Benson to Southampton

[Nori1958]

What, Nixon has removed his story or your post was removed?

It’s also been removed by the BBC journalist that covers us though. He will have reliable sources.

BBC...
burnley express are now reporting it, but I think they are just copying what nixon said

[FeedTheArf]

I think he means Adams

No, I had a brain fart and meant Clarke from Sunderland!

All those red striped shirts start to merge into one!

[Hipper]

Potentially some performance benefits to it apparently…

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/footb ... ghter.html

I’d only sell Benson to Southampton if it meant we got Clarke in return (with us paying some cash on top obviously!)

Not as good as the Joe Jordan look:

[Nori1958]

Hull City the latest club linked to him

[Shaun1983]

Hull City the latest club linked to him

Hull daily mail apparently saying Burnley verbally agreed a loan move

[Steddyman]

Off to Hull

https://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/sport/f ... ommunities

[CoolClaret]

Still gutted.

Wouldn't have anyone else coming off the bench on the right

[StayingDown4Ever]

Wow. How embarrassing for all those saying he would fetch us £40,000,000+

A loan move to Hull!

[gandhisflipflop]

Wow. How embarrassing for all those saying he would fetch us £40,000,000+

A loan move to Hull!

You’re posts are embarrassing

[Swizzlestick]

Wow. How embarrassing for all those saying he would fetch us £40,000,000+

A loan move to Hull!

I know you were stung with the ‘pony’ thing but do you reckon you can expand your vocabulary beyond ‘embarrassing’ and ‘humiliating’ in 2024?

[StayingDown4Ever]

You’re posts are embarrassing

You’re?

I think you have just embarrassed yourself in your post.

[Nonayforever]

Obviously Benson going to Hull is freeing up a squad place for an incoming signing.

[Pickles]

If he isn't going to be playing for us, whatever the reason, we need to be looking to sell.

He provided moments of sheer mental magic last season but became known for those rather than consistent ninety minutes. Started, I think, less than 40% of our games last season. With the ball he can be breathtaking but off it he's usually invisible. Not many teams can carry a player like that and we already carry Amdouni quite regularly.

As for people wondering why we wouldn't keep him for the Championship ourselves next season. Would he be up for that? He's been there with us and he's done it. And once promoted with Burnley, he was rightly or wrongly binned off. Any move he makes to the Championship in January will be, in his mind, for six months only before a move to the top league here or elsewhere.

[123EasyasBFC]

Benson is nailed on for a move to Saudi in a couple of years

[Pickles]

Benson is nailed on for a move to Saudi in a couple of years

I tried to post almost the exact same thing the other day (couldn't because of the Spamhaus thing, I don't understand it.) But yeah - I still wouldn't be surprised if he goes there this January or in the summer. He looks that type of player I think.

[spt_claret]

I simply cannot understand the logic in loaning him out, selling him, loan with a buy option, any of the above.
Benson won us more points than any other player last season. Countless matchwinners usually conjured from nothing.
Ramsey being loaned down to the Championship, sure, he's far from his prime and not ready yet.
Even someone like Koleosho or Odobert, exciting as they've been, it'd make more sense. Loan with a recall option.
Instead we've frozen out and are now loaning out our most effective player last season, arguably most talented certainly most exciting, at an age where really we could be playing him and getting the best out of him, at his best, and still viably fit 'the model' and flip at profit even if he underperforms.

There's some inane logic here from the usual 'Must defend ALK/'the club' at all costs' crowd.

Yes he was injured often, he took kickings often. Can't tackle like that in the Premier League I really think if given the chance he'd be more impactful at this level because even if defenders are smarter they can't give players a softener the same.

Yes he's now 26 (which some are weirdly inflating to him being 27 last season). Yes that's possibly his prime (I'd say he's got til 28-29 realistically, but is close to theoretical peak sale value). It's not old. It's younger than Cullen. If you sell players in their prime you never have players in their prime. If you always sell at predicted peak theoretical value, rather than when the TEAM can afford to lose them, you constantly have a rebuild on your hands.

Why are people suddenly trying to revise history and pretend he's not good enough or a one trick pony when there's been multiple new signings who have contributed & offered far less COMBINED than he did?

Why are people so sure he's injured when he returned to the bench then vanished randomly, Kompany has a track record of freezing out & vanishing players he's done with (without ever communicating ANYTHING about it- Churlinov, Bastien, Dervisoglu, Long last year rightly or not, Zaroury, Cork, Ekdal, Cullen this year). We have an incredible habit nowadays of having players disappear from sight with zero confirmation as to why.

Also people deciding he's a "1 trick pony who'd be found out at this level"- what does that say of the new signings who can't even muster that 1 trick then? People are writing Benson off because he's NOT played but had a phenomenal Championship season, while deciding guys who are playing and offering nothing are better, purely because they place faith in Kompany and decide that anything he thinks or says, any judgment he makes, must be right. God I'd love to know what would have happened if either Garlick or ALK, or the fans for that matter, gave Dyche that blind faith (and I don't even think blind faith in him was right).

It's just madness to me. Such circular and inane logic. "He hasn't played therefore he isn't good enough. He isn't playing because he's not good enough. How do I know he's not good enough? Because he's not playing. Even though when he did play he was a match winner. He couldn't do it in the Prem, how do I know? Because he hasn't played in the Prem." There's people using his absence from the team as proof that he's not as good as players who have contributed naff all, purely because they're placing complete trust in Kompany's rating of them, even while from the other side of their mouth they acknowledge The Financial Model, which pretty much guarantees players will be selected for financial reasons related to potential ability/profit ahead of current ability.

Benson is a proven matchwinner. Yes, often he needed to come off the bench last season due to physicality issues. Tell me what our subs are achieving this season? How many subs this season have COST goals rather than produced them? And again you simply can't leave a leg in at this level the way you can in the Championship. Benson off the bench for 30 minutes in the Prem, I am certain would offer more than Tresor, Ramsey, likely Brun Larsen or Redmond, because for all the talk of him being a frail 1trick pony- teams towards the end of last season were leaving 2 players on him, training to stop his cut in & shot, and trying to kick him whenever he had the ball, and STILL couldn't stop him.

And for everyone who thinks it's good business to move him on- if that's true and you want a good price for him, why do him down as a frail 1 trick pony who can't hack it in the Prem and is too old at the ancient age of nearly 27.

I'm also fascinated to know what people will make of player sales if we get relegated, based on this. Everyone saying we'll walk the Championship because we've got guys proven to walk that league- you really think we won't ship out the likes of Tresor, Amdouni, Trafford, Odobert & Koleosho for the first matched price or marginal profit if relegated? Or perhaps might even have to if there's relegation release clauses there. Look at Nathan Collins. Look at Maxwell Cornet (who disappeared from training and was nowhere near the team when the season started, but wasn't injured- again we have form for players being left out to prep for sale without being injured).

Just can't understand this and echo the comments of CoolClaret and TsarBomba that this sort of stuff really breaks my connection with the side, and especially the ownership.

[Newcastleclaret93]

Off to Hull

https://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/sport/f ... ommunities

Off all of our wingers how is he the one that’s going

[spt_claret]

Off all of our wingers how is he the one that’s going

Madness. I've read the whole thread and found myself agreeing with every post you made. Benson has a genuine X factor and game winning ability, he's proven that, proven that even when teams double up and specifically work on stopping him they can't, and he's off. Benson/Foster/Amdouni/Odobert would give us such a range of threats, the weaker teams in this division would have multiple players to worry about- last season realistically the threats were Benson/Tella and on his day Zaroury, we'd have more danger men at this level so even with better defenders it wouldn't necessarily be easier to contain him.

[Newcastleclaret93]

Madness. I've read the whole thread and found myself agreeing with every post you made. Benson has a genuine X factor and game winning ability, he's proven that, proven that even when teams double up and specifically work on stopping him they can't, and he's off. Benson/Foster/Amdouni/Odobert would give us such a range of threats, the weaker teams in this division would have multiple players to worry about- last season realistically the threats were Benson/Tella and on his day Zaroury, we'd have more danger men at this level so even with better defenders it wouldn't necessarily be easier to contain him.

Yep totally agree, for me our best wingers are Koleosho, Odobert, Benson, Zaroury (in no particular order but I do think Benson is our best).

How he is the one winger leaving right now is mind blowing giving our position in the league. The winger we have that can truly make something from nothing

[CoolClaret]

Just like to add - I'd absolutely hate to be a young kid watching the Clarets now if the model is going to be seeing your heros leave every year.

The amount of young 'uns I see with 'Benson' shirts... Yeah.. not a fan

[agreenwood]

September: Why have we signed so many wingers? It makes no sense.

January: Why are we letting our 4th/5th choice winger(s) leave on loan? It’s madness.

[StayingDown4Ever]

Just like to add - I'd absolutely hate to be a young kid watching the Clarets now if the model is going to be seeing your heros leave every year.

The amount of young 'uns I see with 'Benson' shirts... Yeah.. not a fan

I heard the real reason we are getting shut of him is his name isn’t long enough. We’re lining up a replacement with a much longer name so Alan can make a few extra 50p’s on the shirt sale lettering.

[Swizzlestick]

September: Why have we signed so many wingers? It makes no sense.

January: Why are we letting our 4th/5th choice winger(s) leave on loan? It’s madness.

Some sanity amongst some quite insane contributions. Benson wasn’t even a guaranteed starter last season.

(Edited for clarity)

[fidelcastro]

Are we sure it isn't Zaroury and not Benson leaving for Hull?

[DCWat]

Stranger for me is that it’s Benson’s side of the pitch where we have struggled to find an effective option. JBL very hot and cold (mostly cold), JBG a solid option but not much of an attacking threat. All the others are better on the opposite flank.

Benson’s downfall though appears to be his susceptibility to injury. He’s spent too long on the sidelines to ever really get going. I’m still not convinced that he’d cut it at this level, as good a player as we know he can be.

[123EasyasBFC]

1st Jan silly season started one min it’s benson then it’s zaroury, a few agents putting names out there

[Newcastleclaret93]

September: Why have we signed so many wingers? It makes no sense.

January: Why are we letting our 4th/5th choice winger(s) leave on loan? It’s madness.

September: why have we ****** so much money away on wingers that arnt half as good as our current batch.

January: why are we letting our best winger leave when the current batch have performed so poorly.

Fixed it for you

[spt_claret]

September: Why have we signed so many wingers? It makes no sense.

January: Why are we letting our 4th/5th choice winger(s) leave on loan? It’s madness.

Total strawman and deeply dishonest.
People are questioning why we signed so many wingers, who we have persisted with despite contributing little (or sometimes costing more goals than they provide), and refused to so much as give a chance to star wingers from last year who are now being moved on while those same unproductive new wingers remain higher in the ranks.
And yes- I know Benson WAS injured early in the season. He clearly isn't now, and yet still hasn't been given a chance.
I know Zaroury had a red card vs City and bad game vs Bournemouth. Ramsey & Tresor have had plenty of bad games and are still in, Larsen has been a real mixed bag, but Zaroury's essentially had 1 strike and out - he was already benched at the start of the season.

[agreenwood]

Some sanity amongst some quite insane contributions. Benson wasn’t even a first team regular last season.

Fundamentally the objections appear to be about where fans think he should be in the pecking order. If Kompany doesn’t think he’ll see much pitch time (whether we agree or not), it makes perfect sense.

Presumably anyone who leaves frees up a spot in the PL squad list and by the end of January the squad balance might look a bit more evenly spread.

For the record I think Benson is fantastic, but it’s been obvious for a while that Kompany doesn’t think he’s what we need. That was also evident at times last season.

[daveisaclaret]

I think there's loads of reasonable criticism to be made for going up and basically changing the whole team, because it's not going that well. But criticism for getting Benson out seems to miss the point a bit to me. He's not getting in the team either way, it's either sell him or keep him without putting him in the squad.

[ksrclaret]

Death, taxes, and agreenwood looking for an angle to take the mick out of the contributions to this board.

[Rileybobs]

September: Why have we signed so many wingers? It makes no sense.

January: Why are we letting our 4th/5th choice winger(s) leave on loan? It’s madness.

I agree with this generally. But I think having become a fans favourite last season with his match-winning contributions, some supporters will naturally be disappointed that he appears to be leaving when we have a number of players in a similar position who have yet to make a meaningful contribution to the team.

Other factors to consider are that the end result would appear to be a modest transfer fee whilst at one point it was looking like Benson may move onto bigger things for a large sum. Another point being that we are more than likely to be playing in the Championship next season and he is a known entity at that level.

On the flip side, the management team have a heap of data which will no doubt be informing this decision. And whilst fans might think that Benson hasn’t been given a chance at this level, he gets the chance to impress the people that matter on a daily basis and for whatever reason hasn’t.

[agreenwood]

September: why have we ****** so much money away on wingers that arnt half as good as our current batch.

January: why are we letting our best winger leave when the current batch have performed so poorly.

Fixed it for you

We’ve had a lot of issues this season, but it’s a real stretch to suggest our wingers are one of them. I’m happy to agree with anyone pointing out our defensive frailties, issues until recently with Trafford, lack of depth at CM or upfront, but not out wide.

Two of our three most exciting players this season have been Odobert and Koleosho. Brun Larsen and JBG have both done well enough in spells and have provided a bit more solidity/balance during the past few months on the opposite wing to the youngsters. Then you’ve still got Tresor, Ramsey and possibly one of Benson or Zaroury still around come 1 Feb.

Losing a winger who isn’t playing isn’t a major concern. I’m far more interested in whether we can fix a few of our far more pressing problems.

[agreenwood]

Death, taxes, and agreenwood looking for an angle to take the mick out of the contributions to this board.

Oh hello mate. Likewise you pointing it out.

I’ve made my point on this thread in detail several times. You appear to have overlooked those.

[gandhisflipflop]

You’re?

I think you have just embarrassed yourself in your post.

I haven’t though have I? But just for you.

Your posts are embarrassing.

You’re constantly showing your lack of understanding of the game through your posts.

Your assessment of the benson situation is pony.

[Newcastleclaret93]

We’ve had a lot of issues this season, but it’s a real stretch to suggest our wingers are one of them. I’m happy to agree with anyone pointing out our defensive frailties, issues until recently with Trafford, lack of depth at CM or upfront, but not out wide.

Two of our three most exciting players this season have been Odobert and Koleosho. Brun Larsen and JBG have both done well enough in spells and have provided a bit more solidity/balance during the past few months on the opposite wing to the youngsters. Then you’ve still got Tresor, Ramsey and possibly one of Benson or Zaroury still around come 1 Feb.

Losing a winger who isn’t playing isn’t a major concern. I’m far more interested in whether we can fix a few of our far more pressing problems.

Our wingers have contributed to a grand total 8 goal contributions across 68 appearances. Our wingers have off course also been an issue, they get to the final third and make the wrong decision or don’t have the quality to make it work.

It’s why our set up isn’t as effective as it was last season.

Off course our defence is the main issue but our wingers have also been an issue (that’s why VK is changing them nearly every game week)

[ksrclaret]

Oh hello mate. Likewise you pointing it out.

I’ve made my point on this thread in detail several times. You appear to have overlooked those.

Not overlooked it. They came after your first post, in which you've made some good points. It's a shame you can't post like that to begin with as it would improve the tone of the discussion.

[agreenwood]

Stranger for me is that it’s Benson’s side of the pitch where we have struggled to find an effective option. JBL very hot and cold (mostly cold), JBG a solid option but not much of an attacking threat. All the others are better on the opposite flank.

Benson’s downfall though appears to be his susceptibility to injury. He’s spent too long on the sidelines to ever really get going. I’m still not convinced that he’d cut it at this level, as good a player as we know he can be.

I think injury has played a part, but as I posted yesterday i think he’s most effective when he’s in a team dominating possession and we can get him on the ball in the oppo’s final third. It’s just not something we’ve been able to do this season. There were signs last season and games he wasn’t always suited to. It’s possibly become more or an issue this season.

[123EasyasBFC]

That Sacha guy tweeted the reporter from bbc being very touchy about the fact he broke the news, saying benson is pushing for a move, you have to question a journalist who has to justify themselves as a source

[CoolClaret]

Some strange attitudes on here to players that have done so well for us - not just to Benson either... echoing spt's comments - we've persisted with a few that have barely delivered the goods/ after 20 games are just starting to deliver - with posters calling to give them time etc and the same posters very quick to completely undermine all the good work some of the longer standing players have done for us.

The amount of points that man won for us single-handedly simply can't be understated.

Anyway, this 'model' will only end in tears when they eventually figure out you can't build a team spirit with half a new starting XI every season.

Far more to team building than selecting good players and expecting it to click - surely Dyche showed that to everyone?

[123EasyasBFC]

Some strange attitudes on here to players that have done so well for us - not just to Benson either... echoing spt's comments - we've persisted with a few that have barely delivered the goods/ after 20 games are just starting to deliver - with posters calling to give them time etc and the same posters very quick to completely undermine all the good work some of the longer standing players have done for us.

The amount of points that man won for us single-handedly simply can't be understated.

Anyway, this 'model' will only end in tears when they eventually figure out you can't build a team spirit with half a new starting XI every season.

Far more to team building than selecting good players and expecting it to click - surely Dyche showed that to everyone?

In mission to Burnley kompany referenced having high turnover in each window, it’s a model the Owners and he must be in line with. There’s no loyalty anymore, the same players who aren’t being given a chance would soon down tools if they wanted to move

[agreenwood]

Our wingers have contributed to a grand total 8 goal contributions across 68 appearances. Our wingers have off course also been an issue, they get to the final third and make the wrong decision or don’t have the quality to make it work.

It’s why our set up isn’t as effective as it was last season.

Off course our defence is the main issue but our wingers have also been an issue (that’s why VK is changing them nearly every game week)

Disagree. It’s about context and priorities. For me wingers is dead last in any list of issues.

Again, Benson was brilliant last year, but he played about 35% of our 46 games in terms of pitch time. Some of that was injury, but he started a of a lot of games on the bench. The signs were there that a) Kompany didn’t necessarily see him as reliable and b) there were limitations to his play.

[CoolClaret]

In mission to Burnley kompany referenced having high turnover in each window, it’s a model the Owners and he must be in line with. There’s no loyalty anymore, the same players who aren’t being given a chance would soon down tools if they wanted to move

You're gonna get a lot more 'downing tools' if this is 'the model'.

Watford type. Just not a football club.

[Rileybobs]

Some strange attitudes on here to players that have done so well for us - not just to Benson either... echoing spt's comments - we've persisted with a few that have barely delivered the goods/ after 20 games are just starting to deliver - with posters calling to give them time etc and the same posters very quick to completely undermine all the good work some of the longer standing players have done for us.

The amount of points that man won for us single-handedly simply can't be understated.

Anyway, this 'model' will only end in tears when they eventually figure out you can't build a team spirit with half a new starting XI every season.

Far more to team building than selecting good players and expecting it to click - surely Dyche showed that to everyone?

It’s certainly hard to create a good culture when players are treated coldly as commodities. Obviously players will be bought and sold but this current approach seems quite brutal. It’s hard to see a team of commodities running through walls for each other and hard to see a fan base developing an affinity for these assets and passionately getting behind the team. Both of which have been apparent this season.

[agreenwood]

Not overlooked it. They came after your first post, in which you've made some good points. It's a shame you can't post like that to begin with as it would improve the tone of the discussion.

What can I say? You don’t like it when I take the **** and I don’t like it when people overreact (in my opinion).

Happy to tone it down going forward though. It’ll just take me longer to type out more reasoned contributions

[ksrclaret]

What can I say? You don’t like it when I take the **** and I don’t like it when people overreact (in my opinion).

Happy to tone it down going forward though. It’ll just take me longer to type out more reasoned contributions

Fair play

[123EasyasBFC]

You're gonna get a lot more 'downing tools' if this is 'the model'.

Watford type. Just not a football club.

We don’t know what goes on behind closed doors at training, some players might not be putting the effort in or doing what is being asked therefore they aren’t being picked.

The point still stands with benson, he was a game changer last season off the bench when a tella had run poor poor left backs Ragged for 60-70mins, benson was never going to be the same animal in the premier league. Zaroury a much higher celling than benson with his technical ability, both feet and multiple positions he can play but work rate might be an issue

[CoolClaret]

It’s certainly hard to create a good culture when players are treated coldly as commodities. Obviously players will be bought and sold but this current approach seems quite brutal. It’s hard to see a team of commodities running through walls for each other and hard to see a fan base developing an affinity for these assets and passionately getting behind the team. Both of which have been apparent this season.

Then I'll repeat what I've said earlier in the season...

What's the 'point'?

Least we had the illusion before of being a Football club - if we're nothing more than an investment vehicle for some Yanks what's the point anymore?

[CoolClaret]

We don’t know what goes on behind closed doors at training, some players might not be putting the effort in or doing what is being asked therefore they aren’t being picked.

The point still stands with benson, he was a game changer last season off the bench when a tella had run poor poor left backs Ragged for 60-70mins, benson was never going to be the same animal in the premier league. Zaroury a much higher celling than benson with his technical ability, both feet and multiple positions he can play but work rate might be an issue

I mean, which player is the same animal in the PL than the Champ? Point is he still has quality and skills that the others don't - he's far more than a cut inside and bend it top bins btw - put in some great crosses last year.

Not to mention, I'm pretty certain VK was saying he has 'PL quality' - though VK is slowly turning into a manager that comes out with tired old clichés

[Newcastleclaret93]

Disagree. It’s about context and priorities. For me wingers is dead last in any list of issues.

Again, Benson was brilliant last year, but he played about 35% of our 46 games in terms of pitch time. Some of that was injury, but he started a of a lot of games on the bench. The signs were there that a) Kompany didn’t necessarily see him as reliable and b) there were limitations to his play.

That’s fine though, just use him as an impact sub then? We are regularly chasing games to either draw a game or to find a winner.

There are only three players in our squad that scored more than ten goals last season and we are letting one of them go.

I just can’t get over the fact we are persisting with players like Ramsay, Larsen, Tresor etc… who have by and large been poor at best.

You may disagree but I think questions have to start being asked of Vk and his team if he leaves. Even right now he would be starting every game for me if fit on the right wing. As no one this season has looked remotely decent on that wing