Here is what it didn't say in Michael Owen's brochure

07 August 2009 23:22
Running man: Owen is excited by the prospect of the chances United's midfielders can create for him[LNB] Should Michael Owen score for Manchester United at Wembley in the Community Shield against Chelsea tomorrow, he will be doing something he failed to do in four years at his last club, Newcastle United: score against one of the top four.[LNB] Owen's record of 30 goals in 65 starts for Newcastle is so impressive he should be a cherished former player, but once that record is broken down - and allied to his injuries on Tyneside and his failure to convince that he ever wanted to be there - there are reasons why this is not the case.[LNB] One of them is that, despite facing United, Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea 14 times in the league and Arsenal once in the FA Cup, Owen did not score against the best teams in the division.[LNB] When his summer sales brochure said that - Newcastle injuries aside - his record commanded favourable comparison with Cristiano Ronaldo or Fernando Torres, this detail may have been omitted.[LNB] We're the special ones says Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti ahead of Community Shield It's another new Blue at Chelsea but United's Sir Alex Ferguson marks his 36th year as a boss Ferguson v Clough... the next generation: Darren meets Nigel on opening day[LNB] 'If you look at my record, it compares to them, it compares to anyone you want to look at,' said Owen in his recent FourFourTwo magazine interview.[LNB] It is true that last season Ronaldo scored only one Premier League goal against Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea in five games, but he also got two at Arsenal in the second leg of the Champions League semi-final. Torres, meanwhile, has scored six against the other three in just four games in 2009 alone.[LNB]There is, of course, the valid excuse that Ronaldo and Torres have been part of much better sides than the one which Owen played in at Newcastle. As he said: 'A lot depends - especially the way I play - on how your teammates play. If my team-mates create chances I come into my own, but that hasn't often been the case in recent years.'[LNB] [LNB]ARSENAL v LIVERPOOL, HIGHBURY, APRIL 9, 2004 ...[LNB]That was the last time Michael Owen scored against a 'big four' side. His goal in the 42nd minute (right) put Liverpool 2-1 ahead but Arsenal went on to win 4-2. OWEN'S goals at Newcastle - 30 in 65 starts: [LNB]PREMIER LEAGUE[LNB]Aston Villa ................ 1  Blackburn ................2[LNB]Birmingham..............1  Bolton ........................1 [LNB]Everton ......................2  Fulham ......................1 [LNB]Man City ....................1  Middlesbrough .........1 [LNB]Portsmouth ..............1  Reading .....................1 [LNB]Stoke .........................2  Sunderland ...............2 [LNB]Tottenham ................1  West Brom ................2 [LNB]West Ham ................5  Wigan .........................2[LNB]FA CUP[LNB]Stoke ........................1 [LNB][LNB]LEAGUE CUP[LNB]Barnsley ....................1  Coventry ....................1[LNB]Tottenham ................1[LNB]There is also the fact that Owen was part of a Newcastle club enduring permanent revolution. In his time at St James' Park, Owen heard team talks from Graeme Souness, Glenn Roeder, Nigel Pearson, Sam Allardyce, Kevin Keegan, Chris Hughton, Joe Kinnear and Alan Shearer. At Old Trafford there is one voice.[LNB] Sir Alex Ferguson once said: 'If a player is 5ft 10in, I think he should be 5ft 11in. It's a detail that forces you to think.'[LNB] Ferguson's thinking in recruiting Owen is presumably two-fold. There is the not insignificant factor that he was a free agent, therefore a minimal gamble. There is also the possibility that Owen will not be aimed at the rest of the top four, but at the sort of opposition against whom he scored his Newcastle goals.[LNB] Birmingham City are the first visitors to Old Trafford tomorrow week. Owen may look at Birmingham and sense an omen: St Andrew's is where he scored his first Newcastle goal under Keegan, the March before last.[LNB] At the time Newcastle had not won under the newly arrived Keegan and were sinking, having just been beaten 3-0 at Anfield. James McFadden put Birmingham ahead but Owen equalised to spark a run of six goals in seven games, climaxing with two against Sunderland at the Gallowgate End. That was his only spell at Newcastle where he won fans over. Newcastle were spared relegation.[LNB] At Old Trafford there is not the price pressure of the £16.5million Owen cost Newcastle from Real Madrid. But Owen still needs goals if he is to merit Ferguson's decision and, as the player himself has pointed out, 'embarrass' public doubters such as Blackburn boss Allardyce and Wigan chairman Dave Whelan.[LNB] 'I keep finding myself thinking about the chances I'll get playing in a team like this and thinking about scoring goals,' said Owen. 'Everywhere you look, you get excited. I mean, I got here and looked around the midfielders we've got and I couldn't believe there were about 10 world-class internationals playing for just three or four places every week.'[LNB] He told Sport Magazine: 'I still believe I can play in a top team, score goals and do well. Everyone believes in themselves, although with not having such a good time at Newcastle you do start to wonder what might happen. But I never doubted my ability.'[LNB] Next summer's World Cup was then mentioned and Fabio Capello names his latest England squad today. Owen is unlikely to be included, so a goal tomorrow would be a timely reminder of his toplevel ability. The reminder is necessary - Owen's last goal against one of England's top four came at Highbury more than five years ago for Liverpool.[LNB] It's a detail that forces you to think, although as Owen would doubtless say in his defence, he has been in Madrid - and Newcastle - since. [LNB] We're the special ones says Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti ahead of Community Shield It's another new Blue at Chelsea but United's Sir Alex Ferguson marks his 36th year as a boss Ferguson v Clough... the next generation: Darren meets Nigel on opening day[LNB] [LNB]  Explore more:People:Nigel Pearson, Sam Allardyce, Dave Whelan, Cristiano Ronaldo, Michael Owen, Alan Shearer, James McFadden, Alex Ferguson, FERNANDO TORRES, Kevin Keegan, Fabio CapelloPlaces:Liverpool, Madrid, Newcastle, Birmingham, United Kingdom, St James' Park

Source: Daily_Mail