Owen gives McClaren goal promise

Steve McClaren is really in a hot seat these days. Recent results have not been encouraging and with next month's crucial Euro 2008 qualifiers against Israel and Russia looming, add to that the injuries to Wayne Rooney and suspension of Peter Crouch, he is in desperate need of quality strikers.

He can "bank on" Michael Owen though as the striker has insisted that he will be back to his best in time to score the goals that will help save Steve McClaren's job.

McClaren desperately needs Owen to recapture the form that made him one of Europe's most feared strikers. Israel and Russia are certain to take a defensive approach and they would be happy with a draw at Wembley and it is Owen who will shoulder the burden of providing England's cutting edge.

Owen's performance against Germany, in the midweek 2-1 defeat, will hardly have filled McClaren with confidence. For a striker who hasn't scored a club goal since December 2005, he looked rusty in front of goal and squandered two chances he would have snapped up in his prime. It is hard to shake the suspicion that a succession of injuries have forever robbed Owen of the blistering pace that made him such a threat.

The only consolation from this match is that Frank Lampard managed to get back on the goal trail. Lampard's goal against Germany was his first goal for England in over a year and it couldn't have come at a better time for the Chelsea midfielder. His name was booed when it was read out before the match by fans who have made him a scapegoat for England's poor performances.

Lampard would love to win over all the supporters, but he knows the only way to do that is with deeds and not words. With four of England's final five qualifiers at Wembley, there is still a chance for McClaren's side to dig themselves out of trouble and reach the finals.

Definitely, scoring a goal has helped Lampard's confidence who once was the most effective midfielder and clinical finisher, that is before the World Cup disaster.

If he can create the chances for his teammates instead of squandering them, Soccer Pundit is sure that he will regain the hero's status in front of the fans again. Sometimes, scoring a goal is not as important as providing the goal, that is the key message Lampard should have learnt from the World Cup.