Christian Benteke

[Anubis]

We need more of those byline runs like the one he hit the bar on in the last few minutes. He looked very effective at getting across the defender.

[Strontium]

Lethal from 2 yards out so long as the officials don't do their job. £32.5m well spent.

[magicrat]

hes definitely better than any of the other current options up front but whether that makes him

worth 32 million is debatable

[eeyore]

Don't think many people have an issue with the player himself.

 

He's just made us look even more of a mess than last season as Rodgers hasn't got a clue.

[El Dangerous]

Can see why his passing stats were so poor, hopefully when Sturridge is back he'll feed off the knock ons but until then we should stop hopelessly booting it to him.

[Tyler Durden]

Can see why his passing stats were so poor, hopefully when Sturridge is back he'll feed off the knock ons but until then we should stop hopelessly booting it to him.

Especially if the players around him proceed to stand watching him knock it down

[G Richards]

The press were billing as this Benteke v Lukkau shoot out on mersey side, who's is going to be the best Belgium? who would you say was faster?

 

Origi. Faster than both. 

[G Richards]

I think he will look better when we have the courage to play two strikers. If Sturridge comes back fit and firing that will force the manager to play both. At the moment, with Ings and Origi taking on the role of understudy, we can get away with playing one striker, to a point. But if Sturridge comes back firing, and I hope he does, the case to go with two up top will be irresistible.

 

Hopefully at that point we go back to a midfield diamond and go on a great run.  

[Joey8FrogsLegs]

Lethal from 2 yards out so long as the officials don't do their job. £32.5m well spent.

He started moving before the cross was played. Most of our strikers last season wouldn't even have moved after it was played. Good strikers goal, even if it of course shoud've been disallowed.

 

I still have my doubts, and think we should've spent it on a better/different striker, but he did ok tonight and deserved his goal.

[scudger99]

Lethal from 2 yards out so long as the officials don't do their job. £32.5m well spent.

What kind of shite would you have been posting if he'd missed that opportunity ?

He scored what proved to be the winning goal, let's all get depressed about that, eh ?

Fuck's sake.....

[Tony Moanero]

Lethal from 2 yards out so long as the officials don't do their job. £32.5m well spent.

Makes you come across as a huge one.

[Gym Beglin]

Can see why his passing stats were so poor, hopefully when Sturridge is back he'll feed off the knock ons but until then we should stop hopelessly booting it to him.

Why wait until Sturridge is back? We've got Ings and Origi who can give it a go.

 

I'd like to see Markovic and Coutinho playing off Benteke.

[El Rojo]

He's good in the air for an on the ground kind of guy.

[billypilgrimnz]

Why wait until Sturridge is back? We've got Ings and Origi who can give it a go.

 

I'd like to see Markovic and Coutinho playing off Benteke.

 

I truly do not get your endless manlove for Markovic. He has yet to show a single inkling of being a decent player.

[El Dangerous]

It's the hair.

 

I was shouting for us to bring on Ings and Firmino yesterday when they were on the ascendency. I think if we kept Coutinho on and took off Lallana and Ibe for those two we could have done them by a couple more.

 

Some times attack is the best form of defence young grasshoppers.

[Dr Nowt]

I truly do not get your endless manlove for Markovic. He has yet to show a single inkling of being a decent player.

 

[Baltar]

Nothing to get excited about yet, which I guess was expected and quite depressing considering the amount shelled out for him. I think he'll improve considerably once Sturridge is playing alongside him, though.

[Anny Road]

I think he has done well. Showing for the ball, good touches, full of confidence. Not easy to come straight in to a passing side with players like Coutinho and not look off the pace.

His form will improve, he is off the mark and will only get better.

It is also up to those around him to adapt to him. Not just one way.

[Dr Nowt]

Not that we'll ever see them on the pitch together, but would be interested to see him and Terence Trent West Derby in a front two. In theory they should cover most bases as a pair.

 

Sit deep to negate our desire to cut teams open with fluid, flowing football and we have a huge aerial presence and focal point in the box.

 

Push out to stifle that and we can send Daniel bursting through on his mobility scooter.

 

In the words of Stevie, "all the best."

[Nightcat]

So far, he looks a bit better than Andy Carroll (I liked Carroll), he looks an accomplished striker, not simply good in the air. 

 

But I'm not convinced we have a plan to capitalise on his football skills. We have consumed our time throwing long balls at him.

[G Richards]

We have overused the long ball so far, in my opinion. It hasn't all been long ball by any means, but there's been a bit too much of that. Still, we're trying to find some rhythm and form, and while we do, I'll take 6 points and two clean sheets. 

 

I think the longer term answer, if he comes back fit and firing, is a partnership with Sturridge. In the meantime, I hope we see Ings and/or Origi get a go up front alongside Benteke as I think the team will look a lot more threatening with two strikers. 

 

Anyway, Benteke is a good player. After some of the strikers we've had over the years I could understand how we might be tempted to turn our nose up at just about anyone in world football, apart from the very best 4-5 strikers in the world! Be that as it may, you have to judge what is in front of you, and Benteke is a good player. Good in the air, good at holding it up, decent pace, big, strong, a 1-in-2 finisher... Not world class like some we've had, but very useful to have in the team. Get someone else up there with him and I think we will kick on. 

[Jairzinho]

If we are going to belt it up to him we need to change the formation and personnel. 

 

4-1-2-1-2

 

Get Firmino or Ings next to him, and get Can behind Milner and Henderson so that they can both make more runs into the box etc.

 

At the moment it gets hoofed at him from 60 yards, with Milner and Henderson nowhere near him (often hoofed by them actually), Ibe out wide, Lallana not really doing anything, so we're left with just Coutinho. We won't get the best out of Coutinho looking for knock downs, he needs two strikers to aim his sexual passes at.

[magicrat]

Benteke played well last night . I would love to see him play a fully fit Sturridge but Ings should be tried alongside sooner rather than later. Thought he would have done that against Bournemouth. Ibe was largely ineffective out on the left and Gomez could have pushed on more had they left him out 

[old skool tom]

Big Ben was impressive last night.some lovely touches,awareness,constantly getting into attacking positions.needs to work in his cross field passing tho! Haha my undies were ruined by that one in last ten minutes.

 

Hope to god we play him in 3-4-2-1 or diamond with Ings or Sturridge so he has closer support which will also free him up more.

 

Just great to have number 9 who gets in the box and shoots on site again

[Tony Moanero]

I'd make the cunt train with the kids.