I think Clyne is great value. We did very well to get him in for that much. Excluded both he and Milner because we haven't see their impact yet.
So Jimmy, not winding up but do you hold no hope that we will perform better this year compared to last. I'm not asking something silly like winning the league better but without w/c in the squad for the second year running do you think we'll win/lose, less/same amount of games this year as last?
Joking aside I do rate him, and I've made no secret of it on here either tbf. I think he could be a really good signing for you, but you'll have to play to his strengths. If you play tiki taka and the opposition all get behind the ball, you have exactly the same problem we had in the first half of last season with Lukaku, as it just didn't suit his game. You'll have to play long regularly and get the ball forward quickly to get the best out of Benteke.
To be honest, I really don't know what to expect. I maintain that last year, we had some very good players who were more than capable of finishing top 4. I pin the blame down to poor management. I think we have made some good improvements this summer (could have been better) but again, it all depends on how Rodgers wants to play the team. I don't want to see youngsters playing out of position again i.e. Moreno as a wing back, Can as a CB/RB or Markovic as a RWB. Develop these players in their best roles. And for the love of God, he cannot play a 2 man midfield of Henderson and Milner - if it's a 2 man midfield, we need Can or a proper DM. Simple. I think the issue is that there is no clear style or structure to how Rodgers wants to play. He chops and changes far too often. Early signs would indicate that he wants to go back to basics and play his possession style football, and use a target man (Benteke) to link with fast, pacy wide men. But then we have Coutinho and Firmino who don't play that style. So it's a really mix of contrasting styles - should make for entertaining viewing - but I don't know what to expect. As always, I want us to win and I want to see clear sign of progression. I'll happily take 5th spot if it mean we give more game time to Ilori, Can and Marko in their best roles. Build for the future.
I'm not Jimmy but reckon we will be on that line between 4th / 5th most of the season Chelsea are nailed on top 4 / probable winners City I would say are nailed on top 4 and possible winners but they had that very rocky period last season where they were on the brink of losing top 4 so something similar could happen, still an ageing squad at the core despite a couple of new youthful additions Arsenal will get their usual positional silverware but could make a decent assault If Utd keep De Gea they will push us close again but think he is crucial... if they lose him then their potential to ship goals and lose ****loads more skyrockets as the amount of times his sticks skills got them a (usually undeserved) result last season was ridiculous With the new squad we should be more solid overall and therefore lose less, but if we don't score more goals that won't equate to winning more and the central defence problem simply has to be resolved quickly as that's a massive liability. Best possible scenario is a successful first team naturally emerges out of our squad allowing us to get comfortably established in a CL spot
I think it all stems on Rodgers getting selection right. For some reason, I have a horrible suspicion that Sakho and Can will not start the season. If Rodgers makes these daft decisions, then I'll have no faith and will want him out. He played politics last season when alienated certain players - Migs, Can, Sakho, Marko. Then injuries forced him to bring them back and they all played well. He can no longer pick Johnson or Gerrard so there's two issues gone straight away. But if Rodgers plays is simple and plays the best best XI, then I think we have a decent team. I think we will improve upon last years performance but that's not the issue - it's about improving up to a point where we're back in the top 4. And I'm not sure we've closed that gap - United have strengthened very well so far and I don't think they;re done yet.
Some of my thoughts 1. Benteke is a very underrated player 2. But we've overpaid to the tune of around £10million. 3. Debatable whether we could actually have gotten a better striker who would want to join us AND be a prem capable player 4. Benteke will improve us and offer that different way forward we often cry out for 5. He's got far more experience and talent than half-a-season-wonder Andy Carroll, comparisons to that signing are lazy. 6. I do believe he is very much a BR signing. All ITK journos suggest so and no way in hell FSG would sanction such a huge outlay without the manager's say so Overall I'm happy with the signing and it's light years bettre than Charlie Austin for £15-20m, that would be unthinkable.
