Karim Benzema
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik (@Rood) and Jamie (@Vault Dweller) are here to talk about United's dreadful home defeat at the hands of Big Ange's Tottenham Hotspur. Should this have been the end of Ten Hag? How long does he actually have left? And does Nik finally want ETH out?!
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- - - - - United 1 - 0 Middleborough - 29th December 2008
- - - - - United 1 - 0 Bolton - 17th January 2009
- - - - - United 2 - 1 Newcastle - 4th March 2009
All games in which Berbatov scored the winner which helped us win the premier league.
I don't actually think Berbatov is that slow, he's actually relatively quick when he wants to be (not enough times last season...) and has good dribbling ability thanks to his close control (I remember a few times in certain games where he went on a few bursts). Rather frustratingly he was more often looking to pass the ball rather than either shoot/do something outrageous. He was pretty much playing within himself last season but that'll have to change and there are other issues such as his position that will need to be looked at. Hopefully he'll be more settled and confident for the next season.
As for Benzema, I haven't seen him much aside from the two games we had v Lyon and the Euros. He was outstanding against us, especially for such a young striker and probably one of the toughest opponents Vidic and Rio had that season. He was disappointing in the Euros for sure but I remember a thread in the newbies with kouroux where we agreed that he just didn't look fresh enough and it wouldn't have helped playing so many games for Lyon and being their main threat. He looks to have the talent though definitely. Not sure how much he'll cost though.
As for Benzema, I haven't seen him much aside from the two games we had v Lyon and the Euros. He was outstanding against us, especially for such a young striker and probably one of the toughest opponents Vidic and Rio had that season. He was disappointing in the Euros for sure but I remember a thread in the newbies with kouroux where we agreed that he just didn't look fresh enough and it wouldn't have helped playing so many games for Lyon and being their main threat. He looks to have the talent though definitely. Not sure how much he'll cost though.
And your point is? if we had signed any other striker in the world, even he would have contributed to us winning 3 matches. Example Macheda, he has contributed equally to our PL title if not more than berba. Why should we try to change our play just to accommodate one player who by the looks of it, can stand still in the middle of a tornado doing absolutely nothing. He is as useful as tits on a bull.
Here goes for my first post in the mains;
Benzema looks like he will be a great player in time, but I dont think he is really what we need at all. He is young enough that his introduction will block the development of Macheda and Welbeck, and furthermore it will cause some serious selection headaches; having Rooney, Ronaldo, Berbatov and Benzema is only going to be doable in a 4-2-3-1. Rooney and Ronaldo are pretty much untouchable, which means that its going to be Berba and Benzema fighting for spots. Im no manager, but £70m+ over 2 years for two strikers who are going to be rotating with each other seems like a pretty poor investment.
In terms of playing style, I think Benzema is somewhat "more of the same". He doesnt bring a great deal to the team different to what we already have, except better goalscoring instincts, which is something we have been lacking.
As well as this, there is the potential Madrid issue, seeings as Benzema has said he would like to play in Spain. We dont really need another Ronaldo saga in my opinion, and we might get that with Benzema a few years down the line.
A thread opened on the newbies with the proposal of Obafemi Martins as a potential transfer. With Newcastle relegated, the supposed price would be around £5m, which I think would be an absolute bargain for him. If nothing else, Martins could act as the third striker, and a stop-gap solution until Macheda and Welbeck are ready to step up into the first team.
Finally, all this is under the assumption that Tevez leaves.
Benzema looks like he will be a great player in time, but I dont think he is really what we need at all. He is young enough that his introduction will block the development of Macheda and Welbeck, and furthermore it will cause some serious selection headaches; having Rooney, Ronaldo, Berbatov and Benzema is only going to be doable in a 4-2-3-1. Rooney and Ronaldo are pretty much untouchable, which means that its going to be Berba and Benzema fighting for spots. Im no manager, but £70m+ over 2 years for two strikers who are going to be rotating with each other seems like a pretty poor investment.
In terms of playing style, I think Benzema is somewhat "more of the same". He doesnt bring a great deal to the team different to what we already have, except better goalscoring instincts, which is something we have been lacking.
As well as this, there is the potential Madrid issue, seeings as Benzema has said he would like to play in Spain. We dont really need another Ronaldo saga in my opinion, and we might get that with Benzema a few years down the line.
A thread opened on the newbies with the proposal of Obafemi Martins as a potential transfer. With Newcastle relegated, the supposed price would be around £5m, which I think would be an absolute bargain for him. If nothing else, Martins could act as the third striker, and a stop-gap solution until Macheda and Welbeck are ready to step up into the first team.
Finally, all this is under the assumption that Tevez leaves.
Funny guy.
But seriously, Berbatov is fecking quality oozes class and is exactly what our attack needs.
You can't play 100 mph every game with every attack, sometimes you do have to be a bit more pragmatic about it, he is a fantastic player who will continue to build on what has been a good first season.
Welcome, and a fine first post it was. You might want to cut down on the common sense here, its really muppet territory.
So 3 matches out of 32. Its something but not very much.
Martins would leave us with even worse finishing as a collective than we had this season.
And the problem with that theory of leaving Benzema alone because in 3 years Madrid will be after him is... Thats the same of any quality striker we can purchase and who does well.
The only way we can sign a striker who Madrid wont be chasing in 3 years time is to sign Peter Crouch.
...or Martins
Back to the point though, Martin's finishing is more just inconsistent than bad. He has blown hot and cold at Newcastle, but surrounded by the quality of players we have here, and with SAFs guidance, im sure he could become a reasonably competent player.
Im not suggesting Martins is a world beater, but the fact is that we have Welbeck and Macheda both coming through, and both looking promising. In a season or two they are going to want first team football, and we should try to give it to them. That isnt going to happen if Benzema is here however, and we might end up with another two Rossi situations, which would be a massive waste of talent. Martins could come in and "do a job" for a season or two until Macheda and Welbeck are ready.
And thanks Partizan
...or Martins
Back to the point though, Martin's finishing is more just inconsistent than bad. He has blown hot and cold at Newcastle, but surrounded by the quality of players we have here, and with SAFs guidance, im sure he could become a reasonably competent player.
Im not suggesting Martins is a world beater, but the fact is that we have Welbeck and Macheda both coming through, and both looking promising. In a season or two they are going to want first team football, and we should try to give it to them. That isnt going to happen if Benzema is here however, and we might end up with another two Rossi situations, which would be a massive waste of talent. Martins could come in and "do a job" for a season or two until Macheda and Welbeck are ready.
And thanks Partizan
Martins could be the new andy cole! But i wouldn't want that 50 year old anywhere near our team. Newcastle got relegated ffs and had a problem scoring goals. If he'd had put in some of the chances i saw he had on MOTD highlights of some games, they'd have survived, fo'sho.
Owen and him are no longer good enough for any of the top tier.
Well there is no point saying we can't sign a striker due to selection worries... We are in a will/won't we with Tevez so we are obviously open to a striker being signed this summer.
If you are referring to Martins, you know he is 24?
I dont think he is world class or anything, simply that he could come in and do a job for a couple of seasons as 3rd striker until Macheda and Welbeck are ready to step up on a full-time basis, nothing more, nothing less.
Anyway, this thread is meant to be about Benzema.
you know if hypothetically we sold ronaldo and nani for around 80 million and we didnt buy tevez...
benzema at about 40
ribery at about 30
and silva at about 30
would be a net spend of 20 million...
you know what id be happy with that...
i didnt think the benzema thing would happen but if llyon dont get cl football and real spunk all their load on ronaldo there couldnt be many other clubs he would join?
italian football seems a bit 3rd rate at the moment and would barca want him as they have henry, messi and eto with bojan coming through...
its probably muppetry of the highest order but a bid for benzema, a bid for silva as valencia are fecked financially and a bid for ribery now that klinsmann has been sacked... well it probably wont happen but id preffer those 3 rather than kaka
though id be delighted if we kept ronaldo but im not convinced we will and the longer this tevez thing drags on i just dont see him staying
what a load of dross as if we'd spend 100m this summer !
martins is 24? yeah right ! Look at his face he aint far off 40
if we dont sign benzema we will regret it ! just like torres
25 in october, going by the BBC site at least....maybe they dont care so much for accuracy of statistics outside the premiership
Officially he s 24 but no one knows exactly his age... in fact there was a controversy some time ago about it
actually I think i remember something about that, you could be right.
Yeah, something to do with him playing in the same youth team as Babayaro, who is like 29 or 30 or something. Either way the whole thing is a bit dodgy, and it's true that he does look older than 24
...or Martins
Back to the point though, Martin's finishing is more just inconsistent than bad. He has blown hot and cold at Newcastle, but surrounded by the quality of players we have here, and with SAFs guidance, im sure he could become a reasonably competent player.
Im not suggesting Martins is a world beater, but the fact is that we have Welbeck and Macheda both coming through, and both looking promising. In a season or two they are going to want first team football, and we should try to give it to them. That isnt going to happen if Benzema is here however, and we might end up with another two Rossi situations, which would be a massive waste of talent. Martins could come in and "do a job" for a season or two until Macheda and Welbeck are ready.
And thanks Partizan
Well, the thing is that if Martins is good enough to come in as our backup and does well he probably will be sought after by Madrid. They take all our cast offs remember? Beckham, Ruud, Heinze. They'd love a striker who came in and done well for us.
With regards to a "rossi situation", I honestly believe it only happened because we sent him to Italy on loan where he was no doubt in contact with people about national team oppertunities and the like. If we loaned Macheda out to, just as a random suggestion, Wigan or something, I doubt he'd come back the next season claiming he needs regular first team football or he wants to leave. But Rossi, having done well in his home division, will have no doubt been told to make sure he's playing week after week and he'll get his national team call up. Had he done the same thing at Newcastle I doubt he'd have even been considered for a long while yet.
So basically, no loaning out Macheda or Petrucci to Italian sides and I dont think we'll have to rush with them.
You could be right regarding Macheda Ekeke.
On Martins however, if he comes in for us for £5mish and we can then offload him to Madrid in a couple of seasons for probably over twice that, I would consider it good business, seeings as we would then be at a stage where Macheda and Welbeck could step up to replace him.
On Martins however, if he comes in for us for £5mish and we can then offload him to Madrid in a couple of seasons for probably over twice that, I would consider it good business, seeings as we would then be at a stage where Macheda and Welbeck could step up to replace him.
I'd be okay with that...
It would be good business, its just not how we seem to do things. It's Liverpool who sign average players and then sell them on for a profit after a year or two
...or for a loss after 6 months
...or Martins
Back to the point though, Martin's finishing is more just inconsistent than bad. He has blown hot and cold at Newcastle, but surrounded by the quality of players we have here, and with SAFs guidance, im sure he could become a reasonably competent player.
Im not suggesting Martins is a world beater, but the fact is that we have Welbeck and Macheda both coming through, and both looking promising. In a season or two they are going to want first team football, and we should try to give it to them. That isnt going to happen if Benzema is here however, and we might end up with another two Rossi situations, which would be a massive waste of talent. Martins could come in and "do a job" for a season or two until Macheda and Welbeck are ready.
And thanks Partizan
I'd far rather give Macheda and Welbeck a chance now, rather than bring in someone like Martins.
If we're bringing in a striker, I want it to be someone world class, or nothing.
Why are we not being linked with Eto'o when everyone else is?
bringing in a benzema or eto'o means selection problems and stifles the youngsters development though.
Not so much with Eto'o, and what about Tevez?
The youngsters got plenty of opportunities this season even with three strikers.
We need to replace Tevez if he leaves, and I think we'll need someone world class, because we're a top side.
However, if the club decide not to do that, I'd rather use the youngsters more, rather than bring in someone like Martins.
World class or nothing.
I don't think that is relevant really. If one striker leaves in Tevez, and another comes in, we are in no different a situation.
Precisely. Also if the youngsters are good enough, like Evans they will break through.
So you're happy to keep Rooney on the left?
Yes.
His only played on the left because we needed pace upfront, Benzema provides that. So no.
If Tevez and Ronaldo leaves the selection wouldnt be a such a problem..:O
Maybe he's a realistic target after all.....
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/fo...ed-could-be-tempted-by-25m-Karim-Benzema.html
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/fo...ed-could-be-tempted-by-25m-Karim-Benzema.html
SAF missed out on Torres I doubt he'd want to miss out on a second big target. I think I want in on the transfer muppetry...come SAF deal us in.
£25m? I doubt it. From reading the quotes it seems like he would only be up for sale if the prices mentioned are like the ones going round recently for the likes of Kaka or something like that. Not that high but it seems like them sort of fees have interested Lyon.
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