Finally somebody has asked the question

[Karabiner]

"What is Owen doing for us"?

Thank you Psycho for finally asking on the telly 

It's been something that I've been wondering about for a while....

[TightEnd]

Yes, as I say on the thread I have just posted...it looks like Rooney behind Crouch to me, they linked up well

[Rooky9]

Owen had a poor game but was on at least a par with 8 other players...

For whatever reason he has not linked up well with Crouch (wrong service, match sharpeness blah blah) I'm sure he'll thrive if dropped and coming on to an open game with 30 mins to play.

Do not forget. Class is permanent, form is not - If England do want to win the world cup they will need a firing Owen. A 'firing' Crouch will not be enough.

[The Baron]

Owen was awful. To be fair only 2 or 3 of them actually had a good game. Lampard was having a shocker too.

With the others though you can at least tell they are fit. Owen is playing in another timezone.

Crouch - 6 in 9 for England, what more can he do?

Crouchaldinho and Rooney for me. I'm gutted to say that as a fit Owen would be much better.

[Graham C]

Owen hasn't played great but he is still a great player.  I just don't think Crouch is the man to be in partnership with him.

[Rooky9]

And Crouch and Rooney haven't played together - this is the World Cup and not the time for experimenting, that should have been done in those sham games over the last season...

Dare I suggest Owen and Rooney together! I think Crouch is more than capable of doing a 'job'. But he is not going to win the thing, like the other two can.

[ifm]

Tactics sucked here IMO
He (swedish chap) feels the need for change and brings Owen off, FFS YOU MUPPET, HE'S THE BEST STRIKER IN ENGLAND!!!!
Let's leave Crouch on, he must convert one eventually, afterall he's had a gazillion touches because we've been pumping the ball at him all day, law of averages says he gets lucky.
Ok nice one, hang on we need to make room for a right winger, lets take off the left winger cuz all he's done all day is embarrass their right back, took the piss actually, mullered him as it happens, made him look like a total moron, we can do without him because we still have the high ball into the box for the tall chap.
OOoooOOOO look an inspired decision to leave the tall useless chap on because he eventually had a touch right, i'm a hero, next game lets do exactly the same.

[RFC]

FFS Owen made that advert for Asda to go with the world cup ....

What more do you want from him ??  top goalscorer   

ungratefulls   

[The Baron]

Crouch 6/9 for his country.

Owen - crap at present.

Simple really.

[Scottish Dave]

i thought owen was shocking today, how many chances did he miss, along with Lampard.

Best player on the park IMO was Terry

[thetank]

Terry was somehing else.

4 of him on the park, a shed load of penalty practise and you might take the cup without having to score a goal.

[Nem]

IMO, Terry was MOM

[Rooky9]

Crouch 6/9 for his country.

Owen - crap at present.

Simple really.

I take offence by that statistice... At least 4 of those goals are against teams tha he should have had 6!

I don't have time to search for Owens record but It is a hell of a lot more impressive than Crouch's (which is different for the ratio)

Owen created the chance for clear lampard (in a game of 4 or 5 clear chances a good return), and pulled into channels well. The headed chance he had was poor, and the rebounded shot off keeper came to him too qucik I don't think he could have done anything - the important point is that not even Rooney can offers us the positional sense of a striker like Owen.

IFM - good post.

Both the Cole's, Terry and Lennon can take positives from the games.

[Rod Paradise]

We won't talk about whether Crouch should have had his goal disallowed & a red card.... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJrHkMc5_J8&search=crouch

Gerrard yet again showed his uncanny ability to pull a fantastic goal out when needed. Wish he was Scots

[marcro]

At this point in time players have to be selected on current form and Owen does not justify a starting place.  Also, the combination of Beckham, Gerrard and Lampard (individually each are great players) does not work.  It is time to pick the best "tream" and not the best players which imo means dropping Lampard.