Owen's overall game

[Guest sittingontheball]

As for Owen's contract, so long as the threat of relegation is there, we've got to resign him.

Some midfielders too please.

[Dave]

I think Owen is still a class player. I think he would be able to contribute a lot more in terms of layoffs and pulling defenders out of position if our midfield, esp. center midfield, had even the slightest ability to get forward or score goals. Even a Pele layoff to Damian Duff or Nicky Butt isn't going to get you a goal.

 

Considering the support and average quality of service they get, I think Owen and Oba do pretty well.

 

Agreed.

 

Owen thrives on tap-ins and we simply don't create enough for him, whether they be from good passing or others having shots where he tucks away the rebound. He'd have a field day if we had some midfielders who had decent shooting ability, for example. Barton is our only hope on this front.

[Segun Oluwaniyi]

Why does he only have fifteen shots though? He's featured in twelve games. He's started eight times as well. That's not even two shots per start let alone appearance. Anyway, I guess it's good he's putting away chances, but this does seem to support the theory of him needing it on a platter for him to shoot, let alone score. Very crucial for us anyway.

 

*Anelka has been ridiculous this season. Chelsea fans are always on his back, but the stats shows show he's been getting chances and taking them.  Those spoiled fans should really learn to be grateful.

 

After reading your first paragraph questioning Owen, I can't believe you've got the nerve to say that about Chelsea fans at the end.  Typical of some of our supporters.

Ridiculous why I can't question why the player who's supposed to be the team's top scorer only has fifteen shots? To me that shows the ability to create his own chance is lacking. I know this is an issue with the midfield, etc. as well, but the thread is about Owen. To me this is definitely an issue we need to address. Anelka on the other hand has done everything that could be asked of him, yet is criticised for not..er...not being Didier Drogba I guess.

[Guest Edd]

Why does he only have fifteen shots though? He's featured in twelve games. He's started eight times as well. That's not even two shots per start let alone appearance. Anyway, I guess it's good he's putting away chances, but this does seem to support the theory of him needing it on a platter for him to shoot, let alone score. Very crucial for us anyway.

 

*Anelka has been ridiculous this season. Chelsea fans are always on his back, but the stats shows show he's been getting chances and taking them.  Those spoiled fans should really learn to be grateful.

 

After reading your first paragraph questioning Owen, I can't believe you've got the nerve to say that about Chelsea fans at the end.  Typical of some of our supporters.

Ridiculous why I can't question why the player who's supposed to be the team's top scorer only has fifteen shots? To me that shows the ability to create his own chance is lacking. I know this is an issue with the midfield, etc. as well, but the thread is about Owen. To me this is definitely an issue we need to address. Anelka on the other hand has done everything that could be asked of him, yet is criticised for not..er...not being Didier Drogba I guess.

But you're still guilty of doing esentially the same as the Chelsea fans you criticize.  They slag Anelka for not offering what Drogba does and you slate Owen for not creating his own chances.  That's not and never has been what Owens game is about.

 

Surely, as we've already established Owen is as good at converting chances as anyone, our priority should be creating those chances for him?  The fact he's had so few shots is a reflection on the teams lack of creativity and IMO blaming Owen for that is missing the point.

[Guest rebel_yell12]

Why does he only have fifteen shots though? He's featured in twelve games. He's started eight times as well. That's not even two shots per start let alone appearance. Anyway, I guess it's good he's putting away chances, but this does seem to support the theory of him needing it on a platter for him to shoot, let alone score. Very crucial for us anyway.

 

*Anelka has been ridiculous this season. Chelsea fans are always on his back, but the stats shows show he's been getting chances and taking them.  Those spoiled fans should really learn to be grateful.

 

After reading your first paragraph questioning Owen, I can't believe you've got the nerve to say that about Chelsea fans at the end.  Typical of some of our supporters.

Ridiculous why I can't question why the player who's supposed to be the team's top scorer only has fifteen shots? To me that shows the ability to create his own chance is lacking. I know this is an issue with the midfield, etc. as well, but the thread is about Owen. To me this is definitely an issue we need to address. Anelka on the other hand has done everything that could be asked of him, yet is criticised for not..er...not being Didier Drogba I guess.

 

Uhm...just a minor point-of-order here.  Owen IS the team's top scorer.  In the league and overall.  No "supposed to be" about it.  Not this season, nor last.  He may take about one-third of the number of shots that a striker like Martins does, but he scores more goals.  Would love that sort of efficiency at my club, tbh. 

 

I think Owen has done everything that could reasonably be asked of him -- aside from his fitness, which I don't think was his fault as those problems were primarily two big injuries he couldn't do much of anything to prevent.  When asked, the "poacher" switched to a 4-3-3, with himself the deepest-lying striker.  When asked, he played in the midfield.  When asked, he man-marked an opposing team's play-maker.  His work-rate is among the highest on the team, iirc -- he apparently runs quite a lot, though it's hard to see if you're stuck watching on telly/the internet as I am these days .  He scores vital goals (I still think his goal v. Birmingham may have been the most important one of last season, though it was only worth one point).  Who cares if he's making his own chances, so long as he's still scoring more than the players who ARE (supposedly) doing that?  I agree with Edd.

 

[Segun Oluwaniyi]

Why does he only have fifteen shots though? He's featured in twelve games. He's started eight times as well. That's not even two shots per start let alone appearance. Anyway, I guess it's good he's putting away chances, but this does seem to support the theory of him needing it on a platter for him to shoot, let alone score. Very crucial for us anyway.

 

*Anelka has been ridiculous this season. Chelsea fans are always on his back, but the stats shows show he's been getting chances and taking them. Those spoiled fans should really learn to be grateful.

 

After reading your first paragraph questioning Owen, I can't believe you've got the nerve to say that about Chelsea fans at the end. Typical of some of our supporters.

Ridiculous why I can't question why the player who's supposed to be the team's top scorer only has fifteen shots? To me that shows the ability to create his own chance is lacking. I know this is an issue with the midfield, etc. as well, but the thread is about Owen. To me this is definitely an issue we need to address. Anelka on the other hand has done everything that could be asked of him, yet is criticised for not..er...not being Didier Drogba I guess.

 

Uhm...just a minor point-of-order here. Owen IS the team's top scorer. In the league and overall. No "supposed to be" about it. Not this season, nor last. He may take about one-third of the number of shots that a striker like Martins does, but he scores more goals. Would love that sort of efficiency at my club, tbh.

 

I think Owen has done everything that could reasonably be asked of him -- aside from his fitness, which I don't think was his fault as those problems were primarily two big injuries he couldn't do much of anything to prevent. When asked, the "poacher" switched to a 4-3-3, with himself the deepest-lying striker. When asked, he played in the midfield. When asked, he man-marked an opposing team's play-maker. His work-rate is among the highest on the team, iirc -- he apparently runs quite a lot, though it's hard to see if you're stuck watching on telly/the internet as I am these days . He scores vital goals (I still think his goal v. Birmingham may have been the most important one of last season, though it was only worth one point). Who cares if he's making his own chances, so long as he's still scoring more than the players who ARE (supposedly) doing that? I agree with Edd.

 

Ok then yeah he is our top scorer and he is also supposed to be our top scorer. Credit to him. He's doing his job well enough. So are Oba and Shola really (neither of them that far off of Owen goal scoring wise anyway) Those three have performed pretty well this season in my opinion anyway. But no, I will not ignore the fact that there are some players in the league with nearly as many goals as Owen has shots. Just like our other strikers need to work on the other areas of their game, Owen needs to work harder to get more attempts off and to be involved in the game. I don't think he is free from criticism because of his pedigree.