Christian Benteke

[DannyMan2006]

shows how much lack of confidence Benteke has in himself.

Yeah.

You could argue I guess that to be a main striker for LFC you need a strong mentality. Players up & down with form is something that plagues us currently. I'll judge him properly end of the season, but I guess I'd say that the half term report isn't looking as promising as what would have been hoped.

[DannyMan2006]

I think he's a decent if not very good striker who just isn't suited to us at all. Klopp seems to have figured this out pretty quickly. He'll be gone in the summer, let's hope he can chip in 15 or so while he's here.

Infuriating to think we all saw how we clicked with pace & movement as the focal point, only to sign someone who doesn't fit that mantra.

The lad is a goalscorer, but for the money we paid I fancy we could've signed a goal scorer who also displayed the other traits that would've suited us. Ings, Origi & of course Sturridge all look better fits.

[Bender]

Yeah.

You could argue I guess that to be a main striker for LFC you need a strong mentality. Players up & down with form is something that plagues us currently. I'll judge him properly end of the season, but I guess I'd say that the half term report isn't looking as promising as what would have been hoped.

Yeah seems fair enough......
If i had a choice of keeping him or selling him then i'd keep him.He's shown he's capable of scoring in the prem but ultimately he's style of play is not suited to Klopps ideas.But all teams need the option of being able to call upon a striker like Benteke in their squad at least....only problem for him and LFC is he cost £32 million

[DannyMan2006]

Yeah seems fair enough......
If i had a choice of keeping him or selling him then i'd keep him.He's shown he's capable of scoring in the prem but ultimately he's style of play is not suited to Klopps ideas.But all teams need the option of being able to call upon a striker like Benteke in their squad at least....only problem for him and LFC is he cost £32 million

For the reasons you point out I thought Lambert would've been a good signing, but I was very wrong there. I think the whole idea behind a plan B is rubbish. To me, it's about getting numbers in the box as opposed to having a target man.

A poor cross can lead to a goal if we can win the second ball. Too often with us it's only been Chris in the box and then we are needing a bloody good delivery which very rarely happens.

[Vermilion]

When he moves quickly he's a lot lighter on his feet than he looks like he should be, just don't understand why he doesn't move around more make more runs in behind etc..

We are so lacking in players that run in behind, tbf a lot of top sides are and that's very odd.

[Exiled_red]

Not really as if anyone holds their run to be in their own half when the ball is played they are onside.

I feel that our side is somewhat naive in this regard with big break aways we saw it here yesterday, and we saw it a couple of games previously when we had a break on from half way with one of our players running way ahead of the ball and the defender calling for a pass when he would have been offside (can't remember who it was in that case off the top of my head).

In yesterdays one Benteke and Lucas are both in offside positions when the pass through to Benteke is played, the two other guys just behind would have been onside as they were just in our half as the ball was played, but I'm not sure that their runs were well timed deliberately. Ok the keeper being out is a rare situation but as professional footballers you still need to be aware of these things. (The same applies to the officials who I am fairly sure would have allowed the goal to stand if we had put the ball in the net).

For me, with the finish Benteke takes his first touch 30-35 yards he should be comfortable rolling that into the net with his first touch from that distance with no keeper, or at worst one touch then hit, he tries to do far too much.

The one in the previous game was a more normal situation so that is less excusible

[Shaggy]

V's gone a bit quiet in this thread

[Paul12]

Thought he was miles off at the time. the lino principle of being level with the last defender doesn't work when the goalie is further up the pitch than that defender.

[Camble]

When we were linked I really didn't think he'd suit us. Obviously I prey he'll do well but I can't see it. It's strange, like Carroll he's a big unit yet he gets knocked off the ball and loses most headers to defenders not as tall or as well built. A lad who used to play for the team I played for was exactly the same, a 6ft 3 towering lad who was the biggest fanny when going into a 50/50.

[Slinky Skills]

When he moves quickly he's a lot lighter on his feet than he looks like he should be, just don't understand why he doesn't move around more make more runs in behind etc..

We are so lacking in players that run in behind, tbf a lot of top sides are and that's very odd.

I think it's a fitness thing, he needs games and his confidence in front of goal will return.

I can understand why some on here are having a dig as he looks cumbersome and lazy but he has such potential. That miss yesterday was ****ing atrocious though ha ha!

[Mattshark]

I think it's a fitness thing, he needs games and his confidence in front of goal will return.

I can understand why some on here are having a dig as he looks cumbersome and lazy but he has such potential. That miss yesterday was ****ing atrocious though ha ha!

He lacks too many of the skills needed for the level we want to play at. He'll be gone and end up in the Andy Carroll category. No player at our level should have under 70% pass accuracy.

Just being a goal scorer is not enough.

[G]

For the reasons you point out I thought Lambert would've been a good signing, but I was very wrong there. I think the whole idea behind a plan B is rubbish. To me, it's about getting numbers in the box as opposed to having a target man.

A poor cross can lead to a goal if we can win the second ball. Too often with us it's only been Chris in the box and then we are needing a bloody good delivery which very rarely happens.

Don't need a plan B. United in their heyday never had one, they kept at it and at it until they got their goal, flooding the attacking areas with players until the resistance broke. If your plan A is a good one you need to keep doing it and trust it will bring you what you need. Certainly against the ****ter 13-15 teams in the league anyway. Maybe require a bit more nouse against the top teams.

[kemm1]

He lacks too many of the skills needed for the level we want to play at. He'll be gone and end up in the Andy Carroll category. No player at our level should have under 70% pass accuracy.

Just being a goal scorer is not enough.

Fully agree. Doesn't have the skills and attributes of a striker that can contribute to the type to team play in a manner to help get to where we want to. Always found this signing confusing.

[Nicey]

I really do not think he is half as bad as people are making out. His shooting ability is awesome. I like him and I suspect he will prove a lot of people wrong.

I dont go to the game live so probably people are seeing his off the ball movement that does not get picked up on the TV cameras. I think overall considering the meagre scraps he has had to feed off in front of goal, his strike rate is not bad to good.

[peekay]

I really do not think he is half as bad as people are making out. His shooting ability is awesome. I like him and I suspect he will prove a lot of people wrong.

I dont go to the game live so probably people are seeing his off the ball movement that does not get picked up on the TV cameras. I think overall considering the meagre scraps he has had to feed off in front of goal, his strike rate is not bad to good.

When people are criticizing him, I think they are doing it from a standpoint of not being good enough striker who will lead us to the elite level. I think everyone recognizes that he is a very good striker who can win games on his day.

The problem is that for us - we have Ings and Origi who are two projects and they have shown enough promise to be worth that status. They will need time. Sturridge due to his injuries cannot be trusted. So the fourth striker better be an elite level striker - the player who is going to lead our line and fire us into the Champions League and higher.

Is Benteke that striker? I am not really sure. If he does not offer movement or creative skills, he needs to be making a difference in games by scoring goals on a consistent basis. Given that all three options are injured, I think he will be given the chance to prove himself over the next month or so. It will be up to him to grab the chance. If not I think he will be sold in the summer transfer window.