*Official* English Football Season 2015-16

[Uppercut]

I think Benteke is better than Giroud. Better finisher, better in the air. Not enough of an upgrade to be worth what Liverpool paid though.

 

[Cabinet96]

The fact there's actually a debate is enough for it to not be worth it. We don't need someone who might be better than Giroud, we're spending £200k a week for Welbeck and Walcott to be those guys.

 

[Ikki]

Yeah, I'd agree. If you have Giroud, you don't get Benteke - unless you think he's much better than him, which I don't. I think Henry still had a point though. I actually agree on the earlier point re Walcott. But it's easy to theorise, he'll need to put a healthy season together.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

In the last 3 seasons (they both came in the league at the same time):

Benteke: 41 league goals + 9 assists in 86 appearances (0.58 g+apg) / 48 goals + 14 assists in 97 all comps (0.64 g+apg)
Giroud: 41 league goals + 14 assists in 93 appearances (0.59 g+apg) / 57 goals + 24 assists in 129 all comps (0.63 g+apg)

Giroud is also 4 years older and plays for Arsenal. Benteke has played for a relegation battler. I think Giroud suits Arsenal really well but IMO Benteke has been the better forward and I held this opinion before we signed him

Add in the fact Benteke has had to recover from an achilles tendon injury and took ages to get fit and firing again and for 2 and a half years had Lambert as manager and he has a great record.

 

[Nate]

Do people rate Marcelo? He always plays well when I watch him.

 

[sledger]

I honestly don't know. Always struggle to work out the genuine ability of players with silly haircuts.

Being totally serious here, ftr.

 

[Ikki]

Do people rate Marcelo? He always plays well when I watch him.

I reckon he's always been really good going forward but had a mistake or two in him defensively in the past. From what I've seen in the last few seasons he's pretty good defensively too now.

 

[Compton]

Giroud's a much better finisher than Benteke. He's technically a much better player, too.

 

[Cabinet96]

Do people rate Marcelo? He always plays well when I watch him.

He's gun. 2nd best LB in the world at the worst.

 

[sledger]

Not as good as Kieran Gibbs obvs.

 

[Cabinet96]

Marcelo's passing range goes beyond the LCB though.

 

[sledger]

Marcelo's passing range goes beyond the LCB though.

Yeah, but what about Gibbs' range of disguises?

 

[Ikki]

Giroud's a much better finisher than Benteke. He's technically a much better player, too.

Read this on RAWK

Premier League chance conversion rates over the past 3 seasons (via Squawka):

C.Benteke (22.1%)
W.Rooney (20.5%)
R.Lukaku (18.5%)
O.Giroud (17.5%)

 

[Cabinet96]

Chance conversion rate is yuk. I read that Benteke has performed above his ExpG for each of the last three seasons though, so he's probably a better finisher. Not that I think it's that important.

 

[Furball]

Do people rate Marcelo? He always plays well when I watch him.

He's decent as long as your full backs aren't expected to do much defending.

Was utterly woeful in the World Cup semi final. Luiz got all the attention but virtually all of Germany's play came down Brazil's left because Marcelo decided to play as a winger.

 

[social]

Read this on RAWK

Premier League chance conversion rates over the past 3 seasons (via Squawka):

C.Benteke (22.1%)
W.Rooney (20.5%)
R.Lukaku (18.5%)
O.Giroud (17.5%)

Ikki, whilst on the subject of forwards, what's your view on Origi?

I saw him play on Liverpool's Oz tour and was not impressed at all - slow, minimal movement and technically ordinary

Obviously a tiny sample size but for a young guy who should have been looking to make the best of his chances, he was pretty woeful

 

[Nate]

He's just raw imo. Has all the tools, just needs time.

 

[OverratedSanity]

Pedro's a great buy if Man Utd get him imo. I'm a big fan of his.

 

[marc71178]

Chance conversion rate is yuk. I read that Benteke has performed above his ExpG for each of the last three seasons though, so he's probably a better finisher. Not that I think it's that important.

With Benteke I think the most important thing to consider is that he thrives on crosses, which is not what Liverpool do. An overpriced 2015 version of the Rickie Lambert signing from last season?

 

[Cabinet96]

Vidal to Bayern is done. Quite a surprising one really. A lot of people are suggesting it indicates a change in style, but I think we're probably more likely to see him play in a back three, or as a wing back, or some ****.