Do we need a Heskey?

[Dave]

It's pretty obvious Michael Owen likes playing alongside Emile Heskey. Despite the fact I think it's a pity for England that Heskey himself offers pretty much no goal threat whatsoever, and is in the team purely for Owen's benefit, the goals prove it works.

 

Providing we can keep Owen fit, should we be considering buying a player like Heskey (not suggesting Heskey himself, before anyone moans) purely to get the goals out of him?

 

Do we have a player at the club already who can fill the role? For me, Viduka is best with the ball at his feet, Oba likewise albeit running at defenders. Smith seems destined for midfield/the bench, leaving Ameobi...

 

Should we be trying to build our attack around Owen?

[madras]

no

 

it works against continental defences who aren't used to a heskey type player. has he turned in many performances in the prem over the last 5 years that made you think you'd like to sign him ?

[Shearergol]

Owen is our best striker, therefore we build the attack around him. We've all seen that when he stays fit, he's one of the best strikers in the country.

 

I assume Sam bought Viduka with the idea of making him Owen's partner, but I'm not 100% convinced yet. I'd have no complaints if we sold Martins for £12m and bought someone like Heskey for a fraction of that.

[Dave]

no

 

it works against continental defences who aren't used to a heskey type player. has he turned in many performances in the prem over the last 5 years that made you think you'd like to sign him ?

 

Eh? Who?

[Shearergol]

By the way, when I said "someone like Heskey" I kinda meant not him

[madras]

no

 

it works against continental defences who aren't used to a heskey type player. has he turned in many performances in the prem over the last 5 years that made you think you'd like to sign him ?

 

Eh? Who?

heskey,or even kevin davies, the style of players you're talking about.

[Dave]

no

 

it works against continental defences who aren't used to a heskey type player. has he turned in many performances in the prem over the last 5 years that made you think you'd like to sign him ?

 

Eh? Who?

heskey,or even kevin davies, the style of players you're talking about.

 

I specifically mentioned that I wouldn't want us to sign Heskey. He's too one-dimensional for me.

 

Heskey and Owen have a good record together though, which was my point. We have nobody like Heskey - ie someone to suit Owen - should we be looking for one?

[sparta]

no

 

it works against continental defences who aren't used to a heskey type player. has he turned in many performances in the prem over the last 5 years that made you think you'd like to sign him ?

 

Eh? Who?

 

carew?

[johnnypd]

ive been saying for ages that Owen is best alongside a phsyical player with great movement and a bit of pace. his ideal partner would probably be someone like Anelka. Viduka will be a decent partner for Owen, given time, as he can drop deep and create, but he will not work the channels or compete physically on Owen's behalf like a heskey-type would. furthermore, as he possesses almost no pace at all, he will not pin teams back and force them to defend deeply (giving owen more opportunities in the box), or stretch teams that defend high up to create space and openings.

[tmonkey]

no

 

it works against continental defences who aren't used to a heskey type player. has he turned in many performances in the prem over the last 5 years that made you think you'd like to sign him ?

 

Eh? Who?

heskey,or even kevin davies, the style of players you're talking about.

 

I specifically mentioned that I wouldn't want us to sign Heskey. He's too one-dimensional for me.

 

Heskey and Owen have a good record together though, which was my point. We have nobody like Heskey - ie someone to suit Owen - should we be looking for one?

 

No.

 

I think Owen is being a tad underrated here, as hes perfectly capable of playing well in a different type of team. When he played for Real Madrid, he was scoring frequently and a constant threat.

 

Hence, Owen can play just as well without a big lump winning challenges for him, providing the team is creative enough to open up spaces and provide him with chances. As Madras pointed out, hes looking decent alongside Heskey purely because these defences arent handling Heskey well at all, whereas Premiership defences are tailored for that sort of forward play.

 

I think we should go down the other route and bring in creative players who have the ability to pick out the runs that Owen regularly makes. I also think its a bit unwise to be taking much away from these two games, since the opposition have been particularly poor, especially in defence - certainly wouldnt want us to replicate the tactics and playing style being used.

[Delima]

Heskey is not any particularly pacey though.

 

We have Viduka who can do similar jobs to Heskey, and Viduka himself is a more polished and deadly striker than Heskey. Heskey, however, is a non stop hardworking non complaining non sulking consistent reliable battering ram, which Viduka isn't. Let's hopeBig Sam could do his best to keep Viduka motivated.

[Dave]

Touché tmonkey.

 

Certainly agree that Owen's qualities as a footballer are often overlooked. He's an expert finisher, but he can play too.

[Kimbo]

Should we build our team around a player that has a release clause of £9m? No, i'd rather not.

[Dave]

Should we build our team around a player that has a release clause of £9m? No, i'd rather not.

 

What's that got to do with anything? He's our player now, why shouldn't we play to his strengths?

[madras]

Should we build our team around a player that has a release clause of £9m? No, i'd rather not.

the deadline has passed,come next summer he'll be entering the last year of his contract so we may well be lucky to get that ammount

[Shearergol]

Should we build our team around a player that has a release clause of £9m? No, i'd rather not.

 

[Kimbo]

Should we build our team around a player that has a release clause of £9m? No, i'd rather not.

 

What's that got to do with anything? He's our player now, why shouldn't we play to his strengths?

 

Play to his strengths yes, you should always do that with your strikers, but don't go buying players to get the best out of him when we don't know whether he'll be staying or going whenever the window opens up. It just doesn't sound smart to me.

[Dave]

Should we build our team around a player that has a release clause of £9m? No, i'd rather not.

 

What's that got to do with anything? He's our player now, why shouldn't we play to his strengths?

 

Play to his strengths yes, you should always do that with your strikers, but don't go buying players to get the best out of him when we don't know whether he'll be staying or going whenever the window opens up. It just doesn't sound smart to me.

 

Who do we know is staying? Do tell.

[Shearergol]

Should we build our team around a player that has a release clause of £9m? No, i'd rather not.

 

What's that got to do with anything? He's our player now, why shouldn't we play to his strengths?

 

Play to his strengths yes, you should always do that with your strikers, but don't go buying players to get the best out of him when we don't know whether he'll be staying or going whenever the window opens up. It just doesn't sound smart to me.

 

So we pick a team which doesn't play to his strengths, and he scores less goals? Don't see how that gains us anything?

 

If Owen goes, we change how the team plays. Easy.

[Dave]

Should we build our team around a player that has a release clause of £9m? No, i'd rather not.

 

What's that got to do with anything? He's our player now, why shouldn't we play to his strengths?

 

Play to his strengths yes, you should always do that with your strikers, but don't go buying players to get the best out of him when we don't know whether he'll be staying or going whenever the window opens up. It just doesn't sound smart to me.

 

So we pick a team which doesn't play to his strengths, and he scores less goals? Don't see how that gains us anything?

 

If Owen goes, we change how the team plays. Easy.

 

No to mention the fact the more he scores (and the better we do as a result), the more likely he is to stay anyway.

[Kimbo]

Should we build our team around a player that has a release clause of £9m? No, i'd rather not.

 

What's that got to do with anything? He's our player now, why shouldn't we play to his strengths?

 

Play to his strengths yes, you should always do that with your strikers, but don't go buying players to get the best out of him when we don't know whether he'll be staying or going whenever the window opens up. It just doesn't sound smart to me.

 

Who do we know is staying? Do tell.

 

We don't know, the club does though with most players - Owen isn't one of those because of his clause.

 

So we pick a team which doesn't play to his strengths, and he scores less goals? Don't see how that gains us anything?

 

If Owen goes, we change how the team plays. Easy.

 

Neither do i, that's why i said we should play to his strengths. All i said was that we shouldn't go buying players to get the best out of him when he might be off when the window opens.

[Shearergol]

Should we build our team around a player that has a release clause of £9m? No, i'd rather not.

 

What's that got to do with anything? He's our player now, why shouldn't we play to his strengths?

 

Play to his strengths yes, you should always do that with your strikers, but don't go buying players to get the best out of him when we don't know whether he'll be staying or going whenever the window opens up. It just doesn't sound smart to me.

 

Who do we know is staying? Do tell.

 

We don't know, the club does though with most players - Owen isn't one of those because of his clause.

 

So we pick a team which doesn't play to his strengths, and he scores less goals? Don't see how that gains us anything?

 

If Owen goes, we change how the team plays. Easy.

 

Neither do i, that's why i said we should play to his strengths. All i said was that we shouldn't go buying players to get the best out of him when he might be off when the window opens.

 

OK, well I disagree. I believe that we don't have the partner for him at the club yet.

[madras]

Should we build our team around a player that has a release clause of £9m? No, i'd rather not.

 

What's that got to do with anything? He's our player now, why shouldn't we play to his strengths?

 

Play to his strengths yes, you should always do that with your strikers, but don't go buying players to get the best out of him when we don't know whether he'll be staying or going whenever the window opens up. It just doesn't sound smart to me.

 

Who do we know is staying? Do tell.

 

We don't know, the club does though with most players - Owen isn't one of those because of his clause.

 

So we pick a team which doesn't play to his strengths, and he scores less goals? Don't see how that gains us anything?

 

If Owen goes, we change how the team plays. Easy.

 

Neither do i, that's why i said we should play to his strengths. All i said was that we shouldn't go buying players to get the best out of him when he might be off when the window opens.

and as someone pointed out,who can we guarantee will be there ?

[johnnypd]

i think some are missing the point. i don't think anyone is saying we should get a Heskey clone, but a player with similar strengths to Heskey. we'd want a strongish player good in the air with excellent mobility, some pace, who works hard, can link play and create space. in the case of Heskey that is ALL he does and he can basically do nothing more than that. ideally we'd have a player who can do all this, and well as more on top, like Anelka, as getting a Heskey clone whose only job is to help his strike partner, is effectively putting all your eggs in one basket.

[Dave]

i think some are missing the point. i don't think anyone is saying we should get a Heskey clone, but a player with similar strengths to Heskey. we'd want a strongish player good in the air with excellent mobility, some pace, who works hard, can link play and create space. in the case of Heskey that is ALL he does and he can basically do nothing more than that. ideally we'd have a player who can do all this, and well as more on top, like Anelka, as getting a Heskey clone whose only job is to help his strike partner, is effectively putting all your eggs in one basket.

 

Spot on.