This 14 goals in 14 games for Owen with Heskey crap.....

Heskey: 44 Games
Goals: 5
Goals per game: 0.1
Shots on target: 18 (in forty fackin four games)
Shots off target: 22 (total shots equals less than one per game)

GOAL ASSISTS: 7 in 44 Games

Right, lets face the facts. Heskey has not contributed 14 assists to Owen. The stats are there to make people believe they are better than they actually are.

How many goals have we scored with Lampard in the team? How many with Joe Cole? You can pull numbers out of the air.

The fact of the matter is Heskey's personal stats are appaulling. Crouch's stats make much more happy reading. Its a team game and if were picking a side to compliment one player then we will be very 1 dimensional and do not have the ability to win against better national sides let alone a tournament.

 

I'd pick Heskey over Crouch without hesitation, without looking at stats. We're one-dimensional if Crouch plays, except he's far less adapt at being a target man than Heskey is.

 

How can you say England are less dimensional?

In 20 games Crouch has scored 12 goals aginst Heskeys 5 in 44. Crouch's record could be deemed as prolific.
In 7 games Owen has scored 5 goals with Crouch against heskeys 14 in 14 (not far off being the same pro-rated)
In 13 games A.Nother (not owen) striker has scored 5 goals with crouch in the team against Heskeys 3 in 30.

It all pales into insignificance as Rooney will waltz back into the side.

I know it looks like Im jumping on Heskey's back and I guess I am. I just dont think hes good enough and these stats that have come out make it all look one sided.

 

Owens second goal tonight summed it up. Heskey LOOKED for Owen's run. Crouch would have done one of these things:
a) Fouled the defender.
b) Fallen over.
c) Headed it straight up in the air.
d) Been beaten to the ball.

Heskey has strength and awareness. He's not prolific, never will be - much like Paul Hayes won't be, but I still think he was a very good player for us.

Crouch commits too many fouls - whether thats his own fault, or referees who just arent used to players like him.

 

I agree - and Im not saying Crouch is the answer anyway. However, is contribution as a target man (and thats what he is "supposed" to be) his overall performance is better than Heskey's.

Having him in the team because he plays well with Owen isnt enough. What if Owen gets injured again in the first game of a tournament? Thats effectively two strikers unavailable if the argument is for Heskey/Owen partnership.

I think my point is (which Im putting across pretty poorly) is that we can not build a team around Owen. No other top european side does this, and if we do we will fail to live up to expectations again.

 

We can't build a team around Owen - but while he's fit, we need to take full advantage of him - and the way to do that is Heskey/Rooney. Crouch wouldn't make the squad for me regardless.

Gareth Barry is the man for me that stood out over the 2 games. A class act, and if Lampard comes back for him, then all the talk about McClaren has been true.

 

Why can't we build a team round owen while he is fit? Being englands most prolific goal scorer in recent times, why not? And its not exactly the whole team built round him, just the stike force. Rooney will get straight back into the team when fit anyway. However, injuries forced mclaren to pick a 'team' last night as opposed to the usual 11 individuals and in my opinion it was the best i have seen england play in a long time.

 

But an assist is the pass that directly leads to the goal, so that takes away a nod down when another player then can lay ball off, or takes away just drawing defenders away which creates space.

 

agree

 

Really?

I thought defensively we looked as poor as we have in ages.</p>

Terry looked about 20 yards off the pace, Ferdinandhad his usual moments of slackness and Ashley Cole was appalling. Even Robinson who due to poor finishing had virtually nowt to do spilled one, however his luck was in as the defender just beat the oncoming forward.</p>

Its all about ifs but the Russkies created 4 or 5 quality opportunities right after half time that on another day they might have scored.</p>

Shaun Wright-Philips is the Martin Devaney of the England squad , he cant cross the ball.</p>

 

RE: Really?

That's the same as an email I just got from my mate!

 

you wouldn,t have said that a month ago !

 

Hes played well this season and again over the last two months. However, the croatia game when the centre half marking him calls him a coon everytime he's within range will be a much better test.