Merson says Steve McClaren should rest Michael Owen - and bring back Frank Lampard - for the Euro 2008 qualifier in Russia. 'Drop Owen' Says The Pepsi King!
Merson says Steve McClaren should rest Michael Owen - and bring back Frank Lampard - for the Euro 2008 qualifier in Russia. The former England and Arsenal midfielder wants to see Wayne Rooney playing the lone role up front and the under-fire Lampard slotting into a five-man midfield alongside Steven Gerrard and Gareth Barry.
Saturday's win over Estonia was Owen's first outing since his well-publicised hernia operation and it is concerns over his fitness, as well the task in hand, that are behind the Magic Man's controversial call.
Merson: "I'd have left Michael Owen out personally. I'm a big fan and he's a top-drawer player, but he just didn't look right the other day against Estonia. I didn't think he was as sharp as he'd looked.
"To have come back off the sort of injury Michael has and to play two games in five days is going to be very difficult.
"I'd put him on the bench. We don't have to win the game - 0-0 will be good enough, I believe - but if we do go 1-0 down then you've got Michael Owen to come on.
"If we go behind and he's already playing, we don't have a recognised international goalscorer on the bench and that worries me. I'd have Wayne Rooney up front and go with 4-5-1. We need someone to hold the ball up and Wayne's a big, strong lad."