One of, if not the most lethal, clinical, cold bloodied finisher, I’ve seen since I’ve followed football. Was deadly. In today’s games, I could see him playing the same kind of role as Salah
Just how highly would you rate a young Michael Owen today?
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He'd be Mbappe level for me, the guy had everything (bar height). A player who never quite maintained or dare I say hit his potential, crazy considering he had a Balon D'Or. Truly wonderful talent even if he's a dick. 21 year old Owen would start at just about every Premier League team imho.. £150m player in todays market easily.
^this
He'd play ahead of Benzema, Morata, Higuain, Mertens and more than likely Firminio as good an all as he is. He would score 25+ goals every season against the current crop of defenders imho pretty comfortably.
Not drastically different to Salah/Aguero in terms of playing style. Jesus is pretty much a specialist and still regarded one of the greatest talents.
I could definitely see that Owen back at this current Madrid side, with Bale supporting.
Owen was the ultimate speed poacher with very intelligent movement and wasnt shit at link up play either. Post injury people forgot just how good he was. The current Liverpool would win the league comfortably with him in the side IMO. Kid could finish
I think Owen would tear up the league in this current era. His pace and ball control along with his finishing were a joy to watch.
Give a decent delivery man, he’d be getting on behind all this high line play that’s so popular in the modern game.
I wonder if the modern physio and recuperation techniques along with injury treatment would have kept him at his best for longer?
Give a decent delivery man, he’d be getting on behind all this high line play that’s so popular in the modern game.
I wonder if the modern physio and recuperation techniques along with injury treatment would have kept him at his best for longer?
At his prime, I’d say he could have any of those guys starting jobs.
1.73m
What has DembeWho? Done to be so highly regarded? 8 goals in all competitions for Dortmund, and doing nothing for Barcelona! He isn’t M’Bappe level, he isn’t even Martial or Rashford level!
Owen at that age is better than M’Bappe, although limited to the CF role. M’Bappe has more versatility in him: He Can plus anywhere on the attack line.
Was one of my fav Liverpool players back then - think i still have his replica jersey somewhere 
He was way better than Dembele currently is. Was literally Pool's main man at the age of 20.
Owen wasn't as talented as Mbappe, he had great speed and finishing (which Mbappe has as well, nevermind the rest of his overall game and vision). He'd be a second-tier star in the making if Mbappe is first-tier. Of course, with the English hype media in full force these days, he'd be the second coming of Pele for them and would probably cost a ton of money.
Okay, you're disqualified from being taken seriously when talking about Dembele until further notice.
He's just another Rashford who had a blistering start to his career but failed to deliver anything substantial.
My First White Text. Did I do it right?
My First White Text. Did I do it right?
I think sports science in that era is simply lacking for him.
Should he play in this era he should be comfortably at Aguero's level.
Should he play in this era he should be comfortably at Aguero's level.
Rashford's career is still too early dude. Have some patience? the lad is just 20 years old.
EDIT:
FFS. YOU GOT ME.
Mbappe level.
There are only very few teenagers in the past who had managed to break into the scene with the kind of impact he had.
He became shite after injuries and losing his pace.
There are only very few teenagers in the past who had managed to break into the scene with the kind of impact he had.
He became shite after injuries and losing his pace.
He was amazing. Would go for 250 million in this market. Mbappé level.
He'd be more expensive. English and rapid.
He had a punishingly long autumn and winter to his career that tends to unfairly detract from the killer he was in his spring and summer. He had eight years of being great for Liverpool and about six of being great for England, both shortened through injuries outside of his control but clips of him from any time between 1996 and 2004 show a truly great player; his pace, finishing and positional awareness were all top notch.
He was an exceptional player, but he would encounter the same problems that many forwards of his size and stature experience today, and which he experienced in his career to some extent. He can't play upfront on his own, or he is significantly less effective without a strike partner. He always liked playing with Heskey for England and Liverpool, despite the fact that Heskey was a mediocre player, because he would take the physical load off him, and enable Owen to concentrate on making runs and scoring goals.
Unfortunately, it's very tough to play 4-4-2 nowadays because the game has moved on tactically, and you just end up being outrun and outgunned in midfield. The only diminutive striker I can think of at the world's top clubs is Aguero. Messi could do it because he's a total genius, but he hasn't played there for some time. I can name numerous forwards who are tall, strong, and in many cases quick - Lewandowski, Cavani, Aubameyang, Suarez, Ronaldo, Morata, Costa, Lukaku, Kane etc. Even someone like Firmino, who you don't think of as being tall, is touching 6'.
Owen would have all of the same attributes today, and still be the brilliant player that he was, but he'd have to fit into the modern way of playing somehow. I couldn't see him being as valued or as effective. Ironically, he might do quite well at Liverpool, where they have a really fluid and mobile forward line. That would be his best chance.
The other thing is...how often do you see goals scored with through balls in the modern game? Teams get into shape and get behind the ball quickly and efficiently. Owen simply wouldn't be allowed to run behind the defence nowadays.
Unfortunately, it's very tough to play 4-4-2 nowadays because the game has moved on tactically, and you just end up being outrun and outgunned in midfield. The only diminutive striker I can think of at the world's top clubs is Aguero. Messi could do it because he's a total genius, but he hasn't played there for some time. I can name numerous forwards who are tall, strong, and in many cases quick - Lewandowski, Cavani, Aubameyang, Suarez, Ronaldo, Morata, Costa, Lukaku, Kane etc. Even someone like Firmino, who you don't think of as being tall, is touching 6'.
Owen would have all of the same attributes today, and still be the brilliant player that he was, but he'd have to fit into the modern way of playing somehow. I couldn't see him being as valued or as effective. Ironically, he might do quite well at Liverpool, where they have a really fluid and mobile forward line. That would be his best chance.
The other thing is...how often do you see goals scored with through balls in the modern game? Teams get into shape and get behind the ball quickly and efficiently. Owen simply wouldn't be allowed to run behind the defence nowadays.
He'd be perfect for a Guardiola side IMO. They get in behind out wide and cross in for a poacher and their forwards are always dropping off the defender's shoulders for short little runs into the box.
Yeah, he could do well, I agree. But they do already have Aguero, who is probably better. I'm sure some team could find a role for Owen, I just think it would be harder for him today, as he doesn't so readily fit into the template of the way most teams play.
I'd put him slightly above Mbappe level. He was one of the most lethal finishers i've seen, that combined with his pace. He was deadly.
This. Owen as a kid was an absolute assassin, he was terrifying to play against. Peak Owen today? I'd bite your hand off, he'd tear the PL to pieces.
Mbappe at least.
Feels like everyone in this thread is 20 years old.
No, Owen was nowhere near as good as Mbappe.
No, Owen was nowhere near as good as Mbappe.
He'd have been a beast the way we played against Burnley. I know Lukaku bullied them but Owen would've caused havoc imo
Owen was the best young player in the world when he was 17/18 - hard to compare with players nowadays but he would probably be right up there at the moment also - especially as there seems to be a general lack of quality strikers at the moment. He was absolutely scary at that time.
World Soccer predicted in 1999 that he would be the first £100m pound player
He was playing against a better quality of defender at the time too imo. His all round game was underrated as he constantly played on the last man. When he had all his injuries and had to alter his game he was surprisingly decent on the ball.
Why? The guy is the most overrated player since Pastore: 8 goals in all competitions for Dortmund and being Mediocre for Barcelona show that he is nothing special. Good player, but nowhere worth what Barcelona payed for him. Even Deschamps agree, he didn’t play more than 30 minutes at the WC.Okay, you're disqualified from being taken seriously when talking about Dembele until further notice.
People here admire him because they seem him as an outsider, and doesn’t follow him closely to know he is Januzaj level of inconsistency, and worst than Maetial level in mentality. If he were here, people will crucify him.
When we got Torres, and seeing him perform it reminded me a bit of how it used to be watching Owen play. Torres was a bit stronger, and Owen a bit faster, but their styles were quite similar. Fowler was a better finisher than them both though!
On the Football Ramble:
"You can be a bang average player being in a great team and win 10 titles just because you’ve got some great players playing beside you."
I think 10 titles is maybe pushing it, but it's a valid point. Winning titles is very different to being important contributors to winning titles. And this does not refer to dependable squad players who are vital to successful teams.
A bit off topic, but I thought it was worth posting.
"You can be a bang average player being in a great team and win 10 titles just because you’ve got some great players playing beside you."
I think 10 titles is maybe pushing it, but it's a valid point. Winning titles is very different to being important contributors to winning titles. And this does not refer to dependable squad players who are vital to successful teams.
A bit off topic, but I thought it was worth posting.
He won the Balon d’Or after he he was on the decline - that shows how good he was, noting that being at Madrid would have been a factor.
There are also a lot less talented strikers around in 2018 as to 1998. Everyone in the world would want him (and of course, they wouldn't know that he would fade due to injuries).
There are also a lot less talented strikers around in 2018 as to 1998. Everyone in the world would want him (and of course, they wouldn't know that he would fade due to injuries).
My first season of watching football was 1997/98, and Owen was one of the first players that caught my eye. Incredible amount of skill and end product for someone that age. He was obviously fantastic in the WC '98, wonder what could've been if England wasn't severely unlucky in that Argentina match (*well, they're probably still not going to beat all of the Netherlands, Brazil, and France en route to championship. God, the international scene was so stacked back then).
Michael Owen would be a £100M striker today even at age 18. He was phenomenal, at a young age.
Fantastic player, i'd take a young Owen above almost any striker in the world from then to now in a heartbeat for premier league football.
Terrifying for defenders until injury took his pace.
Terrifying for defenders until injury took his pace.
Erm. I wouldn't call 2001 Owen anywhere close to 'on the decline'. And he was still 3 years away from going to Madrid.
He was a tiny little kid (for all those who love to say "needs to bulk up") and he took the premiership by storm in an era when the game was a lot more physical. Not technically gifted enough to be half as effective once his injuries robbed him of his pace, but devastatingly effective when he was at his peak. He'd definitely be rated alongside the best young players in the world.
As he said himself, genetics meant that he got lots of injury. Could it have been better prevented with specialised training? It might well have.