Comments on: Be Still My Heart 1.0 – Karim Benzema

By: Elisa

Elisa — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 17:17:47 +0000

Look both players have quality, but with Ruud and Raul getting older and suspectible to injury, we have to consider all options. And this upcoming year, we need to win la decima. That said we need to come up against the biggest teams in Europe – the top 4 richies in England, Mourinho at Inter, etc etc. I like Villa for his killer instinct. Benzema could flourish. Schuster likes Huntelaar. I’m just getting frustrated and want la decima =).

By: Evo

Evo — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 11:40:04 +0000

I’d like to think that RM could build Benzema up into the player we want him to be. He’s naturally exciting because at the moment he represents huge potential – he could be alot better than Villa.
If I was the manager and it was my head on the block I think I’d be forced to go for Villa because he is proven, settled in Spain and has an excellent goal scoring record. He’s also Spainish which has a bearing on things. But I’d respect anyone with the ‘cojones’ to go for Benzema instead.

Here’s a crazy idea – ditch Ronaldo and go for both?

By: jake

jake — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 05:25:08 +0000

God I hope we get him at Barca instead. We’ll have Alves to shut down Ronaldo, which won’t be too hard due to his lack of passing. But if you guys had Benzema, he’s very selfless, so I’d be shitting myself.

By: Steve

Steve — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 03:07:00 +0000

I don’t buy the argument that we shouldn’t get him because he’s not the finished product. Like that’s ever the case? Look at our transfers from the current team – Higuain, Gago, Drenthe, even Pepe and Sergio Ramos – were all more about potential over past performance. Benzema has already proven he can score at the highest level in France and on the international stage; the Bernabeu should be the next step.

By: Corey

Corey — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 22:39:58 +0000

Well Real makes finished products too, and thats what they will do with him. He needs another year or two of constant playing in Ligue 1 and the CL before he will be ready to adapt to a new league, country, trainer, team, teammates etc. Because even though he is a very mature 20 year old, he is a momma’s boy and loves his home, so some more time working on his game at home will do him good, but at Real he will become a finished product, not before then.

By: Elisa

Elisa — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 22:09:57 +0000

I agree. I believe that Benzema needs more time at Lyon. Madrid needs more of the finished product.

By: john

john — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 21:44:10 +0000

And I can’t wait for a Euro 2008 follow up. It’s been thrilling so far (as a fan of RM and Spain), with the exceptions of Cannavaro and (oh no – not again!) Robben.

By: john

john — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 21:42:14 +0000

Steve, I have to agree with you. benzema is my priority #1. Hard to say if he’s ‘ready’ for La Liga yet, but unlike Soldado and Saviola, he’d have plenty of chances to adopt. I see a ton *TON* of potential in that player, and a style of play that could mesh wonderfully with Madrid. Striker is a priority position in my books, because no discredit to Ruud, but we’re all watching the clock with him. And De la Red makes my heart pitter patter, but I fear he might get the Soldado treatment in the current squad.

By: Shazback

Shazback — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 21:02:51 +0000

I was kind of believing you until you said “European push”. The OL Land Stadium will only be out of ground in 5-6 years, and Lyon’s European push has been ongoing since a 2002 interview of J-M Aulas by l’Equipe where he said that he wanted to bring the Champions League to Lyon within 3 years. And then in 2005 repeated that he was planning to win the Champions League within 3 years. And this summer he’s just gone on and said that with players like Benzema, Pjanic and Lloris, he thinks Lyon can win the Champions League within 3 years… I have no doubt that in 2011 he will pull it out of his hat again. And again in 2014…

By: Corey

Corey — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 20:13:39 +0000

Well Benzema is not ready for Real yet, its pretty obvious. But another two yeard with Lyon and he will be, I have no qualms about it. But we must also look at the Nasri situation, who last summer I said would improve with another 2 seasons at Marseille but has digressed and looks like he will move to Arsenal for less then Marseielle wanted. Likewise Hatem Ben Arfa. But the really thing to take away from these comments is he would like to move to Real, but he is fully committed to Lyon for the next 2+ seasons, as he wants to be on board for the new stadium and the European push. Until then, we must make due.