Soccer: Heskey's defending earns Houllier praise

Emile Heskey may be Liverpool's top scorer, but it is his defending that has won the praise of Gerard Houllier.

Heskey has scored 18 goals for the FA Cup semi-finalists, but Houllier is confident that he can turn to him for more than just a striking role against Wycombe.

Heskey was deployed deep on the left of midfield against Barcelona on Thursday, when a 0-0 draw in the first leg has set up the prospect of a Uefa Cup final appearance on May 16.

That's four days after the FA Cup final in Cardiff, another date that Liverpool are favourites to reach despite the heroics of Lawrie Sanchez's Wycombe.

Heskey blocked up the gaps usually exploited so effectively by the excellent Luis Enrique for Barca, a masterstroke in tactics by Houllier.

It was a display of tireless running and covering from Heskey which had his own team-mates singing his praises.

Substitute Nicky Barmby said: "They had to drag Emile off at the end, he'd done so much running he was dead on his feet."

Houllier was equally happy, although he pointed out that he had asked for even more from the Leicester-born striker.

Houllier said: "Emile has twice done a similar role for England, and in difficult away games like Barcelona, sometimes strikers have to be sacrificed for the team, particularly in Europe.

"Emile was very brave and he was able to stop the way Barcelona play. But we wanted him to attack from that position too, to come at them from deep on the left where we believed he could be a real threat.

"He did half the job we asked, but not all of it. Maybe he didn't believe in himself enough to take them on the way we wanted. But still his defensive work was excellent.

"It was an effective tactic, but he was expected to give more support to Michael Owen. But then so were Patrik Berger and Danny Murphy, but frankly we were too cautious. We were frightened when we won the ball to use it."

Heskey, although it is impossible to second guess Houllier these days, is likely to be paired up front with Robbie Fowler against Wycombe at Villa Park, with Owen being held back for the tough Premiership game at Ipswich on Tuesday.