Fans blog on Owen
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Sir Alex Ferguson hailed Michael Owen's predatory instincts after the striker marked his Manchester United debut with a goal.
United registered a 3-2 win over a Malaysia XI in Kuala Lumpur.
Wayne Rooney and Nani put United two up but a brace from Mohammed Amri Yahyah drew the hosts level only for Owen to slot home the winner.
Ferguson felt Yahyah's first goal just before half-time determined the course of the match.
The United manager told MUTV: "It was as we expected, they were full of enthusiasm, energy and speed and caught us on the counter-attack a couple of times. It was a very open match.
"The goal before half-time changed things. The energy was always going to drop off in second half because it was our first game. It became a very difficult game after that."
Regarding Owen, Ferguson said: "He's different from our other players, he's always searching for space, he's always in and around the box. He reacted well for his goal."
Owen played up front with teenager Federico Macheda today, and will do so again when United face a rematch with the same team on Monday, but he is relishing the prospect of linking up with Rooney at club level,
"It's just nice to play with players who are on your wavelength, spotting your runs and are just class players," the 29-year-old said.
He was also delighted to grab a first goal for United, adding: "It's a nice feeling and it's nice to play a game in the red shirt.
"Just to get off the mark for the season is nice, and it's probably doubly good for me as it's my first game as well."
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Yea, well taken goal.
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will berbatov and rooney be enough?
owen will be able to be a bench man without a problem but what if rooney gets injured like he always do before a world cup and at the same time, owen isnt fit?
there is just a thin thin line. SAF himself said to challenge on all fronts, he needed 4 exthablished strikers.
I just hope he isnt going the way of arsene wenger, buying cheap and young.
There might still be a chance of him turing the rough stones into jewel though. i hope.
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Its his first game right? Although against Malaysia....Score game winner in first game....Number 7 is magic
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any link for the match?
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Originally posted by marcteng:
any link for the match?
at the match thread.
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Go Owen!
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Sir Alex Ferguson has revealed that he plans to use Michael Owen as little as every 10 days as he confirmed he was looking to employ the striker as an impact player at Manchester United.
Owen has begun his United career as well as he could have expected, scoring twice in two games during the champions' tour of Asia, the second coming in today's 2–0 win here over a Malaysia XI. But Ferguson indicated he saw him as support to the existing strike pairing of Wayne Rooney and Dimitar Berbatov. "We can carry Michael Owen. I won't ask him to play every four days, I might ask him to play every 10 days," the manager said. "We can do it because I always rotate my squad."
Ferguson hopes Owen might have the same influence as Henrik Larsson did in the early months of 2007, when he was brought on loan from Helsingborg. The Swede was not a regular starter but was pivotal in United's wresting back of the title after four barren years.
"They are similar players in terms of movement in the last third," said Ferguson. "Larsson was always on the move. That is a great asset to have and they don't try anything different. Larsson never did and nor does Owen. The ball comes into the penalty box and he is always there.
"It's worth the risk. Sometimes you have a punt, a bet or a gamble but there is a little bit more to him than that, having spoken to one or two players about Owen. I first tried to sign him when he was 12, so we have been waiting for this."
Like most at Old Trafford, Ferguson accepted that sooner or later Cristiano Ronaldo, whose shirt Owen now wears, would go to Real Madrid but he holds out the wistful prospect that the winger might end his career at United. The man who eight months ago said he would "not sell that mob [Madrid] a virus", spoke with almost paternal pride of what Ronaldo might achieve when reflecting on the £80m move to the Bernabéu.
"His best is yet to come because he is just 24," Ferguson said. "I will be very proud when I see [him at his best] because we had a part to play in it. He came to the right club at the right part of his career. He could have gone to Real Madrid or Barcelona as a boy but he came to the right club and he appreciates that. And he may come back, you never know.
"I don't see it happening if things go wrong at Real Madrid necessarily, but he loved Manchester United so it may happen. He loved the club. If you look at the six years he had with us, he never missed training and he was never injured. He always played. He was fantastic.
"It wasn't easy to see him leave. I had a good chat with the boy about it but he had made up his mind. Last year he was begging me to let him go but this year it was a sensible discussion.
"There is no doubt it is a huge loss. It is a challenge for us because it won't be the same without Ronaldo. He is the best player in this world of ours – by absolutely miles. He is streets ahead of Lionel Messi, streets ahead of Kaka. Look at his figures. They are unbelievable. The attempts he has had on goal, the attacks in the penalty box, his positions, his headers, his shots."
None of which will now benefit Manchester United. Ferguson has spent a quarter of the fee he received for Ronaldo and was prepared to spend almost half of it on Karim Benzema, but the weight of Madrid's money told, with the France striker also moving to the Bernabéu.
"We tried for Benzema because, at 21, I felt there would be an improvement there," said Ferguson. "He is tough, with a good physique and goalscoring record, so it was worth going a wee bit extra for him because of his age. But when it went to 42m euros, it was beyond his value. We went to 35m and I think that was fair.
"We explored signing Franck Ribery in a nice, quiet way when [the chief executive] David Gill was at one of his meetings with Bayern Munich in March. They told him: 'Absolutely no chance' and the one thing you can say about Bayern is that when they say something they mean it."
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I'm sure Owen will break the 20 goal margin this coming season.
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"Sir Alex Ferguson hailed Michael Owen's predatory instincts after the striker marked his Manchester United debut with a goal..........
..............I might ask him to play every 10 days"
Any one gets a feeling he is hinting that actually Owen is not good enough so Owen might get asked to play once every 10 days. In fact he might not even get to play once per 10 days.
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Lol play him as supersub.
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When Michael Owen signed for United on a free transfer there were mixed views among Reds fans - this could be a Fergie masterstroke, said some; others questioned the Englishman's fitness and ability to cut it at the top level.
Owen has two goals in two pre-season games. OK, not against the game's most obstinate defence. But he's already got his team-mates excited. "The lads get a great buzz out of seeing someone like Michael Owen score goals," Rio Ferdinand says. "There aren't many better finishers in world football when he is on his game."
So, we want to know, what you've made of the start Owen has made to his United career? Here are some of the best posts so far. Read more and have your say on Talking Reds, you can also vote here on how many goals you think he'll score next season..
"Owen's made a good start. He's scoring at least, regardless of the opposition, and he's not injuired. I think he can be very influential this season. I'm sure he'll score plenty of goals."
perky94
"Owen's made a fanstastic start to his United career. He has proven that he can still score goals. He will hopefully be a huge hit for us... his best is yet to come, so watch out!"
manutd8_cr7
"Like most fans, I was unsure about getting Owen. But he is a world class finisher and if he can stay injury-free he can become a legend!"
tom4united
"He looks really sharp. You can see his predatory instincts are still at their peak. He looks hungrier than ever before."
Vinodcarlos -
Owen famous for what last time leh???? anyone can remember???? plus he short short lah..... and always mc one.... then old already so.... ya lah play him as supersub is the best lah...
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Owen is famous for his goal against Argentina... Where he ran through their whole defence to score his goal... He is also famous for his speed last time... and his 'fox in the box style'. He is also known to have saved England by scoring a lot of important goals...
He is currently England's 4th highest goal scorer too... And could still add to his tally as he is the only one still playing of their top 10 top scorers... The rest have all retired... lol
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Originally posted by zocoss:
Owen is famous for his goal against Argentina... Where he ran through their whole defence to score his goal... He is also famous for his speed last time... and his 'fox in the box style'. He is also known to have saved England by scoring a lot of important goals...
He is currently England's 4th highest goal scorer too... And could still add to his tally as he is the only one still playing of their top 10 top scorers... The rest have all retired... lol
correct... so cannot see him not up one... just must use him the correct way... supersub is the best.. very dangerous...