Are you happy about Benteke?

[setreal]

Where's that from? I thought we had met the release fee, which would be the whole fee without add-ons.

 

Schoolboy error.

[xerxes]

delighted

[Rick Sanchez C-137]

We overpaid by about £10m IMO, but fuck it, he's here now, and has the potential to be a beast for us.

[Gym Beglin]

Just can't get my head around the fee, and that he's basically going to be the final player through the door.

I still look at our striker options and it's definitely one short. Problem being that we've paid so much for Benteke that it renders another signing impossible, and he de facto becomes our first choice striker because he's the most expensive.

 

 

STRIKER OPTIONS CL CONTENDERS (PL goals in brackets) :

 

LIVERPOOL: Benteke (42), Sturridge (61), Ings (11), Origi (0) = 114

 

MAN CITY : Bony (27), Aguero (78), Dzeko (50), Jovetic (8) = 163

 

ARSENAL : Giroud (41), Sanchez (16), Walcott (50), Welbeck (50) = 157

 

UNITED : Rooney (185), Depay (0), Hernandez (37), Wilson (3) = 225

 

CHELSEA : Costa (20), Falcao (4), Remy (27), Bamford (0) = 51

 

 

You can take anything you want from that info, but for me the most important thing in terms of winning games is that you have enough people in your side to score goals at any point.

Chelsea's forward don't have a lot of PL goals between them, but if Costa stays fit all season then they're laughing. But if he does pick up an injury then I don't fancy Chelsea's chances much.

 

United are massively dependent on Rooney, and it's yet to be seen how effective Depay will be. It's a risk.

 

City have a very good balance of strikers with goals under their belt, they will challenge for everything.

 

Same with Arsenal, it's a well-balanced attacking quartet with experience and goals and pace.

 

Our line-up is not as strong, there are big questionmarks around Sturridge's fitness, and Origi's ability, and whereas Ings and Benteke look like they will score goals in this division, we're not talking about searing pace and outrageous goals from all angles here.

 

 

I find it hard to stomach that City got Bony for £7m less than we're paying for Benteke.

[Ne Moe Imya]

STRIKER OPTIONS CL CONTENDERS (PL goals in brackets) :

 

LIVERPOOL: Benteke (42), Sturridge (61), Ings (11), Origi (0) = 114

 

MAN CITY : Bony (27), Aguero (78), Dzeko (50), Jovetic (8) = 163

 

ARSENAL : Giroud (41), Sanchez (16), Walcott (50), Welbeck (50) = 157

 

UNITED : Rooney (185), Depay (0), Hernandez (37), Wilson (3) = 225

 

CHELSEA : Costa (20), Falcao (4), Remy (27), Bamford (0) = 51

 

Since some of those players were playing in other leagues, I think it's a lot more useful to do this in terms of goals scored at pro level over the past 3 seasons, total (regardless of league).  In which case it looks like:

 

Liverpool: Benteke (49), Sturridge (40), Ings (40), Origi (16) = 145

 

Man City: Bony (73), Aguero (77), Dzeko (47), Jovetic (24) = 221

 

Arsenal: Giroud (58), Sanchez (57), Walcott (34), Welbeck (20) = 169

 

Man United: Rooney (49), Depay (45), Hernandez (36), Wilson (4) = 134

 

Chelsea: Costa (77), Falcao (51), Remy (31), Bamford (48) = 207

 

Now, obviously, some of those goals came against lower league opposition and should be discounted somewhat (primarily Bamford and Ings) and some came in the Dutch league where you could also argue for a discounted value, though less of one (Depay and Bony, mostly) but this shows a bit better the kind of form these players are in.

 

Even better would be one done by non-penalty goals/90 minutes on the pitch, but this took me more than 5 minutes so I'm definitely not sitting down to do all that.  Even at this level you can look at it and right away see that the Mancs are one striker away (and they're likely to add one) from taking them pretty distant from us, so our best hope is that Arsenal implode for some reason if we're to get fourth.

 

Real shame we didn't get Depay - he would have slotted in as a better version of Sterling, and would have cost less as well.  That is a huge missed opportunity, as was the chance to nick Dzeko who I think would have been a better fit for us than Benteke as well as costing about half the price.

[Jose Jones]

Since some of those players were playing in other leagues, I think it's a lot more useful to do this in terms of goals scored at pro level over the past 3 seasons, total (regardless of league). In which case it looks like:

 

Liverpool: Benteke (49), Sturridge (40), Ings (40), Origi (16) = 145

 

Man City: Bony (73), Aguero (77), Dzeko (47), Jovetic (24) = 221

 

Arsenal: Giroud (58), Sanchez (57), Walcott (34), Welbeck (20) = 169

 

Man United: Rooney (49), Depay (45), Hernandez (36), Wilson (4) = 134

 

Chelsea: Costa (77), Falcao (51), Remy (31), Bamford (48) = 207

 

Now, obviously, some of those goals came against lower league opposition and should be discounted somewhat (primarily Bamford and Ings) and some came in the Dutch league where you could also argue for a discounted value, though less of one (Depay and Bony, mostly) but this shows a bit better the kind of form these players are in.

 

Even better would be one done by non-penalty goals/90 minutes on the pitch, but this took me more than 5 minutes so I'm definitely not sitting down to do all that. Even at this level you can look at it and right away see that the Mancs are one striker away (and they're likely to add one) from taking them pretty distant from us, so our best hope is that Arsenal implode for some reason if we're to get fourth.

 

Real shame we didn't get Depay - he would have slotted in as a better version of Sterling, and would have cost less as well. That is a huge missed opportunity, as was the chance to nick Dzeko who I think would have been a better fit for us than Benteke as well as costing about half the price.

If you are including Depay surely you also have to include Firmino?

Since Depay seems to have been our first go to replace Sterling and Firmino second.

He's scored 39 in the last 3 seasons by your measures I think.

[AngryOfTuebrook]

I am now.

[Sandman40]

He has already broken my heart by signing on a Wednesday.

[Baltar]

I still think we overpaid but he's a good striker who will score his share of goals. If he and Sturridge hit it off we'll be a big threat in attack.

[Section_31]

Hope he does well, cash is bye the by if they do the business, can't be any worse than the steaming shite we've got up front now. 

[Strontium]

I think he needs to hit the ground running as he was somewhat inconsistent at Villa.

[smilezzz]

I think he needs to hit the ground running as he was somewhat inconsistent at Villa.

Yep, although maintaining a good scoring ratio throughout his time at Villa, his actual goals scored usually came in patches. It would be nice if he could spread it out a bit throughout the season.

[magicrat]

I am pretty happy with Benteke. Whilst hes not on paper the ideal fit for our style of play he's a quality striker that can effectively lead the line, He's also as good a player as we can likely get given we don't have CL football or 50 or 60 mill to splash out on getting someone that's potentially better. So all joking aside well done to the club signing this guy and welcome aboard the Bounty Mr Christian,

 

The one that intrigues me is Gomez , Of all our signings i have sneaky suspicion this lad could be special . I'm looking forward to seeing him get his chance 

[Mathewbet1]

Im fully on board the Benteke train, cho chooooo

[Guest Slim(fast)Shady]

Yep same as...think is a cracking signing!! Bring it on!!

[ZonkoVille77]

I'll love him while he scores and detest him when the game is over. Like I do all players except for Gerrard.

 

Best of luck Benteke, I'm behind you 99.97%

[zigackly]

It doesn't make sense to me, I would rather a first choice plan A than a first choice plan B.

 

That said, he's very good at what he does and the money in football is beyond a fucking joke now, so I can't complain except on tactical grounds.

[TheHowieLama]

Happy, not sure.

 

I am content.

 

TLW Content.

[Ezekiel 25:17]

I love the argument that he's not a Rodgers player, I'm pretty sure Rodgers wanted him, and signed him, he's clearly got plans for him, which I really hope come off.

[old skool tom]

Big Ben is no Torres or Suarez but he's exactly what we need,he scores 1 in every 2 games,he stays central and actually gets in the box unlike Mario and Borini.

 

If teams press us high we can dink it up to him for 5 minutes and get back on front foot.think we will mix our style up a lot more now

 

If teams sit deep and block us off centrally like last year?atleast we'll have a striker who will be in centre of goal worrying CBs giving our CAMs more space

 

We'll have a forward who gets in box and bangs it into back of the net which will be nice to see again

[old skool tom]

PS - Ings will surprise a lot of fucking people and Kopites this season guys! Take it from me he's gonna be signing of the season

[Cardie]

It doesn't make sense to me, I would rather a first choice plan A than a first choice plan B.

 

 

 

[Red House]

I love the argument that he's not a Rodgers player, I'm pretty sure Rodgers wanted him, and signed him, he's clearly got plans for him, which I really hope come off.

 

Like he clearly had plans for Can and Markovic when he signed them? Was the clear plans always to play them at centre-back and right wing-back respectively?

 

Rodgers himself doesn't know what a Rodgers player is.

[Pureblood]

I like the criticism that he hits purple patches.  What I would give for a purple patch from one of our strikers. We barely mustered a crimson or maroon patch last season.   In fact there were no patches at all.  Patchless, that's what we were.  

[WhiskeyJar]

It doesn't make sense to me, I would rather a first choice plan A than a first choice plan B.

 

You have no evidence to suggest that's true. Why not call him a Plan C behind Ings and Firmino?