He's playing better than normal because he's not covering as much space. First name on the team sheet - who else does Klopp have? He didn't want Benteke - yes they looked at him but didn't pursue him because he wasn't good enough. I look at what Klopp has done over the years and he signed strikers like Lewa and Auba. Two completely different types of player to Benteke.
They weren't prepared to pay that price which isn't the same as not good enough. They may have wanted him for specific reasons rather than the answer to everything...a problem we all fall into when looking at one player.
That's fair mate, I disagree, i don't think they were ever interested but that's based on what I think Klopp wants. And also, perhaps I wouldn't sell Lucas right away and I'll put him in the same category as Benteke and Lallana in that he's a squad player.
Or we can settle with what we've got? That's a good option as well. Upgrading players is overrated anyway. Why strive to improve the team .. Lol
Mothers than need improving on ahead of Benteke though. We need some wide forwards, if we're going to play 4231 then we need people who can do those roles. Benteke can play on his own, other then Ibe we have no one to play wide and offer any pace.
GK: Mignolet - Keep. Will need improving at some point though, not commanding enough. GK: Bogdan - Keep. Ok Cover. GK: Fulton - Who?!! Keep LB: Jose Enrique - Sell. Not in our plans. LB: Joe Gomez - Keep. Looks a bargain, versatile. LB: Moreno - Keep. Good player, will improve massively imo. CB: K Toure - Sell. Pointless in keeping. CB: Lovren - Sell, as useful as a chocolate teapot. CB: Sakho - Keep. Excellent CB. CB: Skrtel - keep, often our s.goat, but he delivers when needed. CB: Cleary - Sell. Not going to break through imo. RB: Clyne - Keep. Not much better in the league. RB: Flanno - Keep. Not sure why, maybe due to the local connection! RB: Randall - Looked dodgy as **** the other day, keep for the time being I guess? LM: Lallana - Keep. Offers good competition for offensive players. AM: Coutinho - Keep. Obviously. AM: Brannagan - unproven, keep. Needs a couple of years to break through, if not sell. AM: Firmino - Keep. Starting to live up to the hype. CM: Henderson - Keep, solid engine room player. CM: Lucas - As above. CM: Can - As above. CM: Allen - Sell. Absolutely dreadful player, would suit a top championship side. CM: Teixeira - Sell. At 23 should be offering more. Never going to get in the side with Cout, Firm etc. there. Need better than him to move forward. CM: Chirivella - unproven, keep. Sell in 2 years if not good enough. CM: Rossiter - unproven, keep. As above. RM: Ibe - Keep, when on form is a great player to bring on and change the game up. RM: Milner - Keep, experience for our engine room. CF: Benteke - Keep. A solid striker that will score goals when he plays. CF: Sturridge - Sell. Unfortunately he's like a glass hammer. We simply need to thank him and move on. CF: Ings - keep. Useful squad striker, nothing more. CF: Origi - Sell, absolute dog ****e. CF: Sinclair - Keep for 2 years, if he doesn't break in then sell. We have to be ruthless in my opinion. There are plenty there that won't take us to the next level. To be honest at lot of the 'keeps' had me in 2 minds. The potential doesn't really stand out either. Big changes needed, but we must learn and do it slowly over a long period - always making sure we bring in players to improve, not simply squad fillers like before.
Do you disagree with the players I named? As mentioned, I don't expect us to get rid of them in one go - over next 2-3 Windows, they should be gone. Unless you rather keep Mario ha!
how much money do you think the club has got stuffed down the back of the sofa to replace 7 poss 8 (if anyone knows where Enrique is hiding ) first team squad members and the idea that 35m for 2 players one of which cost 32.5 only a couple of months ago is just a continuation of our lunatic transfer policy of the last few years .As an example unlike you i didn't rate Markovich based on his performances for us but as he was young and in a foreign country i wouldn't have loaned him out as we may never see him ago and he was never given time to settle in a settled team.It just keeps the churn of players going where we almost invariably lose money and have new players to integrate
When fit I'd play Sturridge or Ings ahead of Benteke. Benteke has improved in recent weeks but Studge and Ings fit our needs better. We need creative strikers rather than stong strikers. We're not creative enough elsewhere to use Benteke well enough.
To be fair on Studge... Yes He's injured a lot but probably not as much as it seems like. He's averaged playing in over 50% of our league games since joining us and he is our most talented forward.
has yesil been mentioned? another with huge potential, but fear he may be similar to sturridge in injury prone.
Im not so sure. I don't think Sturridge can play up top on his own, it's why he was shifted wide a lot and only time he's played really well it's been as part of a 2. If if klopp is going to play 4231 the Benteke suits that lone striker role far more than Sturridge. Problems arise by if you say Sturridge is our number 1 striker then when he's injured then you immediately demoralise Benteke. A bit like agueros and bony. Bony is a quality player but always knowing he's only ever a fit Aguero returning then puts undue pressure on him
I would give Ming more time now. He has done well this season. I don't think he's good enough for us ultimately as his distribution and game intelligence seems poor but he can stop a shot. So Yes. I want to replace him eventually But others need replacing first. I think 3 new players into first team per summer is a good rate. 3 clear obvious improvements instead of 8 maybes.
