Has Shearer 'The Bottle' To Drop Owen?

Last updated : 23 April 2009 By Footy Mad - Editor

Lee Ryder: "So hold on a minute, Michael Owen goes on a barren run, loses his England place and then has a bad game in London and suddenly he should be dropped for Newcastle United's game against Pompey.

"Make no bones about it, Owen is suffering at the moment and is playing way below the level we all know that is locked away inside him.

"But then again, name one Newcastle player who is pulling up trees at the moment?

"The answer is nobody because the team has been drained of confidence and belief.

"When you look at Obafemi Martins, a crowd favourite all the same, he is by far the poorest of Newcastle's number 9s during the Premier League years.

I don't think there is anybody who could say he's better than Alan Shearer, Andy Cole or Les Ferdinand.

"But getting back to Owen, suggestions that Shearer does not have the bottle to drop his old pal are a nonsense.

"Yeah, it would make a sensational story but Shearer understands better than anybody that if his best goalscorer isn't getting the service, then how the heck is he meant to score?

"Owen has 10 goals this season for Newcastle and to be fair his face has been tripping him.

"Do you blame him? Has your face not been tripping you as well after this farce?

"For what it's worth, Shearer would be wrong to drop Owen and certainly wrong to do it for the Cockneys."