Black and White

Michael Owen is now a Magpie.

(No, he hasn't joined Collingwood.)

I have my doubts about the success of this move.

Shearer will have to drop back a bit from his current role as he can hold and shield the ball. Owen can't do this to save his life. How well Shearer takes to this is anyone's guess. And there's also Luque to consider - what's his role with Owen around?

4-3-3? Souness doesn't have the personal wherewithal to pull that off. Not to mention that he doesn't have the personnel either. You see, besides not scoring, the Geordies have a knack for conceding goals too.

Owen needs Newcastle more than Newcastle needs Owen. Newcastle needs a solid backline. Hell, they just need to play as a team - somewhat like what they did against United for a short while during the game. Unfortunately, Owen doesn't solve these problems.

Which brings me to this. Why didn't Owen return to Liverpool?

My hunch is that Benitez really isn't keen on having him. Plain and simple. Yes, Owen is a Red, through and through. Yes, the fans would love him back. Yes, Gerrard would want his old mate around. But Benitez is the key. He is plain not interested in what Owen can offer.

Okay, what Owen can offer is another issue entirely. I've always held that he does nothing more than run fast (though that's diminishing with age) in a straight line. Perhaps, Benitez shares that view, and would rather spend his Champions League windfall on more versatile talent.