The old Man Utd Thread

[DC Lemon]

It still doesn't look right.

This is a wierd day.

OK, we've got the photo to end all photos, now let's sell him to Hull.

In all seriousness, it kinda does look right, considering how awful that new kit has looked in all the promo shots. It suits him better than Rooney. Now let's pay Fowler to do the same.

[Smoothy]

He looks like a fan whose just bought the new kit, not a Man U player.

[Majora]

The medicals must surely count for bugger all these days if Saha, Hargreaves and Owen can all pass them.

[Gringo]

Seriously, did this happen?

[barkbat]

I think this will be a disaster. I can't see how he compliments anyone. He's like all the worst parts of Paul Scholes with the toughness of Saha. Maybe he'll get a few cheeky goals in a few low pressure games against weaker opposition, but why not speed up the evolution of the younger strikers by giving them the caps?

I think this is just a vanity thing for Ferguson - getting the one that got away, pissing off liverpool, and at a cost too low for the money men to block it. This would have been great four years ago. But then, as Ronaldo has shown, four years is a lifetime in football.

[Dandy_Sephy]

Hmmm, this puts me in a quandry. Risk being called a troll in order to respond to someone taking the piss..

Have to laugh at Ian Rush....

"Personally, I'd like to have seen him at Liverpool but they haven't lost their best strikers. Rafael Benitez will be happy with what he's got".......

I think what he meant to say was 'striker'.

Oh sorry, didn't you just lose your best 'striker'? We've still got our ours. And Torres too

Frankly I think this signing serves no purpose. Now I've got nothing against Owen for signing for United, he left Liverpool aaagggeessss ago. But why sign the most unreliable player in the league, even as a low risk squad player? He's been rubbish for years when he could get in the team, he's not likely to see much play in a squad of your depth. Surely bringing up more youngsters for the same price will benefit more? Thats certainly what I would have preferred if he signed for us again

[barkbat]

Ferguson must beleive that Owen's poor form has been down to injury and poor service from Newcastle's haphazard mid-field.

I think he just likes him because he wants to bum him and they have a shared interest in horses. It's fletcher all over again.

[Dandy_Sephy]

Ferguson must beleive that Owen's poor form has been down to injury and poor service from Newcastle's haphazard mid-field.

It probably is, but it's a lot of injurys. I just don't see how he can play at a United "pace". I don't see how he can play at a top 6 pace tbh

but hey, I'm just glad he didn't come back to us

[Reynard]

Have to laugh at Ian Rush....

"Personally, I'd like to have seen him at Liverpool but they haven't lost their best strikers. Rafael Benitez will be happy with what he's got".......

I think what he meant to say was 'striker'.

The joke's on you - we have Voronin coming back!

[Ryan]

Just need to sign Kieron Dyer and you'll have the best team of sicknotes in the league.

[Reynard]

I think Owen will do alright for you myself.

If the ball drops to him in the box (which it will more frequently than it did with Newcastle) it's more than likely going in the back of the net.

This move may just give him a boost as well and spur him on in the run-up to the World Cup.

[Gringo]

The joke's on you - we have Voronin coming back!

I stand corrected

[Dandy_Sephy]

If the ball drops to him in the box (which it will more frequently than it did with Newcastle) it's more than likely going in the back of the net.

That or fall over

[bradigor]

That or fall over

and fuck his knee.

[Gabzy]

and fuck his knee.

Now that would be an achievement.

[Dandy_Sephy]

and fuck his knee.

[Boobni82]

This is one of the biggest 'fuck me didn't see that coming' moments I've had since i've started following utd. Completely out of left field.

Reckon he should do ok though. Anyone willing to write off a 29 year old regardless of injurys suffered in the past might be too quick to do so. If you look at any newcaslte player of the last 5 or 6 years there are very few that have not suffered from niggling injurys that Owen has had and kept him out for longish period. He really hasnt had a run in a good newcastle team. Anytime he has come back they have been a team lacking imagination an form.

From the sounds of things he has signed a pretty basic contract so he aint gonna cost us much as standard. He's only gonna cost us real money if him an the team do well and if him and the team do well as a result if it will be worth it.

Cos of the Ronaldo deal any contracted player is gonna cost us real cash cos they know we got money sitting there waiting to be spunked. With any luck this will allow us to be able to spend the money its gonna cost us now to sign one of the untested players such as Costa we've been looking at.

[fatbob]

One positive of this is that Michael Owen on a free can only be a nice surprise if he works out well. Signing someone like Benzema or Aguero are just asking to be £35million anti-climaxes...

Thats what i'm telling myself anyway...

[Ran]

Aye, it was on a free and his scoring record at Newcastle was a lot better than I thought (30 goals in 79 appearances according to the beeb). If they can avoid him becoming the new Saha then he could be a very good acquisition.

[Trigg]

After spending the whole day in Blackpool yesterday and not reading any news I get home last night and found we've signed Michael Owen. Amazing scenes indeed.

This could be a master stroke, if he can get his attitude right which is one the reasons I think he did so badly at Newcastle (and one of the reason I didn't want him originally) he might prove to be a very good deal. If he's on the treatment table for two years then it won't matter a great deal as we haven't payed a fee and according to all reports his wages are on based on his performances/goals.

I'll be honest, he wasn't my first choice - in fact he wasn't probably in my top 5 but if Sir Alex is confident in him then I'll be behind 100 percent. The one thing he can do, given a chance is put the ball in the back of the net. So hopefully, he can do at least that.

Its going to be so weird seeing him in a Utd shirt.

[Guest]

Didn't I read somewhere that last season he made less appearances and scored more goals than Tevez, or was I imagining that?

[Poppalarge]

Apparently Owen had the best chances to goals conversion rate last season, something like 50%

Rooney's was 11%

[Dandy_Sephy]

Apparently Owen had the best chances to goals conversion rate last season, something like 50%

Rooney's was 11%

Of course, this is meaningless when rooney probably had 50x the attempts. I know towards the end of the season Owen only managed to get in the box 4 times in one whole game. And he never had a shot from them.

[fatbob]

Aye, it was on a free and his scoring record at Newcastle was a lot better than I thought (30 goals in 79 appearances according to the beeb). If they can avoid him becoming the new Saha then he could be a very good acquisition.

Yeah, even though hes been patchy since he went to Newcastle, his overall career goals for club and country is still about one goal in two matches on average.

The key here is if he stays fit. As if he does theres the potential for goals. I still think someone like Huntelaar is a better long term prospect if you wanted a goal poacher, and hes bound to be going cheapish now, but you can't argue with free.

I saw Teddy Sheringham on some poker thing late last night and it reminded me of his circumstances when Fergie brought him here. Veteran striker who didn't play every game but could put them away from the bench. Same with Larsson to a lesser extent.

[ckny]

Seriously, am I the only one who knew we´d sign Owen? I called it at least six months ago, Fergie´s always liked him. He´ll do well for us.

[fatbob]

On 365's paper round show yesterday there was one of their pundits on talking about it (can't remeber who - middle aged ex-Chelsea player I think). Anyway, he was saying that he was doing a a promotional thing out in Barbados 5 or 6 years ago, a couple of weeks after we signed Rooney. Rooney was out there and he told this guy that we were going to sign Owen that week, he even phoned all his mates back home and told them to have a flutter on it. Obviously he ended up going to Newcastle for whatever reason and the rest is history.

Its no secret Fergie has been a fan of his for a long time, and they do have a lot in common (Horses and shit yeah).

So yeah, I guess if you look at it that way it wasn't a big surprise. Its just the fact that he was a Liverpool player and seems to be completely the opposite of what everyone thought/hoped we were after signing.

[fatbob]

Do you think thats it now for the summer?

We've effectively seen Ronaldo and Tevez's position's filled if not the players themselves.

I'd like to see some more players come in, but I can't help thinking they won't. I still think we want another quality winger, a holding mid-fielder and possibly a full back.

[FATEone]

I'm amazed we're going with Owen, considering they announced the policy of only buying young players earlier this year.

However, Owen can still score goals and he'll get chances laid on a platter before him at United.

Hmm quite a U-Turn from saying how shit he was the other day.

[Poppalarge]

Hmm quite a U-Turn from saying how shit he was the other day.

I said he was slow. He is.

[FATEone]

I said he was slow. He is.

CKNY is the only one that is talking any sense in here. Owen has been linked with Utd for the last 5 or so years.

To all of you who think he's shit and passed it, go and look at his stats. He was Newcastle's top scorer with Martins last year with 10 goals. If he can score 10 in another season where he was initially rushed back from injury again, and in a team that got relegated, don't you think he could get that and more for you. He's now the best finisher you have at your disposal, and still has that burst of acceleration to get him the yard he needs. Him and Rooney have always linked up so well, and to have someone like him for Wellbeck and Macheda to learn from and study is priceless. You'll all be stealing songs from other teams and sticking his name in there very soon I expect.