Man United's M.O.

M.O. = Michael Owen: Whether he’ll have an impact in the ‘11-‘12 season.

Manchester United are currently undergoing a transitional phase in their plot to recreate history. With Paul Scholes, Edwin Van der Sar and Gary Neville all calling it time on their careers, there are still a few performers of similar calibre left at United who can guide the younger stars of today and tomorrow. As Sir Alex Ferguson reiterates, his senior players play a pivotal role in the dressing room just as much as they do on the pitch.

With this summer’s additions in David De Gea, Ashley Young and Phil Jones, it’s a team with a blend of youth and experience. Ryan Giggs stays for another year while Patrice Evra, Michael Carrick, Nemanja Vidic, Wayne Rooney and Michael Owen signed on as well..

From the aforementioned, many people would be of divided opinion when United granted a particular Michael Owen a one-year extension this June. But, this also presents us with the opportunity to see what the number 7 can still offer last season’s Premier League Champions in the forthcoming season as he turns 32 in December.

Having won many accolades at Liverpool as a youth, a brief stint at Real Madrid and tasting the bitterness that is relegation with Newcastle United in his twenties, Michael Owen has had significant impact on games when he’s been called upon since his arrival two seasons ago.

He scored 14 goals in two seasons with five of them coming in his second term. In his first season, he bagged a hat trick at Wolfsburg in the Champions League, scored in the Carling Cup final against Aston Villa that saw United eventually win the trophy, and who can forget that all-important sixth minute stoppage time winner against Manchester City?

4-3!!!!!!!!! ;)

His experience at both ends of the spectrum with illustrious clubs in and of the past will have a significant place not only on the pitch, but also in the dressing room. He may have lost a yard or two with his injuries, but he still retains a keen eye for goal and the knack for beating the offside trap with meticulous timing.

Another important attribute he possesses is patience. In a United team that play primarily with one striker up front and Rooney in-behind, as that lone striker, knowing that you’ll get the ball less than often, patience is truly a virtue.

He’s that kind of figure who knows he wont be playing week in and week out as much as he’d like to, but that is precisely the kind of character that Ferguson will be banking on when other players who don’t make the cut for a match day, will have the number seven to look up to.

While it looks certain that Owen won’t be starting many of United’s games again this season given the emergence of Chicharito and loan returnees Danny Welbeck and Kiko Macheda, his character, experience and reading of the game in the final third will influence all the younger strikers around him.

Ferguson has always praised Van Der Sar’s presence in the dressing room before games. He was a tower of calmness and composure even if things weren’t going well at half time. Neville and Giggs chipped in too and that’s why Ferguson sees Michael Owen as playing a very important role in the dressing room as United look to move on from Fergie’s very own fledgling-era.

On a parting note, here’s some foot for thought – Manchester United have never lost when Michael Owen has netted for the Red Devils… Long may it continue? Well at least for another year.

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