Topic: Emile Heskey

[smicer07]

Nah, I think the Nonda deal is pretty much signed and sealed, along with Essien. Govou has committed himself to the club too.

[Tony19:6]

he won't be sold for £6 million....

for two reasons.....

1) potential - could become a hell of a striker (with a fair bit of work.....) especially as mentioned if we signed a player to put quality balls into the box and big Emile decided to attack the ball in the air

hes 25 for fooks sake we shouln't STILL be talking about potential any more, face up to it he aint gonna deliver!

2) bought for £11 million and Le Boss has been a very public supporter of Emile - can't see him letting Emile go for near half price....

Didnt we sell Barmby for less than half the price we paid ?? after giving him far less of a fair crack than Emily has had ?

[steer]

on koptalk now....fergie has fucked goofy off and signed emile for £27m.

[IrishRed]

hes 25 for fooks sake we shouln't STILL be talking about potential any more, face up to it he aint gonna deliver!Didnt we sell Barmby for less than half the price we paid ?? after giving him far less of a fair crack than Emily has had ?

25 is not old you know....  i know what you're saying but i still believe he has a year to prove himself

as for the quotes regarding barmby - i believe that GH backed Emile so much in public last year that he won't sell him pre-season.  remember at one stage he said he wouldn't sell him for any price

[Tony19:6]

25 is not old you know....  i know what you're saying but i still believe he has a year to prove himself

as for the quotes regarding barmby - i believe that GH backed Emile so much in public last year that he won't sell him pre-season.  remember at one stage he said he wouldn't sell him for any price

Irish dont get me wrong I would love Emile to go out and grab 20 goals this season and get his place back in the England team over shrek, but in all honesty I know he wont.
i just cant see how 4 years down the line were still talking about potential.. for fooks sake look at Owen, Henry, Raul etc etc ....
Although I want every LFC player who wears the shirt to succeed, I just know some wont no matter how much faith the manager puts in them...
IMO those players need to be moved on if we are to be successful ... no sentiment and all that ...

[m_houllier]

Lets make Wednesday "July Transfer Fools Day".

[Mottman]

Liverpool FC signed Emile Heskey Photograph
A hand signed Emile Heskey. Emile is wearing his red Liverpool Shirt and has hand signed the picture in black marker. Kindly donated by Snorky  www.ynwa.tv

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=2885&item=2738587155


If you don't ask, you don't get.

[MichaelA]

From The Guardian

Liverpool
IN: Sonny Anderson (Lyon), Djibril Cisse (Auxerre), Damien Duff (Blackburn Rovers), Steve Finnan (Fulham), Frederic Kanoute (West Ham), Cristiano Ronaldo (Sporting Lisbon), Jean-Alain Boumsong (Auxerre), Joe Cole (West Ham), Steed Malbranque (Fulham), David Pizarro (Udinese), Stephane Dalmat (Inter), Mehdi Mahdavikia (Hamburg)
OUT: Igor Biscan (Panathinaikos), Emile Heskey (Lyon)

Amazingly, Portsmouth appear to have been linked with more players than we have. Their fans must be drowning in bullshit.

[MichaelA]

And this:

Sunday June 29, 2003
The Observer

Lyon target Emile Heskey says he's won't be forced out of Anfield despite growing Liverpool interest in Harry Kewell and Patrick Kluivert. 'I don't feel under threat - it's just speculation. You know, I was often unlucky last season.' Kluivert's available for just £1.2m after Barca triggered a get-out clause - but Gérard Houllier faces big competition from Arsenal.

[IrishRed]

Irish dont get me wrong I would love Emile to go out and grab 20 goals this season and get his place back in the England team over shrek, but in all honesty I know he wont.
i just cant see how 4 years down the line were still talking about potential.. for fooks sake look at Owen, Henry, Raul etc etc ....
Although I want every LFC player who wears the shirt to succeed, I just know some wont no matter how much faith the manager puts in them...
IMO those players need to be moved on if we are to be successful ... no sentiment and all that ...

i appreciate what you are saying - and Emile got on my nerves at times last season - but i find it hard to slag the players and normally jump on the defensive when someone slags them off.
like yourself - i want big Emile to succeed but i feel that this season will be his last chance - if he fails to deliver then i feel that he will be leaving

[Aidan]

Heskey assured of Liverpool future

Press Association
Monday June 30, 2003

Emile Heskey has committed his future to Liverpool and vowed to make more of an impact after what he's described as an "unlucky" campaign last season.
The £11m striker endured a disappointing season, scoring just nine times despite being a regular in the side and losing his starting place in the national side to Everton striker Wayne Rooney.

As a result, rumours abounded that Liverpool were looking to offload him to make way for a big-name front man, with French club Lyon last week claiming that they had been made aware of the player's availability.

Heskey, however, remains confident that he has a future at Anfield. "I've recently spoken with Gerard Houllier and he's assured me on my future at the club," he told the club's official website, www.liverpoolfc.tv.

"I was often unlucky last season. I think it was a poor year but I've never lost hope and I want to rediscover my form for next season.

I think its high time Emile stopped hiding behind excuses about being unlucky. I've defended him to all over the past 4/5 years, but I've had enough. I've reached my limit of watching Emile stop playing to complain he should have had a free, him falling over when barely touched, and him asking to be taken off. If he's staying, he's got to start proving his worth. Giving pitiful excuses is not good enough, he's had more patience extended to him by staff and fans than any other Liverpool player in memory.

I can accept he's not the world's greatest striker, or anything near it, because his other strengths make our team better. Thing is, we're seeing less and less of him playing like he should. He's got a lot of paying back to do to the fans who've stuck by him.

[Reeves]

I wouldn't disagree with those comments mate.

[Mirra]

Hope he does get better, I couldnt stand another season like the last from him.

[Life]

I think your comments sum him up perfectly Aidan.

I like him, but he's a moaning bugger - and I've always thought he's 2 lines of coke and a good prostitute away from being a bloody brilliant striker.
In his own way, he's as fucked in the head as Collymore.  I think he hears voices.

[Byrnee]

Two problems.

We can;t sell Heskey for anywhere near the £11 mill we got him for in the current climate and based on his current form.

If he has another nightmare season, we'll get even less for him.

The option might be then to loan him out, but then he'll be nearing the end of his contract so even if he was on fire for his new club, his price wouldn't be great.

All in all, unless he dramatically turns things around, (and I hope to Ged he does(!)) Liverpool have paid £11 million for a one season wonder.

Come on Emile....

[Kemlyn 28]

To me Heskey always looks better when he drops back to help out at corners and free kicks etc...Makes me wonder why some of the coaches he has worked under didn't try to turn him into a defender.

[4pool]

Well before the bandwagon gets rolling..

Someone define worth? As the title of this topic is time to prove one's worth. So define please...

Is it goals scored?

Or Team victories?

Or scoring the goal that makes Liverpool win the match or draw it?

Ultimately, what is important to Liverpool Football Club?

[Byrnee]

Well I'd say points are obviously the most important thing.
Heskey could be a striker who doesn;t score as long as we won every game, no-one (outside of Liverpool FC) would care, because if we were winning every game presuambly he'd be tonking in crosses, through balls, taking defenders away from Mikey and would have one of the best assists ratio in the league.

But of course he doesn't do all that so his strike rate is an issue. If he isn't effective up front (scoring or assists) making his presence known, then he isn't worth a place.

Because another player up front could be more worthwhile.

Based on last season, had we had a Beattie, Cisse, even Wiltord(!) up front we'd maybe have got those points we needed for a CL place.

[Armin]

I've always thought he's 2 lines of coke and a good prostitute away from being a bloody brilliant striker.

An excellent idea - I like the thought of getting proactive on this instead of simply moaning about it.  The drugs shouldn't be too expensive.  Can't we launch an appeal to raise the cash for a decent looking escort for the lad?

Of course we wouldn't need to do that if any of the female Rawkites were prepared to make a small personal sacrifice for the good of the club.  Thats not to say that they're a bunch of prostitutes - I've never believed that scurrilous rumour for one minute.  Simply that we have an expensive asset at LFC that isn't performing at the moment, surely one of our sister rawkites could take this situation 'in hand' and give poor Emile some relief?

[[streety]]

Probably his last season with us unless he gets some confidence. He was quality in our Treble season now it is time to regain your form or bye bye. There are quality strikers that say they would love to play in a red shirt (Cisse and E'toooo). We need goals Emile!! Buy a quality pair of Gola's and let's ave it!!

[Mark_P]

Come on Emile....

By Gerard's Midnight Runners?

[Fat-Sami]

Someone define worth? As the title of this topic is time to prove one's worth. So define please...

Consistently good individual performances.  

[[streety]]

By Gerard's Midnight Runners?

Sure to be a "floor"filler.



I have to stop these diving jokes  

[-HH-]

Ah good - one of my favourite subjects...simply because it's clearly two-sided which means I can rip into both sides of the argument whilst sitting firmly on the fence (where you'll find if I post here more, I am most comfortable   )

I have a column on Anfield Shrine - which I'll repost here - covers most of my opinions on Emile:

Emile Heskey - Should He Stay or Should he Go?
 
From Bowie to the Clash - I don't mess about with my plagiarism of great musicians. This time there really is a good reason (bear with me.) The song says - If I go there will be trouble, and if I stay there will be double. As far as I'm concerned that's exactly the situation we have here. So I guess I've got to let you know - should he stay or should he go?

No one gets more unfair criticism from the fans than Emile, simply because for a lot of fans there's World Class, and then there's shit. OK, fair enough, Heskey has fallen over so often they're thinking of changing the phrase to 'making Emile of it', but he is a talented footballer, and that is what a lot of people sadly forget. As someone who saw him regularly during the treble season, I will be sad to see him go if he does finally depart this summer.

As I see it, we are in a bit of a lose-lose situation with Emile. It's easy to say that we're simply flogging a dead horse by keeping Emile, or more accurately, according to some, flogging a dying donkey. In my opinion a great deal of the problem lies with the way Emile is handled. Houllier has often spoken of the need to have a quiet word in Emile's ear, rather than giving him the kind of kick up the arse he gave to Stevie G. I disagree. He has been treated with kid gloves for a couple of years now and his game can only be said to have gone backwards. He now looks a shadow of the player we had in the treble season, and I even came to question his famous work ethic at the end of last season. If I ever saw anyone who needs a rocket - it's Emile. He knows he can pick up his pay cheque for a brief burst of form once or twice a season and it's not good enough. If he's tired from the World Cup - sell him to a side that doesn't want him in their starting eleven very often so he has a few months to recover between games.

However, I don't see Houllier's attitude with him changing much, which leads us to most people's attitude, which is that we should sell him. But I worry about what will happen if we sell him into the right set up. Sell him to a side with a manager who won't accept second best from his players. If Emile could recapture the kind of form he showed in the treble season for another Premiership side it would drive me potty - but I can see it happening. Thankfully he's mostly linked with Spurs, and I don't imagine a bollocking from Glenn Hoddle to be the scariest prospect.

I guess what I'm saying is we're damned if we do and we're damned if we don't. That said, if it were up to me to take just this one decision, with Houllier remaining in charge, I would let him go. He has had too many chances to perform over the past two seasons and he has let us down consistently. He has let his work rate drop, and his heart doesn't seem to be in it anymore. I almost feel more let down by Emile than I did with Stan Collymore. He's not off living the high life, and he's not shirking training etc. like Collymore did. He's wasting his talent in my eyes by being a wimp, by not standing up and being counted when people criticise him. He seems to think everyone's getting at him - and if he's had a bad game he's a 'confidence player'. Isn't everyone? But if you're paid 40 grand a week to deal with these kind of pressures then I expect a player to get over it and do his job. When he wants to he can frighten the life out of the best defenders in the world. He put the Italians to shame in Pater Taylor's international in charge. He destroyed Argentina on his England debut. He humbled Roma on Ged's famous return. He didn't do this through any kind of skill particularly subject to form. He did it through brute strength and pace. You can see he lacks the confidence to do this consistently, and if he is to remain a Liverpool player he needs to find that confidence from somewhere.

I watched him in the World Cup last year and every time he picked the ball he played the ball back where it came from. Not once did he turn a defender and use his pace and strength in the way we know he can. It's a confidence thing, perhaps, but it is a massive problem.

I think this really is a case of where if he goes there will be trouble and if stays there will be double. If he goes, there is every chance that he will perform heroics for his new club and against us. He will stagnate if he stays, his value will drop, and we still won't see the best of him consistently. So the answer to the question I posed right at the beginning is that in my eyes he should go. But what a waste.

[Reeves]

lol@Armin

[Andy G]

I'll walk a million Emiles, for one of your goals........

Would love to see him back at his best in a Liverpool shirt, but if he is not going to get there then goodbye.
Emile, it's up to you.  You have the talent, get the attitude and you'll be brilliant.  Player of the year or player out on his ear?  Your choice. (IMO)

[4pool]

Well I'd say points are obviously the most important thing.
Heskey could be a striker who doesn;t score as long as we won every game, no-one (outside of Liverpool FC) would care, because if we were winning every game presuambly he'd be tonking in crosses, through balls, taking defenders away from Mikey and would have one of the best assists ratio in the league.

But of course he doesn't do all that so his strike rate is an issue. If he isn't effective up front (scoring or assists) making his presence known, then he isn't worth a place.

Because another player up front could be more worthwhile.

Based on last season, had we had a Beattie, Cisse, even Wiltord(!) up front we'd maybe have got those points we needed for a CL place.

Well as your the one who specifically replied with a thought out reply concerning Heskey as to specifics, i'll reply to your post.

I would assume that many have the same feeling as you do. Just like Hou-Houllier goes on and on ( sorry lar) but he too discusses the same ethereal theories about dear Emile Heskey.

The very first part of your reply mentions Points are the most important. If Heskey never scored and Liverpool won, no one (outside of LFC) would care. And here's the tricky part, your spot on.

Last season Liverpool lost  five matches from January to May in the League. The very same League we were trying to qualify for the CL in. And just missed out. In those 5 losses Baros started every one. Not Heskey, Owen, Gerrard, Kirkland, Dudek, Smicer, Cheyrou, Diouf, etc..

Now tell that to those who are sure Baros is the real deal and near saviour and it brings out all kinds of replies about goals per minutes scored, didn't play as many matches as Emile,  he's young,etc.

So I will ask, if Liverpool lost five and Heskey had started them all, what would the responce be?

Ahh but it's golden boy Baros we're talking about. It wasn't his fault, he's a striker not defender. Errr what's Heskey then? Why should he be singled out differently than Baros if they play the same position?

The truth is Heskey gives the side a greater chance to win. He may not score as many goals but the team loses less. And isn't WINNING what it's all about?

Ahh but Milan makes a greater impact because he scores more goals. Really? There is no disputing the goal tally record for the two strikers last season. Milan did score more than Heskey.

But.. Milan scored two winning goals all season ( v West Brom and West Ham). Heskey scored four ( v Bolton, Spartak, Soton, Fulham).

Milan scored  a goal that meant a draw, Basel.
Heskey scored a goal that meant a draw, Arsenal and Celtic.

So even though Heskey scores less, he earned more points for Liverpool. But if Baros would have had more starts he 'might' have had more winners. Well, that's possible. But as he started fewer matches and Liverpool lost more often, if he starts more..we could lose more as well.. But that's not a comforting thought. Besides it's just a stat.

Well at the end of the day, it's not about Milan or Heskey. Last I saw Liverpool were listed in the table,  not individuals.

Baros is a talent to be sure. He may be more exciting to some supporters. But we lost the last two crunch matches when Milan started. Even if you think Milan was motm the last two..we lost. Would we have been better off with Heskey who doesn't score but we got the points? We'll never know.

Before I get raked over the coals by those who "see" Milan is better than Emile... If you were Houllier and you reviewed the season and saw that Liverpool lost less with Owen/Heskey v Owen/ Baros..what would you do?


What this points out is what Houllier, Owen, Gerrard, etc keep saying about Heskey. He brings a lot more to the side than goals. And isn't WINNING  what it's all about? if Milan is to become the #2, he's going to have to learn that scoring goals are fine as long as the team wins. He's going to need to improve the intangibles that make the TEAM better when he starts. When he does that, he'll easily pass Heskey provided Emile doesn't improve his goal scoring to make it that much harder for Milan to get into the lineup. It's up to both of them really..

[Mottman]

As long as the big guy wants to wear the Red shirt, I'll support him to the max.

Go out and show them Emile, some may doubt you, some of us don't.

Show the World what you are mate, make them eat their words.

[-HH-]

"Just like Hou-Houllier goes on and on ( sorry lar)"

That's fine mate - I was just thinking the same about you  

I see your point about what players bring to the team - but couldn't it just be that Emile happened to play in games where the team as a whole played better?

I wouldn't by any means see Milan as our saviour - far from it. Everyone seems to slate Houllier for buying potential, but at the moment I don't see Milan as being any more than that - albeit particularly good potential.

In both cases - the players need to prove their worth. Baros - over time. For Emile - if he stays - this is a crunch season.

[4pool]

"Just like Hou-Houllier goes on and on ( sorry lar)"

That's fine mate - I was just thinking the same about you  

I see your point about what players bring to the team - but couldn't it just be that Emile happened to play in games where the team as a whole played better?

I wouldn't by any means see Milan as our saviour - far from it. Everyone seems to slate Houllier for buying potential, but at the moment I don't see Milan as being any more than that - albeit particularly good potential.

In both cases - the players need to prove their worth. Baros - over time. For Emile - if he stays - this is a crunch season.

Hey..at least we both read each others long dissertation..  

Could have been the team played better because Heskey was in the line up..

[-HH-]

 

Well, I glazed over yours...  

I'd have to say that I disagree. I understand that it's possible for a player to give more to a team without scoring goals - but I just don't buy it in the case of this comparison.
When you look at Emile's performances - they are poor. When you look at Milan's performances, in general they are good. I'd bet my bottom dollar that if you put Milan into the games Emile played this season - with the players around him performing to the same standard - we'd have got more points from those games.

It could be that the success with Emile upfront was reflective of the fact that when we try and get the ball down we are less successful (out of practice) and that with Emile up there we have someone to win a share of the long ball, and therefore we've been more successful with him there. For me that reflects more on the way the team as a whole are performing than Emile.

Whatever you choose to say about Emile - we don't help him by not playing to his strengths.

[4pool]

Hou:"I'd bet my bottom dollar that if you put Milan into the games Emile played this season - with the players around him performing to the same standard - we'd have got more points from those games."

Well let's see.. Liverpool won 6 of 7 in the stretch until the last two. The one loss being to the Mancs and Reilly saw to it that we could have had 22 players out there and we would have lost. But that one match aside, the team was getting results. Then the last three matches Baros/Owen featured on their own. A win v a relegated side. And then it was crunch time. So you would have bet your bottom dollar they could have gotten a result? unfortunatley, your out of dollars.

One can't claim that Ged didn't put his best 11 out there. Or at least that was the thought at the time. One can't claim with everthing riding on the results to qualify for the CL, the players didn't give 100%. yet, we didn't get a point.

Now I know the first thing that some will say is it wasn't Baros' fault. He didn't let the goals in or score an own goal. But i've discussed the intangibles earlier. I can't quantify that Baros was the culprit per se. That would be stupid. But the statistics are that Owen/Heskey didn't lose one match from January through May in the League. There's enough evidence to sift through of all the matches they started together, poor play, no goals, or whatever..but they never lost. The "team" won or drew. And isn't winning what it's all about? Not that Baros excites people more. or dribbles better. or holds the ball up better. Or scores more goals per minutes played.  Or whatever value or talent one thinks Baros does better than Heskey.

No one's asked but the five losses after January were Newcastle where neither Owen or Heskey played. B'Ham City and Man Utd where it was Baros/ Heskey. And of course the last two Man City and Chelsea where it was Baros/Owen.

One could think that maybe the last two were a test for Baros by Houllier. He has seen Owen/Heskey win trophies and beat the better sides and win in Europe. He may have given Baros a chance at crunch matches to see not only how he did but how the team did with Milan in the side for the most important matches. Draw your own conclusions as to the results.

Mine would be it's to early to give Milan the role in the tougher matches. That he still needs seasoning v the lesser sides to develope his all around team play. To start him out as the featured pairing with Owen may be a bit over his ability at the moment. This doesn't mean he doesn't sit the bench forever. But he needs to adapt his style and play for the betterment of the 'team'. As he learns to do that, he will earn more starts and playing time.

An the flip side, I mentioned earlier that Heskey is going to need to score more goals that he's been doing. And actually, he did score 2 in his last 4 League starts.  

We'll see. Every season is a new challenge.

[Sat1]

Everyone knows GH wants Cisse at Liverpool, we've also been linked to Eto and Kluivert(a player I believe would form the best partnership with Owen).

So what would happen if Liverpool did bring in another striker?? Surely one would have to go, and if its not Heskey than who???Baros

[-HH-]

"But he needs to adapt his style and play for the betterment of the 'team'"

Couldn't agree with that more.

I wasn't saying that we didn't have our best 11 out - I was saying it was about how they performed in those games. As I say - are you sure it's not coincidence that Emile played when others were on form? And that they were out of form in those games Baros played?
Particularly when you mention those last two games - Man City we were poor, but still would have won comfortably but for the referee, and Chelsea - what kind of service did Milan get?

I agree with the way you say it is not black and white - it's any number of shades of grey. The thing is that Emile is 25 - a talented footballer who for whatever reason isn't fulfilling that potential. On the other hand you have Milan who is young, scoring regularly and whose teamwork does leave something to be desired. I'm in the camp that you work on Milan's teamwork in training and he will come good with time. Emile has had the time to come good, and has gone backwards - both in terms of goals, and the number of wins with him in the side last season.

[Olly]

No Ian Rush
No Kenny D,
We've got a lad called Emile Heskey ....

 

[Aidan]

4pool - to cut to the chase, Emile's worth is £11million. He is Liverpool's record buy, bought because he had the talent and ability to run defenders ragged, hold the ball up, link the play and yes, get some goals.

He has shown flashes of all of the above, but I don't think you can argue he has done it anywhere near consistently enough. He is part of Liverpool's first choice strike force - and in my opinion, he hasn't proved himself worthy of that over the past 5 years. And believe me, I've given him every chance, gave him every encouragement from the stands when a lot of those around me are bemoaning the lad's poor first touch, bad finish or misplaced pass.

I don't think it is a sufficient argument to point out that Emile won us more points that Milan last season. Apart from the fact that Heskey is our main striker with Owen, while Baros is a back up striker, bought for a fraction of what we paid for Emile, there are many other factors to consider. Baros has not been extended the patience Ged has given to Emile. We play to Emile's strengths and after 5 years, he has built a good understanding with Micky.

And yet the bare facts of last season show that Baros scored more goals that Emile. Goals win points. Heskey winning us more points is an interesting statistic, but gives no concrete basis for an argument that he is better than Baros - there could be any number of reasons why we lost points when Baros played.  

I still believe Liverpool need a second striker who gives us more than Emile has given us. It may well be that he will finally produce what he is capable of next season - no one would be happier than me. But if he doesn't, someone who can will have to be brought in. Thats what I mean by proving his worth. Last season proved its time for us to make the step up, I don't think we can do that unless our second striker is banging in 10-15 league goals. Emile's been given every chance, now its up to him to shape up or ship out.

[Gray-YPC]

An excellent idea - I like the thought of getting proactive on this instead of simply moaning about it.  The drugs shouldn't be too expensive.  Can't we launch an appeal to raise the cash for a decent looking escort for the lad?

Of course we wouldn't need to do that if any of the female Rawkites were prepared to make a small personal sacrifice for the good of the club.  Thats not to say that they're a bunch of prostitutes - I've never believed that scurrilous rumour for one minute.  Simply that we have an expensive asset at LFC that isn't performing at the moment, surely one of our sister rawkites could take this situation 'in hand' and give poor Emile some relief?

A 'friend' of mine   was in Sugarz and Emile walked in with a few of his mates.

They had a walk round, and left 5 minutes later - and Big Emile never even had a dance!!!

[Byrnee]

Lot of good points there from everyone. The truth is - who knows? Not even Ged. We could play Heskey in every single game next year or Baros or Cisse and we will never know who would be best for the team unless we try it.
I think Baros is improving rapidly, but I do want Cisse.

I think the competition for places should be all important. If someones not up for a fight for his place then fuck off because you aren't going to be up fo a fight for the title.
On other posts, Kluivert and Morientes are mentioned. Rivaldo was linked. Ged is absolutely right to avoid these three- do you think they'll be happy on the bench?
Well Rivaldo isn't! And Kluivert plays every game for one of the worlds biggest clubs but wants to leave because hes not getting a bonus payment!
 

Everyone will get a chance over the course of a season, injuries and suspensions and simply resting players mean that all the strikers will be able to stake a claim if they're good enough. Its a very important distinction. We can't simply play players we hope will be good one day (at least not in the Prem) unless we're winning 3-0 because the league is the be-all and end-all. We're not in it for individuals (well said 4pool). If that means any of Mellor, Baros or Heskey decide to leave because they aren't playing enough then so be it.
 
They won't play for a bigger club than us.

We all hope the best for our players. We all have players who we'd love to exceed all expectations and become world superstars - for some its Vladi, others Emile, some Mellor. But at the end of the day, as long as Liverpool are winning, all that is secondary. The best player/s will stay and start. The rest will have decisions to make.

[4pool]

Aidan: it's all about opinons isn't it...

You say: "He has shown flashes of all of the above, but I don't think you can argue he has done it anywhere near consistently enough. He is part of Liverpool's first choice strike force - and in my opinion, he hasn't proved himself worthy of that over the past 5 years."

So we did in fact pay 11 mil for Emile Heskey.

I would suggest to you that he has been value for the money. Can you put a price on a treble? On qualfying for the Champions League? On coming second in the League and qualifying for the CL again?  Another Cup this year? And that's monetary. I'm not even talking all the joy  for supporters those Cup runs and going to Cardiff, ect had..

But of course, Heskey doesn't score enough and Liverpool had a poor year last season, so that equates to Heskey being not worth his weight anymore...

 

[Gnurglan]

I want EH to improve and I want to treat him like everyone else. If he ain't good enough up front, he's on the bench, not at LM/RM. When Baros plays, we can spot the difference he makes and the impact he has. He's ready to try things and he scores goals. He delivers for the Czechs too. I can't spot this when Heskey is on.

I believe in Heskey. I really do and IMO he should play up front. However, Milan Baros has shown more than enough to say he's ahead of Heskey for one of the front two positions. He's on his way up and Heskey has not been heading in that direction for the past two seasons. For me, Baros has earned himself a starting position at EH's expense. He's got to win it back and it won't be easy. He has to improve and we've got to start using him up front and up front only.