Liverpool_s fast-maturing striker could make the difference in the FA Cup final
Neal Collins
The good news for Liverpool fans going into Saturday_s fascinating FA Cup final
against Arsenal at the Millennium stadium in Cardiff is this: Michael Owen looks
unstoppable.
The bad news? That rugged Red rearguard of Sammi Hyypia and Stephane Henchoz
allowed Chelsea_s Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink to look equally unstoppable in the 2-2
draw at Anfield on Tuesday night.
Mind you, they_re not the first. Hasselbaink (22 premiership goals) is heading
for the Premiership_s Golden Boot and the Dutchman has few equals when it comes
to muscle and sheer finishing power.
Arsenal don_t have a problem dealing with muscle or power. They have plenty of
beef to counter that kind of threat in Tony Adams and Martin Keown. But both
these thirtysomethings are vulnerable to the guile, finesse and, most important
of all, the pace of Owen.
He_s no longer a teenager, he_s no longer a child prodigy. The Owen we have seen
in recent weeks, scorer of three against Newcastle on Saturday and two against
Chelsea on Tuesday, is what scouts in the game describe as _the business_.
He has it all. From the hunger and desire of a young wannabe to the composed
post-match demeanour of a hoary old veteran. One minute he_s presenting coaching
programmes and guiding kids through intricate routines, the next he_s talking to Alan Hansen about the trials of being a modern professional.
There is a road near Liverpool which belongs entirely to Owen_s family. His brother, mother, sister and uncle can all thank the youngster of the Owen clan
for their habitat. He doesn_t flaunt his millions, he simply goes out and buys
swathes of housing for his nearest and dearest. Yes, barring dodgy hamstrings,
he has the lot.
And I suspect by Saturday night he_ll have an FA Cup winner_s medal as well.
Arsenal have never been comfortable against Liverpool. All the French flair of
Thierry Henry (17 premiership goals) and Sylvain Wiltord (eight), Robert Pires
and Patrick Vieira tends to dry up on the road.
Generally on their travels this season Arsenal have struggled. Why should Cardiff be any different? It may be a neutral venue but it appears that a bus
trip down the road is too much for the highly paid Gunners of the modern era.
Adams and Keown are no longer young. Faced with the triple-pronged assault of
Owen (15 premiership goals) and Emile Heskey (14), with Robbie Fowler in reserve, can they really be expected to withstand 90 minutes against a side who
have qualified for a record three cup finals in one season?
Adams and Keown may recall 1993 when they struggled through two competitions to
beat Sheffield Wednesday in both the FA and League cups. But they hardly glittered in the league.
This season Liverpool have won the League Cup, the FA Cup is next, followed by
the Uefa Cup final against Alaves. And they_re third in the premiership.
This is no ordinary Liverpool side, this is a team rebuilding towards the heights reached by Bill Shankly, Bob Paisley, Joe Fagan and Kenny Dalglish when
the whole of Europe trembled before Ian Rush and Co through the late Seventies
and early Eighties.
Henchoz and Hyypia are generally magnifi-cent at the back, Steven Gerrard is the
best English-qualified midfielder in the country and Gary McAllister is enjoying
a golden season despite the onset of middle age.
Next season will belong to Liverpool, though Leeds _ well-beaten at Valencia in
the Champions League semifinal on Tuesday night _ may argue with them over who
usurps Manchester United as Sir Alex Ferguson prepares for his pipe and slippers.
Arsenal on the other hand are a side still in need of a new, fresh-faced defence, a midfielder to battle alongside Vieira (how they miss Emmanuel Petit)
and a young goalkeeper with a male hairdo.
As an Arsenal fan I sincerely hope the Old Guard can hang in there for one more
medal. But as a realist, I suspect Gerard Houllier, the Frenchman who, as a local schoolteacher, worshipped all things Red on the The Kop as a young ex-pro,
will have the edge over his sophisticated compatriot Arsene Wenger in Cardiff on Saturday.
And somehow you suspect the FA Cup final won_t mean as much to Wenger_s inconsistent foreign legion.
Worryingly, Sky_s FA Cup coverage starts at 8am with a celebrity chef breakfast.
And we will have to sit through another five hours of preview material before
kick-off. I can hardly wait. Hopefully South Africans will not be offered this
extensive coverage.
Let_s just hope both Owen and Henry prove unstoppable. With the premiership all
decided bar a few minor European placings, we desperately need a great FA Cup
final to end England_s wettest winter on record. No jammed roof, no traffic jams
and train hold-ups, no problems with the pitch.
Just a damn good clash of two very talented football teams.
My verdict: Arsenal 0, Liverpool 1 (Owen in extra time). Let_s get ready to grumble.