The Benayoun Appreciation Thread

[Roboklopp]

Yossi is going to be a Liverpool FC legend, he is quality. His skills are ace, it's just a shame he looks like a rat!

Aye, good squad player. Doing really well for us on the pitch & condicts himself really well off. He is a our new (significanltly less charismatic) Lil Luis.

However, we need to be looking for better for the 1st team tho. Just not sure we have the money...

[JohnDoe]

Don't understand the "squad player" tag he's been given. He's one of the first names on the team sheet as far as I'm concerned, his game intelligence is on par with Alonso. Our best wide player and one of the best in the league. He'd get into the other "big 4" sides without a problem and I'd only swap him with Ronaldo and maybe Rosicky. He's not inferior to other wide midfielders they have.

Ignore the hype of the David Bentleys of the world and you'll see that Yossi is far more effective.

[dww]

Don't understand the "squad player" tag he's been given. He's one of the first names on the team sheet as far as I'm concerned, his game intelligence is on par with Alonso. Our best wide player and one of the best in the league. He'd get into the other "big 4" sides without a problem and I'd only swap him with Ronaldo and maybe Rosicky. He's not inferior to other wide midfielders they have.

Ignore the hype of the David Bentleys of the world and you'll see that Yossi is far more effective.

I'd add Hleb to the list of players who I would take ahead of him.

I like Benayoun but I think he is yet to prove he is as effective against the better teams as he is undoubtedly against the non-top 4 sides in the division. I think he seems to lack the arrogant belief in his ability that allows some players (Garcia included) to do special things against the best sides. He is however a very consistent performer who keeps the ball brilliantly while offering the ability to open up a defense.

[Roboklopp]

Shame we can't have a Yossi- LilLuis hybid really.

[JohnDoe]

I like Benayoun but I think he is yet to prove he is as effective against the better teams as he is undoubtedly against the non-top 4 sides in the division.

You're basing that on one game against the mancs where every one of our players was ineffective in the final third. Rash statement.

[JohnDoe]

Shame we can't have a Yossi- LilLuis hybid really.

I love little Luis just like everyone else but there's one big difference between the two players. Yossi has the ability to carry the game on his shoulders and pull us forward with the ball and that makes him more dependable than Garcia, who was a pure impact player that lost possession frequently when he was under pressure. Yossi makes an impact when he comes on AND he's got the vision and composure to keep possession and lead the offense.

[Roboklopp]

I love little Luis just like everyone else but there's one big difference between the two players. Yossi has the ability to carry the game on his shoulders and pull us forward with the ball and that makes him more dependable than Garcia, who was a pure impact player that lost possession frequently when he was under pressure. Yossi makes an impact when he comes on AND he's got the vision and composure to keep possession and lead the offense.

Aye, so if we added LL's mercurial genius goals to that, then we'd be sorted.

LL's long range strikes, heading & poaching were better than Yossi's (although the latter is by no means Yossi's weak point- qv the Besiktas game rebounds).

[JohnDoe]

Aye, so if we added LL's mercurial genius goals to that, then we'd be sorted.

LL's long range strikes, heading & poaching were better than Yossi's (although the latter is by no means Yossi's weak point- qv the Besiktas game rebounds).

Yeah, Garcia's more "explosive" though he had some shocking misses people can easily forget. Yossi's game is more subtle. I think over the course of the season, Benayoun brings more to the table and is worth more points in the long run.

[dww]

You're basing that on one game against the mancs where every one of our players was ineffective in the final third. Rash statement.

I'll admit that it is certainly coloured by that but he didn't do much when he came on against Arsenal and other than the FA cup final I don't remember him troubling the top sides when at West Ham (although I will admit that I wasn't a keen follower of them). His goals for us have been against Wigan & Pompey in the league and Reading and Besiktas in cups. The opposite sort of scoring record to say Garcia an archetypal big game player. He may well overall improve our squad but we still as a squad lack another player who looks like scoring against the big boys IMO.

But the point is that that is his role creating against tight defenses. Every attacking player at LFC has to be judged against the best and at the minute in the league we don't come out on top regularly enough.

[Roboklopp]

Yossi: Intelligence, Consistency, Dribbling, Passing.

LL: Shooting, Heading, Poaching, Match-winning.


FAir?

[The Erectile Banana]

I'll admit that it is certainly coloured by that but he didn't do much when he came on against Arsenal and other than the FA cup final I don't remember him troubling the top sides when at West Ham (although I will admit that I wasn't a keen follower of them). His goals for us have been against Wigan & Pompey in the league and Reading and Besiktas in cups. The opposite sort of scoring record to say Garcia an archetypal big game player. He may well overall improve our squad but we still as a squad lack another player who looks like scoring against the big boys IMO.

But the point is that that is his role creating against tight defenses. Every attacking player at LFC has to be judged against the best and at the minute in the league we don't come out on top regularly enough.

If Benayoun isn't effective against the better teams how come he ripped us apart in the 2006 FA Cup Final?

I think it's a bit harsh to base a judgement of his big game ability on one game against the Mancs where we didn't play well as a team and a cameo against Arsenal.

[Roboklopp]

If Benayoun isn't effective against the better teams how come he ripped us apart in the 206 FA Cup Final?

I think it's a bit harsh to base a judgement of his big game ability on one game against the Mancs where we didn't play well as a team and a cameo against Arsenal.

THat game did spring to my mind aye. Havent watched it again since Yossi joined our ranks tho. would be interesting to do so- spose I'll have to dig out me dvd at some stage.

[dww]

If Benayoun isn't effective against the better teams how come he ripped us apart in the 206 FA Cup Final?

I think it's a bit harsh to base a judgement of his big game ability on one game against the Mancs where we didn't play well as a team and a cameo against Arsenal.

It's fair enough it's a feeling I had about him before he came and while he has impressed me with his quality I have yet to shake it. I think I may have over emphasised my initial criticism and I don't really want to end up having to defend this opinion for ever.

However, I do think the cup final was more the exception than the rule. I accept I might be wrong but I still feel this way. I also think he can progress and become a player who can do that but at present I think he is a class below Hleb and Rosicky who are the closest analogy at the other top 4 teams in terms of style.

[Roboklopp]

Shame GH never got Rosicky when he was after him in a way, but he would probably have trained all skill out him & turned him into a goal-keeper or something.

[Charlie_B]

He hasnt surpassed my expectations as such, he's exactly what I thought he'd be; an intelligent player that offers more than we had going forward. He still isn't anywhere near the calibre of Ronaldo/Giggs/Rosicky/Hleb though, which is unfortunate for us. Need more pace.