Michael Owen has risked the wrath of Leicester City fans after suggesting that Jamie Vardy is not a "natural finisher" and relies on luck to bag his goals.
The ex-Liverpool and Manchester United striker claimed, in quotes published by the Daily Mail, that the 29-year-old had not convinced him over his goalscoring abilities, even when Vardy helped fire Leicester to a seemingly impossible Premier League title win last season.
The Foxes frontman plundered 24 goals in England's top flight as he led the charge towards unprecedented glory for Claudio Ranieri's men, but has registered just three goals so far this term amid a barren run of form that has seen Vardy go 11 games without a goal.
'Lucky' Jamie Vardy is not a natural finisher, insists Michael Owen https://t.co/0SRnVLMrvp pic.twitter.com/iIcniNskuf
The forward's latest chance to bag a goal went begging in Wednesday night's 0-0 Champions League draw with FC Copenhagen and, speaking before the match, Owen stated that Vardy was not the striker that many pundits and fans had made him out to be.
He said: "Even when he was scoring loads of goals last season he wasn't convincing me as a natural finisher, but then again Alan Shearer used a lot of brute force and power. He was a different type “ not everyone finishes the same way.
"Look at Ozil from last night [his goal against Ludogorets]. He was so cool, calm and collected but others go for pure power.
"He's the type of centre forward or type of finisher that is very much head down and hit it. He goes for power a lot. He's not necessarily a real cute, classy type of finisher."
Owen went on to add that, while he agreed that Vardy was selfless in his all-action displays for Leicester, he remained a sceptic over Vardy's natural ability to find the back of net and insisted that the England man relied primarily on luck to notch his goals.
He added: "Vardy does contribute to the team with his running into the channels and his closing down. But he's in the team to score goals and we've seen a contrast from last season.
Michael Owen's comment about Jamie Vardy's goals all being lucky last season is just laughable. Get him off our screens. Idiot. #OwenOut pic.twitter.com/cmYbUy3eYP
"He doesn't once lift his head. He almost hits it through goalkeepers. To be a finisher like that you need a lot of luck “ sometimes you'll have it, sometimes you won't.
"This season it's been very different. He goes for power a lot of the time. Last year he was having a little bit of luck and would sometimes almost go through goalkeepers.
"When you are a power finisher and go for that over accuracy then you have to accept that sometimes your luck's in and sometimes it's out."
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