Liverpool FC Forum

johnbarnes » Mon Feb 15, 2016 9:11 pm wrote:This season has been a tough one for all concerned, not just Big Ben. He offers a secondary path of play, which most teams can't cope with when he's on song + 32 mil seems rather wasteful for a striker who hasn't had a consistent strike partner to work with yet.
One more season and if he's not improved come next Jan, then sell him for 20m to China. 

ycsatbjywtbiastkamb » Tue Feb 16, 2016 12:03 am wrote:

C-R » Mon Feb 15, 2016 6:58 pm wrote:Rumour... that we want to swap Benteke for Chicharito

http://www.90min.com/posts/2955883-live ... _aid=36575

I think Hernandez is a good player who would score goals for us and suit our style of play but I'm not sure about the idea of a straight swap. Benteke cost us £32m (an awful lot of money) were as Leverkuson bought Hernandez for £7m, what's more Hernandez is 28 in June.
I'd be up for it if Leverkusen threw a few quid in as well but a straight swap? Nah.

maguskwt » Tue Feb 16, 2016 2:59 am wrote:

johnbarnes » Mon Feb 15, 2016 9:11 pm wrote:This season has been a tough one for all concerned, not just Big Ben. He offers a secondary path of play, which most teams can't cope with when he's on song + 32 mil seems rather wasteful for a striker who hasn't had a consistent strike partner to work with yet.
One more season and if he's not improved come next Jan, then sell him for 20m to China. 

The problem with Benteke is that I don't think he's the type of player who if he's starting from the bench will be effective. If he's not starting, he's low on confidence and if he's low on confidence, he doesn't score. For us we can't afford him to be a starter, we need a much more potent striker. To me the purchase of Benteke is a mistake!
And I'd swap him for chicharito any day even if it means loss of money.  22 goals in 26 appearances for leverkusen. There certainly won't be any loss in value. I don't even understand why the mancs didn't give him that much chance.

RE: chicharito - Hindsight is 20-20. The Mancs wouldn't have sold him if he showed the goalscoring threat he does now. Is this because the PL is a stronger league or is it the fact that he no longer plays with the kind of pressure that exists at Manure or potentially Anfield?
The same thing could happen with Big Ben. We sell him cheap then goes on to score a hat full of goals for another team. BB's age is also a factor as chicharito is headed towards 28 and the next big contract he signs will be his last. In Big Ben we have the potential to have a great forward, even if he isn't our no.1 striker.
Remember; Once upon a time no-one at LFC was guaranteed a starting place, we need to get back to those days.

PS
"To me the purchase of Benteke is a mistake!"
I think we all agree here, but we did buy him and at the price of 32m no less   
We can't afford to let such an asset walk out the door on the cheap - otherwise ticket prices will go up again; quicker than we all want.   

aCe' » Tue Feb 16, 2016 8:59 am wrote:

ycsatbjywtbiastkamb » Tue Feb 16, 2016 12:03 am wrote:

C-R » Mon Feb 15, 2016 6:58 pm wrote:Rumour... that we want to swap Benteke for Chicharito

http://www.90min.com/posts/2955883-live ... _aid=36575

I think Hernandez is a good player who would score goals for us and suit our style of play but I'm not sure about the idea of a straight swap. Benteke cost us £32m (an awful lot of money) were as Leverkuson bought Hernandez for £7m, what's more Hernandez is 28 in June.
I'd be up for it if Leverkusen threw a few quid in as well but a straight swap? Nah.

You cant be serious. I expect both Benteke and Hernandez to leave their clubs at the end of this season. Two things: First, I think Hernandez is going to move up a level and go to a CL club while Benteke will most probably take a sideways or downward step after being found out at this level. Second, I think the transfer fee for Hernandez (at 28) will be higher than that anyone would be willing to pay for Benteke.

If offered that deal, I'd take it in a second. And i'm not even a big fan of Hernandez.

johnbarnes » Tue Feb 16, 2016 9:54 am wrote:

maguskwt » Tue Feb 16, 2016 2:59 am wrote:

johnbarnes » Mon Feb 15, 2016 9:11 pm wrote:This season has been a tough one for all concerned, not just Big Ben. He offers a secondary path of play, which most teams can't cope with when he's on song + 32 mil seems rather wasteful for a striker who hasn't had a consistent strike partner to work with yet.
One more season and if he's not improved come next Jan, then sell him for 20m to China. 

The problem with Benteke is that I don't think he's the type of player who if he's starting from the bench will be effective. If he's not starting, he's low on confidence and if he's low on confidence, he doesn't score. For us we can't afford him to be a starter, we need a much more potent striker. To me the purchase of Benteke is a mistake!
And I'd swap him for chicharito any day even if it means loss of money.  22 goals in 26 appearances for leverkusen. There certainly won't be any loss in value. I don't even understand why the mancs didn't give him that much chance.

RE: chicharito - Hindsight is 20-20. The Mancs wouldn't have sold him if he showed the goalscoring threat he does now. Is this because the PL is a stronger league or is it the fact that he no longer plays with the kind of pressure that exists at Manure or potentially Anfield?
The same thing could happen with Big Ben. We sell him cheap then goes on to score a hat full of goals for another team. BB's age is also a factor as chicharito is headed towards 28 and the next big contract he signs will be his last. In Big Ben we have the potential to have a great forward, even if he isn't our no.1 striker.
Remember; Once upon a time no-one at LFC was guaranteed a starting place, we need to get back to those days.

PS
"To me the purchase of Benteke is a mistake!"
I think we all agree here, but we did buy him and at the price of 32m no less   :no
We can't afford to let such an asset walk out the door on the cheap - otherwise ticket prices will go up again; quicker than we all want.   

johnbarnes » Tue Feb 16, 2016 2:50 pm wrote:You my friend are dreaming. 'big ben' will never ever be a great forward. He is Emile Hesket mark II. He can be a good striker in a compatible system, but he can never be great. Origi has far more potential to be a great forward than Benteke. And nobody cares that we paid 32 million for him. Unless he somehow scores 14-15 goals from now to end of season, we will never ever re-coup what we paid for him. The best deal is to swap him to a team that can make use of his strengths with someone that fits our system. That may be what's behind this alleged swap with chicharito.

maguskwt » Tue Feb 16, 2016 3:59 pm wrote:

johnbarnes » Tue Feb 16, 2016 2:50 pm wrote:You my friend are dreaming. 'big ben' will never ever be a great forward. He is Emile Hesket mark II. He can be a good striker in a compatible system, but he can never be great. Origi has far more potential to be a great forward than Benteke. And nobody cares that we paid 32 million for him. Unless he somehow scores 14-15 goals from now to end of season, we will never ever re-coup what we paid for him. The best deal is to swap him to a team that can make use of his strengths with someone that fits our system. That may be what's behind this alleged swap with chicharito.

You're correct maguskwt, my mistake! Big Ben won't be a 'great' striker but he could well be a very player in a capable system.
IMO I see no reason why this can't be with LFC

woof woof ! » Tue Feb 16, 2016 4:45 pm wrote:Erm, Lads (JB and Mags) I know we the conversation started with the rumour of possible swap of Hernandez for Benteke , but we now seem to have descended into a "how good is Benteke ? "

Surely that's for the Benteke thread ?

This after all is the rumour thread .

(OK, I know some may argue that Benteke's vaunted ability was perhaps just a rumour and therefore deserves a place in this thread, you smart ar'ses can fk off before you even start      )