Christian Benteke Player Thread (Liverpool -> Crystal Palace)

He hasn't been anything special since he started.

and for that sum you expect much more. He was awful today, he only felt his hamstring at the end.

Benteke scores goals. That's his job and that's what he does. He will score double figures this season even in an average team under a poor manager. Just like he did with Villa.

Benteke scores goals. That's his job and that's what he does. He will score double figures this season even in an average team under a poor manager. Just like he did with Villa.

He won't.

I don't think he will reach 20 goals this season, I sure I hope I'm wrong.

He won't.

I don't think he will reach 20 goals this season, I sure I hope I'm wrong.

I didn't say 20 goals I said double figures.

He was awful today, he only felt his hamstring at the end.

yeah? did he whisper that in your ear when you two got into bed that night? where did you get this information, or did you just make it up to push your agenda?

yeah? did he whisper that in your ear when you two got into bed that night? where did you get this information, or did you just make it up to push your agenda?

Hahahaha, I don't need information to know he was basically awful the whole first half. He was chasing shadows and that's enough for me to know that he felt his tight hamstring right at the end.

I will give credit when he starts playing properly.

Hahahaha, I don't need information to know he was basically awful the whole first half. He was chasing shadows and that's enough for me to know that he felt his tight hamstring right at the end.

I will give credit when he starts playing properly.

Not even fully 100% fit yet!

A blessing in disguise this injury.We never should have bought this player in the first place,so this relieves Rodgers from the pressure of having to play someone with a 32.5M price tag in place of the free,faster,more appropiate to our best Liverpool version Danny Ings.

Benteke is a descent player that suited Villa's style of play,
BUT it is beginning to dawn on some of you what a few of us here knew all along,  that Benteke does not fit our style of play .... The last three games proved that.... It's luck we bought Ings

Benteke has done all he could do so far, it's not his fault he's having to come up the field to get the ball. I can't believe people are writing him off already, if that ball is put into the box, he'll be on the end of it!
Fantastic player!

Benteke has done all he could do so far, it's not his fault he's having to come up the field to get the ball. I can't believe people are writing him off already, if that ball is put into the box, he'll be on the end of it!
Fantastic player!

Don't think anyone is writing him off mate and there's no doubt he's looked promising but it's hard to argue that the brand of footy we've played with Ings/Sturridge in the team has been a level above anything we've seen with Big Ben in the side.

Is it Benteke's fault, no, I think we aren't utilising him properly but to do so, as mentioned in the transfer window, we have to adapt our game completely. It is much simpler and efficient to play to our strengths and fit the players in the positions they fill best. Ings/Sturridge has looked, to me, an extremely potent partnership and I personally wouldn't separate them just to accommodate Benteke no matter how much he cost.

Don't think anyone is writing him off mate and there's no doubt he's looked promising but it's hard to argue that the brand of footy we've played with Ings/Sturridge in the team has been a level above anything we've seen with Big Ben in the side.

Is it Benteke's fault, no, I think we aren't utilising him properly but to do so, as mentioned in the transfer window, we have to adapt our game completely. It is much simpler and efficient to play to our strengths and fit the players in the positions they fill best. Ings/Sturridge has looked, to me, an extremely potent partnership and I personally wouldn't separate them just to accommodate Benteke no matter how much he cost.

We haven't utilised him to his best but to do that doesn't get the best out of our other best players.

A reason why many of us were a bit put off by this signing.

Yeah I get that he doesn't fit our style of play entirely (whatever it is), but he's a beast, a bit like Heskey back before he was sh*t 
It's criminal that when he has played, we couldn't find a way to get balls into the box for him! We're the worst team in the league for getting crosses into the box, even though we've always had a passing philosophy, I can remember, Aldo, Rush, Fowler getting many headed goals from crosses. We can't try to walk it in every time.

Yeah I get that he doesn't fit our style of play entirely (whatever it is), but he's a beast, a bit like Heskey back before he was sh*t 
It's criminal that when he has played, we couldn't find a way to get balls into the box for him! We're the worst team in the league for getting crosses into the box, even though we've always had a passing philosophy, I can remember, Aldo, Rush, Fowler getting many headed goals from crosses. We can't try to walk it in every time.

Yeah I chucked that stat out there before we signed him mate. Seemed like it was irrelevant because 'stat' at the time. Since then we proceeded to loan out our only winger and decided to play Big Ben 40 yards ahead of everyone else.

As you say the way we've played when he has been in the side has been in no way to suit him and in fact even in that he's managed to come off with some credit. I think he's a good player to have late on as a plan B, looks a model professional but I very much doubt our paymasters are going to be happy to see £100k+ a week and such an investment used as a late game sub.

My guess is that he'll come back into the side the moment results don't go our way and that, in my opinion, would be a mistake. Ings may not have the goals to game ratio that Benteke has, or would have in our side but what he does bring is more than enough to bring the best out of those around him and for me he'd be one of the first names on that team sheet. He looks a fighter, a guy with a winning mentality and some good honest pride about his work and I admire that.

Yeah I chucked that stat out there before we signed him mate. Seemed like it was irrelevant because 'stat' at the time. Since then we proceeded to loan out our only winger and decided to play Big Ben 40 yards ahead of everyone else.

As you say the way we've played when he has been in the side has been in no way to suit him and in fact even in that he's managed to come off with some credit. I think he's a good player to have late on as a plan B, looks a model professional but I very much doubt our paymasters are going to be happy to see £100k+ a week and such an investment used as a late game sub.

My guess is that he'll come back into the side the moment results don't go our way and that, in my opinion, would be a mistake. Ings may not have the goals to game ratio that Benteke has, or would have in our side but what he does bring is more than enough to bring the best out of those around him and for me he'd be one of the first names on that team sheet. He looks a fighter, a guy with a winning mentality and some good honest pride about his work and I admire that.

Yeah I'd go along with the Plan B option at the moment, but will Big Ben be happy with that? An experienced international, playing second fiddle to a guy with one season the top flight, and knowing no matter how hard he works he might remain as the back up option?
He wasn't my first choice to come here, but I have to say his work ethic is everything I expect of a Liverpool player, and I'm certain he'll be a great asset to us.

Ings and Sturridge have only played together for one single game against a sh*t Aston Villa side and we're already talking about an improved 'brand of football'? I love Ings attitude so far and I desperately want him to succeed but to me it seems this is taking stereotypes far too seriously. Benteke has had to play pretty isolated so far but still did well and proved to be far more mobile than previously given credit for. Playing with a fully fit Sturridge makes the life of any striker much easier considering how much attention he attracts from defenders, and Benteke hasn't even had the chance to do that just yet.

Yeah I'd go along with the Plan B option at the moment, but will Big Ben be happy with that?

Probably not and I'm not sure the owners would be either.

Wasn't it said a while back that Brendan had to convince FSG that Benteke was worth the money and he had a plan to mame the most our of him in our side?

Its going to be very interesting when he's got again.

Probably not and I'm not sure the owners would be either.

Wasn't it said a while back that Brendan had to convince FSG that Benteke was worth the money and he had a plan to mame the most our of him in our side?

Its going to be very interesting when he's got again.

The owners will hardly know if he plays regularly or not! Probably phone Brendan to ask how many home runs he bagged this week!

I'd still like to see all three on the pitch, at the same time, if only to see someone get shouted at for using the hashtag #BeStIngs and hopefully we're giving the opposition a besting too.  Although I can see Rodgers being #StuBen (sic)  about this.

*disclaimer, I don't want to see any hashtags, I'm just bored and awake.

He's done well with the scraps he is given no doubt that Sturridge will improve him.

Been saying he'd love to play under Mourinho and Guardiola, not the wisest of moves a couple of months after moving to a new club.

Benteke has done all he could do so far, it's not his fault he's having to come up the field to get the ball. I can't believe people are writing him off already, if that ball is put into the box, he'll be on the end of it!
Fantastic player!

Look at it like this Benteke is a Formula 1 car, trying to compete in the Paris Dakar Rally, no matter how good you think he is he simply will never perform at his best because the system we play will never play to his strengths. It is not his fault. He simply never should have been bought in the first place

Look at it like this Benteke is a Formula 1 car, trying to compete in the Paris Dakar Rally, no matter how good you think he is he simply will never perform at his best because the system we play will never play to his strengths. It is not his fault. He simply never should have been bought in the first place

Benteke is no one trick pony mate, he much better with his feet that people give him credit for. There's definitely a place for him in our squad if not the starting line up.

Look at it like this Benteke is a Formula 1 car, trying to compete in the Paris Dakar Rally, no matter how good you think he is he simply will never perform at his best because the system we play will never play to his strengths. It is not his fault. He simply never should have been bought in the first place

We don't play to most of our players' strengths, no need to single out Benteke. He's also been one of our best performers on the pitch this season too so whilst I don't think he completely suits our vision of what our style of play is/should be, I'm glad in the end that we've signed him.