Craig Johnston
First Grade
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Atmosphere is blasting tonight ings is looking really sharp and Iber ready to step up
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Christian Benteke a risk worth taking for Brendan Rodgers and Liverpool
There are always transfer sagas that become tedious each summer, and now that Raheem Sterling's drawn-out switch to Manchester City has come to a close, reports suggesting that Liverpool are set to sign Aston Villa striker Christian Benteke are now picking up pace.
It's understandable the Merseysiders should be cautious given the hefty fee needed to secure the striker's services, but Villa could not have made their stance clearer. It has taken a while for Liverpool to be prepared to meet Villa's £32.5 million release clause and some sections of the Reds' support remain unconvinced regarding the Belgian.
The intention is to return to the style of play that made Liverpool so successful while Luis Suarez led their title charge. The high pressing game that had rattled so many opponents in 2013-14 was never going to work with an individualist leading the line. Mario Balotelli doesn't offer half the graft that Suarez does from the front, and the concern is that neither will Benteke.
It's a valid point -- the Belgian has many commendable strengths, with his aerial prowess perhaps chief among them, but one of three weaknesses according to WhoScored.com's statistically calculated player characteristics is his defensive contribution. In his time at Villa, the striker has never averaged more than half a tackle per game. While Suarez was at Liverpool, by comparison, he always averaged more than one tackle per game.
The assumption that Benteke would not fit Liverpool's system may not be a bad thing, though, at least as far as last season's approach is concerned. Rodgers' tactics were confused at times last season as he struggled to find solutions, so looking for an alternative isn't necessarily the wrong plan. To say Benteke is nothing more than a target man would also be a disservice to his talents.
If there is one team other than Aston Villa that should appreciate Benteke's all-around talent, it's Liverpool. The striker has scored five goals in six appearances against the Reds, including an equaliser in the FA Cup semifinal that Villa won 2-1 earlier this year and a quite sensational performance at Anfield in 2012.
It's true that Benteke has scored the most headed goals (13) in the Premier League since signing for Villa in 2012. It's also true, however, that only two strikers have scored more goals from outside the box in that time (five) and only three have created more chances (133).
In the absence of the injured Daniel Sturridge, Benteke could feasibly fit in a return to a front three, with Roberto Firmino and Philippe Coutinho in support of the central striker. But once Sturridge returns, it's difficult to see how Liverpool could incorporate all four.
For such a huge fee, that is a concern, and links to Alexandre Lacazette seem more appealing to the Reds' fans. The Frenchman's ability to play through the middle as well as wide in a front three means he is more adaptable to Liverpool's long-term plan under Rodgers.
Only Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi scored more goals in Europe's top five leagues last season, which has led to a surge in interest in Lacazette. In terms of pressing high up the pitch, however, the Lyon forward won possession in the final third fewer times (19) than Benteke (21) last season.
Lacazette is quite similar to Sturridge -- both were forced to play wide before a move infield saw them flourish -- and while that's certainly no criticism, a significant outlay on a player that essentially offers something the club already has is also a risk. Instead, Liverpool have opted to add variety to their play, adding a sense of unpredictability to a side that looked one-dimensional in the absence of Suarez's individual brilliance.
Much has been made of Liverpool's reluctance to play crosses into the box -- no side averaged fewer per game last season (17) -- but that will now change. The option is there and it's an extremely profitable and beneficial one to have. He might not make many runs in behind defences, but neither did Suarez. Sturridge is the man to do that once he returns from injury.
To splash out on Benteke's release clause will of course force Rodgers to consider the Belgian as Plan A rather than Plan B. It's a risk and one that the club have seemingly been forced into taking.
Nevertheless, with an average rating of 7.27 from WhoScored.com since moving to England, having had a direct hand in 50 goals over the past three seasons, Benteke is proven in the Premier League and only likely to find the net more often in a team that boast the creative talents at Liverpool's disposal.
All statistics courtesy of WhoScored.com, where you can find more stats, including live in-game data and unique player and team ratings.
