Why no Heskey ?

[eastie]

Heskey does a lot of work but he isn't a goal threat and I dont think he would be the kind of player bent would gel with- bent is not an Owen type and I see gabby or fonz gelling better with him , but I don't think houllier will change and he will keep bent alone and ash in a free role.

[Rip Van We Go Again]

I really don't think Bent is at his best isolated on his own up front, it's okay if both the wingers are on fire, but yesterday they were pretty poor.

Still doesn't excuse his obvious lack of interest though.

[Phil from the upper holte]

I'm sure I read on a sunderland forum that Bent is not at his best up front on his own, The fact he didn't get any service from a flat midfield didn't help

[Ian.]

I would stick Heskey up with Bent in the next match. It is a tough place to go to, what have we got to lose?

[Clark W Griswold]

I agree that he may well be useful in some remaining games in a 4-4-2, but i think we are clutching at straws to think he would have turned it around yesterday. We were rotton throughout the team, and even Lionel Messi would have struggled to get things going for us.

[supertom]

I'm sure I read on a sunderland forum that Bent is not at his best up front on his own, The fact he didn't get any service from a flat midfield didn't help

He played on his own at Charlton. But yes, he always had someone up with him at Sunderland to do the grafting.

A big problem, which Capello has highlighted as a positive, is that Ged has got Bent doing more work outside the 18 yrd box. He's not quite the goal hanging menace of previous clubs. With Bent you have to accept the fact that he's not gonna get involved in the game, or build up play. Leave him up with the CB's, playing on the shoulder. It's how he's always been best used, and how we'll get more goals from him.

In addition, as you say, also giving the lad some service might fucking help! He's been starved of it since coming here. In fairness he's netted 3 times, but we could have got a lot more out of him by how.

[ozzjim]

The other issue we have is that Ashley Young over hits every possible through ball to him! Bent thrived on Andy Reid and Malbranque playing him in all the time at Sunderland. Ashley Young can't find a weight of pass to save his life, or our season.

[darren woolley]

Heskey was playing well when he did play this season i would try him with Bent we have nothing to lose.

[Clampy]

I'd put Heskey back in as well. As nice as it would be, we don't really need another 20 goal a season man up front, we need to try and get the best out of the one we've just paid £18m for.

We need to start giving oppostion defences someone else to mark other than Bent and a wandering Ashley. Heskey for me would be ideal. 

[Rip Van We Go Again]

As in cricket, if things are not working you rotate the bowling, try different fielding positions and look at various options.

You don't just sit on your hands in the vain hope that your plan A will succeed.

Heskey should have been brought on yesterday with us reverting to a proper 4-4-2

[brian green]

Did we win anything in the air yesterday?   If we did I must have blinked.   If we are going to pump the ball in the air you have to play Heskey.   Playing one up front at home against Wolves must go down as yet another bollock dropped by Houllier.   They are coming thick and fast.

[Sister of Top Cat]

A friend of mine was in the boxes in the trinity, He said Heskey got up and walked off down the tunnel with about 15 mins to go.

He did but he came back again.  Probably went for a wee.

[Lambert and Payne]

I think not recalling Lichaz when we are playing Herd, Baker and Delph in the back is odd, ditto Lowry who still belongs to us and signed a new deal in December didn't he? Sure they are kids, but at least they are specialist defenders.

On Heskey, he has proved all through his career that he lays on goals for a genuine goalscorer as a partner, time and again. Surely the 4-4-2 with Bent and Heskey has to be given a couple of games. I would prefer Young dropped at the moment. He is poor. Albrighton and Downing offer better delivery wide, Heskey more threat up top. Bent didn't get a kick yesterday.

This is exactly my thoughts

[Rip Van We Go Again]

A friend of mine was in the boxes in the trinity, He said Heskey got up and walked off down the tunnel with about 15 mins to go.

He did but he came back again.  Probably went for a wee.

Hopefully in Houllier's Kronenburg.

[Chris Smith]

For those suggesting 4-4-2 who do you suggest as the central 2?

We used it with some success in previous seasons but thatvwas beacuse we had top class players in Barry and then Milner who made it work. We don't have anyone of that calibre now.