Copa America trio linked

[Cardie]

You need to build a team around Benteke. He was absolutely useless for Villa for a good while under Lambert and then Sherwood comes in and basically sets the team up to fire loads of crosses in for Benteke from all angles and he goes on a mad run of goals. Arsenal showed in the cup final how easy it is for anyone decent to defend against though because of how predictable it is and it's not a sustainable run of goalscoring form (the Jelavic effect). He's a poor man's Lukaku.

 

He stands still in the box waiting for the perfect ball just like Carroll does. Surely we want our forward line built around movement and pace. Chelsea might have a target man up front but Mourinho's teams are set up completely differently to a Rodgers team.

 

I'd suggest actually watching him play.

[TheHowieLama]

We may have to.

[Cardie]

We should have been all over Firmino and Luciano Vietto 12 months ago.

 

Vietto looks Atletico bound and Firmino looks nailed on for the scum.

 

[Cardie]

We may have to.

 

I don't think we will, rightly, because he'll cost too much. That said I don't feel the need to make things up to justify not signing him like others seem desperate to do.

[mouse1989]

We should have been all over Firmino and Luciano Vietto 12 months ago.

 

Vietto looks Atletico bound and Firmino looks nailed on for the scum.

And in 12 months time Volland will be at Dortmund or Bayern and we should be all over him this summer

 

We always seems to be reacting to situations rather than be proactive

[TheHowieLama]

I don't think we will, rightly, because he'll cost too much. That said I don't feel the need to make things up to justify not signing him like others seem desperate to do.

 

Yep - Belgian tax.

[ritchie]

And in 12 months time Volland will be at Dortmund or Bayern and we should be all over him this summer

 

We always seems to be reacting to situations rather than be proactive

Firmino was an obvious target a year ago after being one of the best players in the Bundesliga, ideal for our 13/14 style of play (more than those we signed) and an achievable target after missing out on Sanchez or instead of Lallana or Markovic. Not interested. Starring in the Copa America "oh let's get him". I wouldn't be surprised if we only followed up on Sanchez because he'd had a good World Cup whereas Wenger had already put the work in during the tournament.

[Babb'sBurstNad]

And in 12 months time Volland will be at Dortmund or Bayern and we should be all over him this summer

We always seems to be reacting to situations rather than be proactive

We tried getting proactive with Markovic though. A young talent, tipped to be 12-18 months away from great things, and we've probably been more of a drag on his development than anything. The same goes for Ilori, and I'd dread to think what would happen to Can if we end up signing another one or two midfielders, as is mooted.

 

If we'd signed Vietto for a low fee, and Sturridge had stayed fit, would anyone have been shocked if he'd been given only a few appearances then benched for the majority of the season?

 

It's not just the acquisition of talent that's hindering us, it's the lack of foresight to mesh it with the squad and offer reasonable playing time.

[Cardie]

Correct. It's my biggest worry with Benteke, he has absolutely zero footballing intelligence.

 

His ability, and even to some extent will (strolling around in games where he's getting very little service), to adapt is highly questionable. 

 

It's not correct in the slightest.

 

He scored 3 goals prior to Sherwood taking over.

 

1 Goal against palace - Beats his man on the byline just inside Palace half, heads for goal before placing it to the keepers left into the bottom corner

 

1 goal against Utd - Controls a high free kick on his chest, brings it down just inside the right side of the area, dummies right before shifting the ball onto his left and curling it past De Gea.

 

1 Goal against Blackpool - Controls it on his chest again taking it past the defender before rifiling a volley past the keeper.

 

He scored 12 goals since Sherwood took over.

 

1 Goal against West Brom - Penalty

 

2 Goals against Sunderland - The first a run from 35/40 yards out to keep up with play and get's on the end of a cut back to score from just inside the area, the second he beats the defender and runs into the area from the left hand channel to head in from a deep cross.

 

1 Goal against Utd - get's on the end of a low corner to fire it in with his right foot.

 

3 Goals against QPR - the first a solo goal from a run down the left hand side before cutting inside and firing in on his right foot. The second running at the last defender before scoring from the edge of the area. the third a curled free kick from the left hand side hit over the wall and goes in off the post.

 

1 Goal against Spurs - the first that could be described as 'standing in the box waiting for the perfect ball' as he scores from a deep cross while standing near penalty spot with a glancing header to the keepers right.

 

1 Goal against us - similar to the sunderland goal but starts further to the left getting on the end of a squared ball just inside the area.

 

2 goals against Everton - starts outside the area on the left hand side arches his run to get between two Everton defenders scoring with a header from the center of the goal. The second escapes marker at a corner and is free at back post to score with his right foot.

 

1 goal against Southampton - pulls off his marker and heads in from a cross from the right.

 

Throw in a diving headed goal for Belgium against Cyprus as well.

 

It was a nice even spread of goals that showed he was equally capable of playing with the ball on the floor as he is with the ball in the air as well as being a threat from set pieces be it on the end of corners or taking penalties and free kicks.

[Baltar]

£30M+ for Benteke is absurd. He'll be a cast-iron flop at a club higher than mid-table, absolutely guaranteed. I wouldn't put it past the imbeciles at the 'transfer committee' to try signing him, though.

[G Richards]

I don't really want any of them, but if I had to choose, Bacca it is. But it's a bit of a gamble to me. I'd want to see the price for him. 

 

I actually thought Negredo wasn't too bad at Man City. If he is only on loan and they still own him, I'd do a deal for 40M plus Negredo. He is the same age as Bacca, has decent pace, can press, finish, knows the Prem and can lead the line for a while as we see what the other strikers might become. 

[Phoenix]

I don't really want any of them, but if I had to choose, Bacca it is. But it's a bit of a gamble to me. I'd want to see the price for him. 

 

I actually thought Negredo wasn't too bad at Man City. If he is only on loan and they still own him, I'd do a deal for 40M plus Negredo. He is the same age as Bacca, has decent pace, can press, finish, knows the Prem and can lead the line for a while as we see what the other strikers might become. 

Valencia are obliged to buy him as part of the loan deal.

[mouse1989]

He was a flop last season with Valencia and didn't look in great condition. Wouldn't want him to be honest

[G Richards]

Cancel the Negredo idea then!

 

Of the strikers linked, Bacca is better than the others, but I'm still not overly convinced by him. 

[TheBitch]

Noneofthemesma

[therevivalist]

This order - Bacca, Rondon, Llorente, Benteke.

 

The idea of spending £30m on Benteke and then having to build the side around him is fucking frightening.

 

I think he'll always be second/third choice at a decent side, or first choice for a mid table team.

I woul take that order, without the last one.

[Alan Sex]

And a side of fried rice.

[Nightcat]

Firmino

[The Guest]

Sky Sports have absolutely rinsed this artcicle.

[El Dangerous]

I bet Liverpool's delegation at the Copa is like the mall scene in Bill and Ted with all our scouts going batshit crazy at all the reasonably priced technically superior players on show that they never even knew existed outside of the South Coast where most of our scouts are based.

[Anubis]

I bet Liverpool's delegation at the Copa is like the mall scene in Bill and Ted with all our scouts going batshit crazy at all the reasonably priced technically superior players on show that they never even knew existed outside of the South Coast where most of our scouts are based.

When I try to picture our scouts in my head they all look and behave like yellow minions.