Christian Benteke

[RedReet]

5 touches in the Stokes penalty box all game.

So more than Diouf on the opposite side and more that Rooney who also picked up 3 points.

Benteke.

[DannyMan2006]

He didn't look sharp. I've seen him before and he's looked much sharper so I know it's more about fitness etc than his natural game. The bits that didn't require much fitness he did well. He won most direct balks to him and his first touches and passes were decent.

When it came to running in behind he was slow out the blocks and off the pace. He also picked up some decent positions, but players didn't find him as they appeared to be on different wavelengths. Things will improve.

[Scratch]

What was his pass completion like? Was it around about 60%????

[Fosterbloke]

What was his pass completion like? Was it around about 60%????

It was 58%!

[Scratch]

It was 58%!

Or 79% if you take out all the balls hoofed onto his head but that, with no one close enough to support him, didn't reach a teammate.

[Bloodraven]

Or 79% if you take out all the balls hoofed onto his head but that, with no one close enough to support him, didn't reach a teammate.

Or 100% if you take out all the failed passes.

[Alex]

5 touches in the Stokes penalty box all game.

How many touches in their half?

Its fairly easy to pick stats that make players look bad. But that one doesnt tell the whole story.

What if those 5 touches were shots? Its fairly clear that he isnt a Suarez type workrate player. So judging him to that criteria is always going to make him look bad.

[dww]

How many touches in their half?

Its fairly easy to pick stats that make players look bad. But that one doesnt tell the whole story.

What if those 5 touches were shots? Its fairly clear that he isnt a Suarez type workrate player. So judging him to that criteria is always going to make him look bad.

Having only watched the highlights there appeared to be several occasions where he and the providing midfielders weren't on the same wavelength. I think we have to wait and see if that changes before judging either Benteke as a player or the team.

People seem to forget the difference it made to Suarez once we set the team up to give him the ball in his preferred areas. There is an interesting comment in an interview with Rakotic on the Guardian where he talks about how the Barcelona midfield now have to press higher and work harder to service their front three now.

[redmike65]

Too static.

I only saw MOTD but their post game analysis suggested he wasn't.

Well I saw the whole game and too often he was stood rather impassively between the opposing central defenders rather than closing down, harassing and generally making himself a "presence". Too often they could pass it about without worry, whereas Suarez would have been on their case start to finish.

MOTD can pick and chose and they decided to make Benteke look better than was the case by highlighting good bits and none of the bad.

[Chris]

Christian Benteke is not Luis Suarez, damn, I only realised on Sunday!

[redmike65]

Eh? Don't get smart. I'm talking about application, not skill sets which are obviously completely different.

[Boogs]

Well I saw the whole game and too often he was stood rather impassively between the opposing central defenders rather than closing down, harassing and generally making himself a "presence". Too often they could pass it about without worry, whereas Suarez would have been on their case start to finish.

MOTD can pick and chose and they decided to make Benteke look better than was the case by highlighting good bits and none of the bad.

He's played one game and hardly had any time pre season. We've got a new back room as well who will also be learning the way the manager wants them to set up and get the new lads to play.

Being over critical of the new lads after one competitive game is like looking at the league table after 3 games to see where you'll finish! Pointless!

[redmike65]

Firmino did more snapping at the opposition in 15 minutes that's all I'll say.

[Boogs]

He plays in a completely different position!!!!

[Saveloy]

Firmino did more snapping at the opposition in 15 minutes that's all I'll say.

Benteke is quite a big bloke. He's never going to be a terrier. More of a Belgian Mastiff.