Topic: Benteke - Liverpool's Number 9

[Crosby Nick]

That's just sex.

You're doing it wrong.

[J-Mc-]

If you were the manager with the personnel we have available right now how would you go about creating the all important space for him the box?

Benteke       Ings

Firmino

Coutinho.           Henderson

Milner

Moreno.       Sahko.       Gomez.       Clyne

Mignolet

Pace down the wings, good strong rotating midfield with Henderson and Milner swapping and Coutinho and Firmino interchanging.

Moreno and Clyne on the overlap with Gomez and Sahko able to play it out from the back.

Sturridge a straight swap for Ings when fit.

Whole team set up like that = good defensive cover, difficult to track runners, space for Benteke to work in.

[SerbianScouser]

Love the back 4, would love to see it more than anything.

However with your set-up the idea must be that fullbacks are aggressive going forward as they can be because width is crucial and gamble would be letting Gomez and Sakho deal with a lot of 1v1s if necessary and I think they have the mentality and courage to pull it off. For these two home games ideally for me we`d have two players like Milner and Ibe in wide positions looking to penetrate and get to the byline though I can see it working with fullbacks looking to be wingers practically.

It`s safe to say Rodgers will need to drop this `solidity` experiment and start taking more risks in order to create space for Benteke in the box. Overloading wide areas and looking to commit people who mark him in the box seems a most efficient way because it will also make us a more versatile team attacking wise.

[Mr_Morosoph]

Not sure how he can be blamed when he was given non existent service.

Expected at least 5 of these type of replies. You're right, the service was poor but so were a lot of his touches. When he got the ball he often gave it away far too cheaply. I remember being frustrated with him as much as any player yesterday. I knew his goal was going to overshadow his performance though.

[J-Mc-]

Love the back 4, would love to see it more than anything.

However with your set-up the idea must be that fullbacks are aggressive going forward as they can be because width is crucial and gamble would be letting Gomez and Sakho deal with a lot of 1v1s if necessary and I think they have the mentality and courage to pull it off. For these two home games ideally for me we`d have two players like Milner and Ibe in wide positions looking to penetrate and get to the byline though I can see it working with fullbacks looking to be wingers practically.

It`s safe to say Rodgers will need to drop this `solidity` experiment and start taking more risks in order to create space for Benteke in the box. Overloading wide areas and looking to commit people who mark him in the box seems a most efficient way because it will also make us a more versatile team attacking wise.

My main thought behind it would be one of Henderson/Milner dropping in to create the 3 at the back scenario if we get caught on the counter, giving the other midfielders time to get back in position aswell as allowing the CAM and secondsry striker to drop into a more holding roll behind Benteke to give us an outlet to play the ball out.

You're right in that we'd need Clyne and Moreno to be very aggresive fullbacks though, but IMO, they've already shown glimpses of being able to cope with that amount of running throughout their careers.

[kingz]

What's annoying is Rodgers using Benteke as an excuse saying the players taking the easy option by going direct to him. Thats what happens when you sit so deep and with no movement or passing options. Its insane how Rodgers is using him, even Tactics Tim wont let him be isolated that much.

[MiserableP15]

He left Villa.....

and joined Villa.


If he's capable of that, what the fuck are we doing leaving him so isolated?

[Mark Walters]

What's annoying is Rodgers using Benteke as an excuse saying the players taking the easy option by going direct to him. Thats what happens when you sit so deep and with no movement or passing options. Its insane how Rodgers is using him, even Tactics Tim wont let him be isolated that much.

That's what happens when you buy a fuckin' target man!

[jooneyisdagod]

That goal was something else. Watching it on a stream of a television broadcast that has been shot with 22 different cameras placed at various vantage points in the ground so as to give us the best view of the proceedings, I can safely say, I never saw that shot coming. After Suarez's stormer that hit the bar, this has to be the cleanest hit I've seen in football for a long time. Nevermind that he was fucking upside down while he did it. We need to be playing off him much better than we are and creating more chances of the genuine kind for him but fuck me that goal was incredible. Still don't think he entirely suits us though. Unless the manager quickly works something out, but I'm afraid I don't hold much hope for that.

[kcbworth]

I sensed he wasn't particularly fit first half. Couple of times he let the Manc defenders waltz past him into midfield when he could have harried them just a little. Annoyed me to be honest - particularly given his poor touches that turned over possession.

But was impressed with some of the things he did second half, especially the wonder goal of course, and I do believe that if we can dominate possession in the opposition half, and keep it in and around him with runners, then he'll be an asset. to be honest I don't know if he is more talented than Mario, but he's clearly a better pro, and I think he'll be exponentially more consistent.

Goal of the season so far and I'd be surprised if it's beaten

Personally I preferred Coutinho's on Day 1 - context of the game and everything

[pjshaun]

He left Villa.....

and joined Villa.


If he's capable of that, what the fuck are we doing leaving him so isolated?

He left Villa but hasn't joined Villa. We are worst than Villa at the moment. Villa were at least capable of getting something out of him. Right now he's winning almost all the headers only to assist the opposition because there's no Liverpool player around him. He's holding up the play only for a Liverpool player to pass the ball straight to the opposition. We can't even patiently pass the around till the poor guy gets into the box. And don't get me started on the crosses. If you are not going to use him as a target man, at least let him get close the box by simple patient passing.

[RedKenWah]

He left Villa but hasn't joined Villa. We are worst than Villa at the moment. Villa were at least capable of getting something out of him. Right now he's winning almost all the headers only to assist the opposition because there's no Liverpool player around him. He's holding up the play only for a Liverpool player to pass the ball straight to the opposition. We can't even patiently pass the around till the poor guy gets into the box. And don't get me started on the crosses. If you are not going to use him as a target man, at least let him get close the box by simple patient passing.

Spot on! In a way it's made the team a bit more lazy as well as if things aren't going well for us, all we end up doing is having players look up and go "oh we got some big dude upfront now" and ping it long and high and lose possession.

Isolation is his problem and that's a team issue. Get the players within 10 yards of him and he'll become an absolute monster for us.

[Redshadow]

He's about to enter his prime as a (very) good striker, shame we can't utilize him properly.

[paulrazor]

no support at all on saturday

what a goal he scored. shame it was wasted

[LFC UNTIL THE MANAGER IS NO LONGER DESERVING OF MY SYMPATHY]

Brilliant striker being used badly, mainly because he is isolated.

Sturridge will hopefully play upfront with him and then I'm sure he'll look even better.

[Yiannis]

Him and Sturridge can forge a good partnership. Hope Rodgers give it a try and stick with it for some time even if it's maybe not working at the beginning. We currently use another formation that is not working yet we insist on it.

[Historical Fool]

Brilliant striker being used badly, mainly because he is isolated.

Sturridge will hopefully play upfront with him and then I'm sure he'll look even better.

Are we ok with player threads now then? It's against RAWK policy.

[LFC UNTIL THE MANAGER IS NO LONGER DESERVING OF MY SYMPATHY]

Are we ok with player threads now then? It's against RAWK policy.

I didn't start the thread, don't have a go at me!

[Michel]

I was against signing him but I'm glad to admit I was wrong.
He is a very good striker and has goals in him.
Our tactics are awful though so far,he is very isolated and we are hitting long balls to him all the time.
I'm sure he is frustrated with the way we are playing.

[ThePoolMan]

Expected at least 5 of these type of replies. You're right, the service was poor but so were a lot of his touches. When he got the ball he often gave it away far too cheaply. I remember being frustrated with him as much as any player yesterday. I knew his goal was going to overshadow his performance though.

What I saw was that he did no let down the team in his link up play - on quite a few occasions he participated in give and go passing.

When he did lose possession, how many of those were the result of some absurd punt at him surrounded by defenders or a pass he had to chase? The quality of the passing to him has to affect his ability to trap the ball as well.

Even the goal was scored by him after the attempted scooped cross to him that was woefully off target and hit a defender's head instead and spiralled overhead. That he got to it at all was already excellent - but that he uncorked an overhead volley of the first class was astounding. Service to him was not just poor - it was almost non-existent.

[ReeNah]

We need to get the ball to Benteke more in and around the box... Not half way with 3 defenders on him because we're all sitting inside our own box...

I was quite against signing Benteke but seems like a really solid player... Pity we ain't utilizing him... Then again he gets to play in his own position at least. Players like Markovic never got near their original position, he got played so far out of position he's at another club..

[CallumLFC]

Nice goal but he's not for me. I'm not fond of him.

He just doesn't make enough runs in behind. After the Balotelli and Lambert signings, it really does sum up Rodgers lack of clever thought, that he goes and buys the same prototype.

[gray19lfc]

Benteke       Ings

Firmino

Coutinho.           Henderson

Milner

Moreno.       Sahko.       Gomez.       Clyne

Mignolet

Pace down the wings, good strong rotating midfield with Henderson and Milner swapping and Coutinho and Firmino interchanging.

Moreno and Clyne on the overlap with Gomez and Sahko able to play it out from the back.

Sturridge a straight swap for Ings when fit.

Whole team set up like that = good defensive cover, difficult to track runners, space for Benteke to work in.

Love the look of that team.  Exactly the team I'd pick when everyone is available.

Things need to change at centre back.  99% of us prefer Sakho over Lovren but Skrtel has been equally as dire.  Two strikers up top has to return, which means a diamond formation to get the best out of Coutinho, Henderson and Milner.

Can bet my life savings that we'll never see that team though.

[rakey_lfc]

He's scored two absolute worldies from lucky breaks, imagine what this man might do if given the right service!

[sminp]

He's scored two absolute worldies from lucky breaks, imagine what this man might do if given the right service!

I'm not sure I'd describe his first as a worldie

[rakey_lfc]

I'm not sure I'd describe his first as a worldie

I meant the volley in the friendly.

However, the one against Bournemouth was clearly the best of the lot!

[RK7]

I remember being pleasantly surprised  when I first saw Sturridge in a red shirt, he had more to his game than I had given him credit for. Benteke has been a similar experience, I can see him doing okay for us but if we start using him correctly then he could a lot better than okay.

Early days I know but he has shown more in these few games than I ever saw from Mario.

[Alf]

Given the right service Benteke could score a lot of goals for us.

[Guz-kop]

We need to push 10-15 yards up the pitch and get bodies near him. Defenders are terrified of him and that's a great place to be as a striker, just need to utilise that a bit more

[HighSix]

Early days I know but he has shown more in these few games than I ever saw from Mario.

Back to his old self now though.

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/1-n0iqkVlX4?fs=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">http://www.youtube.com/v/1-n0iqkVlX4?fs=1</a>

[Sat1]

Given the right service Benteke could score a lot of goals for us.

Maybe the manager shoul

Benteke       Ings

Firmino

Coutinho.           Henderson

Milner

Moreno.       Sahko.       Gomez.       Clyne

Mignolet

Pace down the wings, good strong rotating midfield with Henderson and Milner swapping and Coutinho and Firmino interchanging.

Moreno and Clyne on the overlap with Gomez and Sahko able to play it out from the back.

Sturridge a straight swap for Ings when fit.

Whole team set up like that = good defensive cover, difficult to track runners, space for Benteke to work in.

Milner should be on the wing, he's no DM. Ings for all his running looked like a championship player with the ball

[edge]

Back to his old self now though.

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/1-n0iqkVlX4?fs=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">http://www.youtube.com/v/1-n0iqkVlX4?fs=1</a>

Crikey what a haircut.

Didn't his contract there say something about that?

[BER]

Will score a shit load if we can get him some service, any service.

[Beninger]

Balo still looks sub par.

[stevensr123]

Back to his old self now though.

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/1-n0iqkVlX4?fs=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">http://www.youtube.com/v/1-n0iqkVlX4?fs=1</a>

Not surprising considering his manager was slagging him off from day one. I actually thought he tracked back surprising well last season at times, obviously not Suarez like but certainly as much as you would expect from sturridge, torres etc

Rodgers just didn't like him and didnt adjust the team around a target man, like what he is doing with benteke right now.

[alvaro]

Am I the only one who thinks we should try a classic 4-4-2 with Benteke as big guy and somebody else as the small forward( Sturridge, Firmino,  Ings). It may not be Barcelona but I see it as food enough to beat the bottom 12 which should be our bread and butter. I feel we are missing his holding ability if we leave him alone. I'm not advocating using that as the main attacking tactic but it can certainly be useful, specially if teams go narrow in defense.

["21C or 70F?" SchizoidWeatherMan!]

Too bad we cannot use him properly. He would be fantastic under a manager who knows how to use him. Feel for him, mustve come here with high hopes about stepping up a level and improving as a player.

We dont even have wide players who can run with the ball on their feet AND cross it from the byline. We have zero pace in our midfield so no support from there too.

[Schmidt]

Am I the only one who thinks we should try a classic 4-4-2 with Benteke as big guy and somebody else as the small forward( Sturridge, Firmino,  Ings). It may not be Barcelona but I see it as food enough to beat the bottom 12 which should be our bread and butter. I feel we are missing his holding ability if we leave him alone. I'm not advocating using that as the main attacking tactic but it can certainly be useful, specially if teams go narrow in defense.

We don't necessarily need to play two strikers to support him, we just need other players to get forward whenever the ball goes his way. Against the mancs we could've had Firmino and Ings ahead of Milner and Can, with all four harassing the opposition and breaking forward when we got the ball, but we just sat back instead.

[El Lobo]

Feel sorry for the guy, after the shite from Tactics Tim about being purely a target man thriving on crosses all we want to do is lob balls up for him to try and do something with when no-one gets within 20 feet of him.

[Chakan]

Feel sorry for the guy, after the shite from Tactics Tim about being purely a target man thriving on crosses all we want to do is lob balls up for him to try and do something with when no-one gets within 20 feet of him.

Although you have to say that when we have delivered crosses to him he looks a lot more effective.