looked for a long time, so much more involved in all the play and build up, helps him create late into the box also. He does protect the ball well and is not scared of a tackle, I really do hope he can show he has so much more to his game than people thought, yes okay its been against lesser opposition in the last 2 games. Now with this role though its going to be harder for managers to sort out how their defenders cope with Owen as he is no longer just playing of the shoulder of the CB's.

[KaKa]

Not been the biggest fan of Owen's overall contibutions in the games he has played for us, as I always felt he could do more on the pitch.

 

However, I have been impressed by the contributions Owen has been able to make in this new role, and whether or not we play this formation or revert to a 4-4-2 I hope this spell will now give him the confidence to drop deeper a little more often than he typically does. It makes the team so much better and I believe it keeps Owen sharper and more alert as he is more active throughout the match.

 

Promising. Will beinteresting to see how we fare against better competition with this same approach.

 

[Robster]

with some of his pace gone, i think it is a good choice. i feel he is much more involved in the game than he is when on the last defender. and plays intelligent football and passes it well so it is a good choice. i feel he has a bigger impact here.

Be an interesting contrast on Wednesday night where I have no doubt he will start for England in the standard strikers role. Should be interesting to see if he comes deep looking for it in light of the couple of decent games he has had for us.

 

[NE5]

KK is showing that he isn't as tactically inept as many thought he was.  Right now, he's making pretty good use of the limited available talent.

 

"tactically inept" managers don't get to 90 minutes from winning the premiership.

 

 

[womblemaster]

GIven the fact that owen is the same stature as beardsley, do you think that keagan is trying to rework owen as a beardsley type player, even if he doesnt have the same level of tricks ??

 

We all know owen is a thoughtful player, even if he comes over as a bit slow in his tv interviews.

 

 

[Guest Sam]

Interestingly, all 3 strikers up front came from the 3 previous managers - Owen from the Souness regime, Oba from Roeder and BSA brought in Viduka

You're wrong.

 

 

 

 

Thats not interesting at all.

[WhatTheFunk]

Interestingly, all 3 strikers up front came from the 3 previous managers - Owen from the Souness regime, Oba from Roeder and BSA brought in Viduka

You're wrong.

 

 

 

 

Thats not interesting at all.

 

[Guest Knightrider]

I'd say KK is using his own playing experience where Owen is concerned and if anything is trying to rework Owen as a KK of Newcastle fame type player which involved playing as a deeper lying forward due to loss of pace/aging and lack of quality in the central-midfield areas of the team back then, that and the fact we already had a primary centre-forward in Varadi and 2 number two type support strikers in Beardsley and Waddle. Obviously I never seen us play in those days but from clips and what people say that's how KK played when he joined us as opposed to playing right up top or as the number two striker.

 

Anyway....

 

The repositioning and redeployment of Owen is very imaginative of KK and a good sign on a number of fronts:

 

1 - that Owen has perhaps accepted he is no longer and never will be the player he once was and if he is to remain as a top player he has to change his game.

 

And

 

2 - that KK is very persuasive, astute and where the team is concerned, has been very brave and shrewd even.

 

Owen doesn't have the pace to play on the last man's shoulder nor the physical ability to lead the line where as we lack the crossing quality and central midfield creativity to make use of Owen's fox in the box qualities which will never desert him even if his pace and shooting prowesses have. He will always get himself into great positions and time himself well more often than not.

 

However it all hinges on Viduka (the target man) and Martins (the outlet) and how they play. Thus far they have done very well as a trio with Viduka leading the line, Martins stretching and probing and Owen dropping deep to pick up the ball or moving into space as the spare man.

 

Whether it continues to work as well remains to be seen. I have my doubts but so far so good. Long term for the team it isn't the solution, long term for Owen himself it could well be the answer as his days as a top-class striker are over for me and if he was left to play up top as the lead man you may as well play with 10 men as he is that ineffective now in that role. He's always liable to nick a goal of course but if you're playing with 10 men effectively, you're going to get overran and will more often than not be chasing the game. An Owen goal at 3-0 down isn't any use is it.

 

Against Fulham though I thought Owen was excellent, the best I've seen him play in a long time and heartening too in that he maybe isn't so limited after all.

 

It's ironic that KK first recognised Owen's limited game when he was at his very best and now when he isn't at his very best, it is KK who is getting the best out of him.

 

And some say he's clueless....

[KaKa]

With the latter routinely coming deep to receive possession and dictate play, Keegan has forged a new creative position for his captain, one at which he appears adept.

 

“We’ve played him there because he’s the one player at the club who we know can keep the ball, see a pass and know when to release the ball,” Keegan said. “He might get more chances coming from there. He’s enjoying the role. With the players we’ve got at the moment, it’s the best role for the club and I don’t see any reason to change too much when something’s working.

 

“In training, he naturally comes deep and we kept seeing it and thought, ‘Wow, this guy can link us up all day long’. I said to him after the Birmingham game, ‘You can play until you’re 36 or 37, if you want, as a midfield player’. Just give him the ball because he’s not going to give it away. Those players are priceless. I can find plenty who can give the ball away.”

 

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/article3607455.ece

[Martin Lol]

I don't think it will work long-term, as it was a role for Owen which Fulham couldn't have predicted in a million years. For that, hats off to Kevin Keegan, for a great bit of tactical work, and Owen for adapting well to it. Don't think I saw him waste a pass all game.

 

Worth trying against Tottenham, but I don't think it will have as big an impact.

 

I'd be very encouraged if KK used the same formation against Spurs tbh.

[La Parka]

With the latter routinely coming deep to receive possession and dictate play, Keegan has forged a new creative position for his captain, one at which he appears adept.

 

“We’ve played him there because he’s the one player at the club who we know can keep the ball, see a pass and know when to release the ball,” Keegan said. “He might get more chances coming from there. He’s enjoying the role. With the players we’ve got at the moment, it’s the best role for the club and I don’t see any reason to change too much when something’s working.

 

“In training, he naturally comes deep and we kept seeing it and thought, ‘Wow, this guy can link us up all day long’. I said to him after the Birmingham game, ‘You can play until you’re 36 or 37, if you want, as a midfield player’. Just give him the ball because he’s not going to give it away. Those players are priceless. I can find plenty who can give the ball away.”

 

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/article3607455.ece

 

I must admit, he does keep the ball well, passes sensibly, and him being "in the hole" often results in no markers, and he can then make late runs into the box.

 

I really like this "4-3-3", it makes the most of our strengths (Upfront, attacking fullbacks) and negates our weak areas (wings, lack of creativity in midfield). Some great thinking by KK and all credit to the lads for giving it a go. There are a few weaknesses (the space in center midfield is an issue) however, this is due to  Geremi not having the legs to cover. I can't see why we would switch now, home or away, and just keep taking the game to other teams. It has resulted in our best football this season.

[LooneyToonArmy]

Newcastle boss Keegan: Owen my star midfielder

 

Newcastle United boss Kevin Keegan is ready to persist with his latest big tactical gamble - Michael Owen the midfielder!

KK said: "I don't see reason to change too much when something's working. In training he naturally comes deep. We kept seeing it and thought 'Wow, this guy can link us up all day long'.

 

"I said to him after the Birmingham game 'If you want, you can play until you're 36 or 37 as a midfield player'. Just give him the ball, he's not going to give it away. And he agreed.

 

"Those sort of players are priceless. I can find plenty who you can give the ball and they give it away. There are thousands.

 

"I remember Johan Cruyff saying to me once 'When I'm playing well, Johan Neeskens is the soldier and I'm the general. But if I have a day when I feel I'm not playing well, I say to Johan you be the general and I'll be the soldier'.

 

"Michael has been both a general and a soldier for us since I've been here. I think you're seeing him now absolutely at his peak after his injury. He's playing a bit deeper, still getting chances and scoring goals."

[Robster]

With the latter routinely coming deep to receive possession and dictate play, Keegan has forged a new creative position for his captain, one at which he appears adept.

 

“We’ve played him there because he’s the one player at the club who we know can keep the ball, see a pass and know when to release the ball,” Keegan said. “He might get more chances coming from there. He’s enjoying the role. With the players we’ve got at the moment, it’s the best role for the club and I don’t see any reason to change too much when something’s working.

 

“In training, he naturally comes deep and we kept seeing it and thought, ‘Wow, this guy can link us up all day long’. I said to him after the Birmingham game, ‘You can play until you’re 36 or 37, if you want, as a midfield player’. Just give him the ball because he’s not going to give it away. Those players are priceless. I can find plenty who can give the ball away.”

 

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/article3607455.ece

 

I cant explain it but I love hearing Keegan say things like this. Makes me feel like things are really happening and developing

[WhatTheFunk]

I don't think it will work long-term, as it was a role for Owen which Fulham couldn't have predicted in a million years. For that, hats off to Kevin Keegan, for a great bit of tactical work, and Owen for adapting well to it. Don't think I saw him waste a pass all game.

 

Worth trying against Tottenham, but I don't think it will have as big an impact.

 

I'd be very encouraged if KK used the same formation against Spurs tbh.

 

he will, and you WILL be disappointed.

[Cronky]

Keegan obviously feels that he's found a way forward with Owen, who in the past I think has always been reluctant to try any other role than striker.

 

He's got some of the attributes of a midfield player, in that he's a good athlete (even though he's lost a lot of pace), he's very aware of what's going on around him, and he's able to change direction quite quickly to change the point of the attack. On the debit side, his first touch isn't that great and there's not much variety to his passing.

 

The test for the longer term will come when we're up against a side that are equal or better than us.

[La Parka]

Keegan obviously feels that he's found a way forward with Owen, who in the past I think has always been reluctant to try any other role than striker.

 

He's got some of the attributes of a midfield player, in that he's a good athlete (even though he's lost a lot of pace), he's very aware of what's going on around him, and he's able to change direction quite quickly to change the point of the attack. On the debit side, his first touch isn't that great and there's not much variety to his passing.

 

The test for the longer term will come when we're up against a side that are equal or better than us.

 

We shall see against spuds.

 

I think its his future.

 

The run he made for the headed chance (Which he probably should have put away) is an indication of the threat he can generate. He also sees more of the ball in the hole. He isn't fast enough to play "on the shoulder" but with the space he gets in the hole he can be a whole new threat.

[Taylor Swift]

Keeping possession is a concept that our players don't seem too familiar with, and I agree with Keegan when he says that Owen rarely gives the ball away, so I'm really liking this new formation.

 

You can't lose a goal if you have the ball

[Dave]

Rather damning indictment of our other midfielders in those comments.

[La Parka]

Keeping possession is a concept that our players don't seem too familiar with, and I agree with Keegan when he says that Owen rarely gives the ball away, so I'm really liking this new formation.

 

You can't lose a goal if you have the ball

 

That is why I can see Kev sticking with it. Why would we change it up? It negates our weaknesses, plays to our strengths and more importantly we look a much better unit. 

[Guest toonlass]

KK is showing that he isn't as tactically inept as many thought he was.  Right now, he's making pretty good use of the limited available talent.

 

"tactically inept" managers don't get to 90 minutes from winning the premiership.

 

 

 

Are you a mackem? Or a WUM?

[buzza]

Nobody ever complained about Teddy sheringham being too slow or not having any tricks...

I'd like to see owen develop into the same type of player, obviously doesn't have the same heading ability but sheringham didn't have his pace either...

[Guest Knightrider]

Only Kevin Keegan could convert someone like Owen into a midfielder and get some joy out of it - madness

 

If anything it just extends my faith in the man.