Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine
Heroes & Villains => Heroes Discussion => Topic started by: The Laughing Policeman on September 05, 2011, 12:06:51 PM
-
I know this is a bit like asking "what is the meaning of life"? But what do professional football managers see in Emile that us mere mortals don't?
No matter which club he has played for or under which manager, it seems as if he is always first name on the team sheet. Yet if you talk to fans of those clubs none of them rated him.
And how many England managers has he played for?
Personally I think he has been a distinctly average PL striker. Nothing spectacular, and when he does do something special it seems to stand out more simply because it is Emile. Plus those special moments are very few and far between.
Hopefully the coaches among us will be able to shed some light on the conundrum that is Emile Heskey.
-
He's not a bad player, but the elephant in the room is that he just doesn't score anywhere near enough goals, and I can't see that his presence helps others to score more to make up for that fact. I've seen him described as a "defensive striker" which is the sort of player that will get into an Alex McLeish team every day of the week.
-
It really is one of life's mysteries.
All I know is, he isn't right for Villa and my guess is that his wages are the only reason he's still here.
Two very memorable goals; one at Pompey ( his debut I think) and the one at Wolves last season stand out, nothing else of note.
-
Good team player isn't he? Managers can trust him as he'll do exactly what's told and make himself look even worse for the benefit of the team.
I suppose he was like a breath of fresh air to MON when Carew was around.
-
Hasn't he recently expressed a desire to extend his contract at the end of the season.I could see AM giving him a years extension
His wages may put the brakes on that however
-
Good team player isn't he? Managers can trust him as he'll do exactly what's told and make himself look even worse for the benefit of the team.
I suppose he was like a breath of fresh air to MON when Carew was around.
We were much better with Carew in the team than we were with Heskey. At one point Carew was scoring pretty well every other game or so for us. Emile just doesn't compensate for that, even with his unselfish play.
-
He's not a bad player, but the elephant in the room is that he just doesn't score anywhere near enough goals, and I can't see that his presence helps others to score more to make up for that fact. I've seen him described as a "defensive striker" which is the sort of player that will get into an Alex McLeish team every day of the week.
Agree with that totally
A striker who doesn't scores but brings others into the game - what sort of statement is that?
he tries most of the time but I find myself just laughing at his mistimed jumps for the ball and his attempts at tackling
He's probably a nice bloke but he shouldn't be anywhere near our first team
-
Having seen most of his Villa games I would say he's been one of our better players since he arrived.
We haven't exactly made him welcome have we. He suffers from a couple of oh so hysterical songs so even when he plays well and scores he waves to his family in the stand rather than the crowd. If I was him I'd give a 2 finger wave to the crowd next time I scored in front of The Holte. A classic English centre forward wasted on us lot I'm afraid.
Oh and I've joined in the songs myself... He's bloody frustrating to watch !
-
He works very hard off the ball, he seems to know his stuff tactically insofar as what he's asked to do, and he does provide a physical presence high up the pitch and attacking and defending set-pieces. However, just as the Michael Owen/Kris Boyd type of finishes-but-does-nothing-else striker is no longer really enough, so is the striker who works hard but never finishes. It worked for Denmark in '92 with Povlsen and Vilfort and for France in '98 with Guivarc'h, but no more. He's not really adequate for the Premier League.
That's him as a striker dealt with. That McLeish is playing him as an attacking midfielder is really quite staggering. In that role you want guile, you want intelligent movement between the lines, you want vision to spot a pass, the technique to make it, skill to make space out of nothing and a totally reliable first touch under pressure so you keep the ball in important areas. Heskey has literally none of these qualities, whereas Bannan has all of them (as does Ireland when playing well). It's indefensible.
-
The Elephant in the room, is the elephant on the pitch, charging around aimlessly. Saying he holds the ball up well is a terrible cliche. He holds onto it for too long and slows things down. Bannan, Ireland and Albrighton have sat out the last three league games instead. Cant get my head around it.
-
He's OK, but always shagged after 60 minutes. Either take him off or use him as a sub.
-
Hasn't he recently expressed a desire to extend his contract at the end of the season.I could see AM giving him a years extension
His wages may put the brakes on that however
No, no Ivanhoe!
You've achieved so much! Go out on a high...
-
classic English centre forward wasted on us lot I'm afraid.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Are you drunk?
A classic English Centre forward was someone like Peter Withe
Would take shit of a centre half and when the ref wasn't look him would give him a slap. Plus he'd weigh in with some goals.
Compare that to scoring goals with your shoulder and falling over a lot because your shorts are too tight
-
Do you remember the time when it was reported heskey went to the theatre ???
Whilst the performance was going on apparently emule suddenly got up and walked on the stage!!!
Some guy shouted out at him "Heskey! What are you doing up there?"
Heskey shouted back "Holding up the play."
-
Terrible, Brice. But not bad.
-
Terrible, Brice. But not bad.
its a joke that he looks like lenny henry sorrie i remove it
-
Terrible, Brice. But not bad.
I'm surprised Emile has said he wants to continue playing for as long as possible .. I always thought he had a great TV career ahead of him I mean hes realy good on those Premier Inn commercials ;D
Okay, that one might be a bit racist.
-
I think the reason managers/fellow pros seem to like him is because he's no bother and seems to do as he's told. This is also probably the same reason so many fans don't take to him. He's an uber-safe option, so safe in fact that the vast majority of the time he doesn't even bother trying to ruffle feathers by doing something as outrageous as scoring or even looking dangerous going forward. Much better to put in a good, honest, anonymous shift while hoping the team doesn't lose and one of your more talented team mates does the important work.
He's clearly not a completely talentless player or his deficiencies would be even more apparent but personally I am dumbfounded he has managed to carve out a PL career for so long and disappointed we've been the ones who allowed him to do so for the last 2 1/2 years. As for the poster who said he's been one of our better players since he joined you've got to be joking. He scored a good goal on his debut & played well for a couple of games when GH came in before getting crocked. And that's about it.
-
My dads brother in law, who has lived up in Boro for a good 35years, knows a lot of the boro players, he's had a few pubs around there! And one of his mates is really good friends with SD! They asked him one night who is your favourite player to play with, yes you guessed in He'sKey! - When thinking about it, he does all the "dog" work that no one else wants to do...
-
My dads brother in law, who has lived up in Boro for a good 35years, knows a lot of the boro players, he's had a few pubs around there! And one of his mates is really good friends with SD! They asked him one night who is your favourite player to play with, yes you guessed in He'sKey! - When thinking about it, he does all the "dog" work that no one else wants to do...
Well colour me surprised that Downing likes playing with someone who does all the work.
-
I think the biggest mystery is that he is / always has been built like the proverbial brick shithouse yet goes down quicker than a Thai whore. You would have thought that the size of him he would be swatting defenders off him like wasps at a picnic
Occasionally he heads the ball tremendously well (The winner at Wolves last year was a classic CF headed goal) other times its like he has an angular head
-
I think we need to put Bannan or Albrighton in the team ahead of Heskey we look better when that happens we could have Heskey coming off the bench which would make the opposition think about changing there tactics.
-
I like him a lot, Seems a real genuinely good guy. However, despite being one of our best performers in recent weeks, he'd never make my starting XI.
If he could finish he'd be incredible, but he can't, so he isn't. Players like playing with him because he puts enough effort in for two players, that's why he's so fucked in the second half.
His ideal position in the squad, for me, is a second half substitute when we're winning.
-
He's unfashionable so a lot of people either will not admit that he does a decent job in case their mates take the piss or are too clueless to even notice.
The attention he receives from defenders guarantees that Gabby and Bent will have more space to work in. I wouldn't have him in the team every week but there are certain games when we're better off with him there.
-
He's unfashionable so a lot of people either will not admit that he does a decent job in case their mates take the piss or are too clueless to even notice.
The attention he receives from defenders guarantees that Gabby and Bent will have more space to work in. I wouldn't have him in the team every week but there are certain games when we're better off with him there.
I can't speak for everyone, but I don't think anyone can accuse me of being fashionable (at least, not after the 'we should sign Lucas' kerfuffle), and I still don't think he's good enough for the Villa. Sure he receives attention from defenders, but someone like Bannan occupies both midfield and defence and blurs the lines, causing all sorts of problems. Also, you say he creates space for Bent, but Bent has clearly suffered from having Heskey behind him as opposed to Ash last season.
-
I was more referring to the idiots at the ground who even when he scores have to mock him.
I accept that he's not as good as Ashley Young but in what have been fairly physical games so far he's shouldered much of the burden. I want to see Bannan given more involvement but as I've said elsewhere I'm concerned about an Albrighton like dip in form and confidence if too much is asked of him at this stage.
-
i think heskey plays mainly because of his height, as other midfielders not tall, also warnock and luke young not at heading.
if you notice set pieces it was heskey given man marking job
-
He is a strange player. His touch on to, and laying off for others is admirable. However, first his touch when it comes to setting himself up, especially in front of goal is quite poor. How many goals has he scored whilst ending up on his rear end? Simply because his first touch was so inadequate, to get a shot in he has to overstretch. You only have to look at the game against Blackburn for examples of this.
That said, as an advanced midfielder, he hasn't really done much wrong for us this season. Perhaps the above explains why he may be more suited to this position than as a striker.
-
I have always rated him and I have said so before on other threads, he isnt the best player in the world but he will do what he is told.Due to his size he is a easy target for people to moan at him. He may well get a new contract if he accepts a wage reduction
-
I have always rated him and I have said so before on other threads, he isnt the best player in the world but he will do what he is told.Due to his size he is a easy target for people to moan at him. He may well get a new contract if he accepts a wage reduction
This arguement for Heskey is so lame. Im not the best player in the world, and I'd do as im told in a Villa shirt. Im about the same build as Heskey too. Im shit though, and so is he.
-
I have always rated him and I have said so before on other threads, he isnt the best player in the world but he will do what he is told.Due to his size he is a easy target for people to moan at him. He may well get a new contract if he accepts a wage reduction
This arguement for Heskey is so lame. Im not the best player in the world, and I'd do as im told in a Villa shirt. Im about the same build as Heskey too. Im shit though, and so is he.
Thats your opinion so thats no problem but if you ask Michael Owen and Wayne Rooney if he is a good player and they will agree with me , but everyone has their own opinion
-
I want to see Bannan given more involvement but as I've said elsewhere I'm concerned about an Albrighton like dip in form and confidence if too much is asked of him at this stage.
See your point Chris but completely disagree. Now is the time to play Bannan whilst his confidence is sky high. Leave him out for a few games and yes, he's likely to lose that edge but now is the time we should be showing a little bit of faith in him. He's earned it and deserves it.
-
That's the thing though, I can't remember any recent Rooney quotes but a few years back virtually every top flight player was singing Emile's praises, Shearer, Sheringham, Beckham, Fowler, Owen, Gerrard well, all saying that Emile is one of the best they've ever worked with. I get that feeling it wasn't just because they all looked miles better standing next to him either.
Maybe it's because he's the last of the old guard way of thinking as a player, consumate professional, always does what he's told to do on the pitch, money doesn't go to his head, not pictured spilling out of nightclubs at crazy hours after his team gets a battering, polite and placid in interviews, comes in the for the harshest criticism and being singled out in a poor team performance and yet he just soldiers on with no axe to grind.
Although you could question some of these names as successes there's something about him that managers love too, MON (twice) Houllier (twice), Sven, Keegan, Mclaren, Capello, Bruce and gulp, even the Blues at one point.
I'm thinking some of it is obviously behind the scenes as opposed to for 90 minutes on Saturday, maybe he sticks around to play with all the youth team after training and impart worldly knowledge of the beautiful game and plays bingo with their mothers on a friday night or something.
-
Emile heskey turns up at Villa Park with a back pack. The security guard worriedly asks him what he's got in the bag. He replies "porno dvd's, counterfeit match day tickets, hooky replica shirts, some drugs & a gun" the security guard says " Thank **** for that ... i thought you'd brought your boots!!!"
-
Nice one VS.
Rancid, it's notable that the way these players played were him were never with Heskey in the role he's playing in the current Villa side. He was either playing as the high-up-the-pitch target man with a finisher in an old-fashioned 4-4-2 (surely not really an option for us now), or as the target man with a creator-type behind him, like Rooney or Sheringham. It's notable that when we signed Bent he was by and large consigned to the bench by GH (even when fit), because he wanted Young behind Bent to create. Heskey had/has uses in those roles in those systems - at the moment, his presence is at best neutral, at worst actively damaging because of who he's keeping out of the side.
-
I'd go along with that Monty, Virtually all those managers and players have given him the 442 the only exception as far as I can remember was his first season at Liverpool where Houllier often played him wide right in a 433/451, there was lots of criticism for it but he had a great run of I think 11 goals around the october to december of that season. That was then and this is now though and I think Eck wants a bit of psyhicality up top, Collins and Cuellar are our tallest players and our biggest after that is maybe Petrov? I think he wants Emile to make a nuisance of himself, distract defenders to free up our little guys rather than have to have another shorty Like Bannan/Ireland on the pitch.
-
If Heskey plays for England....
If Heskey plays for Villa...
Better get my kit together
-
I like Heskey.
-
It would be fair to do that, but as he himself is not creative enough his occupation of opposition players is useless as we just end up playing MON-ball and resorting to constant, aimless crosses - crosses even less effective than under MON as we don't even have two players in the box due to the position he's playing. Besides, I find the idea of not playing a creative player who happens to be short in favour of an un-creative one who happens to be big, especially for defensive reasons, at best depressingly defensive and at worst shamefully cowardly. If we're not aiming for the big time, why should supporters be subjected to such a dull football style, especially in these economic times? That is the difference playing Heskey over Bannan or Ireland makes.
-
'I like Heskey.'
So do I.
But I'm not a coach (previous post) so I haven't a clue what he's doing wrong!
Apart from putting in an honest day's graft for his wages.
I think his example is fantastic for the younger players when put up against a more talented player (apparently - 'Player Of The Year') like SD. He's not perfect but who is? His age is something he can't do anything about! He just gives 100% and can't be held responsible for keeping others out of the team because he doesn't pick it. So many managers and players rate him so I'm in good company!
Damn - I wasn't going to rise to another 'EH is awful' thread/comment but I'm a fan.
-
I have always rated him and I have said so before on other threads, he isnt the best player in the world but he will do what he is told.Due to his size he is a easy target for people to moan at him. He may well get a new contract if he accepts a wage reduction
This arguement for Heskey is so lame. Im not the best player in the world, and I'd do as im told in a Villa shirt. Im about the same build as Heskey too. Im shit though, and so is he.
No, that's a lame argument. You've answered a post that has tried to back up his view with one that says "he's shit because I say he is ".
-
He was great in the first few games last seaon, up until he got himself sent off against Sunderland. He's still got something to offer us, especially away from home in certain games, but at home, we need to start using him more as a sub in the last 20 minutes if we're winning. That's where i think he's at, at the moment.
-
Decent bloke, thanks for the game, and hope you do well in the Championship.
-
I have always rated him and I have said so before on other threads, he isnt the best player in the world but he will do what he is told.Due to his size he is a easy target for people to moan at him. He may well get a new contract if he accepts a wage reduction
This arguement for Heskey is so lame. Im not the best player in the world, and I'd do as im told in a Villa shirt. Im about the same build as Heskey too. Im shit though, and so is he.
No, that's a lame argument. You've answered a post that has tried to back up his view with one that says "he's shit because I say he is ".
Well, actually, that is the conclusion I have drawn from the lame arguement, as 'Not best player in the world, does what he is told'
What that arguement is saying is that 'I know he isnt very good, but he does as he is told'. I think thats a lame arguement for a premiership footballer on at least £50k a week.
My arguement was such, that if that was all one looked for in a footballer, then put my name down. I just didnt put it as eloquently as that.
-
I have always rated him and I have said so before on other threads, he isnt the best player in the world but he will do what he is told.Due to his size he is a easy target for people to moan at him. He may well get a new contract if he accepts a wage reduction
This arguement for Heskey is so lame. Im not the best player in the world, and I'd do as im told in a Villa shirt. Im about the same build as Heskey too. Im shit though, and so is he.
Thats your opinion so thats no problem but if you ask Michael Owen and Wayne Rooney if he is a good player and they will agree with me , but everyone has their own opinion
Wasnt having a dig at you in particular Spangley, as many people do share your view, and this is a view which I particularly disagree with. As I have mentioned above responding to Chris, If that is all people want from a player, then its a pretty sad state of affairs.
To be honest, I couldnt care less what Owen and Rooney have to say, as they dont pay the money to go and watch football week in week out, and as a supporter, it grinds my gears seeing Heskey in the starting line up ahead of more gifted and talented players.
-
I don't know a single fellow Villa fan that thinks he is a decent footballer. Like me they find it hard to stomach him taking to the picth when we have other options and other decent players. Yes sometimes he doesnt fall over, yes sometimes he completes a pass and a couple of times a season he might put the ball in the back of the net. But for most of the time he is a liability that disrupts the team and has stopped real players coming through. Playing him behind Bent is a total joke. He would get better service from a barman with no arms. A recent thread discussed where it started to go wrong under MON and Moscow/Stoke at home were touted about. I reckon it was when we bought Emile - we at the point really started to hoof it. How anybody can say he is "good" player is beyond me. Maybe people's definition of "good" are poles apart.
-
I don't know a single fellow Villa fan that thinks he is a decent footballer. Like me they find it hard to stomach him taking to the picth when we have other options and other decent players. Yes sometimes he doesnt fall over, yes sometimes he completes a pass and a couple of times a season he might put the ball in the back of the net. But for most of the time he is a liability that disrupts the team and has stopped real players coming through. Playing him behind Bent is a total joke. He would get better service from a barman with no arms. A recent thread discussed where it started to go wrong under MON and Moscow/Stoke at home were touted about. I reckon it was when we bought Emile - we at the point really started to hoof it. How anybody can say he is "good" player is beyond me. Maybe people's definition of "good" are poles apart.
I know about 10 who think he's at least decent.
He is a good player, you don't get 62 caps for England if you're not at least 'good'. He's a national scapregoat though, and he played for 'them', so some of our less cerebral brethen have decided he's no good and nothing he does will ever change that.
-
Id forgotten he had played for them lot until you brought it up to be honest.
-
I don't know a single fellow Villa fan that thinks he is a decent footballer. Like me they find it hard to stomach him taking to the picth when we have other options and other decent players. Yes sometimes he doesnt fall over, yes sometimes he completes a pass and a couple of times a season he might put the ball in the back of the net. But for most of the time he is a liability that disrupts the team and has stopped real players coming through. Playing him behind Bent is a total joke. He would get better service from a barman with no arms. A recent thread discussed where it started to go wrong under MON and Moscow/Stoke at home were touted about. I reckon it was when we bought Emile - we at the point really started to hoof it. How anybody can say he is "good" player is beyond me. Maybe people's definition of "good" are poles apart.
I know about 10 who think he's at least decent.
He is a good player, you don't get 62 caps for England if you're not at least 'good'. He's a national scapregoat though, and he played for 'them', so some of our less cerebral brethen have decided he's no good and nothing he does will ever change that.
I judge him on what he contributes to our team. Apart from a little here and there - he really doesnt warrant a position on the pitch when we could play more talented, competent and productive individuals. Nice guy though by all accounts.
-
A succession of England manager have picked him, he has what 70 caps ? he is consistently mentioned as the 'best' stike partners to play with by all sorts of players. It is pretty obvious what his strengths are, as well as his weaknesses.
Lsitening to people on here, you would assume he is no better than Michael Rickets
-
Yes but hang on, Heskey, Leicester City, peaked at Liverpool, and down hill thereafter, B'ham, Wigan and Villa, there have been many players who have loaded up dozens of caps for England , you can't draw any conclusions from that because most England managers have been crap, correction, they pretty much all have with the exception of Sir Alf.
The fact that Heskey got selected for England has more to do with the state of our International game that it does his ability, he has been reasonable, we should have sold him by now, if someone said to me point your finger at the real negatives of Martin O'Neill tenure at Villa I would say when you spend good money on players like Harewood and then back that up with Heskey your going nowhere fast.
-
I bear him no ill-will at all, and I agree that he seems an utterly decent chap, but I cannot understand the arguments for him at all.
Whether it's because he doesn't fit into the current formation; he's past it; his reputation for being useful was because of the better/different players and setups surrounding him or his boots don't fit properly, for whatever reason, he's very rarely able to contribute anything useful and his constant place in the starting line-up is totally baffling to me. His visible frustration at times makes me wonder if he doesn't think that way too.
I can see Lou'zie0's point about his work rate and ethic, but then he should be coaching and mentoring, not holding down a place in the first team where effort without the necessary skill isn't enough.
-
What is it about Heskey? Good feet for a big man, holds the ball up well, and other cliches...
Seriously, I find it hard to dislike Emile. I'm not a big fan, but one thing you can't really level at him is that he's been a waste of money: he's been picked regularly by all three Villa managers he's played for, and generally he puts a shift in. I thought he was good last season, up until the point he got sent off v Sunderland, then Bent came in and he was on the periphery. GH used him slightly differently - rather than doing a lot of the donkey work, he was pushed further forward and actually tasked with getting in the box a lot more. And it worked quite well. Don't forget, until Christmas he was our top scorer, or just about.
Having said that, I don't think you could get a more unsuitable role for Heskey now then playing in that 'No. 10' position behind a striker. It's a very strange decision by AM. Particularly when we have two or three players absolutely tailor-made for that role.
-
Like I've said previously, the fact that Rooney, Owen etc liked to play with him means nothing to us at this stage because he doesn't play in the same role for us as he did with them. He played as a genuine striker in those two types of partnerships, either making space for the second striker Rooney or for the finisher Owen. Which raises the question: if Heskey has a role to play in our team, how best to do it?
Now, we have an excellent finisher in Bent, but it's very much open for debate whether a strike partnership like his with Owen's a decade ago in a 4-4-2 could survive and be as effective in today's Premier League. We saw under MON the problems with 4-4-2, how isolated the two front players get from the midfield, the reliance on early crosses which a packed defence will always be favourites to clear, the lack of movement and options in the midfield. To his credit Eck, unlike MON, has realised that, to break teams down at home, it is probably unwise to play that sort of system.
So, with no 4-4-2 option, what about to make space for a second striker in a 4-2-3-1 or 4-4-1-1, like with Rooney? At the beginning of last season he did this pretty well for Ashley Young, but it was notable that he was dumped to the bench when Bent came in. Heskey makes space with bludgeoning occupation, whereas Bent creates space with really intelligent movement, dummy runs off the ball and so on, which is much more effective. Needless to say, Bent is a much better finisher as well, and even Gabby can occupy the defence with his pace and surprising strength, making some of Heskey's qualities seem less advantageous. Besides, this argument is all academic as we've sold Ashley Young and don't have a second striker option in the side anyway.
Heskey in the number 10 role makes no sense. It is not a position which anyone playing with him has ever said he's excelled in. He just doesn't have the touch, the vision, the passing ability, the movement off the ball or any really of the requirements for that position, and the idea of starting him ahead of Bannan or Ireland for the sake of defensive solidity when we're already playing two holding midfielders - at home - is frankly depressing.
-
He's not completely toilet, like a Kevin Francis or John Gayle.
The thing that surprised me more than anything else on seeing him in a Villa shirt is his distribution can be decent at times. He isn't a big lump that you just pump the ball up to and hope it sticks. When in the mood, he's an asset- even with the lack of goals.
But getting him in the mood is the thing.
-
He was great in the first few games last seaon, up until he got himself sent off against Sunderland. He's still got something to offer us, especially away from home in certain games, but at home, we need to start using him more as a sub in the last 20 minutes if we're winning. That's where i think he's at, at the moment.
Edit - totally misread your post!
Heskey works very hard, thats a given. I can see the virtues of a Heskey when we are up against a superior side, but at home to the likes of Wolves, when we are crying out for a little bit of creativity?
-
What is it about Heskey? Good feet for a big man, holds the ball up well, and other cliches...
Seriously, I find it hard to dislike Emile. I'm not a big fan, but one thing you can't really level at him is that he's been a waste of money: he's been picked regularly by all three Villa managers he's played for, and generally he puts a shift in. I thought he was good last season, up until the point he got sent off v Sunderland, then Bent came in and he was on the periphery. GH used him slightly differently - rather than doing a lot of the donkey work, he was pushed further forward and actually tasked with getting in the box a lot more. And it worked quite well. Don't forget, until Christmas he was our top scorer, or just about.
Having said that, I don't think you could get a more unsuitable role for Heskey now then playing in that 'No. 10' position behind a striker. It's a very strange decision by AM. Particularly when we have two or three players absolutely tailor-made for that role.
Judging by our recent wage bill quandary, 65K a week for a player of very limited ability is something you could definitely make a case for being a waste of money.
-
What is it about Heskey? Good feet for a big man, holds the ball up well, and other cliches...
Seriously, I find it hard to dislike Emile. I'm not a big fan, but one thing you can't really level at him is that he's been a waste of money: he's been picked regularly by all three Villa managers he's played for, and generally he puts a shift in. I thought he was good last season, up until the point he got sent off v Sunderland, then Bent came in and he was on the periphery. GH used him slightly differently - rather than doing a lot of the donkey work, he was pushed further forward and actually tasked with getting in the box a lot more. And it worked quite well. Don't forget, until Christmas he was our top scorer, or just about.
Having said that, I don't think you could get a more unsuitable role for Heskey now then playing in that 'No. 10' position behind a striker. It's a very strange decision by AM. Particularly when we have two or three players absolutely tailor-made for that role.
Judging by our recent wage bill quandary, 65K a week for a player of very limited ability is something you could definitely make a case for being a waste of money.
You just cannot see what he brings to the team - priceless that.
-
As others have said, he's a team player and club man. Dependable, honest and a handful on his day. If he could find the net he'd be worth as much as Drogba to a team at the very top level but he is absolutely awful in front of a goal with the ball at his feet. Truly awful.
He's been one our better performers in the games so far and so it's unfair that he should be dropped, however I'd really like to see AM be brave and play Bannan in the next few home games.
-
He was good at Leicester, he isn't now, the likes of Joachim, Vassell and Hendrie were good players in their early 20's but they were pretty useless lower division players by their late 20s/early 30s. Owen hasn't been a top player for years now, so I don't really care he rates Heskey, I'm sure Peter Withe rated Gary Shaw, but I doubt Shaw would be much use to us now either.
-
He's not completely toilet, like a Kevin Francis or John Gayle.
Kevin Francis!
I remember in about 2001 when his career was rapidly going down the shitter he ended up at Hednesford Town. We (Tamworth) were playing them in a midweek league match just after he had signed, so we set about verbally abusing him for the match, as you do. He missed at least three absolute sitters and by midway through the second half was getting such dog's abuse and hysterical laughter from the away end that he turned and did the whole "Don't see any of you fucking lot getting paid to play football" speech, unfortunately, as he did this he tripped over a divot and smacked his head off the post.
Marvellous.
-
What is it about Heskey? Good feet for a big man, holds the ball up well, and other cliches...
Seriously, I find it hard to dislike Emile. I'm not a big fan, but one thing you can't really level at him is that he's been a waste of money: he's been picked regularly by all three Villa managers he's played for, and generally he puts a shift in. I thought he was good last season, up until the point he got sent off v Sunderland, then Bent came in and he was on the periphery. GH used him slightly differently - rather than doing a lot of the donkey work, he was pushed further forward and actually tasked with getting in the box a lot more. And it worked quite well. Don't forget, until Christmas he was our top scorer, or just about.
Having said that, I don't think you could get a more unsuitable role for Heskey now then playing in that 'No. 10' position behind a striker. It's a very strange decision by AM. Particularly when we have two or three players absolutely tailor-made for that role.
Judging by our recent wage bill quandary, 65K a week for a player of very limited ability is something you could definitely make a case for being a waste of money.
Really? Given that every footballer is paid pretty handsomely at PL level, so it's not as if he's £60k ahead of everyone else, I don't see why he should be particularly panned for being a waste of money when he's been picked regularly since the day he signed, for a fairly small transfer fee. Compare his contribution with several other first team squad members and he's been reasonable value.
-
Having pondered for a while I've decided this. He's good but is paid too much for what it is that he brings to the team. I think the ideal for Emile is to have very very tactically astute manager. He could start for the games when the opposition have got a weakened team with inexpierience at the back, Emile with his shielding, hold up play and bullish nature would give any 20 year old centre half the run around. You'd apply this to being the target man against a keeper with a known reputation for being a bit of a flapper too.
He'd be no good as the outlet when we're under pressure at the back and with the opposition pressing hard, that's the time to get someone quick and speedy on or starting in his place. This obviously varies from fixture to fixture. If he's used correctly it'll pay off, conversely, He's no spring chicken, you're not going to build the team around him.
-
Something about Emile ..hmmm that could be a book written and may a film!
-
Well it just shows how shit we have become when the fans start saying Heskey is good. He's fucking shit and the sooner he is shifted out the better.
I have watched him, dawdling around the pitch match after match, no great effort, fairy jumps in the air, tumbling round the floor and his finishing is truly shocking! Piss off and dont com back!
-
Well it just shows how shit we have become when the fans start saying Heskey is good. He's fucking shit and the sooner he is shifted out the better.
I have watched him, dawdling around the pitch match after match, no great effort, fairy jumps in the air, tumbling round the floor and his finishing is truly shocking! Piss off and dont com back!
I think we can now end this thread - this post is spot on!
-
I want to see Bannan given more involvement but as I've said elsewhere I'm concerned about an Albrighton like dip in form and confidence if too much is asked of him at this stage.
See your point Chris but completely disagree. Now is the time to play Bannan whilst his confidence is sky high. Leave him out for a few games and yes, he's likely to lose that edge but now is the time we should be showing a little bit of faith in him. He's earned it and deserves it.
Ferguson plays the kids at the start of the season, as their fitness is generally better than everyone elses - then towards the Christmas break brings in the more experienced players for them.
Suppose they can get away with it though.
-
I hope Eck was watching that Bannan performance. May have been Lithuania but no matter who you're against, that passing was super-accurate. Got to play him ahead of Heskey.
-
I hope Eck was watching that Bannan performance. May have been Lithuania but no matter who you're against, that passing was super-accurate. Got to play him ahead of Heskey.
wont make any difference mate, Heskey will start Bannan on the bench, we might as well get used to it,
i agree with you about Bannan, he's the most exciting thing around at VP at the moment and would be straight into my starting line up,
then again i would have played him from the start of the season, he's definitely good enough.
-
I hope Eck was watching that Bannan performance. May have been Lithuania but no matter who you're against, that passing was super-accurate. Got to play him ahead of Heskey.
wont make any difference mate, Heskey will start Bannan on the bench, we might as well get used to it,
i agree with you about Bannan, he's the most exciting thing around at VP at the moment and would be straight into my starting line up,
then again i would have played him from the start of the season, he's definitely good enough.
I hope Eck takes note. Bannan is more than ready to start for us, has been for a while now. Just the sort of player to give the place a lift which is very much needed. Probably the most exciting young prospect we have had for a long time.
-
A word of cation. All the things being said about Bannan were being said about Albrighton this time last year. Now look at him.
I like him a lot but we are guilty at times of putting too much expectation on them.
-
In general, I think I'd have a preference for Bannan over Heskey too. Even before his performance against Lithuania.
But Everton away -with their reliance on the physical side of the game and packing the area with niggly cants like Cahill- might be one of the few exceptions where I'd go for Ivanhoe.
-
In general, I think I'd have a preference for Bannan over Heskey too. Even before his performance against Lithuania.
But Everton away -with their reliance on the physical side of the game and packing the area with niggly cants like Cahill- might be one of the few exceptions where I'd go for Ivanhoe.
If Bent is out of the side then we may be spared the choice and could go for both.
-
A word of cation. All the things being said about Bannan were being said about Albrighton this time last year. Now look at him.
I like him a lot but we are guilty at times of putting too much expectation on them.
Theres a few big differences between Bannan and Albrighton...not only does BB have more skill and natural ability than MA, but he has already been exposed to international football and given more first team experience with other clubs. After an impressive start last season, Albrighton doesnt seem to have the skill or confidence to improve his limited game unfortunately.
-
Its a bit early to completely write off Albrighton. Yes,teams have sussed him out a bit,but his shown that his delivery can be up there with the best. It's only natural that young players will have dips in form,its how they respond which will show if they can go on to great things.
Look at Bale at Spurs,he was terrible for months until he hit form last year.
-
Many thanks for the replies so far.
To summarise, he puts in a shift, he'll do exactly what's asked of him, he's great at holding the ball up.
If he has time to think he's shite, he's too slow, no way should he be playing for Aston Villa.
So what exactly do so many managers see in Emile?
-
Many thanks for the replies so far.
To summarise, he puts in a shift, he'll do exactly what's asked of him, he's great at holding the ball up.
If he has time to think he's shite, he's too slow, no way should he be playing for Aston Villa.
So what exactly do so many managers see in Emile?
Thats not how we all feel if you read all the replies
-
Has a safe full of pics (shares it with a certain former villa manager)
-
Many thanks for the replies so far.
To summarise, he puts in a shift, he'll do exactly what's asked of him, he's great at holding the ball up.
If he has time to think he's shite, he's too slow, no way should he be playing for Aston Villa.
So what exactly do so many managers see in Emile?
How many managers have won anything in the last ten years with him in the team? Why haven't any of the very best teams been in for him?
-
Many thanks for the replies so far.
To summarise, he puts in a shift, he'll do exactly what's asked of him, he's great at holding the ball up.
If he has time to think he's shite, he's too slow, no way should he be playing for Aston Villa.
So what exactly do so many managers see in Emile?
How many managers have won anything in the last ten years with him in the team? Why haven't any of the very best teams been in for him?
You could ask that about 80% of the players in the league.......
-
Many thanks for the replies so far.
To summarise, he puts in a shift, he'll do exactly what's asked of him, he's great at holding the ball up.
If he has time to think he's shite, he's too slow, no way should he be playing for Aston Villa.
So what exactly do so many managers see in Emile?
How many managers have won anything in the last ten years with him in the team? Why haven't any of the very best teams been in for him?
You could ask that about 80% of the players in the league.......
Yes, but we keep hearing about how players like Owen, Rooney and Gerrard love playing with him. It just seems that their club managers don't agree.
-
Many thanks for the replies so far.
To summarise, he puts in a shift, he'll do exactly what's asked of him, he's great at holding the ball up.
If he has time to think he's shite, he's too slow, no way should he be playing for Aston Villa.
So what exactly do so many managers see in Emile?
How many managers have won anything in the last ten years with him in the team? Why haven't any of the very best teams been in for him?
You could ask that about 80% of the players in the league.......
Yes, but we keep hearing about how players like Owen, Rooney and Gerrard love playing with him. It just seems that their club managers don't agree.
Didnt he play with Owen, Stevie G under Rafa @ Liverpool and they beat Blues in the Carling Cup in sure and he may even have been in the squad when they won the Champions League
-
Many thanks for the replies so far.
To summarise, he puts in a shift, he'll do exactly what's asked of him, he's great at holding the ball up.
If he has time to think he's shite, he's too slow, no way should he be playing for Aston Villa.
So what exactly do so many managers see in Emile?
How many managers have won anything in the last ten years with him in the team? Why haven't any of the very best teams been in for him?
You could ask that about 80% of the players in the league.......
Yes, but we keep hearing about how players like Owen, Rooney and Gerrard love playing with him. It just seems that their club managers don't agree.
Didnt he play with Owen, Stevie G under Rafa @ Liverpool and they beat Blues in the Carling Cup in sure and he may even have been in the squad when they won the Champions League
Houllier won the Carling Cup with Liverpool. And he was at Birmingham by the time they won the Champions League.
And really, Stevie G? REALLY?
-
@ Spangley.. That's because 80% of players in the Premiership are very average and only survive because they are part of a team, that's the beauty of football as opposed to playing golf or snooker, tennis, playing football you can hide playing the latter your either good or your crap and everyone can see it. As for Heskey surely the point is, he had is momentary time at the top of his game for a very short period and some time ago, most Blues fans will tell you he was crap there, the only front man in football that doesn't score goals, went to Wigan under Bruce was reasonable and for some very strange reason O'Neill wanted him at Villa, which I think is more to do with nostalgia than cold hard facts.........and he's getting on.
By the way when he played for Liverpool in the Carling Cup final versus Birmingham City I think you'll find most noses will tell you that Liverpool where crap, Blues ran them ragged, should have lifted the cup and Owen was on the bench, Heskey played up front with Fowler and guess what Heskey couldn't score for toffee...........and that's when he was at the top of his game.
Heskey seems a really nice bloke, at times he's useful to bring on and rub the opposition defence up the wrong way, but you can't sensibly start a game with a player up front that doesn't know where the goal is, if Villa had a massive squad maybe you could hide him in there somewhere, but Villa needs every man to count.
-
That year he won the FA Cup, League Cup and UEFA Cup if you think he is rubbish and not worth his place thats fine I think he does a good job for the team and if he is not in the team the midfield is very lightweight and he is usefull when defending set pieces
-
It would be interesting what other players think of him, especially defenders. I'd reckon most would prefer to face a Villa side that doesn't have him in the starting line up.
Apart from maybe the keeper ;D
-
As for trophies, I wish Villa had won what he's won over the past 15 years!
-
link=topic=44642.msg1881288#msg1881288 date=1315420508]
@ Spangley.. That's because 80% of players in the Premiership are very average and only survive because they are part of a team, that's the beauty of football as opposed to playing golf or snooker, tennis, playing football you can hide playing the latter your either good or your crap and everyone can see it. As for Heskey surely the point is, he had is momentary time at the top of his game for a very short period and some time ago, most Blues fans will tell you he was crap there, the only front man in football that doesn't score goals, went to Wigan under Bruce was reasonable and for some very strange reason O'Neill wanted him at Villa, which I think is more to do with nostalgia than cold hard facts.........and he's getting on.
By the way when he played for Liverpool in the Carling Cup final versus Birmingham City I think you'll find most noses will tell you that Liverpool where crap, Blues ran them ragged, should have lifted the cup and Owen was on the bench, Heskey played up front with Fowler and guess what Heskey couldn't score for toffee...........and that's when he was at the top of his game.
Heskey seems a really nice bloke, at times he's useful to bring on and rub the opposition defence up the wrong way, but you can't sensibly start a game with a player up front that doesn't know where the goal is, if Villa had a massive squad maybe you could hide him in there somewhere, but Villa needs every man to count.
[/quote]
He won the FA Cup, League Cup and Uefa Cup in that same season, however feel free to take the opinion of the unwashed, they do know their football down Da Bloose.
-
That year he won the FA Cup, League Cup and UEFA Cup if you think he is rubbish and not worth his place thats fine I think he does a good job for the team and if he is not in the team the midfield is very lightweight and he is usefull when defending set pieces
That year he won the FA Cup, League Cup and UEFA Cup, :o ?
I'm not saying he's rubbish, I'm saying he would be better suited elsewhere, not just for him but definitely for Villa.
PWS, I'd wouldn't mind betting most defenders would prefer to face a cumbersome tree that maybe difficult in the tackle but is no threat up front, than a player that gets the slightest wiff of the goal will score or attempt to score, think about it, I wonder what Moyes will say to the Everton defence for Saturday, don't worry about marking Heskey he'll never score as long as he's got a hole in his ar*e, double up on Bent and negate Agbonlahor, threat over.
-
That year he won the FA Cup, League Cup and UEFA Cup if you think he is rubbish and not worth his place thats fine I think he does a good job for the team and if he is not in the team the midfield is very lightweight and he is usefull when defending set pieces
That year he won the FA Cup, League Cup and UEFA Cup, :o ?
I'm not saying he's rubbish, I'm saying he would be better suited elsewhere, not just for him but definitely for Villa.
PWS, I'd wouldn't mind betting most defenders would prefer to face a cumbersome tree that maybe difficult in the tackle but is no threat up front, than a player that gets the slightest wiff of the goal will score or attempt to score, think about it, I wonder what Moyes will say to the Everton defence for Saturday, don't worry about marking Heskey he'll never score as long as he's got a hole in his ar*e, double up on Bent and negate Agbonlahor, threat over.
Yes HE did, and if you ask him nicely I'm sure he'll show you his medals.
And a couple of months later he scored as they beat Bayern in the Super Cup. The shit bastard.
-
As for trophies, I wish Villa had won what he's won over the past 15 years!
I think people are confusing the efforts of a team and what a team achieves to the contribution of one man or are you really suggesting that Emile Heskey won the day in all those trophies for Liverpool, so he was a kind of Messi all singing all dancing man of the moment at that time and without Heskey Liverpool would not have achieved what they did.
I seriously don't think so....
-
That year he won the FA Cup, League Cup and UEFA Cup if you think he is rubbish and not worth his place thats fine I think he does a good job for the team and if he is not in the team the midfield is very lightweight and he is usefull when defending set pieces
That year he won the FA Cup, League Cup and UEFA Cup, :o ?
I'm not saying he's rubbish, I'm saying he would be better suited elsewhere, not just for him but definitely for Villa.
PWS, I'd wouldn't mind betting most defenders would prefer to face a cumbersome tree that maybe difficult in the tackle but is no threat up front, than a player that gets the slightest wiff of the goal will score or attempt to score, think about it, I wonder what Moyes will say to the Everton defence for Saturday, don't worry about marking Heskey he'll never score as long as he's got a hole in his ar*e, double up on Bent and negate Agbonlahor, threat over.
Im sure Steve Kean gave that team talk before the Blackburn game.......................
-
I don't dislike Emile as a matter of course, I just really dislike the role and position he plays in our team. Like I've said before, he's never, ever excelled in the attacking midfield role he's playing with us, and all compliments from Rooney, Owen etc are of him playing further forward as an orthodox target man. I dislike the football that having him in the side forces us to play, and I dislike that he is keeping out other players, particularly Bannan, who could alter our style of play and make us more dangerous, not least by giving Bent something to work with.
-
That year he won the FA Cup, League Cup and UEFA Cup if you think he is rubbish and not worth his place thats fine I think he does a good job for the team and if he is not in the team the midfield is very lightweight and he is usefull when defending set pieces
That year he won the FA Cup, League Cup and UEFA Cup, :o ?
I'm not saying he's rubbish, I'm saying he would be better suited elsewhere, not just for him but definitely for Villa.
PWS, I'd wouldn't mind betting most defenders would prefer to face a cumbersome tree that maybe difficult in the tackle but is no threat up front, than a player that gets the slightest wiff of the goal will score or attempt to score, think about it, I wonder what Moyes will say to the Everton defence for Saturday, don't worry about marking Heskey he'll never score as long as he's got a hole in his ar*e, double up on Bent and negate Agbonlahor, threat over.
Im sure Steve Kean gave that team talk before the Blackburn game.......................
From what I can see team talks and Blackburn don't fit well together.
-
As for trophies, I wish Villa had won what he's won over the past 15 years!
I think people are confusing the efforts of a team and what a team achieves to the contribution of one man or are you really suggesting that Emile Heskey won the day in all those trophies for Liverpool, so he was a kind of Messi all singing all dancing man of the moment at that time and without Heskey Liverpool would not have achieved what they did.
I seriously don't think so....
Unfortunately football is a team game and he has the medals to prove that the teams thats he has played in have been succesfull and he has 62 England caps
-
I don't dislike Emile as a matter of course, I just really dislike the role and position he plays in our team. Like I've said before, he's never, ever excelled in the attacking midfield role he's playing with us, and all compliments from Rooney, Owen etc are of him playing further forward as an orthodox target man. I dislike the football that having him in the side forces us to play, and I dislike that he is keeping out other players, particularly Bannan, who could alter our style of play and make us more dangerous, not least by giving Bent something to work with.
This is my point, he's had a few games for us, that's it, thank you a goodnight, everybody and his uncle has been moaning about our wage bill, we need to cut this and get rid of that, when we where letting go of players like NRC for nothing and Luke Young, struggled with signings because it seemed obvious that money wise we couldn't attract the right players and yet we keep Heskey.......doesn't make any sense to me at tall.
-
As for trophies, I wish Villa had won what he's won over the past 15 years!
I think people are confusing the efforts of a team and what a team achieves to the contribution of one man or are you really suggesting that Emile Heskey won the day in all those trophies for Liverpool, so he was a kind of Messi all singing all dancing man of the moment at that time and without Heskey Liverpool would not have achieved what they did.
I seriously don't think so....
He scored 22 goals that season.
-
I don't dislike Emile as a matter of course, I just really dislike the role and position he plays in our team. Like I've said before, he's never, ever excelled in the attacking midfield role he's playing with us, and all compliments from Rooney, Owen etc are of him playing further forward as an orthodox target man. I dislike the football that having him in the side forces us to play, and I dislike that he is keeping out other players, particularly Bannan, who could alter our style of play and make us more dangerous, not least by giving Bent something to work with.
This is my point, he's had a few games for us, that's it, thank you a goodnight, everybody and his uncle has been moaning about our wage bill, we need to cut this and get rid of that, when we where letting go of players like NRC for nothing and Luke Young, struggled with signings because it seemed obvious that money wise we couldn't attract the right players and yet we keep Heskey.......doesn't make any sense to me at tall.
Fucking hell mate, do you need it spelt out?
Reo-Coker, who for some seems a favourite despite costing more than twice what Emile did and being the dictionary definition of average, left as his contract was up.
Luke Young was sold because someone bid for him.
Emile still has a contract, and as far as we know, no one has bid for him, so he's still here.
It's not some elaborate scheme by the club to piss you off.
-
As for trophies, I wish Villa had won what he's won over the past 15 years!
I think people are confusing the efforts of a team and what a team achieves to the contribution of one man or are you really suggesting that Emile Heskey won the day in all those trophies for Liverpool, so he was a kind of Messi all singing all dancing man of the moment at that time and without Heskey Liverpool would not have achieved what they did.
I seriously don't think so....
He scored 22 goals that season.
Which is more than he's scored for Villa in his entire time here so far.
I think it would be easy to get bogged down in the past. Heskey at Liverpool was a different player in a different team in, frankly, a different era tactically for English football. What matters is the here and now, and that should be the debate. For my money, his presence and role in the team has been detrimental to our attacking options this season in a way which outweighs his defensive contribution.
-
I don't dislike Emile as a matter of course, I just really dislike the role and position he plays in our team. Like I've said before, he's never, ever excelled in the attacking midfield role he's playing with us, and all compliments from Rooney, Owen etc are of him playing further forward as an orthodox target man. I dislike the football that having him in the side forces us to play, and I dislike that he is keeping out other players, particularly Bannan, who could alter our style of play and make us more dangerous, not least by giving Bent something to work with.
This is my point, he's had a few games for us, that's it, thank you a goodnight, everybody and his uncle has been moaning about our wage bill, we need to cut this and get rid of that, when we where letting go of players like NRC for nothing and Luke Young, struggled with signings because it seemed obvious that money wise we couldn't attract the right players and yet we keep Heskey.......doesn't make any sense to me at tall.
Fucking hell mate, do you need it spelt out?
Reo-Coker, who for some seems a favourite despite costing more than twice what Emile did and being the dictionary definition of average, left as his contract was up.
Luke Young was sold because someone bid for him.
Emile still has a contract, and as far as we know, no one has bid for him, so he's still here.
It's not some elaborate scheme by the club to piss you off.
This'll help cheer you up...
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/features/3057972/The-best-jokes-about-Emile-Heskey.html
-
I know Monty, it's just Villanation seems to want to discredit his achievements as they were achieved as part of a 'team', in an effort to back up his point.
-
I know Monty, it's just Villanation seems to want to discredit his achievements as they were achieved as part of a 'team', in an effort to back up his point.
You're both right though, of course, because in that team and at that time he was clearly able to contribute a lot. Right now, though, I don't think the same applies.
-
I don't dislike Emile as a matter of course, I just really dislike the role and position he plays in our team. Like I've said before, he's never, ever excelled in the attacking midfield role he's playing with us, and all compliments from Rooney, Owen etc are of him playing further forward as an orthodox target man. I dislike the football that having him in the side forces us to play, and I dislike that he is keeping out other players, particularly Bannan, who could alter our style of play and make us more dangerous, not least by giving Bent something to work with.
This is my point, he's had a few games for us, that's it, thank you a goodnight, everybody and his uncle has been moaning about our wage bill, we need to cut this and get rid of that, when we where letting go of players like NRC for nothing and Luke Young, struggled with signings because it seemed obvious that money wise we couldn't attract the right players and yet we keep Heskey.......doesn't make any sense to me at tall.
Fucking hell mate, do you need it spelt out?
Reo-Coker, who for some seems a favourite despite costing more than twice what Emile did and being the dictionary definition of average, left as his contract was up.
Luke Young was sold because someone bid for him.
Emile still has a contract, and as far as we know, no one has bid for him, so he's still here.
It's not some elaborate scheme by the club to piss you off.
This'll help cheer you up...
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/features/3057972/The-best-jokes-about-Emile-Heskey.html
Thankfully my companies' web security policy doesn't allow me to view that, or that would've been another couple of minutes of my life I'd never get back.
-
I know Monty, it's just Villanation seems to want to discredit his achievements as they were achieved as part of a 'team', in an effort to back up his point.
You're both right though, of course, because in that team and at that time he was clearly able to contribute a lot. Right now, though, I don't think the same applies.
I'm not his biggest fan by any stretch, but I think it's interesting that O'Neill *spits*, Houllier and now McLeish don't seem to agree with that.
-
I know Monty, it's just Villanation seems to want to discredit his achievements as they were achieved as part of a 'team', in an effort to back up his point.
You're both right though, of course, because in that team and at that time he was clearly able to contribute a lot. Right now, though, I don't think the same applies.
I'm not his biggest fan by any stretch, but I think it's interesting that O'Neill *spits*, Houllier and now McLeish don't seem to agree with that.
True, though it's notable that Heskey was dropped to the bench largely after Bent was bought. It appears that Houllier regarded him as a squad player more than a definite starter.
-
I know Monty, it's just Villanation seems to want to discredit his achievements as they were achieved as part of a 'team', in an effort to back up his point.
You're both right though, of course, because in that team and at that time he was clearly able to contribute a lot. Right now, though, I don't think the same applies.
I'm not his biggest fan by any stretch, but I think it's interesting that O'Neill *spits*, Houllier and now McLeish don't seem to agree with that.
True, though it's notable that Heskey was dropped to the bench largely after Bent was bought. It appears that Houllier regarded him as a squad player more than a definite starter.
I think he mugged himself getting sent off against Sunderland. That 3 game ban came as we signed Bent, our form picked up and he was out in the cold.
-
I know Monty, it's just Villanation seems to want to discredit his achievements as they were achieved as part of a 'team', in an effort to back up his point.
You're both right though, of course, because in that team and at that time he was clearly able to contribute a lot. Right now, though, I don't think the same applies.
I'm not his biggest fan by any stretch, but I think it's interesting that O'Neill *spits*, Houllier and now McLeish don't seem to agree with that.
True, though it's notable that Heskey was dropped to the bench largely after Bent was bought. It appears that Houllier regarded him as a squad player more than a definite starter.
I think he mugged himself getting sent off against Sunderland. That 3 game ban came as we signed Bent, our form picked up and he was out in the cold.
Oh yeah, thats the game where he hit the bar from two yards and got himself sent off for acting the ******. Still, as long as he works hard and holds the ball up, eh...