Top 10 Values Michael Owen Brings To Manchester United

Rob Lee in The Guardian has this to say about the shock signing of Owen by Manchester United.

Michael Owen's arrival at Manchester United represents the latest act of "genius" on Sir Alex Ferguson's part. That is Rob Lee's view of the most unexpected transfer this summer and Owen's former England team-mate is far from alone in that view.

Lee, who has watched many of Owen's recent struggles in a Newcastle United shirt, is as well placed as anyone to assess a move which has astonished much of the football world. "It's a piece of genius management," he said. "Getting Michael for free on what I'm sure will essentially be a pay-as-you-play basis is very, very, good business. It's no gamble." Even so Manchester United fans are largely underwhelmed at the prospect of Owen replacing Cristiano Ronaldo. "Of course Michael can't do what Ronaldo does," Lee added. "Ronaldo is the best in the world and as close as anyone to being indispensable but in one-on-one situations, Michael is a better finisher. Sir Alex has lost the player who got the bulk of United's goals, many of them great goals, but he is replacing him with someone capable of scoring once every two games."

So Sir Alex Ferguson couldn't resist the 32-page dossier of Michael Owen and "fell" for the gloss and dross in it. Or was he just snapping up the one that got away? Whatever it is, Michael Owen brings with him a lot of footballing and leadership values and these are probably what Sir Alex appreciates.


Top 10 Values Michael Owen Brings to Manchester United.

1. Experience - A veteran campaigner who has done it and seen it all.
2. Goals - A certainty for 15 goals per season.
3. Talismanic - Ryan Giggs and Scholesy are past it. Owen is also a big game player.
4. Injury Prone - Fergie have missed having someone to blame for unexpected losses.
5. Mentor - Someone to nurture and improve the prodigious talents of Wellbeck and Macheda.
6. Impact from the bench - Without Tevez, the bench looks a bit thin. Owen improves it.
7. Free transfer - United's crippling debt makes this a shrewd investment.
8. Tactical Change - Fergie looks to a possible 4-3-1-2 formation with Berbatov in the hole.
9. Fox in the Box - The ideal replacement for Ruud Van Nistelrooy who is missed till today.
10. Desire - It's the World Cup year, need we say more?

As he has done throughout his career, Michael Owen has again set a new trend - one where all a footballer need to find a club is a glossed up player brochure. Beware EPL managers, Adebayor is terrorizing the transfer market with his version!