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      Belgian needs to discover Villa form

      Time to Gegen-impress

      2016/01/20 12:18
      E0

      Can Benteke establish himself as Liverpool's No 9?

      At £32million, Christian Benteke didn't come cheap when Liverpool swooped to take him from Aston Villa last summer.

      A thumping goal on his debut, albeit pre-season, promised much, but injury curtailed the Belgian hitman's involvement under Brendan Rodgers and he has been peripheral since Jurgen Klopp and his raft of soundbites strode into Anfield. 

      With Danny Ings out with a bad cruciate injury, Daniel Sturridge with sicknote in hand and Divock Origi yet to show more than potential, Benteke is Klopp's only available big name striker. Yet the German has often chosen to bench Benteke and play with Roberto Firmino up top, Klopp publicly backing the talented Brazilian as a striker-cum-midfielder rather than the other way around. 

      Tellingly, Benteke hasn't started in games against Man City, Man Utd, Chelsea and Arsenal. 

      So, where does the striker stand and what does the future hold?

      The overwhelming sense at the moment is that Klopp does not fancy Benteke as his leading man and will prefer to use him as an impact sub, only offering him starts against lesser teams where strict adherence to 'Gegenpressing' is not required. 

      The case for Benteke as an impact sub is a strong one at the moment. Three of his four goals under Klopp have come off the bench and he has been unable to impress from the start during disappointing defeats against Crystal Palace, West Ham and Newcastle - games where Klopp might have expected him to shine.

      While unable to tee up colleagues as a starter under Klopp, Benteke has also assisted twice as a sub in the 12 Premier League games since Rodgers got the boot.

      Paying the second highest fee in the club's history for a benchwarmer is not ideal, however, and Klopp needs to decide if Benteke can integrate tactically. He was often used to great effect at Villa as a more static target and possibly the Gegenpress requires a level of mobility and nous that Benteke lacks. 

      Robert Lewandowski obviously thrived under Klopp's tutelage at Borussia Dortmund and there are similarities between the Pole and the Belgian - both physical, fast, good in the air and well aware of where the back of the net is.

      Benteke appears to possess the raw materials Klopp needs and has even been described as a 'diet' version of Lewandowski in the past. Whether Klopp can turn him into the real deal will be one of the more intriguing aspects of the season as Liverpool attempt to establish themselves as the force they threatened to become under Rodgers.

      The only senior player to be involved in the Reds' 2-2 FA Cup draw at Exeter, Benteke is likely to feature again in tonight's Third Round replay - it is an opportunity he needs to seize. 

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