The Red Report 4: Big Ed, Owen, transfers and an Italian

Next we looked at the case of Michael Owen, a top striker in his day, when he was signed by Sir Alex last summer eyebrows were raised whilst some felt it could be a master stroke:

TG | ManUtd24: He’s going unfortunately, but he’s been very important to the club . If fit he’s dangerous, but I guess that’s the problem, he hardly is. I’d personally be pretty happy if he stays put, and I don’t think he minds being a fringe player in the team. That’s if his fitness improves, though, and I just don’t seer it happening.

Alan | RedForceRising: He simply doesn’t have one. His signing actually did signal a lack of ambition for me. I will always appreciate him for THAT goal against City and the goal in the Carling Cup final, but he’s always injured when he’s needed most and needs to make space for some else more deserving.

Doron | Stretford-End: For me, Owen’s a gonner. I’ve really enjoyed having him at the club. Watching him can be a joy, his movement is outstanding and he’s much cleverer than I ever thought. However I don’t believe that he can add anything more than experience any more. If he was happy to be a 4th or 5th choice striker on a pay-as-you-play contract then fine I don’t mind if he stays as he can pass on some great advice to our talented young strikers but I think Owen believes he can still be first choice at a PL club.

Villa to come calling…

Chudi | The Busby Way: You can’t be angry with a player like Owen, he has scored goals and although he hasn’t turned out to be the coup Sir Alex had hoped, he has been good enough for me. The winner against City and the equaliser against Villa in the Carling Cup final will definitely be high moments but I think his time here is done. It is unlikely that his contract will be extended and whilst we lose an experienced squad member you can’t help but think it is for the best. Injury hasn’t helped his cause but I’m pretty sure his presence at the club has been useful to some of the younger strikers who can learn a thing or two from him.

Siddarth | Bangalore to Old Trafford: I think Owen’s time at the club is running out, with injuries hampering him continually, and Hernandez grabbing the chance he got with both hands, he clearly the no. 4 striker in the team now. And if Macheda also starts to show his true talent, he will easily drop further down.

With the likes of Diouf, Welbeck and King also out on loan, his time at United is nearing an end, I think it’s very unlikely that we’ll extend his contract, and I can see him leaving as early as January.

Well it’s pretty clear how the team feel about Owen, as it has been said, we will forever be grateful for the goal against City (one of my fondest United moments of recent memory!)

Finally we looked at the legend that is Pipo Inzaghi a man who at 37 is still getting goals by hook or by crook!

Doron | Stretford-End: I chuckle when I think of Pippo. The guy just makes me laugh. He has had the most amazing career defying the rules of our game!   Beyond the fact he’s always offside, he’s a brilliant finisher and to still be doing it today is impressive. I remember in the treble year he was one of the most feared goalscorers in Europe, if it wasn’t for an offside (of course) he’d have had a hat trick in Turin in the second leg of that semi final. In truth, a fine player.

Siddarth | Bangalore to Old Trafford: Inzaghi has to be the luckiest striker around for me, but also he’s a great finisher and even at the age of 37, he’s still vital to Milan and is still scoring.  A very underrated player, he’s become what Ole was for us, a super sub, scoring vital goals coming off the bench!

Chudi | The Busby Way: Pipo Inzaghi, a player my brother wholeheartedly believes is one of the best strikers ever! Whilst I don’t hold him in such high regard you have to respect how good he actually is. He isn’t a player that was blessed with blistering pace or any of those attributes but what he can do is finish, put him in front of the goal and he will likely score. Always ready to take any chance that presented itself, he was often found offside but people forget that he is also capable of this:

Alan | RedForceRising: Scored both goals against Liverpool in the 2007 Champions League final to break Scouse hearts and you gotta love him for that. He’s slow and he was born offside, but he sure can bang em in, so I congratulate him on reaching parity with Raul for goals scored in European competition.

Pipo has also dated some incredibly hot women who should be way out of his league – proof of being a quality marksman both on and off the pitch!

TG | ManUtd24: Sir Alex Ferguson once had a pop at Pippo, famously saying the striker “was born in an offside position.” Inzaghi is still going, bless the guy, and must go down as one of the best in Milan’s history. He was an absolute joy to watch; a typical ‘striker’ that had defences quivering in their boots. A legend in his own right.

Well that concludes another week of the Red Report, we hope we have entertained you this week and be sure to check in next week in what will be a big week with the derby on Wednesday and Villa on Saturday!

Blogs of the week:

Stretford-End: http://www.stretford-end.com/blog/2010/11/stretty-rant-vodcast-episode-1-wolves-city-the-unlikely-lads/

The Busby Way: https://thebusbyway.com/2010/11/05/wag-gallery-diana-cornejo-has-her-eyes-on-chicharito/

Bangalore to Old Trafford: http://bangaloretooldtrafford.blogspot.com/2010/11/man-we-needed-back.html

ManUtd 24: http://manutd24.wordpress.com/2010/11/02/sir-alex-is-right-to-shut-the-window-on-any-new-signings/

Were always open to hear from you so you can catch us on Twitter:

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But don’t forget to check out our individual sites if you think we have missed something, as it is likely at least one of us will have covered it there:

The Busby Way

Stretford-End

Bangalore To Old Trafford

ManUtd24

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One response to “The Red Report 4: Big Ed, Owen, transfers and an Italian”

  1. ManUnited87 says:

    For United, the transfer window represents a bitter sweet time. Players are over valued when we come knocking, but we have a good scouting network that finds us gems where no one is looking. The current crop of players have what it takes to go far for the next 4 years. There are only two problem areas that have been plaguinug is for a while now, particularly when one considers how the modern game is evolving. We require a Goal keeper purely because Edwin is on in years. Whoever takes up the post should be good for the next 10 years. Given our young defence Id go for a 27 year old. My real area of concern is midfield. Carrick is a talented player but he falls short of what we need to beat sides coached by Guardiola, Mourinho and Wenger et al. Anderson has a lot of promise but we need a general in the middle of the park, someone who can didctate the pace of the game and allow the talented wingers we have the confidence to surge forward. That said such a player is very very hard to find. It will have to be a marquee signing, not only for the quality but to flex our muscle as the biggest club in the world. We have that in Hargreaves but injury has hampered our plans.I would say de rossi but the language barrier could pose a problem. I still think we could do a stellar job with Scott parker and have him playing for at least 5 more years. but I ttrust our scouts and I trust our manager. He’ll find the missing link which he knows more than all of us, is indeed missing