Wednesday 29 July 2015

Big Ben.

Is Benteke the man for the job, 32 million pounds would suggest our manager and owners believe he is.  Nobody can say the manager didn't get the backing of the owners, Benteke was his man and they got him he cost plenty but the owners backed the manager and got him the man he wanted.


                         
    

Many will argue that he cost to much for me the cost is irrelevant, the owners are the people that worry about money not the supporters or manager I only worry about the team and the players the manager brings in and in this case I think we have a good player who will benefit the team.  The stats show that Benteke scores goals over the last three years only Suarez, Van Persie and and Aguero scoring more and Rooney less, put an average value on these players and I think it will show that he is a bargain.  Lukaku is a similar player representing the same international team with a far worse statistical record and moved last year (before the new TV deal money) for a similar wage again suggesting we have a good deal.  I agree that there are foreign players who may be available for less money but there are also arguments against them, the biggest name players will not sign for us, we are not in that league, yet, not able to attract the big names and I would also argue that players in this league would cost more than Benteke.  There are exciting players available in the next group down.  I can feel people screaming Lacazette at me, there have been plenty rumours that he is available for a little less than thirty million and I must admit is the signing i wanted but again I feel that we will struggle to attract him from a club who have made the champions league and also when everybody in the world has been linked with him.  Having said that i have to admit that I hadn't heard of him 18 months ago and without any great knowledge feel he like many players he would be a risk have I fallen into the trap of mistaking foreign and good,  There is a lot say for proven premier league and Benteke is that.

Many are worried that Liverpool have just bought a target man and this will result in is changing styles to just booting the ball up to him and that Benteke can only play in this style.  It's true that he is a big man, he is good in the air and certainly has plenty of physicality but that's not it, he has everything else as well, he has pace, he has technical ability and he can score, all types of goals from all areas, he can play in several formations but importantly I don't think we will change anything he does have the strength and ability to hold the ball up that we need but he also has the technical ability to join in with a move and the pace, power and finishing ability to get in the end of moves, in our team I believe he has the ability to become an all round striker to be feared after all he has achieved everything so far in a struggling Villa team.

Can he fit in with the flair players we already have? Coutinho and Firmino are going to be important and once Sturridge returns we have an array of attacking players can Benteke fit in?  In my opinion without a doubt he can with these for players fit and firing not many will be able to stop us different styles of player yes but in my opinion compatible.

In my opinion a good buy, not without risk but every chance of becoming a vital player for us over the coming years and I certainly believe that he has goals in him and goals win games.

@lfclumo   

Monday 27 July 2015

Summer Signings

First of all I need to state that I am normally optimistic, I usually like signings and find it hard to find fault in what we do, last year for example I was happy with the business we had done by the time the season had started, over the season I was proven wrong with Lambert, Balotelli and Lovren failing to produce throughout the season and Markovic, Manquillo and Moreno,  failing in many fans eyes.  Despite this I'm still going to put on record my thoughts about this summers signings.

Once again I'm optimistic and like the signings, I feel that we have bought several players who can and will go straight in to the first eleven and that everybody is an improvement on last season.

Firstly the most controversial, Benteke, I like him, he seems to have the lot, pace, power, movement, physicality, finishing, technique, arial ability, proven Premier League record what more could we want.  Granted he is expensive and everybody is a risk but strikers are expensive no matter who you buy and I would argue that attackers with a comparable record go for similar money if not more, Lukaku would be a good example.  We as Liverpool fans often fall into the trap of wanting a foreign sounding name that we no little about rather than players we know are good and who can achieve.  There are other good strikers out there, possibly cheaper but we have a very good striker on our hands and that's what we were demanding at the start of the window.

Firmino, an excellent player and the marque signing that we have all been shouting for.  I'm very excited by Firmino several people were talking about him last summer and because of this I have watched him play and thought he was out of our reach and that he would be going to one of the big names for huge money, delighted that we got him and I am certain that he will be a huge success.

Ings a good young player he stands a chance, had a lot of work to do and needs to develop but in my opinion will be more effective than Borini, Lambert or for that matter Balotelli so an improvement in the squad so this makes me happy.

Clyne, again I have high hopes widely touted as the best right back in the country and he chose to sign for us over some of our competitors so that's good and a definite improvement over Johnson so yet again our squad gets stronger.  

Bogdan, not overly impressed I have to admit, we wanted a new reserve keeper and we got one and he without doubt is an improvement over Jones so at least he represents a step forward if only a small one.

Milner to be honest originally I wasn't to bothered by this signing but I have since changed my mind and now believe he will be a huge player for us over the coming season.  Several things have changed my mind, better people than me have been singing his praises, City were desperate to keep him offering lots of money, he seems to have bought into the Liverpool project and finally and most importantly his performances in pre season have been excellent.n I again believe he has improved our squad from last season with a 29 year old Milner looking stronger than a 34 year old Gerard.

Gomez didn't know anything about this lad but he has been the shining light of pre season with some exceptional performances, yes I know it's only pre season and the opposition weren't all that but that's all I have to go on and by God the lad looks exciting.

We have also signed a couple of youth team players that those who are in the know seem to be excited about so that also looks good and if we continue to support and develop our young players as we have been uni believe we will continue to be able to sign the best young talent from around the world and this can only help the first team.

So, overall I'm delighted and excited about the season ahead, with new coaches in place I hope some work gets done on defending and set plays at both ends and we could achieve anything, let's hope for exciting times ahead.

@lfclumo