Liverpool FC Forum

[RedAnt]

I read that the club doc was flying back from Oz and Benteke should have a medical today. I can't remember where I read it.
As for Rodgers and the reporter, well BR is just being what my gran would have called a clever-dick, like he tends to be with female reporters. I'd put more emphasis on the latter word than my gran would have though. And maybe change the first word entirely.

[ycsatbjywtbiastkamb]

Eds - Balotelli has failed wherever he has played to score in the Premirship. Playing him out of position was a minor part of the problem. Benteke by comparison has a cracking scoring record in the Premiership. It's smacks of desperation when you use somebody like Balotelli as an obstacle to criticise Rogers. But hey there is a Y in the day of the week  !!

As for Benteke where is there any evidence that he has even had a medical let alone signed? Have I missed something?

Well thats just plain wrong, Ballotelli has a decent goalscoring record for every single team he has player for apart from us, so its perfectly good stick to beat Rodgers with. Lambert also had a decent goal return with Southampton and Rodgers failed to get anything out of him either, so im amazed that anyone thinks it will be any diffrent with Benteke, a player who offers even less movement than Ballotelli.

Balotelli doesn't get himself into enough goal scoring positions, he gets too involved in the build up and ends up drifting all over the place, that's why he ends up taking on so many shots from ridiculous distances and angles.
Benteke on the other hand gets himself into the danger area, he is prepared to do the hard yards in terms of fighting tooth and nail to get on the end of balls slung into the box, practically all of our forwards want to be put through one on one with the keeper, they all want chances put on a plate, none of them (bar Lambert, but he's too slow) are prepared to roll their sleeves up, set up camp on the opposition penalty spot and fight it out with CB's for scraps.
That's why we were so toothless last year, in the opposition box our forwards just allow themselves to be brushed aside or shepherded away from the ball too easily, no one busts a gut to get in front of defenders or put their head in where it hurts.
In terms of technical ability Balotelli is undoubtably better than Benteke but a lot of players were technically better than the likes of Ian Rush and John Aldridge as well, technical ability does not automatically equate to goals scored, goal scoring is an art in itself especially in a physically demanding league like the prem. The likes of Shevchenko and Crespo struggled to cope with the hurly burly of this league, Benteke has proven that he doesn't.
There is definately room in our squad for a player like Benteke, yes it's a lot of money but I'd rather see us spend it on one decent player who will make a contribution than fritter it away on 4 or 5 Borini's, Assaidi's and Luis Alberto's who won't.

[maguskwt]

Eds - Balotelli has failed wherever he has played to score in the Premirship. Playing him out of position was a minor part of the problem. Benteke by comparison has a cracking scoring record in the Premiership. It's smacks of desperation when you use somebody like Balotelli as an obstacle to criticise Rogers. But hey there is a Y in the day of the week  !!

As for Benteke where is there any evidence that he has even had a medical let alone signed? Have I missed something?

Well thats just plain wrong, Ballotelli has a decent goalscoring record for every single team he has player for apart from us, so its perfectly good stick to beat Rodgers with. Lambert also had a decent goal return with Southampton and Rodgers failed to get anything out of him either, so im amazed that anyone thinks it will be any diffrent with Benteke, a player who offers even less movement than Ballotelli.

Balotelli doesn't get himself into enough goal scoring positions, he gets too involved in the build up and ends up drifting all over the place, that's why he ends up taking on so many shots from ridiculous distances and angles.
Benteke on the other hand gets himself into the danger area, he is prepared to do the hard yards in terms of fighting tooth and nail to get on the end of balls slung into the box, practically all of our forwards want to be put through one on one with the keeper, they all want chances put on a plate, none of them (bar Lambert, but he's too slow) are prepared to roll their sleeves up, set up camp on the opposition penalty spot and fight it out with CB's for scraps.
That's why we were so toothless last year, in the opposition box our forwards just allow themselves to be brushed aside or shepherded away from the ball too easily, no one busts a gut to get in front of defenders or put their head in where it hurts.
In terms of technical ability Balotelli is undoubtably better than Benteke but a lot of players were technically better than the likes of Ian Rush and John Aldridge as well, technical ability does not automatically equate to goals scored, goal scoring is an art in itself especially in a physically demanding league like the prem. The likes of Shevchenko and Crespo struggled to cope with the hurly burly of this league, Benteke has proven that he doesn't.
There is definately room in our squad for a player like Benteke, yes it's a lot of money but I'd rather see us spend it on one decent player who will make a contribution than fritter it away on 4 or 5 Borini's, Assaidi's and Luis Alberto's who won't.

Well said... Agreed

[C-R]

I am hearing that the medical is completed and he is currently doing his first interview with the club ready for LFC TV, watch this space, imminent

[RedAnt]

I don't doubt he'll be a useful signing, for all the reasons Yakka states above. But we laughed at City for paying what they paid for Sterling. No one else was interested in signing Benteke for £32m. I can't help but think Manure's alleged interest was designed to have us hurrying not to miss out like we did with Depay. So we stump up practically all of the Sterling fee (taking into account QPR's cut) and give it to Villa for a guy who isn't necessarily any more suitable than Balotelli who we paid £16m for last year. Meanwhile, teams with managers more alluring to players than Brendan Rodgers keep on snaffling up the worlds best players, making the signing of players like Ings and Milner look pretty dull.

[leeroy74]

you been living under a rock? Man Utd were trying to sign Benteke or had you forgotten that as it doesn't fit your 'agenda'?

[RedAnt]

you been living under a rock? Man Utd were trying to sign Benteke or had you forgotten that as it doesn't fit your 'agenda'?

Hmmm, maybe read my post again?

And what the fook agenda are you on about? I'm entitled to an opinion. Why not post yours instead of getting on people's back for posting theirs? Are you some kind of idiot? If so, then my apologies...

[leeroy74]

well both Man utd and Spurs were sniffing around Benteke and you couldn't post anything without a sneaky dig at the managerial set up. that's an agenda you thick sh!t - go figure

[RedAnt]

well both Man utd and Spurs were sniffing around Benteke and you couldn't post anything without a sneaky dig at the managerial set up. that's an agenda you thick sh!t - go figure

A "sneaky" dig? You keep adding words to twist things your way and accuse me of having an agenda? I don't like the man and I have no need of sneakiness. But if it suits your agenda...

And for the record, since you seem to have missed it, I said Man U were involved. Spurs are after any player we're linked with. Neither valued him at £32m.

[Penguins]

C'mon, It's obvious we were the only one really in for him at 32.5 million.
Noone else was that desperate.

[crazyhorse]

GOOD signing. The way I look at it we swap Sterling for Benteke and make 16.5 million. we are still ahead and although a different player Benteke is more of what we needed than Sterling.

Net gain to the squad and finances.

[ycsatbjywtbiastkamb]

I don't doubt he'll be a useful signing, for all the reasons Yakka states above. But we laughed at City for paying what they paid for Sterling. No one else was interested in signing Benteke for £32m. I can't help but think Manure's alleged interest was designed to have us hurrying not to miss out like we did with Depay. So we stump up practically all of the Sterling fee (taking into account QPR's cut) and give it to Villa for a guy who isn't necessarily any more suitable than Balotelli who we paid £16m for last year. Meanwhile, teams with managers more alluring to players than Brendan Rodgers keep on snaffling up the worlds best players, making the signing of players like Ings and Milner look pretty dull.

I know what you are saying mate, I would have loved to have seen us bring in a couple of quality CM's like Kovacic and Pjanic etc myself but the prem is a funny league, United spent a fortune last summer on stellar names like DiMaria and Falcao but it was Fellaini who did the business for them. United's fans were spitting feathers when Moyes signed him but they wouldn't have finished in the top 4 without him.
The signings of Benteke and Milner may look a bit underwhelming now but it's easy to forget how attritional the prem is, big name marquee signings have a tendency to look great in the opening months of the season but once the relentless weekly grind starts to kick in quite often it's the unheralded players like Carrick, Terry and Milner himself (at City) who come to the fore.
There's no mid winter break in this country (thank god) and the domestic cup competitions are regarded as major trophies so its a case of 9 solid months of hard graft against teams like Stoke, Palace and Swansea who don't roll over easily and I think the likes of Benteke and Milner have been brought in with that in mind.

[RedAnt]

I don't doubt he'll be a useful signing, for all the reasons Yakka states above. But we laughed at City for paying what they paid for Sterling. No one else was interested in signing Benteke for £32m. I can't help but think Manure's alleged interest was designed to have us hurrying not to miss out like we did with Depay. So we stump up practically all of the Sterling fee (taking into account QPR's cut) and give it to Villa for a guy who isn't necessarily any more suitable than Balotelli who we paid £16m for last year. Meanwhile, teams with managers more alluring to players than Brendan Rodgers keep on snaffling up the worlds best players, making the signing of players like Ings and Milner look pretty dull.

I know what you are saying mate, I would have loved to have seen us bring in a couple of quality CM's like Kovacic and Pjanic etc myself but the prem is a funny league, United spent a fortune last summer on stellar names like DiMaria and Falcao but it was Fellaini who did the business for them. United's fans were spitting feathers when Moyes signed him but they wouldn't have finished in the top 4 without him.
The signings of Benteke and Milner may look a bit underwhelming now but it's easy to forget how attritional the prem is, big name marquee signings have a tendency to look great in the opening months of the season but once the relentless weekly grind starts to kick in quite often it's the unheralded players like Carrick, Terry and Milner himself (at City) who come to the fore.
There's no mid winter break in this country (thank god) and the domestic cup competitions are regarded as major trophies so its a case of 9 solid months of hard graft against teams like Stoke, Palace and Swansea who don't roll over easily and I think the likes of Benteke and Milner have been brought in with that in mind.

You make good points. But at the same time you could be suggesting that Milner and Benteke are work horses and nothing more. That they'll go the slog. But that's a standard requirement that other teams have already in place and so should we in all honesty.
It might look like I'm having a go at Benteke, but I'm not. I'm frustrated by how slow progress is. We have pretty good players. Though I have one or two doubts about Firminio I'm really looking forwards to seeing him play, and if, like Coutinho, he slots in nicely, then the two of them could be the spark we need, and with a more direct style Benteke could provide a good figure for them to play with. And that's where Ings will hopefully be useful, playing off him.
Will we see the right tactics and man management this time? I personally believe that another manager would have gotten more out of Mario, and might have used the squad and youth team more economically, allowing us to invest elsewhere.

[ycsatbjywtbiastkamb]

RedAnt - good post mate

[Reg]

I believe the quality of our transfers reflects the sophistication of our scouts and owners/management. We stay close to the shore, we buy don't want for some reason to go for proven class, we prefer to spend the same money on lesser players. Personally I think there is a major disconnect between our desire to be successful, our scouting ability and our willingness to splash the cash on proven winners. You can't win if you only have 2 of the 3 requirements, all 3 stars must be aligned.