Emile Heskey is GOOD - Discuss

[Marshy]

5 in how many games Chappers............1 against Malta........

And i can remember 3 for Rooney already, in maybe 6 appearances, with 3 as sub as well i would say.

 

[beorhthelm]

the problem as i see it is that England always tend to play long passes. So you need a stong presence like Heskey to either win the ball in the air (probably not actually his stong point) or win and keep the knock down - where he is superb. He also seem to know just where Owen is going to run (obviously comes from training/playing with him for so many years.

So really what im saying is, if you loose Heskey, you have to play differently ie passing the ball through midfield. Which, despite all the ability in the squad, we dont actually seem to do much.

Now im not saying that you should loose Owen, but he is part of the problem. He can turn a game with one run, but he's not a particularly rounded striker and is quite easy to defend against if you have a quick centre half and/or defend deep. He not a secret anymore. I wouldnt want to risk it for cup, but id like to see England move away from the reliance on Owen and start giving more games to forwards such as Beattie and Vassell who i think give the team more attacking options.

So, in summary, i rate Heskey with the current setup and tactics, but they are flawed - everyone knows exactly how we're going to play. Id perfer to see more of other strikers, especially Vassell, and use Owen more as a supersub.

Or is that just bollocks

 

[Soton Seagull]

Confidence player.

 

[Icy Gull]

Owen's almost guaranteed pull a hamstring so what do we do then?

 

[graz126]

Heskey seems to have a lot of knockers on this site and throughout the modern world. I don't know why. Personally i rate Heskey and believe that he should start up front for England alongside Michael Owen this summer.

People keep saying that he gets booked loads. I just checked the Liverpool official site and he is not in the list of most bookings at the club which means he's been booked 4 or less times.

In Englands recent successes he has played huge parts. The Germany game, that goal he scored against Denmark in the world cup. I really don't see why people seem to think he's a lumbering oaf, if he is given the chance to shine he'll do it. He has strength, pace and defenders hate playing against players like that.

If that little GOBSHITE Rooney starts ahead of him we ain't got a hope against the French.

not read anyone elses post on this subject but i am surprised i am not the only one to think this. everybody else slags heskey but i think he does a hell off a lot of thankless work. he maybe should score more. but he also plays wide a lot, so this is why he dosent score more.

 

[graz126]

james (shite)

bridges
campbell
terry
g. neville

a.cole
lampard
gerrard
beckham

heskey
owen


heskey should play first 70 mins to soften them up a little then replace him with scholes playing deeper.
depending on scoreline.

 

[Brighton Breezy]

Emile Heskey is good...for nothing more then falling over whenever slightly touched despite being massive and obviously strong enough to stand up. He also cant shoot for shit and is indicative of Liverpool's mediocre players.

 

[mejonaNO12 aka riskit]

we have to have either cole or bridge running up the left side to cause problems/ bridge has the best cross ive seen in a long while!! and another option for the left is a certain mr gareth barry who sadly has been ignored recently. we coulkd give wright phillips a go but i expect it will be the usual diamond formation with schole butt beckham and gerrard. even though i think lampard should start really...better than scholes and will score for sure!

 

[Wienergull]

So we should play one dimensional football hitting the ball up to Heskey, well France will be quacking at that.

Looks like we'll be eating duck a l'orange come 13 June.

 

[king Wombat]

He is a donkey.

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

Nah, I was unimpressed with Oatway in the days when he was the darling of this board and everyone was slating Paul Rogers who was an infinitely better player.

My criticism of Joe Cole stems from the fact that unless he's playing a crap team like Scotland, Northern Ireland or The Pig & Whistle, he never ever does anything. He's anonymous at Chelsea, which is why he rarely starts - and started loads of games for West Ham for a whole season beforehand - and they went down.

agree with you about rogers he was our best midfielder that year he scored goals tracked back and was creatice oatway wasnt.
for england
our best players are clearly midfielders so why not play 5 accros the middle with owen on his own?


scholes gerrard lampard beckham parker

 

[Yorkie]

I also agree with Chappers, Heskey also creates a hell of a lot of chances for Owen, They are my preferred front two for England.

Every good striker needs a partner. Owen plays better with Heskey.

Ever wondered why Bobby isn't scoring as many now? It is because he has lost Brooker.

 

[Brighton Breezy]

I agree with Yorkie. Strikers need partners: Shearer and Sheringham, Beardsely and Lineker. What SHOULD have happened is that Owen should have got a run of games alongside Beattie or someone else. I think Rooney and Owen are bound to start and show signs of getting a good understanding going, but if Rooney gets injured then Sven should play Heskey because any new pairing would be starting from scratch.

 

[Stumpy Tim]

Heskey or Rooney? Its laughable to even compare them. The best English talent since Paul Gascoigne or the Premiership's answer to Brett Angell.

Only in England would people suggest playing a target man! What an utterly laughable suggestion for INTERNATIONAL football. Can you imagine Spanish fans saying "well, Raul's okay but we really need a big lad up front to pump aimless long balls at"?

Spot on. Which other European nation would dream of this discussion - playing a forward who doesn't get into double figures for a team finishing 4th. Heskey has proved time & time again he is NOT up to international standard. It's beyond me why he's lasted this long. Rooney will be new to many international defenders & I think could be the star of the tournament. Personally I think we're suited to playing 3-5-2, but if we play 4-4-2 then the midfield should be Beckham, Gerrad, Scholes, Barry. If we play wingbacks then drop Barry from that.

Heskey! The man is a donkey. Shouldn't even be in the squad

 

[CHAPPERS]

So, in summary, i rate Heskey with the current setup and tactics, but they are flawed - everyone knows exactly how we're going to play. Id perfer to see more of other strikers, especially Vassell, and use Owen more as a supersub.

Or is that just bollocks

Not bollocks.

I would love to see more of Vassell, i think he is quality and hasn't had a bad game for England. However I do believe that Owen should start for England, he is genuine class and the striker that other teams fear the most.

Looks like we're playing the diamond in Portugal so Heskey and Owen must start up top if Scholes is going to play in the hole. One os Heskeys strong points is dragging defenders wide and craeting space, helping Owen and Scholes to get free and pop the goals in.

 

[mejonaNO12 aka riskit]

especially in the recent friendly against sweden when vassel was hacked down after getting to the ball first which he had no right to. he is a fantastic player but i sadly feel itsw one of these cases where he doesnt play for a 'big club' so he wont start. sure rooney dosent play for a big club either but he has the 'wonderkid' status upon him.

 

[Gary Nelson]

Every good striker needs a partner. Owen plays better with Heskey.

Ever wondered why Bobby isn't scoring as many now? It is because he has lost Brooker.

Brooker was a winger NOT a striker! Dont think you can put Bobby's record this season not to be playing with Brooker!

On the England front, Gerrard would be wasted on the left. I agree that he needs to be playing in the centre. I think the best 4 midfielders are Beckham, Gerrard, Lampard and I suppose Scholes. Just getting them in the right formation. Heskey is not the right option. Too many chanes, too many bad performances. It has to be Rooney. He will terrorise defences who dont know how to play him. Not playing him is showing the world that we are happy to play second rate footballers in a second rate style of play.

 

[CHAPPERS]

Sweden
Away
0-1
31 March 2004

Portugal
Away
1-1
18 February 2004

Denmark 1
Home
2-3
16 November 2003

Turkey
Away
0-0
11 October 2003

Liechtenstein 1
Home
2-0
10 September 2003

Macedonia 1
Away
2-1
06 September 2003

Slovakia
Home
2-1
11 June 2003

Serbia & Montenegro +
Home
2-1
03 June 2003

Turkey
Home
2-0
02 April 2003

Liechtenstein +
Away
2-0
29 March 2003

Australia +
Home
1-3
12 February 2003



Rooneys England record. Scored in the wins over Macedonia and Liechtenstein and in the friendly defeat against Denamrk. Not exactly terrorising them is he? I'm not saying he's a bad player but he is over rated and has not been playing that well for Everton this year.

I just think he will be ineffective against the tough defences of France, Spain, Italy and alike where Heskey would cause them problems.

 

[Marshy]

He terrorised Turkey in both games i think you will remember ( the big games )

James
Neville
Bridge
Terry
Campbell

Scholes
Beckham
Gerrard
Lampard

Owen
Rooney

Or play 5 in midfield with A.Cole on the left side and Scholes of Owen up front.

 

[CHAPPERS]

He terrorised Turkey in both games i think you will remember ( the big games )

James
Neville
Bridge
Terry
Campbell

Scholes
Beckham
Gerrard
Lampard

Owen
Rooney

Or play 5 in midfield with Cole on the left side and Scholes of Owen up front.

Turkey are SHIT though.

That's the team i would play if we play 4-4-2 but with Heskey up top instead of 'Roonaldo'.

If Sven can be persuaded to play 3-5-2 i would play...

James

Terry
Campbell
Woodgate

Bridge
Becks

Lampard
Gerrard
Scholes

Heskey
Owen