Skip to content
Benteke had nine shots without scoring as Liverpool crashed out. AP/Press Association Images

‘90% of strikers have times like this' - Klopp defends misfiring Benteke after cup exit

Striker’s barren spell now stands at 11 games.

JURGEN KLOPP HAS defended Christian Benteke’s form after the Belgian extended his barren run in Liverpool’s defeat to West Ham in the FA Cup last night.

Angelo Ogbonna scored in the last minute of extra-time to seal a 2-1 victory for the Hammers at Upton Park after Philippe Coutinho’s clever free-kick had cancelled out Michail Antonio’s first-half opener.

But it was another frustrating night for Benteke, who managed nine shots against the Hammers but constantly fluffed his lines, extending his spell without a goal to 11 games.

“Ask 80 to 90% of all strikers in the world – high-quality, low-quality, no-quality – they will tell you they’ve had times like this,” said Klopp.

It’s like it is and you have to carry on. You have to go on, there’s no other situation. All the people in the world want the easy goal, but then the easy goal doesn’t help, so you have to play, you have to improve, you have to want to do all the things – that’s how it always is. It’s no different for Christian.

“But tonight, it was a really good game without the maximum finish, but he did a lot, he worked a lot, so it was a big step – that’s good for us and that’s good for him.”

Jason McAteer: I probably would have walked out with the Liverpool fans

Author
View 18 comments
Close
18 Comments
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Criiochúr Daniel Daithí O'Chathail
    Favourite Criiochúr Daniel Daithí O'Chathail
    Report
    Feb 14th 2023, 4:35 PM

    Fingers have never been more crossed for RG.

    He’s had more than enough bad luck. Time for him to show what he can do. #SUAF

    67
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute TL55
    Favourite TL55
    Report
    Feb 14th 2023, 5:14 PM

    @Criiochúr Daniel Daithí O’Chathail: Agreed but starting his return on an artificial pitch mightn’t be the smartest move.

    51
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Paddy Waggon
    Favourite Paddy Waggon
    Report
    Feb 14th 2023, 7:28 PM

    @TL55: 100%.
    Be mad to test him out there.
    Leave it till thomand or any other turf pitch.
    That 4g is hard on knees.

    22
    See 2 more replies ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Denis O Sullivan
    Favourite Denis O Sullivan
    Report
    Feb 14th 2023, 9:03 PM

    @Paddy Waggon: agree… the last 20/25 mins in Limerick as a reintroduction…. A sixth spot for Munster in the URC prior to plays is exactly where they want to be…
    Sixth secures HC for next year… but equally important if we finish fifth in the URC we will have to travel to play the team who finished second … guess who another trip to SA for to face the Stormers…. We already have 2 remaining fixtures in SA in the URC run of games and we have the game in the HC (Sharks) … so sixth is our best position …. I’d be more than happy with that and lifting a trophy with Synman. How bad

    3
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Denis O Sullivan
    Favourite Denis O Sullivan
    Report
    Feb 14th 2023, 9:08 PM

    @Denis O Sullivan: oh by the way sixth in the URC would mean we would have to travel North to play Ulster as the table stands today. Better than going to SA to face Stormers or worse again if the Bulls finish third….

    4
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Lad_The
    Favourite Lad_The
    Report
    Feb 14th 2023, 7:20 PM

    Good luck RG.
    No one deserves the bad luck you’ve had.

    34
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute thesaltyurchin
    Favourite thesaltyurchin
    Report
    Feb 14th 2023, 6:40 PM

    If the Insta clips are to be believed Ahearn is training with the team, same for Okeke, is anyone signed up for the ‘extra content’ thing? looks to be cameras with them all the time now.

    12
Submit a report
Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
Thank you for the feedback
Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.