When Michael Owen joined Manchester United, I set down some rules on what ’success’ at Manchester United for Owen would be. This includes scoring at least 20 goals, and any goals scored by Owen against a team that, at the moment of the game, is at the bottom three of the EPL table, would not count.
Yes, I am being very unfair. But, could you blame this fan considering Owen’s history? Jules argued, “If that’s how it is, any goals scored by Owen against a team that is at the top three, should count as two.” I shouted that argument down right quick, saying it’s not a true reflection of what Owen can do.
Then the bastard proceeds to save Man Utd’s sorry defending arse against Man City.
This wasn’t just a derby. This is a team that looks like it has joined the ranks of Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea. With the oil money pouring in, they could waste no time in getting the talent they need to campaign for a successful EPL 09/10 season. Sir Gaffer didn’t believe Tevez was worth the money asked, so he moved right next door. United fans have always favoured Tevez, but opening his mouth against Sir Gaffer after the transfer did not help matters. Did he deserve to get booed every time he touched the ball? Perhaps, but the magnitude of his little vendetta against United quite possibly could not match that of another new City signing, Adebayor, who, last weekend, ran down the sidelines to celebrate his City goal in front of the fans of his previous team, Arsenal. He subsequently delivered a boot to Robin Van Persie’s face, and gets himself banned for a month.
Which makes Tevez’s bad foul in this game look like almost nothing. Having said that, I’m sorry it has come to this between Tevez and United. There was absolutely no animosity when Peter Schmeichel moved to City during his second spell in the Premier League. To this day fans still regard him fondly, and Schmeichel will always be my number one hero between the goalposts, and my number one Manchester United hero of all time.
Back to Owen, who, in his second (or third?) starting game as a substitute, apparently is trying so very hard to derail on my hilariously awesome idea of ’success’. The fact that he subbed Berbatov, whom I am still going to be abusing for a long time to come, did not help matters. Subbing a player I dislike for a player I dislike and have no faith in? Capital, Sir Gaffer. I spent the last five minutes of the game screaming myself hoarse. And when Owen scored the goal in extra time to save United, OH MY GOD.
United still need some serious fixing to the back four. Foster’s mistake that led to City’s equalizer was such a howler. And Bellamy’s goal that made it 3-3 in the 89th minute, that was a horrible mistake by the likes and experience of Rio Ferdinand, arguably England’s finest defender.
That is probably what United need to focus on, regardless of Owen’s heartstopping heroics against our backyard rivals.