Terry Venables believes Steven
Gerrard's hopes of Liverpool signing Michael Owen will be dashed
because he can't see Newcastle United chairman Freddy Shepherd
allowing the player to leave in the summer.
Instead of Owen, the former England boss believes Jermaine Defoe is
the player that Rafael Benitez should be making attempts to
sign.
Venables said: "Michael Owen will not leave Newcastle this summer
so Rafa Benitez should make it a priority to get the next best
thing - Jermain Defoe.
"Liverpool must sign a goal-scorer if they are to challenge
Chelsea. If they do not, there is a very real danger the club will
stand still and, in football, that means you go backwards as rivals
improve.
"Who knows what will happen at Manchester United in the summer? A
young Arsenal team will surely benefit from this season's
experiences and get better results in the league next time, while
Tottenham will continue to progress under Martin Jol.
"But if Benitez does not address the problem with his strikers,
Liverpool - far from catching Chelsea - could struggle to hold on
to what they have now.
"Steven Gerrard's comments about wishing Owen would re-join are
interesting.
"I am sure a number of people at the club are regretting not making
a move for him last summer. I think the directors were more willing
to sign him than the coach. Maybe Benitez thought he was
injury-prone.
"Unfortunately, Liverpool missed the boat. Owen would definitely
have returned to Anfield instead of signing for Newcastle but now
that he has arrived on Tyneside, I can't see any way their chairman
Freddy Shepherd would let him go.
"Having spent much of the season injured, I would hope Owen feels
he owes his new employers something, too.
"Certainly, the next manager of Newcastle will want assurancies
that Owen is a part of the future at the club.
"I cannot see Shepherd getting the best man for the job if he
starts by revealing Owen will be off at the end of the
season.
"Defoe is exactly what Liverpool lack: a striker who gets one
chance and buries it.
"Too many of Liverpool's strikers are nearly men - Peter Crouch,
Fernando Morientes and Djibril Cisse.
"I was surprised Robbie Fowler was kept out of the Benfica game
until late because, even at this stage in his career, I would fancy
him to score if the ball breaks in the box. He might not out-run
defenders but his nose for goal will not, have changed.
"Crouch is a very good player but he is not top-drawer. At the
highest level, he is a sub at best.
"It is said Crouch's height unsettles foreign defenders and I
agree. But when they play against him from the start, they soon
realise he is not at the highest level and grow comfortable, while
Crouch loses his impact.
"Like many of Liverpool's strikers, Crouch does not exude the vibe
that says he thinks he is going to score. Yet Defoe has that touch
of arrogance, even when he's down in the dumps - as he must be
right now."
Hmm .... Venables does has his point here
.
Hands up for Defoe , anyone ?
