Ashley Young Defends Emile Heskey

I'm not convinced it is ever a good thing when fellow team mates have to keep talking about a player saying they will come good in the end?! Surely if they are good, they are good?

I guess Stiliyan Petrov contradicts that point somewhat after a stunning (it was truly masterful) debut v West Ham at Upton Park he disappeared for over a season and a half then discovered his form and has shown that patience can pay off!

However Ashley Young has said that Emile Heskey will still also come good.

Surely Heskey is the finished product with loads of experience (not that many goals mind you - not goals to games ratio wise) so why is it taking so long to settle or is it just that he has settled and this is it?



Open question, you know me, I don't have the answers...!

Young argues on the official site: that the big man brings plenty to the party for both Villa and England.

'He can win headers, he's strong, he can run, he can score goals. He's great to have as a forward. I think he's been brilliant in the way that England have played with Wayne Rooney playing off him. I think that Emile has been that target-man that England have needed and he's been brilliant.'

Adding, 'When he plays at Villa he's got all the qualities. If you look at the last few games where he's played he's been a true professional. He comes in and does his job. He might not have scored goals but he's doing a job for team and country and he does it extremely well.'



Many of us fans are obviously just totally thick. How many goals has he scored since coming to Villa? TWO

How many goals has he set up? Well, he put in a good cameo role v Wolves when brought on for John Carew and set up the goal for Gabby, then he started the next game and....? Average at best v Everton.

Ash continues, 'He's an all rounder. He's been criticised for not scoring goals, but you need to look at everything else, his work-rate, his hold up play. For such a big guy he's got great feet and he's still quick. People might not think that he is, but he is.'

And says 'any striker would want to play with Emile and if you ask anybody who has they will tell you that he's a fantastic player.'

So when will he burst onto the scene for us then? I don't really care what anyone says being an ignorant fan who knows nothing, I just want to see strikers tearing towards the opponents defence, shooting, setting up goals and scoring. Not so much watching backward passes, headers to no one and sitting on their backsides. As said, I'm just an ignorant fan though, what do I know?! I'm sure the Peter Withes, Gary Shaws, Brian Littles, Dwight Yorkes, Andy Grays, Dion Dublins ... I could go on .... of the world used to bust a gut to get into the box and SHOOT. If Emile did that, he could well weigh in with many a crucial goal?

Come on big man, show us what it is all about.

Click here to join in the debate on the club forum.