Last month, The Telegraph claimed that Liverpool were preparing a whopping £50m (€63m) bid for Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema, and according to new reports this week, a deal for the prolific French striker is close is already agreed.
In December, The Telegraph reported:
"Liverpool are ready to make a £50 million bid for Karim Benzema, [who is] happy to leave the Bernabéu"
Today, reports in Spain claim that:
* Real Madrid 'will sell' Karim Benzema to Liverpool for £40m (€52m) in the summer.
* Benzema is allegedly 'frustrated' with life at the Bernebeu.
Liverpool have been linked with 26-year old Benzema a many times in the past, but despite the ongoing speculation, Spanish football pundit Guillem Balague emphatically insists that there is no possibility of Benzema signing for Liverpool. He recently told Sky Sports:
"There is no way Benzema would go to Liverpool. It is impossible. He is essential to the Real team and a favourite of President Florentino Perez.”
Liverpool clearly need another top class striker, but I'm not convinced Benzema is the answer. The Reds need a Suarez-like player; someone with skill and invention who can create things for himself, rather than having to (mostly) rely on service, and Benzema doesn't fit the bill, especially for £50m.
To be fair, Benzema has stepped it up at Madrid over the last 18 months, and Gerard Houllier insists that he is in a golden period of his career. In a recent interview with Journal du Dimanche, the former LFC boss enthused:
"Benzema has always been a goalscorer, but he has improved [working] with his team-mates. He is not just a poacher. He is good at assisting and mentally he is very strong. He is now falling into the category of world-class players"
I don't believe this rumour for one second. Madrid are guaranteed to challenge for the top trophies every single year, whereas Liverpool are barely able to guarantee a consistent top-four place, and the club is led by a manager who is seemingly incapable of attracting top-class players.
Of course, money talks, but outside that, why would Benzema swap the Bernabeu for Anfield?
Author: Jaimie K
In December, The Telegraph reported:
"Liverpool are ready to make a £50 million bid for Karim Benzema, [who is] happy to leave the Bernabéu"
Today, reports in Spain claim that:
* Real Madrid 'will sell' Karim Benzema to Liverpool for £40m (€52m) in the summer.
* Benzema is allegedly 'frustrated' with life at the Bernebeu.
Liverpool have been linked with 26-year old Benzema a many times in the past, but despite the ongoing speculation, Spanish football pundit Guillem Balague emphatically insists that there is no possibility of Benzema signing for Liverpool. He recently told Sky Sports:
"There is no way Benzema would go to Liverpool. It is impossible. He is essential to the Real team and a favourite of President Florentino Perez.”
Liverpool clearly need another top class striker, but I'm not convinced Benzema is the answer. The Reds need a Suarez-like player; someone with skill and invention who can create things for himself, rather than having to (mostly) rely on service, and Benzema doesn't fit the bill, especially for £50m.
To be fair, Benzema has stepped it up at Madrid over the last 18 months, and Gerard Houllier insists that he is in a golden period of his career. In a recent interview with Journal du Dimanche, the former LFC boss enthused:
"Benzema has always been a goalscorer, but he has improved [working] with his team-mates. He is not just a poacher. He is good at assisting and mentally he is very strong. He is now falling into the category of world-class players"
I don't believe this rumour for one second. Madrid are guaranteed to challenge for the top trophies every single year, whereas Liverpool are barely able to guarantee a consistent top-four place, and the club is led by a manager who is seemingly incapable of attracting top-class players.
Of course, money talks, but outside that, why would Benzema swap the Bernabeu for Anfield?
Author: Jaimie K
no chance this happens
ReplyDeleteOne could argue that Balotelli is 'someone with skill and invention that can create things for himself'. He tries but lord he has failed.
ReplyDeleteWhat we have been missing is a striker that can run behind and smash them in from anywhere, and Benzema certainly is that.
Tbh, if ANY world class player even thinks about joining us, we should snap him up. If we don't get top 4 this season we will lose any hope of really top players joining us, thus cementing our place as a team that hasn't got a chance of a top 4.
Better chance of signing Jimi Hendrix
ReplyDeleteLFC has to change their football style if they bring on Benzema. Does anyone know which other player has Suarez type skill and wizardry that LFC can get ?
ReplyDeleteMan U attracted top class players but they aren't pulling up trees as yet. Not saying it won't happen for them but give me a street fighter who wants to prove himself over any big name.
ReplyDeleteBut on a brighter note they could sign the Beatles they're local.
ReplyDeleteTevez
ReplyDeleteTevez.
ReplyDeleteCan someone explain what the advantage is for us to wait 6 months for the player to arrive?
ReplyDeleteAnd what would happen if he was seriously hurt?
I'm a little perplexed as to why we wouldn't get him now if we have to pay for him in the summer.
Thanks
Higuain
ReplyDeleteMartinez
He said lfc are smaller then him if i remember got Aldo all wound up
ReplyDeleteLfc should:
1) try to turn Sterling into a striker he looks awesome in that role
2) also try and get origi to succeed there
3) Get Ibe playing out wide
Origi,Sterling,Ibe are all quality young pacy skillful players
we should get best out of all three of them
In his day I would take him in a flash.... It still baffles me that West Ham had Mach and tevez...
ReplyDeleteMy contract was set to expire in June and Liverpool’s offers did not satisfy me, neither economically nor in a sporting sense,” Suso told Marca.
ReplyDelete“I arrived very much as a boy and I have learned a lot. I have grown, but I have not noticed a lot of trust in me.
Assaidi:“To be honest I never got a fair chance at Liverpool,” he said.
“If you look at the games I played I don’t think I did that bad.”
Damn...
Please explain:
ReplyDelete- When you say 'never say he couldn't' what are you referring to?
- Which keeper are you referring to when you mention 80K per week?
- Who has multiple accounts?
- Why are you so angry?
You have multiple accounts your original reply was under lfc red 94 the way you are talking you would think we were going to get a top notch number 2 and yes i caught you up voting yourself.
ReplyDeleteI edited the above comment to explain the other more clearly.
Bless you!
ReplyDeletedead right, those three young lads could be unplayable together, if we can get Raheem to get the ball into the net more he will be an excellent striker, but he hasn't improved on this part of his game at all, he was the same playing for u21/u18's....bad coaching?
ReplyDeleteThey're both right! Just that they weren't fancied. Assaidi did ok!
ReplyDeleteAssaidi had a chance at stoke and didnt set the world on fire there either...no other club in the prem put in a bid for him, obviously not rated by any one
ReplyDeleteBless you too mate! This kid is special. Pace, skills, strength & the required arrogance needed for success. We could offer to build the team around a partnership with Sturridge. Awesome! At City he'd be a spare part!
ReplyDeleteBenzema is godd player so he should come
ReplyDeleteHey guys why don't we get MESSSSSSSI
ReplyDeleteWe won the other day 2-0
ReplyDeleteis this sure that liverpool has bought karim benzema
ReplyDeleteI must have dreamt the comment. happens to me a lot lately on this site ;-/
ReplyDeleteHe (Benzema) is almost as surprised as the rest of us
ReplyDeleteImagine the teams surprise when they're told they're getting an enema
ReplyDeleteI was looking forward to his return . Now I'm worried that if he is selected he will get injured on the way to the match, in the dressing room or running out on to the pitch.
ReplyDeleteThat will bring some colour to their cheeks
ReplyDeleteHe CAN"T FINISH. That Aston Villa game was a perfect example. On a break away, and shoots straight at Guzan. It's not happenning.
ReplyDeleteTheres no point of spending more to get origi back early when sturridge is coming back
I'd personally take Markovic over Ibe. Don't really understand why we brought him in, we have enough players in that role, should have let him be.
Benzema is happy to leave Real Madrid ......but he wont come to LFC.
ReplyDeleteOne sentence to sum this up.
Either you're a natural goal scorer or you're not.you can teach that..
ReplyDeleteWhat about Lacazette he is not a natural scorer ?
ReplyDeleteCan't teach that I mean..
ReplyDeleteTalking about sterling being played as a striker. World class winger or no. 10 but doesn't look like someone who's going to bang in 20 goals a season..
ReplyDeleteI am not sure which EPL you have been watching mate but the refs do "blow the whistle if the GK gets knocked down from the wind of a rushing forward" over here, at least in the prem :-). As long as he has good decision making for crosses he would be fine....more high balls into the box over here than in Belgium i am guessing. Not too worried about the quality of the league too much, GK is a funny position in that regard as the lesser quality of the attacking players he would face is equalized to a degree by the lesser quality defenders protecting him.....anyone who can play pro football can shoot straight at the goal given an opportunity and the goal is the same size. He is playing a good standard over there at only 22, pretty big crowds, Europe.and a team expected to win. He would be a good addition to provide more serious competition for Mignolet which is I think his problem rather than him not being good enough.
ReplyDeleteDid Lacazette when Lyon moved him there ?
ReplyDeleteafter he only scored 9 goals in 70 games as a winger?
9 goals last season at age of 19 for Sterling from wing
ReplyDeleteis awesome ,
No chance absolutely no chance he made his feeling clear on Liverpool months ago. and who cares we wont need him then.
ReplyDeleteIncidently his club list him as just about 6ft 1 which is the same as Casillas and an inch taller than Valdes... as long as you have a great leap its no problem. Quality is the main thing
ReplyDeleteI agree completely. I just said I think he's world class but in my opinion but he's not a fantastic finisher..when you look at Michael Owen at 17 he was a goalscorer straight away.he was a top striker and not a winger. Sterling a fantastic winger not a top striker.sure he'll get a certain amount of goals but don't think he's the striker we need.
ReplyDeleteSo you think sterling is a world class striker?
ReplyDeleteGood!
ReplyDeleteOne word to sum this up!
You intrigue me. Why do you think I have more than one account? I have only ever had one account. Who is lfc red 94?
ReplyDeleteI've never said anything about the quality of any incoming goalkeeper. However, if he is to come in as a number one, of course he has to be top notch. A goalkeeper coming in as a number 2 needs to be much better than Jones.
I seem to have upset you in some way....
or make our own world class players as we have done loads of times before
ReplyDeleteThat money rather sign Pogba
ReplyDeleteWas just listening to some Hendrix earlier. Man was a genius.
ReplyDeleteTevez; great shout. Also Giovanni dos Santos, Vela, Cuadrado, Pedro, ahem Neymar, Griezmann, maybe Firmino and Jese Rodriguez (bit inexperienced). There's a good few out there. All expensive. Reus (considering his contract situation). Muller - tee hee.
ReplyDeleteWikipedia must be wrong then.
ReplyDeleteRegarding your first post, I think you failed to understand my point.
For "shot stopping merit", we don't need any GK, in Mignolet we have one of the best. We need a modern GK who 'll play the role of a sweeper & "point guard" from back line. International football or Belgian league is TOO SLOW & SOFT compared to EPL.
Is there any GK in EPL less than 6'2" & less than 80KG? & am not sure.
well you can actually teach young players to keep their nerve, make the right choices on whether to go around a keeper, put it along the ground, go over the top etc depending on the keepers stance or position. a natural goal scorer is a player who scores without even thinking about it, Stirling is like a rabbit caught in the head lights one on one with a keeper sometimes "oh my god so many choices...what am I to do?" and then the moment is gone.....this CAN be coached out of a kid
ReplyDeleteMaybe it's a compromise on Liverpool's part. Guaranteed in six months, or risk never.
ReplyDeleteTo be fair, no other club in the Prem put in a bid for Suarez, either.
ReplyDeleteI didn't think Assaidi did "that bad", either.
ReplyDeletearsenal....
ReplyDeleteVoodoo Child slight return still blows away the cobwebs- love him
ReplyDeleteand Suarez came with a ban and extra baggage
ReplyDeleteHopefully it's something he can overcome with the right treatment and training regime in the way Stevie eventually did. It would be a shame if injuries really hamper his career because he's bursting with talent
ReplyDeleteWe are putting a lot of faith in DS not only are we relying on him staying fit which i doubt very much, but we are so convinced that he will get straight back in to banging the goals away.
ReplyDeleteI for one am not convinced that he will be our saviour as many are, i believe that BR, FSG or whoever really need to take a serious look at another option before the window closes, and it has to be an out and out striker, goal finisher with a killer instinct.
I love Sturridge but he needs to drink a gallon of super glue so he can remain in one piece!
ReplyDeleteWhether he comes back or not by month end, we need 1 striker for sure if not two since one or both lambert and borini will be cut either This January or in July............Invest before you are desperate LFC!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteTwo things we know for sure, Sturridge is quality, he will score goals, but he is also injury prone, which means only one thing, a reliable goalscorer is a must. As and until Borini and Lambert chip in goals on a regular basis, and Balotelli decides what his role in the team is, there's always room for a more consistently reliable striker. Yes we will get Origi in the summer, but will either of the three misfiring strikers we currently have be moved on? The rest of the season ought to serve as their audition, either to convince us and Rodgers they can be relied upon to bulge the onion bag or prove insufficient and dicarded.
ReplyDeleteAt this point Liverpool have little choice but to stick with the player and hope he stays fit as much as possible. What else could they do? He'll get the world's best medical advice and I'd suggest he get a note from his mum when he goes away with England ...
ReplyDelete"Dear Mr Hodgson,
Please excuse Daniel from taking part in your normal training routines. He's a delicate boy and we've been to see the doctor who says he needs to be handled with care. Find attached a copy of the special training routine that we've have had done up for him. I'm sure you would agree that it will be best for everyone if you don't ask him to do anything outside of that, you numpty.
Regards,
Grace Sturridge."
At some point a new striker will be brought into the club and I'm guessing it will happen in the summer. Unless Mario Balotelli finally manages to get it into his head what is required to play well at this club we're effectively down a player and that goes double when Sturridge is struggling. I pray every day that Mario will come good but we just can't count on it.
On the bus? In the toilet?
ReplyDelete