SOCCER/English Premiership: Amid the din at the final whistle, England's first-choice strikers skulked away from the Anfield turf with heads bowed. For Michael Owen and Emile Heskey, gripped as they are by crippling profligacy, it appears there is still much to prove.
Such was the rash of missed opportunities from the pair who led England's attack in Japan that Liverpool's FA Cup defeat at home to Crystal Palace weighed heavily on the strikers' shoulders. "The main thing is that we keep faith" was the view of their manager Gerard Houllier, who surely will, but on form few could argue if Sven-Goran Eriksson does not.
The Swede names his England squad tomorrow for Wednesday's game against Australia and both Liverpool men are sure to be included, although, with the national team's next competitive fixture not due until the end of March, chances abound for other hopefuls. Once it would have been inconceivable that a fit Owen would not line up in Liechtenstein, but so far as the Heskey-Owen partnership is concerned the memory of Munich is fading fast.
For Heskey the omens are bleak. With James Beattie and Alan Smith breathing down his neck, the doubts as to the 25-year-old's goalscoring instincts have been exacerbated. For all the natural power and occasional strut to his game, his attributes shrink too often at a hint of adversity. His startling second-half miss against Palace - he raced half the length of the pitch before shooting into Cedric Berthelin's midriff - illustrated the demons which regularly prompt self-doubt.
"Remember all our strikers are young," stressed Houllier, though with Heskey the excuse of youth is no longer applicable. Here is a forward who boasts a physical presence which should strike fear into the most grisly centre half, who has featured in a World Cup and a European Championship, who has played in the Champions League and has 363 first-team appearances and 91 goals to his name.
Yet, for all his work outside the six-yard box, he still leaves fans raging in frustration. He should be terrifying; too often he is a gentle giant.
Owen's slump is more disturbing. The 23-year-old has always scored in clusters, and hence forever finds himself having to come back from the brink, but the former balon d'or winner is in a second drought this term with two domestic goals since November 2nd.
It has coincided with the downturn in Liverpool's season as Owen finds himself starved of service and facing wised-up opponents who sit deep. Though the pedigree of a player who has scored against Argentina, France and Brazil cannot be doubted, he has not yet developed a knack of plucking goals from the ether.
"Michael was one of the country's top strikers before the Palace game and nothing has changed since then," insisted Liverpool coach Ian Rush.
Owen has spent hours building his strength to cure hamstring problems but now he must spend as long expanding his repertoire to ensure the most natural English finisher in the game remains its most potent.
When sent through by Bruno Cheyrou on Wednesday he opted not to use his left foot and attempted the harder skill of flicking home with the outside of his right. It has worked in the past, but all good fortune has long since drained from his play.
Ideally Owen would like the chance to take his frustrations out against the Socceroos. Almost two years ago a depressing 10-match stretch, only interrupted with two goals at Roma, culminated in him watching the League Cup final from the bench. He was picked for Eriksson's first game three days later, however, and said the Swede's faith reignited his year. Fifteen of that season's 25 goals came after that game.
Liverpool hope there is still time to conjure a similar haul this time.
Guardian Service
