as far as third wheels in big teams go , Benzema > Suarez by a mile so far .

it's funny how Farça fans are reduced to raving about  intangibles that Suarez is supposedly bringing after months of telling us that he'll crush La liga and destroy Real madrid

it's still too early, but suarez is on route to score less than Benchzema did in 2009-2010 imo

The sheer number of goals scored should be enough. Nobody needs to write paragraphs to describe how well Luisito was last season, we have all seen him play.

There's no need for the "I don't know if Benzema would be able to perform like Luisito". He would never be able to have a single-season performance like Luisito did with Liverpool. The guy is 1 month younger than Luisito and he's never displayed such a range of performances, simple.

I have no idea how someone can genuinely say that Benzema would score 30 goals in the Premier League. The only players to ever score 30+ goals in the current league format: Henry, Cristiano, van Persie, Luisito.

Henry: 30 goals, 7 penalties
Cristiano: 31 goals, 5 penalties
van Persie: 30 goals, 2 penalties
Luisito: 31 goals, 0 penalties

Only four players to do it. They're all better than Benzema. Yet Benzema would score 30+ easily?

Fußball wrote:[...] especially since key pass is defined loosely as the last pass to a teammate before he takes a shot and Benzema plays alongside the 2 trigger happiest players in the world which should see his key pass numbers inflated.

Exactly. And considering how both players will attempt shots from anywhere in the final third, 'key passes' is useless.

Am I the only one who finds it stupid to compare Benzema's abilities as a complementary player - with experience doing exactly that for the past few seasons - to Luisito, who is adapting to a new team, new league, new style, and new role after being the key player for his teams over the past several seasons?

Benzema is one year younger, not one month.

Regarding your comments, I think that Suarez' 2013-14 is the 3rd best in the last 15 years of PL, after Cristiano's 07-08 and Henry 03-04. On the other hand I don't think that Benzema would get 30 in PL because I don't think he can be the main guy.

Pippo wrote:

I have no idea how someone can genuinely say that Benzema would score 30 goals in the Premier League. The only players to ever score 30+ goals in the current league format: Henry, Cristiano, van Persie, Luisito.

Henry: 30 goals, 7 penalties
Cristiano: 31 goals, 5 penalties
van Persie: 30 goals, 2 penalties
Luisito: 31 goals, 0 penalties

Only four players to do it. They're all better than Benzema. Yet Benzema would score 30+ easily?

That's not quite true, others have done it since the change to 38 games and 20 teams. Those are the only 4 since the year 2000 though I think.

Completely agree with whoever is defending Benzema.

RealGunner wrote:Completely agree with whoever is defending Benzema.

Any midtable centerback?

Fußball wrote:

RealGunner wrote:Completely agree with whoever is defending Benzema.

Any midtable centerback?

Fußball wrote:

RealGunner wrote:Completely agree with whoever is defending Benzema.

Any midtable centerback?

How is DMzema facing centrebacks ?

Fußball wrote:

RealGunner wrote:Completely agree with whoever is defending Benzema.

Any midtable centerback?

:

Fußball wrote:

RealGunner wrote:Completely agree with whoever is defending Benzema.

Any midtable centerback?

what does it say about barça's centerbacks then ?

has anyone praised barcelona's centerbacks in the longest time here?
welcome to the forum.

Donuts wrote:has anyone praised barcelona's centerbacks in the longest time here?
welcome to the forum.

but worse than midtable ?

Valkyrja wrote:Benzema is one year younger, not one month.

Thanks for that correction.

Great Leader Sprucenuce wrote:That's not quite true, others have done it since the change to 38 games and 20 teams. Those are the only 4 since the year 2000 though I think.

You're right. I thought that they changed the Premier League structure around 2000, turns out it was in 1995. So it seems that Alan Shearer (1996, 31 goals, 3 penalties) and Kevin Phillips (2000, 30 goals, 6 penalties) are the only others that have reached that level.

didn't drogba score 30 that one time or am i imagining things ?

is it a crime to say benzema is an elite player or as good as suarez? he clearly is, when he was having a rough time no one cared about the intangibles, he was the cat, but now that he is bossing, all i see drive and desire, some even said workrate, come on just give the guy his props

as i said before benzema plays just as hard as anybody and have the drive to win, he clearly puts the team winning above statpadding, benzema lack of scoring doesn't mean he can't lead the line, its just not his job to be focal point, WC and Lyon days has proven that he can hold his own, matter a fact i think benz n9 play is truly underrated, because again he is an immense footballer, that does whatever needs to be done, winger,ss,am and cf, he can excel at any of those positions

chad4401 wrote:is it a crime to say benzema is an elite player or as good as suarez?

It is indeed

well it's hard to argue with people who think Zidane was just an average CM when he was with Juve...

@greatleader. The difference is people were willing to wait for neymar so as to build the team around when messis power starts to wane and neymar was 21, in a new team, new continent, and without euro experience, plus the next big thing tag. But luis suarez is 28 ffs, experienced, was the top scorer in the pl, even older than messi too. So people are not willing to wait that long for him, how much more build the team around.

@greatleader. The difference is people were willing to wait for neymar so as to build the team around when messis power starts to wane and neymar was 21, in a new team, new continent, and without euro experience, plus the next big thing tag. But luis suarez is 28 ffs, experienced, was the top scorer in the pl, even older than messi too. So people are not willing to wait that long for him, how much more build the team around.

I'll add that Benz was in the same situation as Neymar when he joined Madrid... he had just turned 21.  To boot, there was a new manager, CR + Kaka were bought in the same window AND all the fans wanted Higuain to start.  

You can't compare the levels of maturity + circumstances of Neymar and Benz when they joined Barca/Madrid with Suarez.

farfan wrote:didn't drogba score 30 that one time or am i imagining things ?

29 so close enough

Bankz wrote:@greatleader. The difference is people were willing to wait for neymar so as to build the team around when messis power starts to wane and neymar was 21, in a new team, new continent, and without euro experience, plus the next big thing tag. But luis suarez is 28 ffs, experienced, was the top scorer in the pl, even older than messi too. So people are not willing to wait that long for him, how much more build the team around.

As long as you are winning games people will remain patient, in any case it doesn't matter how experienced you are it takes time for players to adjust to new teams and new ccountries.

Especially one where you are playing a completely different role and miss a lot of time due to suspension. If he still is struggling from a scoring point of view next season then I'd be concerned.

Even though Suarez isn't scoring it looks like his early time with Liverpool. Creating a ton of chances (most scoring chances per game in La Liga IIRC) and just not capitalizing on them. I mean, he's still got 5 goals and 8 assists in 14 games and he has averaged 80m a game over that span, and he's also not being relied on as the focal point in a new team. I'd say he's been fine.

Valkyrja wrote:Benzema is one year younger, not one month.

Regarding your comments, I think that Suarez' 2013-14 is the 3rd best in the last 15 years of PL, after Cristiano's 07-08 and Henry 03-04. On the other hand I don't think that Benzema would get 30 in PL because I don't think he can be the main guy.

I think in 5-10 years people will recognize Suarez as having had the best single season in PL history. Goals per game, goals created per game (including assists), no penalties, his overall work rate and link-up play with the team. Driving a team that had no business challenging for the title to a title challenge. Suarez didn't just play like the best player in the PL, he also elevated the levels of the players around him.

Socur Toxanarosa wrote:

chad4401 wrote:is it a crime to say benzema is an elite player or as good as suarez?

It is indeed

@El Cujo, can i ask? what's the best game that Suarez played in the best season in history of his?

Mr Nick09 wrote:@El Cujo, can i ask? what's the best game that Suarez played in the best season in history of his?

I feel like this is a loaded question. You're expecting me to say Norwich right? Yes, that performance was absolutely spectacular, but the best players in the world will always look even better again inferior competition. It's not like guys like Henry, Ronaldo and even Messi didn't put in incredible games against weaker competition that people were drooling over. He was still immense in games against Arsenal, Spurs, United and City, and even against Chelsea he was not bad just not up to the level people were expecting of him.