Anfield Until The End 16/17

Thanks For The Memories: Christian Benteke

This was the best I could come up with, and even that made me feel a bit upset. Yes, I know he didn't fit too well in the system, take a now rare moment to blame Brendan Rodgers, but there were good moments too. Let's get to those as we send Big Ben off to Small Palace.

I think it all started when he scored against us. No, not the first time he scored against us, but in the FA Cup semi final, when you remember Coutinho scoring and that was your moment to prove he does make big impacts, but then Delph and Benteke scored. And I'm sure you remember the all out frustration and bitter thinking that it was another final Liverpool had to miss.

I'm pretty sure that's when Benteke went on Rodgers' radar.

But he didn't go on FSG's radar. So they were stuck at an impasse.

Eventually though, they came up with an agreement: Basically all the Sterling money would be used for Benteke and Firmino. Liverpool could not have one without the other. FSG wanted Firmino (coincidentally, it turns out that he's very vital to Klopp's plans) and wouldn't have Benteke without him, Rodgers wouldn't have Firmino without Benteke in red too. The best part, or should I say funny part, of this is that Firmino and Benteke never really did gel at all and one would be silent while the other thrived from time to time in a match. Anyways . . .

He came to us for £32.5m. Villa wouldn't have him go without having all the cash (and what did they do with it???), so pay we did and at the time, he was our second most expensive player.

He looked good in red, that was good. But he came with doubts, most of them on his playing style, his number and price.

With the club he came from, crosses were plentiful. At Liverpool, we have the least amount of crosses in the league. Most of his goals are headers. In the 14/15, I'm sure you'd be hard pressed to find that many headers that went in the net.

Of course, he promised to change his style, he'd try his hardest to fit the style that Liverpool had. He'd try to do some great hold up play, make beautiful passes, show off his skills.

He tried, because of course he did, he's a nice guy.

You could tell that he was because there was an obvious transition period where you could see Klopp smiling because progress was made.

But when you have matches that youth players are showing you up, there are big problems because you are there to teach them, not have them teach you.

Truly, it's sad to see a person come in so soon after he's come, but that's another thing.

He had the number 9. You don't need to know too much about Liverpool to know that practically every number is important. Somewhat unlucky for Benteke is that he chose a number with profilic goalscorer.

And he scored less goals than Roberto Firmino.

That is not what the fans wanted, you can see a perfect example of it today. We didn't play Burnley at home but people are already pulling stuff out on Twitter that this is the first time since whenever that we've lost home to them. We played at TURF MOOR!

Rant aside, he took upon himself a big burden he shouldn't have had and it may have contributed to the problem. Along with the price. When you get someone for that price, and immediate impact is wanted. Don't get that, they don't get to wear our red. Or toxic thunder . . .

But he's gone now.

For £27m on the spot with £5m in add-ons that could or could not come.

For the time he was here, he was a good striker. Still, you could tell he wasn't our striker.

He has a new home now and all we can hope for is that he won't utterly obliterate us when we go against Palace.

YNWA, Ben. Remind everyone why you were Belgium's first choice striker.