Now that the wounds have more or less healed......

Yes. Robbie has not really done the business for Leeds or City and he was not going to get off the bench for Liverpool.

 

Yes, as 'bird said, the proof is in the performances, or in some cases, the lack thereof. Look at it this way- Does anyone think he would make a good transfer target for Liverpool now?

 

One of Robbie's problems at Liverpool under GH was there was no decent wingers. If you look back, he was scoring bags of goals off of crosses from Collymore and passes from McManaman. He wouldn't fit in with the current Liverpool system, unfortunately. Now, whether that says more about LFC than him, I don't know.

 

If you say so. I don't think he requires this type of service to score goals, though. It's not like he is a target forward (as Shearer can be) or even a renowned goal-scorer with his head (as Van Nistelrooy can be). He isn't bad in that department, but I always thought he scored most of his goals off of through balls, rebounds and by "disappearing" and working his way into clear positions.

One thing is for sure, he definitely wouldn't be worth £11million today if he only had one year left on his contract.

I think GH pulled the plug at the right time. Baros is a great option at striker. Jari would have been a great option if GH had not released him. And Fowler never would have been happy playing in a bench role.

 

Robbie's problem under GH was that he sulked after he ran his best friend out of town, then couldn't understand why GH would bench him for somebody who worked hard.

 

I wouldn't call him a poacher, though. I've got some mpegs of Fowler goals that I downloaded from the old Timbo's site. There was remarkable inventiveness, skill and cheek in his game - backheels, half-volleys. That goal he scored in the UEFA Cup Final? Wouldn't even make the Top 10. This is why he was so great in the Worthington Cup matches, because he was given so much freedom to roam against lower division teams. Robbie needs an environment where he can be happy enough to try that style of play again. Certainly going to Leeds just as they started their decline wasn't a good move.

 

I don't think the winger situation was the only problem as I pointed out, but go back and watch the first 100 Goals video (Fowler's Hot 100) and see how many times he scores off of being in the center when someone is hauling down the wings on a breakaway.

 

There were definitely plenty of those, and Macca was certainly responsible for his share. But there was much more to his game than that in the pre-Owen days.

When Robbie went to Leeds I thought it would be good for him because Kewell reminds me a lot of Macca - can play on the left or in a free role, great skill and creativity, speed. But Fowler just stood around and missed sitters. Unless they were playing Leicester.

 

I don't think Fowler moves as much as he used to. Good point by Lanky134 - it seemed like on Leeds, he just stood around and tried to hide in the box. I've noticed that he has a similar strategy on Man City - just wait for Anelka or Foe or whomever to make a break, and then get in a good position. i suppose it can be effective at times and he certainly employed this strategy while at LFC, but i miss seeing the ridiculous passes and flicks and one-time shots that helped him rise to the top.

i hope that eventually, the more wide-open strategy employed by Keegan will bring out some of the old Fowler.

 

Let us not also discount the fact that Premier League defenders are just plain better than they were in the mid-90s...

 

Jeezus, but didn't he score some wonderful goals in the mid 90's...???
I noticed how many goals he and "Stan the Man" teamed up for. Funny they could barely look at each other after the goals, lot of love there...!

Sorry Robbie, you wouldn't fit with todays game plan.

 

Many of them are just incredible. Making something out of nothing.

 

Agree with the basic thrust of the argument from all here - Fowler would not now be an asset to us in the same way as he was not when we sold him.

But just one little aside - his time at Leeds may have been interrupted by injury, but it was still a profitable little exercise in terms of goals in his career totals. In 33 apperances for Leeds, he scored 14 times. That's nigh-on 1 in 2 for a player who has lost a lot of pace and was invariably still recovering from injury whilst playing.

The man is a genius goalscorer. Now, then, soon.

Remember his chip on the run against West Ham in his fourth or fifth game for Leeds?

 

655321. You nailed in on the head! The league has improved dramatically because of the influx of foreign talent. Don't take my word for it, Sven believes the same thing has happened.

 

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Ah, bliss...

 

I won't.

 

I'd love to still have him in Red... but I'll admit I'm certainly clouded by a heavy dose of Fowlerism. (Pats dog on the head)

Robbie is still the main reason I choose Liverpool, back in 94-95, so forgive me if I sometimes look through red colored glasses, while wearing one of the breathe-rite nose strips, and protest in support of sacked workers in my area while bleaching my hair blond and sniffing chalk lines drawn on the sidewalk by the neighborhood kids while they chant "god".

I too, have the Hot 100 video, and not only are so many of the strikes just incredible, but I will forever be amazed at just how many of them come off the first or second touch. I'd guess that a full 40 of them are first or second touch finishes, substantiating his title as the best pure scorer in Britain.

My favorite of the 100 would have to be the one where he receives the ball with his back to goal, about 40 yards out, beats Steve Staunton with his first touch of the inside of his heel, while spinning around to face goal at the same time. One dribble, then another, and the most unstoppable shot you could imagine goes screaming into the side netting on the Kop end, from about 20 yards. Andy Gray actually was speechless. It's goal number 72... or thereabouts.

The biggest differece I see in his game then and now, is Robbie's size. He's bigger now, and his first few steps are not as quick as they once were. Add all his injuries to the weight he carries now (he's certainly not Gascoigne, don't get me wrong) and he'll have a tougher time of it.

Selling him was probably the right thing, and he's not, and probably never will be an 11 million pound player again.

But he'll always be my favorite. I've lost count how many times people have asked about our dog's unique name. I love telling them he's named after a Liverpool legend... my wife enjoys telling the story less. He's a chocolate lab, registered with the AKC as, Robert Bernard Fowler.

 

Fowlers best are definitely behind him. I saw the volley he scored against Birmingham. It was a great goal, but Fowler just does not seem quick enough or move off the ball enough. He'll be lucky to remain a starter at Manchester City.

Remember, he scored many of his goals when the league was not quite as strong as it is today.

 

Are we sure Wildman262 isn't a sock puppet for Huss in an attempt to drum up more Premium Memberships? I mean, for a while it was comical, but I think I'm now getting envious of your bliss, Lanky. Might be time to finally plunk down the cash. *sigh*

 

What's really annoying is that I get to see what he wrote when you guys quote him.

And I can think of far more annoying people on BS than Wildman who aren't on my Ignore List. It's just that they're not trolls.

 

Devour? It's just opinions on a message board. What's with the trolls stuff anyway? Why is a different opinion on players automatically a troll?

 

This is rather comical.

And sockpuppets will be IL'd as well...