Radamel Falcao

[yuvala 2,167]

What?

So you're telling me Falcao is not a poacher? And that Benzema is technically inferior to Benzema? Please watch the video... and tell me Falcao has the technique to pull off the flicks and passes that Benzema does... Are you telling me Falcao is great at holding the ball under pressure like Benzema is? Or that Falcao can beat his man better than Benzema can? Are you telling me when he's surrounded by 2/3 players he won't lose the ball 90% of the time?

We'll just have to agree to disagree then. We obviously have a complete different view on the type of strikers Falcao and Benzema are.

I agree with this.

Although dont make it look like Falcao is technically poor, he is pretty good aswell.

Anyways, he's a prolific goal scorer and IMO he is a poacher, but not completely.

[Sidzeret 2,257]

I'm not saying Falcao hasn't had better seasons than Benzema. What we're arguing about is what sort of strikers they are.

The last thing I'll say is that if Benzema's not scoring, he'll still be useful to the team in terms of assisting and linking up play.

The same can't be said about Falcao.

Suit yourself. I reckon Falcao does a whole lot to the team than just scoring, miles ahead of Benzema's contributions.

[bushman 2,043]

Suit yourself. I reckon Falcao does a whole lot to the team than just scoring, miles ahead of Benzema's contributions.

Yes, miles ahead of any striker at this time around. As for him needing players to pass him the ball, have you ever seen many strikers that do not need it ? I have not. Our famous Torres for example. What good is he if he won´t get the passes ? I know, useless he is.

[Sheva. 5,373]

What?

So you're telling me Falcao is not a poacher? And that Benzema is technically inferior to Benzema? Please watch the video... and tell me Falcao has the technique to pull off the flicks and passes that Benzema does... Are you telling me Falcao is great at holding the ball under pressure like Benzema is? Or that Falcao can beat his man better than Benzema can? Are you telling me when he's surrounded by 2/3 players he won't lose the ball 90% of the time?

We'll just have to agree to disagree then. We obviously have a complete different view on the type of strikers Falcao and Benzema are.

Benzema can also go on long goal droughts, despite all his brilliant assists, no one will care about them when he isn't scoring.

[The Skipper 20,609]

Benzema can also go on long goal droughts, despite all his brilliant assists, no one will care about them when he isn't scoring.

You're right, Benzema's main problem is consistency. If he sorts that out he's able to be as prolific as Falcao.

Despite his goal droughts he still scores 20-30 a season which is pretty impressive.

[Barbara 15,149]

Benzema's assists has nothing to do with his abilities on the ball and has all to do with Ronaldo or Bale being on the receiving end.

He's a good striker, though but most of his goals are from great assists from the world class talent at Real Madrid while Falcao is more like Suarez and created his own goals with great skills with the ball.

I'm not saying Falcao is a complete footballer but he's definitely a complete striker. And most people will agree that Falcao is miles ahead of Benzema. Falcao can work in any side but the same can't be said about Benzema.

I feel it's the opposite. Because Benzema plays in RM with Ronaldo and now Bale he doesn't have better stats... Ronaldo is very selfish and if he has half a chance of shooting opposite to assisting someone who's much better positioned them him he'll try the shot in 85% of times (and he'll score in 70% of them - which is why I NEVER complain of his selfishness, he has the quality to be selfish).

If Benzema played elsewhere I think stats both scoring and assisting would be much better.

And how come when someone provides consistently balls for someone else to score has nothing to do with his ability? If he was bad at that he wouldn't be able to provide the pass...

Also in another post you said Karim can't play at any side of the pitch. Untrue. He has quality on both feet. he plays well wide (to link up), centered to receive the ball, to play with the back to the goal, to link up. He plays everywhere.

What people keep forgetting is that playing side by side with Cristiano Ronaldo, having another quality striker which who you're rotated constantly (Gonzalo Higuain) will detract your stats and you're more than expected to go somewhat long spells without scoring. In a team where Ronaldo scores 60 goals a season and it normally represents 70% or more of total goals scored, the striker will never have a chance to be as prolific as others in different clubs. Also as I said, he's rotated plenty with Pipita, so I'd say he'd started about 50% at most 60% of Madrid games in the last two seasons. I'll check the stat and come back later.

[bushman 2,043]

If Benzema plays elsewhere...but he does not.

If Falcao could get better service, let´say from Hazard, Mata, Oscar he could score as many goals as Ronaldo.

[The Skipper 20,609]

If Benzema plays elsewhere...but he does not.

If Falcao could get better service, let´say from Hazard, Mata, Oscar he could score as many goals as Ronaldo.

If that were true then Ba/Torres/Eto'o would all have more goals.

We are not a team that is built around or geared towards their striker.

[xPetrCechx 13,569]

Mourinho says he doesn't think Chelsea will sign a player in January, unless something happens that pushes the club in that direction. #CFC

[Strike 7,477]

this may be the media putting 2 and 2 together given Jose's recent comments about strikers not scoring.

[Barbara 15,149]

So, back with the stats. Last season Karim started 34 matches and played as a sub in 20. Pipita started 30 and played as a sub in 18.

So in those Karim had 21 goals and 15 assists, Pipita had 19 and 8 and Cris had 57 and 11 respectively.

Just like here, their AMs also score. di Maria had 11 goals (11 assists), Ozil 10 goals (20 assists), Calejon another 10 goals (only 3 assists).

I think it shows both Benzema and Higuain are quality if they can score as much in a team with such high competition for scoring.

And 15 stats is much better than many AMs around the world. A striker who can provide as many assists is an asset imo.

Also RM IS willing to sell Benzema. I think he fits us just fine. Even Pipita when he was on sale, would have been much better than what we've got. I agree with anyone who says Higuain isn't much of a prolific striker, although he does have 14 goals scored this season already. I'd take Benzema, Falcao, Lewa, Diego Costa, any of those guys because at the end of the day ALL OF THEM are significant progress from what we have right now.

source: http://espnfc.com/team/squad/_/id/86/season/2012/league/all/real-madrid?cc=3888

[Sidzeret 2,257]

I feel it's the opposite. Because Benzema plays in RM with Ronaldo and now Bale he doesn't have better stats... Ronaldo is very selfish and if he has half a chance of shooting opposite to assisting someone who's much better positioned them him he'll try the shot in 85% of times (and he'll score in 70% of them - which is why I NEVER complain of his selfishness, he has the quality to be selfish).

If Benzema played elsewhere I think stats both scoring and assisting would be much better.

And how come when someone provides consistently balls for someone else to score has nothing to do with his ability? If he was bad at that he wouldn't be able to provide the pass...

Also in another post you said Karim can't play at any side of the pitch. Untrue. He has quality on both feet. he plays well wide (to link up), centered to receive the ball, to play with the back to the goal, to link up. He plays everywhere.

What people keep forgetting is that playing side by side with Cristiano Ronaldo, having another quality striker which who you're rotated constantly (Gonzalo Higuain) will detract your stats and you're more than expected to go somewhat long spells without scoring. In a team where Ronaldo scores 60 goals a season and it normally represents 70% or more of total goals scored, the striker will never have a chance to be as prolific as others in different clubs. Also as I said, he's rotated plenty with Pipita, so I'd say he'd started about 50% at most 60% of Madrid games in the last two seasons. I'll check the stat and come back later.

So you're whole point is based on the fact that Benzema is living in the shadows of Ronaldo and was being treated unfairly by being rotated with Higuain. Still doesn't make him a proven world class goal scorer like Falcao.

[Sidzeret 2,257]

And how come when someone provides consistently balls for someone else to score has nothing to do with his ability?

You're making Benzema sound like fucking Ozil here.

He never constantly provide assists and all the more, when Ronaldo is at the receiving end, he'll convert even half chances( you said that yourself) and such goals have more to do with the actual goalscorer than the man with the assist.

[Barbara 15,149]

So you're whole point is based on the fact that Benzema is living in the shadows of Ronaldo and was being treated unfairly by being rotated with Higuain. Still doesn't make him a proven world class goal scorer like Falcao.

You're making Benzema sound like fucking Ozil here.

He never constantly provide assists and all the more, when Ronaldo is at the receiving end, he'll convert even half chances( you said that yourself) and such goals have more to do with the actual goalscorer than the man with the assist.

I'm making none of those things. You are the one making him look much worse than he is. I was never comparing him to Falcao to start with (that was you and The Skipper), I was correcting you in some of your wrong assumptions about Karim (certainly because you know very little of him to properly speak about him) and I provided data to justify the point I was trying to make - which was basically correct your wrong assumptions. I've never even mentioned Falcao in my post except to say he and a whole bunch of other strikers are clear improvement from what we have.

You said he has assists not because of his ability to make a pass, but because it's Ronaldo who's netting this assists. What I'm saying is if he didn't have the ability to bring a good pass, Ronaldo wouldn't receive the ball to score. Did you know that 35% of RM goals last season (57 - such a coincidence as that's exactly the amount of goals Cris scored) don't come from an assist? And you know why is that? Because many of Cris' goals don't come from assists as he receives the ball in the counter and pass by half opposition, cuts in, or dribbles, or whatever and shoots. Many of his goals are scored like that and if I had a way to dig those stats by Karim, I'm sure I'd find many of them being for other goalscorers and not only Ronaldo as you implied. Also other players for RM scored in the same fashion because RM was a counter-attack team based. And still some of those assists are counted by fouls and penalties won by the players - which I'll never agree as being an assist, but still statistically that's how they count it.

You are the saying I was making Karim look like Ozil,I just said 15 assists is more than many AM's in the world have. Just look at EPL last season and you'll probably find 2-3 players at most among the top teams (or the whole table) that had more assists. Then you completely dismiss the player saying he only has as many assists because he has Ronaldo playing by his side. I've never compared him to Ozil, but as you did, I guess 15 assists aren't that far from 20...

If you like one player better or if you think a player is better than another, good for you, that's your right, taste and perception are subjective. But the moment you use unfounded reasoning to assess someone (again, I'm not talking about the comparison) as you bluntly dismissed Benzema, you're wrong. So you can say Falcao is more prolific, you can say he's a better striker, a better player whatever you want. But you can't say 1) Benzema can't play at both sides of the pitch because he can. Watch the vid The Skipper provided and you'll see him right, left and center, playing with his right and left foot. 2) That someone with 15 assists only had them because of the strikers they're assisting to. That's not only ridiculous, but counter-productive. The quality of whoever nets the ball doesn't take away the credit of who provided them with the assist.

I mean, you can say those things (and everything else you'd like), you're just going to be corrected on them because although you have the right to say them, it doesn't make them right as proved by vids, stats and everything else Skipper and I answered to you. You like Falcao better? Good for you, I may even like him better too, I haven't stopped to think about it. It doesn't mean Benzema isn't a good striker, who can't play in the two sides of the pitch and centered and who links up very well and consequently provides tons of assists to his teammates.

That was my whole point, not to say he was living off the shadows of someone, who brought Ronaldo to the convo in the first place was you, or don't you remember that? I just corrected you that having Ronaldo by his side takes away from his stats, doesn't add to them. So you can stop right there putting words on my posts that weren't there.

[Las7 951]

Real stats are skewed - you can't really compare Madrid or Barca to us because firstly they play a League which is no where near as competitive as the EPL - because of the way TV rights are divided in La Liga.

Second of all Benzema has rarely shown consistency on the biggest stage:

In 19 matches against Barca Benzema has 4 goals;

His only goals while at Real in the CL knockout stages are against Gala(1); Borussia(1); Apoel(2); CSKA(1); Lyon(2) - that's 5 opponents in 5 years and with the exception of his goals against Lyon none of his other goals turned out to be key.

When you are at a club like Real pretty much what you do in knockout rounds and against Barca it's all that counts and he has been underwhelming. There were far bigger expectations for Benzema when he was a teen in France and he has faltered for Real and the French National Team. Simply put he has not reached the heights that were expected. Right now he is a level below Falcao who was a KEY player for Madrid and Porto that ensured both teams won silverware and especially in Madrid's case he was key in getting them qualified in the CL.

If you look at La Liga right now Benzema probably is not even in the top 10 performers there.