West Ham sign Craig Bellamy for £8m

Well Kimbo, if teams changed their style each time they signed a new player we'd forever be in limbo.

Teams have a style or method, and players must try and integrate themselves into that system, Bellamy was brought to replace Cisse and effectively offer pace in behind the back 4 as an option, two problems however, many teams sit deep against us, we dominate possession however there is no space in behind to utilise Bellamys pace, not exactly his fault, the major issue i had with Bellamy is hes a idiot, hasn't a footballing brain cell. Once the brick wall was up he didn't know how to break it down, his movement was Cr@p against the deep back line, no breaking runs into channels inbetween centre backs and full backs, the guys a total idiot. Hard work and pace simply isn't enough to propel a team to the top of the table.

The only reason i believe he scored the number of goals he did at Blackburn is due to the fact many teams will approach Blackburn openly, and believe there are points to be challenged for, as a result will leave space in behind, this was never going to be the case at Liverpool.

Is it official?

Yes hes joined West Ham, for a figure in the region of £7.5 million.

Sorry FG but teams buy players to suit their system , you can't expect players to change their style that much, for eg Ruud still a great player didnt suit our new system so we transfered him.

Yes so what your saying is you agree with me.

In your words 'teams buy players to suit their system'

So you don't change the system for the player.....


Or in your example, once Ruud went you could utilise your system as a pacey counter attacking team much better as you weren't carrying a box hugging lazy slow goal scoring machine, you brought Saha into your top 2 and as a jack of all trades with pace, you could go from defence to attack with more fluidity, with players linking into each other and interchanging positions, not something Ruud would or could do.

But what I am also saying is that Bellamy didnt suit the Liverpool system so why they bought him if they arent going to the change the system for him, he proved a useless signing because he didnt suit the system.

You Dont Buy Players that dont Suit your System or if the Player is Important enough you change the system.

So why did Rafa buy him? I said it at the time, Bellamy at Liverpool was never going to work. I don't think any less of him because of his time there, he's still a quality player, i blame Rafa.

Kimbo wrote:So why did Rafa buy him? I said it at the time, Bellamy at Liverpool was never going to work. I don't think any less of him because of his time there, he's still a quality player, i blame Rafa.

And you cant apply this kind of logic to rossi and his time under that dumbass who didn't play him at Newcastle why?

L.r.d wrote:

Kimbo wrote:So why did Rafa buy him? I said it at the time, Bellamy at Liverpool was never going to work. I don't think any less of him because of his time there, he's still a quality player, i blame Rafa.

And you cant apply this kind of logic to rossi and his time under that dumbass who didn't play him at Newcastle why?

Rossi has never proved his quality in the premiership, Bellamy has, it's totally different.

So do i, i didn't want him, i didn't see it working. I said from the word go it was a pointless exercise, Cisse would have for certain scored more goals.

Our hand was forced, Rafa didn't want Cisse, but needed a replacement, we didn't have the investment, Bellamy was in Rafas eyes the only option at a reasonable price, premiership proven and off the back of a good season, a gamble which didn't pay off.

Bellamys problem is his mentality, if he'd come to Liverpool and absorbed some tactical nounce, perhaps he could have intergrated his way into the system and educated his footballing brain, he couldn't or wouldn't do this, so that is where the problem was.

Knowing his personality of 'hes never in the wrong' this in my eyes was always going to be the case, what you see with Bellamy now is what you will get, hes not going to improve, and when his legs go so will his career.

I wonder when these transfers are in the making, do the managers get to speak to the player and get a first hand feeling will the person be able to work within his system.

Football Genius wrote:Thanks for the cash West Ham, hes a Cr@p player, who played 40 odd games and scored 9 goals in a top 4 team.

If he hits double figures for you guys i'll eat my hat. You would have done better buying Cisse, for all his faults at least he does hit the back of the net.

And please do your best to keep Benayoun, not a player im raving about, for christ sakes Benitez stop wasting your time pursuing players which will not dramatically affect the starting x11.

You are stupid. I don't agree with one word you have said here as it is all complete bollocks.

What about Benayoun Deano?
Is he leaving?

Football Genius wrote:Thanks for the cash West Ham, hes a Cr@p player, who played 40 odd games and scored 9 goals in a top 4 team.

If he hits double figures for you guys i'll eat my hat. You would have done better buying Cisse, for all his faults at least he does hit the back of the net.

And please do your best to keep Benayoun, not a player im raving about, for christ sakes Benitez stop wasting your time pursuing players which will not dramatically affect the starting x11.

I agree with it all.

Dark Savante wrote:What about Benayoun Deano?
Is he leaving?

Don't know...but some of the Liverpool fans on here are idiots. They obviously haven't watched Benayoun and they obviously don't understand about players fitting in systems.

Rafael Nadal wrote:

Dark Savante wrote:What about Benayoun Deano?
Is he leaving?

Don't know...but some of the Liverpool fans on here are idiots. .

L.r.d wrote:

Rafael Nadal wrote:

Dark Savante wrote:What about Benayoun Deano?
Is he leaving?

Don't know...but some of the Liverpool fans on here are idiots. .

ManYoo fans are worse tbh. :shandy:

Rafael Nadal wrote:

Football Genius wrote:Thanks for the cash West Ham, hes a Cr@p player, who played 40 odd games and scored 9 goals in a top 4 team.

If he hits double figures for you guys i'll eat my hat. You would have done better buying Cisse, for all his faults at least he does hit the back of the net.

And please do your best to keep Benayoun, not a player im raving about, for christ sakes Benitez stop wasting your time pursuing players which will not dramatically affect the starting x11.

You are stupid. I don't agree with one word you have said here as it is all complete bollocks.

Ok, so he didn't score 9 goals last season, and Cisse hasn't scored more goals than Bellamy whilst at the club, Benayoun will not take us to the title ala Ronaldo.

I think its safe to say that two of the 3 statements are actually facts, and one is pretty safe opinion.

You might not like it, but thats how it is.

Football Genius wrote:

Rafael Nadal wrote:

Football Genius wrote:Thanks for the cash West Ham, hes a Cr@p player, who played 40 odd games and scored 9 goals in a top 4 team.

If he hits double figures for you guys i'll eat my hat. You would have done better buying Cisse, for all his faults at least he does hit the back of the net.

And please do your best to keep Benayoun, not a player im raving about, for christ sakes Benitez stop wasting your time pursuing players which will not dramatically affect the starting x11.

You are stupid. I don't agree with one word you have said here as it is all complete bollocks.

Ok, so he didn't score 9 goals last season, and Cisse hasn't scored more goals than Bellamy whilst at the club, Benayoun will not take us to the title ala Ronaldo.

I think its safe to say that two of the 3 statements are actually facts, and one is pretty safe opinion.

You might not like it, but thats how it is.

Forget about the Benayoun digs...but on to Bellamy.

He had an amazing season with Blackburn, couldn't stop scoring and in that season was one of the best players in the league. He moves to Liverpool with supposedly better players and doesn't do well. Is he a bad player? No...

It is because you don't play him every week...and he doesn't fit in your system.

This is a no goer, this conversation.

I've already outlined the reasons i feel Bellamy failed at Liverpool, and its not got anything to do with him not playing every week, playing 40 games a season is quite sufficent to show what you can do. Our system was not the problem, how other teams approached us was, he needs space in behind to do his damage, at Blackburn teams will play againsts them with a higher defensive line because they are not Liverpool and are not trying to come away with just a point.

When Bellamy has to use his brain as opposed to his road runner legs, this is when he falls flat on his face.

You are accusing clubs of having a higher defensive line when you support Liverpool

This is a no goer you are right, because a player hasn't been played regularly or fitted your system he is Cr@p. Yet at other clubs he's been great.

Alot of teams sat back against Robsons Newcastle and he was still able to do damage. It's all about having players that can give well weighted balls into the right areas for him to run onto, he can still pull a defence about when they sit back as long as he's got the right service.

Its not an accusation, its fact.

Clubs who play Liverpool unless you are Barcelona or Manchester United, will play againsts us with a deep defensive line, this most certainly was not the case at Blackburn or Newcastle.

To say he was 'great' is quite an exaggeration, he has one good season with Blackburn, his record at Newcastle certainly left a lot to be desired.

To fit into a system you need to be adaptable, this means you need a brain, something Bellamy lacks.

Having had a wonderful season watching Bellamy, i can safely argue my points. You will have the pleasure next season, after watching Sheringham and Ashton, it will be glaringly obvious the lack of intelligence Bellamy has, however teams will be playing you with a view for all 3 points generally speaking, so he will at least have some space to run into.

Bellamy isn't as bad as people are making out. He just isn't big 4 material - his level is for a team finishing about 5th-10th

I don't particularly rate Bellamy but IMO he'll do a good job for WH.

Bellamy has never been a clinical finisher, what he does offer is outstanding pace and menace, his movement often brings defenders with him and leaves gaps for other players to exploit, he is a good player, not a fantastic player, if he gets a run of games and his confidence is high he will do very well.

Kimbo wrote:Alot of teams sat back against Robsons Newcastle and he was still able to do damage. It's all about having players that can give well weighted balls into the right areas for him to run onto, he can still pull a defence about when they sit back as long as he's got the right service.

Not the way i remember it, and we all know what a fabulously objective football fan you are Kimbo.

Newcastles defence has been Cr@p for an eternity, certainly something big Sam will tackle at least, anyway... because of this fact teams would certainly try and get at Newcastle leaving the space for Bellamy.

Bellamy does not run channels, he runs into corners, lack of service? Liverpool created more chances than any other premiership club last season. I would suggest the inability to finish those moves would be the more profound issue.

Luis wrote:Bellamy has never been a clinical finisher, what he does offer is outstanding pace and menace, his movement often brings defenders with him and leaves gaps for other players to exploit, he is a good player, not a fantastic player, if he gets a run of games and his confidence is high he will do very well.

Personally I think he'd do well in a 4-5-1/4-3-3 -he naturally drops deep and out to the wings

Football Genius wrote:Its not an accusation, its fact.

Clubs who play Liverpool unless you are Barcelona or Manchester United, will play againsts us with a deep defensive line, this most certainly was not the case at Blackburn or Newcastle.

To say he was 'great' is quite an exaggeration, he has one good season with Blackburn, his record at Newcastle certainly left a lot to be desired.

To fit into a system you need to be adaptable, this means you need a brain, something Bellamy lacks.

Having had a wonderful season watching Bellamy, i can safely argue my points. You will have the pleasure next season, after watching Sheringham and Ashton, it will be glaringly obvious the lack of intelligence Bellamy has, however teams will be playing you with a view for all 3 points generally speaking, so he will at least have some space to run into.

His goalscoring record at Newcastle is nothing special but then he has never been a goalscorer, he was all about making runs, stretching defences and setting up Shearer. He was a very good player for us and key player in the side that finished 4th and 3rd, infact we were in a title race in 2003 until he got injured.

And not all teams went straight for Newcastle, some saw Shearer and Bellamy upfront, Solano and Robert on the wings, and Dyer in midfield and decided it probably wasn't the smartest thing to do to give them space.

As for not beng a clinical finisher...I disagree. Again it's how you use him.

13 goals in 27 games at Blackburn. Practically 1 in every 2 games.