Liverpool FC Forum

Great goal, hope to see more of the same come next weekend.

What a goal !!! Great to see Benteke get off to a great start.

It wasnt just a great goal though.. his running, hassling, holding up of the ball and passing where all top class.  looking forward to seeing our new No 9 really impress in the Premiership this year

That is some way to announce your arrival 

Quietly optimistic that he will be exactly what we need this season..

Christian Benteke has today been confirmed as Liverpool's new No.9.




A day after serving early notice of his lethal finishing with an incredible volley against Swindon Town, the Belgium international officially takes the iconic number.

He became the Reds' seventh signing of the summer last month by completing a transfer from fellow Barclays Premier League outfit Aston Villa.

In his three previous seasons in English football, Benteke struck 42 goals in 89 league appearances to establish a reputation as a feared forward.

Now he assumes a number that has been worn with distinction for Liverpool by the likes of Robbie Fowler, Ian Rush, Ian St John and Fernando Torres.

CHRISTIAN BENTEKE is a man on a mission for Liverpool – and also to prove a point to former boss Tim Sherwood.

The Belgium frontman believes ­Sherwood took too much credit for “transforming” him last season into a goal machine who saved Aston Villa’s Premier League life.

Benteke’s 11 league goals in the run-in after bagging just three in the first half of the season coincided with Sherwood’s arrival at Villa Park.

The 24-year-old was finding his way back to form after a serious Achilles injury and he said: “People do not ­understand. It was ­frustrating. It was like I had never been injured.

“He came in at a good time, at a time when I was getting fit and getting better, so it was like the right time for him and for me.

“OK, he helped me a lot, but I had been injured for a long time and I was getting back to what I could do. It was just a question of time.

“With Paul Lambert it was hard because I had just come back and had to help the team. We were struggling, and when Tim came I was feeling better than before.”

Benteke will make his Liverpool debut on Sunday, when he travels to Stoke with new team-mates who will be looking for him to help erase the pain of a 6-1 trouncing there on the final day of last season. In fact, they will be looking to him to deliver a huge amount after his £32.5million transfer.

But far from fearing such pressure, the striker believes he will be energised by the challenge. And far from needing Sherwood’s “crosses”, he is confident he will thrive at a club playing less directly.

“I said to Tim Sherwood football has changed and the football now is modern and I can adapt. It is not just about crossing, I can score normal goals, too,” Benteke insisted.

“I told him I am not afraid about it. If Liverpool bought me, then they know how to use me. I believe whatever level I play at I will score goals.

“I think the pressure will bring the best out of me. There was pressure at Aston Villa – a different pressure – but I scored goals. It is the pressure to be at the top and with Villa it was the pressure of not to go down.”

According to Sherwood, the move is a risk because “going to bigger and better clubs, players don’t actually play, so then they end up looking for a new home again”. But Benteke sees it differently, thanks to a message from his friend, Chelsea star Eden Hazard.

He revealed: “Eden sent me a text message. He is happy for me. He said now I have a chance to win and to beat him.

“I think we have a chance, too. We have a good squad. It is up to us now to show them.”

You suspect he may just want to show Sherwood, too.

Good luck today! A brace would be welcome.

Reg » Sat Aug 08, 2015 8:35 am wrote:Good luck today! A brace would be welcome.

Long Day Reg 

red till i die!! » Sat Aug 08, 2015 6:52 pm wrote:

Reg » Sat Aug 08, 2015 8:35 am wrote:Good luck today! A brace would be welcome.

Long Day Reg 

Its the time difference mate, its next tuesday here now..... 

Reg » Sat Aug 08, 2015 12:00 pm wrote:

red till i die!! » Sat Aug 08, 2015 6:52 pm wrote:

Reg » Sat Aug 08, 2015 8:35 am wrote:Good luck today! A brace would be welcome.

Long Day Reg 

Its the time difference mate, its next tuesday here now..... 

Spent about 3 days there around 18 years ago and it was the longest friday night I ever had 

It wasn't the worst debut I've seen by a reds striker ,but the manager describing his performance as 'outstanding' escapes me completely.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-3191578/Christian-Benteke-gets-high-praise-Brendan-Rodgers-despite-ordinaryLiverpool-debut.html

From the same manager who often praised Glenda Johnson as "oytschtanding", 'nuff said

Im sure he will score couple of goals vs bournmouth. I hope he does, it will do wonders for him.

I thought he did very well as the lone striker.. better than Balotelli and Sterling did last year. What worries me is his passing. His lay offs and short passes were massively overplayed. He won a lot of headers, but failed to find a player with them. I think Lallana was way too lightweight, and the jury is still out on Ibe if he's going to be good enough... For me niether gave Benteke enough support.

He was hardly outstanding but clearly Rodgers is trying to build his confidence up. He's only played 60 mins of football pre-season so he's going to be rusty. I thought he had a solid debut, nothing more nothing less.

If Rodgers came out and criticised his performance fans wouldn't be happy with that either.

At the moment it feels like Rodgers could win the treble and manage to re-sign Suarez on a free and some fans would still criticise him.