Jo- how was Jo a player who had done well in a decent league when he came to Man City? He had scored 30 times in 52 Russian league matches (so that's 25 in 52). He was a promise maybe as he was young at just 21, but not a certainty.

Balaban- he was before my time or the time I really started watching the PL with attention

Kezman- Yeah, he came after whooping numbers in the Eredivisie. However, time has taught about being extra careful with Eredivisie strikers, as they score A LOT in that league. Still wasn't such a bad player: 5 goals and 2 assists in 1200 minutes. He couldn't make it at Chelsea where there was great competition and world top strikers were competing. Doesn't mean he wouldn't have been good for a lower team

Sanogo- I'm not sure which Sanago are you referring to. Are you talking about the kid from Arsenal? He was like, what....16 when he came to the PL? What chances did he get in the PL? 1 goal and 1 assist in 400 minutes total for Crystal Palace when on loan (that's not worse than Benteke). I thought he did ok for his age. He was certainly not a proven goalscorer, time will tell in his case

Soldado- with this one I agree, but he wasn't actually the worst player ever. He didn't like to run and he mostly scored from penalties after he cost a fortune. Still, without the penalties, he scored 11 and assisted 11 in 4200 minutes for Tottenham. Still not worse than Benteke (but for a better team). He was a flop but was a player who didn't like to run and it should have been evident that the PL was not a place for him. He was already 29 when he came.

Vincent Janssen- scored 3 times, assisted twice in 1100 minutes in PL and the Champions League. Hardly was given the time to prove himself. Plus, he came from the Eredivisie.

Ricky van Wolfwinkel- he wasn't a great forward before joining Norwich from Sporting. 32 goals and 3 assists in Portugal and the Europa League in 6300 minutes. That's not much for that level.

Cornelius- you mean the 19 year old kid??

Mitroglou- played exactly 150 minutes for Fulham. Benteke has played 100 minutes without scoring this season. Mitroglou deserved that shot to be honest and make a comparison. But he was only on loan, not a 30 million buy, so Fulham couldn't care less about using him. He proved himself at Benfica. A little old and past it now, but used to be good.

Altidore- another player from the Eredivisie (should be weary of those). Still, 3 goals and 7 assists in matches against top division teams while at Sunderland in 2400 minutes. Kind of like Benteke's tally for Palace

Eder- came to Swansea in 2015, aged 28, after 14 goals and 7 assists for Braga in the Portuguese league in 4100 minutes. Hardly an accomplished striker

Marvin Emnes- practically grew up in England after leaving the Eredivisie at 18. Is he a big goalscorer somewhere else who flopped in the PL? He was never a big goalscorer or assister

Georgios Samaras- born in 1985, came to West Brom in the 14/15 season. Everybody knew Samaras didn't like to run. He was a technical player, good at the level in Scotland and for the Greece national team. West Brom realized he doesn't run enough in the PL. Really? it was evident for everyone who watched Samaras play. Why did you buy hum if you knew how he played? A total of 67 minutes in the PL. Assists in both the FA Cup and the League Cup.

Diego Forlan- Forlan didn't cut it in the PL? He was great for Man United. There was just competition and he wanted to play more. ALL the PL teams wanted him!! He chose to go to Spain.

Helder Postiga- he was at Tottenham before my time. All I know is that he was a 21 year old player and not established in football.

Modibo Maiga- came to the PL after scoring 24 and assisting 5 times in 4700 minutes Ligue 1 for Sochaux. 5 goals and 9 assists in 2000 minutes for West Ham. Still not worse than Benteke.

Emenike- was used by West Ham very little. Just 650 minutes. Mostly as winger, which Emenike is not. Scored 2 goals. He needed gametime to settle into the team. Just last summer he scored 3 goals in 150 minutes against that Monaco team with Mbappe, Lemar, Falcao, Mendy, Bernardo Silva, Sidibe in the Champions League qualifying phase. His team Fenerbahce lost, but he did score 3 times! 10 goals and 5 assists in just 1900 minutes for Fenerbahce and Olympiakos. He just needs to be in a team which really values him.

Kramaric- he was very unused when at Leicester. Didn't get playing time. They should have been more patient with him cause he's really, really good, has exploded in Germany. A 30 million loss for the Premier League.

Emanuel Riviere- meniscus rupture in 2015 which kept him on the sidelines for 7 months. Wasn't the same after that.

What I'm trying to say it can be verified for all those players, is that none of them was worse than Benteke. Maybe they didn't shine up the PL, but unless they were pretty poor before coming to the PL (Eder, van Wolfswinkel, Emnes), very young and unproven (Cornelius, Sanogo) or had a nasty injury, then ALL THOSE PLAYERS DID BETTER THAN BENTEKE.

Benteke for Palace and Aston Villa in the PL: 49 goals and 12 assists in 11700 minutes. That's 1 every 200 minutes in a very long period. With a decline in recent times, a trend which is set to continue.

If a club is willing to offer 20 million to get Benteke, that would be magical. Keeping him for any longer will only further decrease his value. If there are people at Chelsea o Everton who somehow still think he's still that kid from Genk who will explode one day, then, by all means, indulge their fantasy. He's the player in the squad who can bring most money in without being a loss for the performance of the team.
Neither player which I have proposed: Nils Petersen, Andone, Niasse, Asamoah Gyan, could possibly have a worse long term statistic than Benteke. Heck, sell benteke and with 30 million you can buy Ciro Immobile!

How does the result today change your plans (if at all)?

We have got ourselves into a position where another 4 wins and a couple of draws would probably be enough. Sako seems to be growing into a fairly effective fourth choice front man and back up left sided winger and the team is starting to look a bit less brittle.

I seem to be in the minority that I think Benteke is contributing, albeit by winning headers in the attacking quarter, and there is no need to replace him and unless something better comes along I am no longer desperate to replace Wayne.

I reckon that we need three or four players to take us forward and no more.

Do you still think 8 signings are required to keep us up??

What makes you think a striker like Nils Petersen (1,88 ) wouldn't win headers? Plus, he scored or assisted 48 times in 4800 minutes for like the lowest team in the Bundesliga.
Benteke scored and assisted 61 times in 11700 minutes.

Sell Benteke for 20 million, get Nils Petersen for 7 million. You still have 13 million left.

Seems pretty easy choice for me.

Yes, I stick to my choices. I didn't say they were required to keep us up, but to take the team to the top 8.

Why is 8 players coming in a big number? We all agree that 2 strikers, a side midfielder and a goalkeeper are musts this winter.
What's another right wingback, an attacking option at 0 cost (Ola John) and a player instead of Benteke hurting the team?

Edited by mattteo (13 Jan 2018 7.39pm)

What makes you think a striker like Nils Petersen (1,88 ) wouldn't win headers? Plus, he scored or assisted 48 times in 4800 minutes for like the lowest team in the Bundesliga.
Benteke scored and assisted 61 times in 11700 minutes.

Sell Benteke for 20 million, get Nils Petersen for 7 million. You still have 13 million left.

Seems pretty easy choice for me.

Yes, I stick to my choices. I didn't say they were required to keep us up, but to take the team to the top 8.

Why is 8 players coming in a big number? We all agree that 2 strikers, a side midfielder and a goalkeeper are musts this winter.
What's another right wingback, an attacking option at 0 cost (Ola John) and a player instead of Benteke hurting the team?

Edited by mattteo (13 Jan 2018 7.39pm)

Guy sounds awesome, and a bargain, wonder why no other premier league club had snapped him up.