Benson to Southampton

[Newcastleclaret93]

the top teams are comfortably high end Championship level, to suggest otherwise is staggering.

Yes and the lower end teams are league 2 at best. The standard of the league is not the same level the championship. Pretty certain VK alluded that it was a step up when he came to Burnley.

[summitclaret]

Certainly explains why he's not been playing and very rarely on the bench. If that was to be the case until June, then top dollar for 'selling' him is now. Same goes for Anass sadly.

[Vegas Claret]

As is stands Saints have made an offer but we haven't accepted anything at all, nothing to say we will either at this point

[Mark the Claret]

No no no no just no - When he is fit, he is a match winner.

No chance

That's the problem, always injured

[Murger]

That's the problem, always injured

Can’t be that injured if he’s off.

[Alan Young]

As others have said, this is the ownership model playing out so we shouldn’t be surprised. It’s the only way we can hope to progress sustainably.

Hopefully we can extract a decent fee for him however it’s unlikely to be the sum we might have thought 6 months ago.

It’s a shame we’ve not seen much of Benson this season, especially after last season’s contributions, but if the manager thinks that he’s not cut out for the PL then that’s good enough for me.

[Woonderbah]

Could this pave the way for a Tella loan with an option to buy ?

[Mark the Claret]

Can’t be that injured if he’s off.

He just doesn't seem to stay fit for any length of time, but yes your right, maybe he wants to go to get game time

[JohnMcGreal]

I'd just assumed Benson has been injured / unfit for pretty much all of this season. This suggests that maybe he has been available but is just out of favour?

Either way, he's not getting near the team for whatever reason. It's not too surprising to see him wanting a move. I imagine there'll be a few others in similar situations who are pushing for moves as well.

[Newcastleclaret93]

Could this pave the way for a Tella loan with an option to buy ?

No Tella can’t play for another club this season

[Nori1958]

Could this pave the way for a Tella loan with an option to buy ?

A. He's not at Southampton
B. He's already played for 2 clubs this sesson

[123EasyasBFC]

The fact we didn’t value tella at more than 15m could mean we have backed ourselves in a corner around a fee we want for benson. Tella more goals, higher work rate, more pace and more durable

[Sheedyclaret]

As others have said, this is the ownership model playing out so we shouldn’t be surprised. It’s the only way we can hope to progress sustainably.

Hopefully we can extract a decent fee for him however it’s unlikely to be the sum we might have thought 6 months ago.

It’s a shame we’ve not seen much of Benson this season, especially after last season’s contributions, but if the manager thinks that he’s not cut out for the PL then that’s good enough for me.

We won’t be in premier league in a few months though

[Vegas Claret]

The fact we didn’t value tella at more than 15m could mean we have backed ourselves in a corner around a fee we want for benson. Tella more goals, higher work rate, more pace and more durable

so then we tell Saints no, we aren't forced to get rid of him

[Cirrus_Minor]

Completely bonkers, VK needs to work on his bedside manner. After what Benson did for us at Ewood we should be naming streets and building statues after him, not selling him. Bonkers.

[HahaYeah]

Completely bonkers, VK needs to work on his bedside manner. After what Benson did for us at Ewood we should be naming streets and building statues after him, not selling him. Bonkers.

I'm not the only one who has strarted early!

[Nori1958]

Completely bonkers, VK needs to work on his bedside manner. After what Benson did for us at Ewood we should be naming streets and building statues after him, not selling him. Bonkers.

What a load of rubbish.... Brilliant as it was, and not just at Ewood.. It does not guarantee a place in any future team, and certainly not at a higher level

[Hedontplayforyou]

Signed a long term contract as did Zaroury which makes this baffling in a way. Long term deals usually mean there we can demand more money but having not played it’s a strange one. I don’t want either to leave but neither are playing, we do however seem to be heading to the championship where they would both be invaluable

[Mark the Claret]

Maybe he's the only one anyone has shown an interest in and we need to move players on to make room for new arrivals

[Iloveyoubrady]

He was our most exciting player last year. Looks to have all the talent in the world. Also those saying he can’t do it in the prem, how do you know ? He hasn’t played this year with injury and last year absolutely ripped up Manchester United and Bournemouth in the cup games. Maybe defensively he is lacking, but so are Odobert and Koleosho. When he’s fit I can see him having a big part to play this season. Genuinely baffled if this deal gets made.

[Newcastleclaret93]

What a load of rubbish.... Brilliant as it was, and not just at Ewood.. It does not guarantee a place in any future team, and certainly not at a higher level

We are not going to be a higher level though, we are playing championship football in 7 months. A league we Know Benson will destroy

[Quicknick]

Benson was a game changer. Hasn’t been given an opportunity this season. Which is mind boggling considering how ineffective our new signings (bar Koleosho and Odebert) have been.

Koleosho and Odebert being the two players ahead of him, slection wise.

[123EasyasBFC]

If selling benson means we don’t need to sell the likes of Amdouni, Odobert and foster then it’s a no brainer

[beddie]

The difference is that Benson is a match winner in the championship. I really hope we don’t let him go.

[Goliath]

Koleosho and Odebert being the two players ahead of him, slection wise.

They play in a different position

[CoolClaret]

Not sure that I'm a fan of 'this model'.

Don't want to be a club that moves players on every other year - hard to get behind a new team every 12-24 month.

Really hammers home that we're commercial first, football second.. not for me

[Cooclaret]

Pace: We need to sell to build up the January budget, and manage budgets in case of relegation. Southampton have come in with a bid for a player that allows us to make a profit and use the funds to bring in an agreed target.

Kompany: Agreed, it’s part of the plan we set out together.

Pace: We’re overstocked in this position and feel that the impact of the sale can be managed with the existing squad depth.

Kompany: Agreed, it’s part of the plan we set out together.

Pace: Glad we’re on the same page. We will accept the bid.

Bellamy: Remember what he did at Ewood!

Pace/Kompany: ‘Eyeroll’

[gandhisflipflop]

Has anyone asked sacha if any left backs incoming?

[kentonclaret]

We are not going to be a higher level though, we are playing championship football in 7 months. A league we Know Benson will destroy

I posted a couple of weeks ago on here that I expected Ipswich to fall away slightly over the second half of the season making it far more likely that the 3 relegated clubs would bounce straight back. Southampton are the form club along with Leicester and in all likelihood will be back in the PL next season. Benson may well find himself frozen out next season, but this time with Southampton if he lacks the physique for the PL.

[agreenwood]

Not sure that I'm a fan of 'this model'.

Don't want to be a club that moves players on every other year - hard to get behind a new team every 12-24 month.

Really hammers home that we're commercial first, football second.. not for me

In what way is this an indication of a model?

He appears to be behind Koleosho, Odobert, JBG, Tresor & JBL in the pecking order. I think even Zaroury has played more minutes this season. Offloading out of favour footballers is common business practice. Whether you agree he should be so far down the pecking order is a different debate.

Surely if this was an example of putting players in the shop window just to sell them for profit, Benson would have played far more this season (and even last).

[CrosspoolClarets]

Difficult to follow the logic that Benson should be getting more minutes but we've got 4 wingers who are better than him, I think.

My logic is that there is a time and place - Manuel struggled from the start in the Championship but thrived as a sub, I’d have done the same again, also, I do think those 4 are better but all bar JBL play on the left. I’m not a fan of wingers switching sides.

We just seem to be missing that rapid plan B on the right hand side if it isn’t working.

Mind you, I do wonder if this is lined up to free space for a sneaky Tella loan from Leverkusen, seeing as he was at Fulham. That would do the job I refer to above.

[Goliath]

My logic is that there is a time and place - Manuel struggled from the start in the Championship but thrived as a sub, I’d have done the same again, also, I do think those 4 are better but all bar JBL play on the left. I’m not a fan of wingers switching sides.

We just seem to be missing that rapid plan B on the right hand side if it isn’t working.

Mind you, I do wonder if this is lined up to free space for a sneaky Tella loan from Leverkusen, seeing as he was at Fulham. That would do the job I refer to above.

Im not sure this idea that Benson struggled when he started game is true. I think his best game was sheff utd away, he was phenomenal in that first half.

[JimmyRobbo]

I loved Benson last year. Truly one of the most exciting players we've had for a long time. I think he was more exciting than Dwight.Trouble is that he looks like a sicknote.

I trust the way our scouting team/transfer team are doing business. Running a profit on players allows investment. If they negitate a deal then I'm happy for the deal.

[Vegas Claret]

if you look how good Koleosho and Odobert are I for one am confident that we can replace Benson for far less money than we will get for him. It's what clubs like us have to do. We just have to be careful, we can't be having to sign 10 players every transfer window, we need a good core going forward

[Sproggy]

If this frees up a bit of cash for a left back then good.

Benny was unplayable at the end of last season but he’s 27, not contributing this season and we’ve higher priorities.

He’s not the messiah…. in this league at least.

[ClaretTony]

Signed a long term contract as did Zaroury which makes this baffling in a way. Long term deals usually mean there we can demand more money but having not played it’s a strange one. I don’t want either to leave but neither are playing, we do however seem to be heading to the championship where they would both be invaluable

I think those deals were nothing more than part of the initial contracts they signed should we be promoted.

Would be no surprise to me to see both Benson and Zaroury go although as has been said they might have brought more money in the summer before they'd been virtually ignored for our first team for half a season.

[Spijed]

My logic is that there is a time and place - Manuel struggled from the start in the Championship but thrived as a sub, I’d have done the same again, also, I do think those 4 are better but all bar JBL play on the left. I’m not a fan of wingers switching sides.

We just seem to be missing that rapid plan B on the right hand side if it isn’t working.

Mind you, I do wonder if this is lined up to free space for a sneaky Tella loan from Leverkusen, seeing as he was at Fulham. That would do the job I refer to above.

Tella can't play for us this season due to the number of clubs he's already played for.

[Holtyclaret]

Benson hasn’t featured much because he hasn’t been fit and available much.

Quite a reaction to a bit of gossip that a club have enquired about one of our players. I can’t recall seeing anywhere that anything has been agreed etc.. or that the players unhappy in anyway other than the frustration that he keeps picking up injuries.

That said all our players have a price, as do all professional footballers.

[CrosspoolClarets]

I would say so. Union got to the Europa League quarter finals last season? And just beat Liverpool 2-1? Likes of Genk / Anderlecht / Gent have been competing well in Europe for a while. Royal Antwerp just beat Barcelona 3-2 in the Champions League.

Antwerp have half the market value of Leicester City.

I think it is fair to say the Championship is a better level, apart from maybe one or two variables because it may be a case of better in some ways, worse in others. Doesn’t really matter who beat Barcelona.

Both though are way, way below the Premier League.

[CoolClaret]

In what way is this an indication of a model?

He appears to be behind Koleosho, Odobert, JBG, Tresor & JBL in the pecking order. I think even Zaroury has played more minutes this season. Offloading out of favour footballers is common business practice. Whether you agree he should be so far down the pecking order is a different debate.

Surely if this was an example of putting players in the shop window just to sell them for profit, Benson would have played far more this season (and even last).

Is he though?

He's had a few injury issues, but he's class on the right - JBL isn't our player yet and Benson offers something different than all of them!

He was a match winner last year, won us so many points single-handedly - had Gvardiol worried when he came on in the first game against City!

People will point to the first Villa game at home this season but the entire shape/setup was awful that game.

[CrosspoolClarets]

Tella can't play for us this season due to the number of clubs he's already played for.

If that’s the rule then fine, hope gets extinguished early in this league

[agreenwood]

Is he though?

He's had a few injury issues, but he's class on the right - JBL isn't our player yet and Benson offers something different than all of them!

He was a match winner last year, won us so many points single-handedly - had Gvardiol worried when he came on in the first game against City!

People will point to the first Villa game at home this season but the entire shape/setup was awful that game.

As I’ve said above, I think he’s tremendously talented and lethal in the right circumstances. Even last season his best work came when we were sat in their half and we could feed the ball wide to him on the right touchline for him to cut inside or go past the fullback 1v1.

We don’t have the ball as much this season and we’re more reliant on breaks, meaning the wingers spend far more time out of possession and their starting positions for transitions are in our own half, even when we’re chasing games. We also need more from our wingers defensively. I don’t think VK sees that as his game.

He may come back into the reckoning if/when we’re relegated, but if you’re looking for a more well-rounded contribution from a wide player, it possibly isn’t Benny.

I just don’t think this is the evidence of an underlying strategy some are making out. You may disagree with him, but I just don’t think VK rates him now as much as he rates 3-4 others.

[Steddyman]

Would he really be a loss? He is always injured. Most we would get out of him is 3 games a season.

[Pearcey]

He’s obviously not ‘injured’ then. I used to know what players were available but everything is so secretive now. Wouldn’t be surprised if Benson and Zaroury’s noses have be put out of joint by being binned off after the efforts they put in last season.

[CoolClaret]

As I’ve said above, I think he’s tremendously talented and lethal in the right circumstances. Even last season his best work came when we were sat in their half and we could feed the ball wide to him on the right touchline for him to cut inside or go past the fullback 1v1.

We don’t have the ball as much this season and we’re more reliant on breaks, meaning the wingers spend far more time out of possession and their starting positions for transitions are in our own half, even when we’re chasing games. We also need more from our wingers defensively. I don’t think VK sees that as his game.

He may come back into the reckoning if/when we’re relegated, but if you’re looking for a more well-rounded contribution from a wide player, it possibly isn’t Benny.

I just don’t think this is the evidence of an underlying strategy some are making out. You may disagree with him, but I just don’t think VK rates him now as much as he rates 3-4 others.

Scored a fair few on the break last year - Sheff U away, Bournemouth away, Bristol City home spring to mind.

Think it's daft - we didn't pay much for him at all and still has quality. Another fan favourite going

[watsonsclarets]

Yes and the lower end teams are league 2 at best. The standard of the league is not the same level the championship. Pretty certain VK alluded that it was a step up when he came to Burnley.

I have watched most sides in Belgium live, it’s little league but sprints intensity and Physicality wise the closest to the Championship or it was last season based on Skills Corner which is a market leader on physical data.

Top sides are very very good and would do well at the top of the championship and some sides are not so but it comparable with the championship for sure.

[IWOODLOVETT]

Mauric, Zaroury and Benson are all fragile players and easily intimidated.
All three are in the shop window as a result.

[123EasyasBFC]

Reporter for saints saying benson is just one of a number of players they are looking at

[boatshed bill]

Mr VK said he would be huge! Obviously not that huge!

Did he actually say that?
I do remember VK saying that Benson had his doubters in Belgium.

[warksclaret]

If we get relegated, many feel its a given we come straight back up. However last year Benson, Tella and Zarroury were sensational and between them scored lots of goals and ensured we won the large number of games we did. All three assisted and also knew where the net was. How do we know Redmond, Larson, Odobert, Koleosho, Tresor will be as effective