Truly Silly Season

Bah, Really?, Puzzled, Shocked, Angry, Deflated and then finally reconciling myself with the fact. This was the sequence of my reaction to the news of Michael Owen to Manchester United. Let us look at this transfer from an unbiased view (if possible). First the cons (if feel easier to list them):

• He was good.
• He gets injured often and stays out for long periods of time.
• He was a scouser. (this con is purely from a manutd fan's point of view)
• He was a target for Hull City.

And what are the pros:

• He will be content staying third choice and won't cry like Tevez.
• He knows his way around the Premier League defences.
• He might score against Liverpool at Anfield. (again purely from a manutd fan's pov :D)
• He's free.

This transfer is a master stroke if you are a fantasy manager playing football manager 09 beacause if he stays fit (and thats a big if) he will surely get you goals, but in the real world even if he stays fit( still a big if) there is no assurance that he will get goals. I think SAF was so angry with Madrid that he decided that he will not let them grab all the headlines for silly season 09 and it must be said that owen's move causes more ripples than Madrid's 200m pound (and increasing) spending so far.

The transfer has potential to succeed, Owen scored 10 goals in 31 appearances last season compared to Tevez's 15 goals in 51 appearances and Owen was being supplied by Newcastle's midfield which makes his goal tally carry more weight. The speed with which the deal happened shows that Utd actually wanted Benzema and Owen was the backup plan. And United have had old players in that "other" striker role (Larsson, Solksjaer, Sheringham).

I rate this signing as 4.5/10 and there is a probability that I may be proved wrong (how I hope I am ) but there is an even greater probability that Owen's injury record becomes the major news and not his goal scoring ability.