Christian Benteke won't change Liverpool philosophy, says Brendan Rodgers
Monday 24 August 2015 11:25, UK
Brendan Rodgers will not abandon his possession-based philosophy even if Christian Benteke's arrival has provided Liverpool's attack with a different dimension.
Benteke's £32.5m acquisition from Aston Villa over the summer has led many people to question whether Liverpool may change their style of play to suit Benteke's aerial ability.
But Rodgers insists he has always tried a style of football that is pleasing on the eye and sees no reasons why Liverpool's new number nine should change that.
"I worry that we play good football," the Liverpool manager said.
"I've always done that in my life - working with young players, working now at senior level as a manager with over 300-odd games - I've always worried about the football.
"I'm not one that will go into every game and not worry about how we play and take a 1-0. You can do that at times but the nature of how I work on a daily basis, and how we work as a coaching staff, is based on the tactical idea of intelligent footballers, creative footballers with high energy, the ability to press the game and make it really difficult for opponents with and without the ball.
"That notion hasn't changed but as you evolve as a manager and a coach, you understand and recognise that at times there are different ways to win a game of football. When you have those types of players, that gives us a better way to win."
Rodgers believes that Benteke's versatility and talent makes him a good fit as the spearhead of Liverpool's attack in the absence of injured striker Daniel Sturridge.
"He can play football," Rodgers said of the Belgium international.
"His touch is good, his ability to bring players into the game - whether that's with his feet or a little cushioned header - is a great skill.
"What he gives us is that threat in the box. When the ball comes in, he's a striker in the area. There are other ways of doing it to keep the game alive.
"When you have a 6ft 4in player like Christian, he affects when the ball comes into the box and because of his physicality and his mobility, it keeps the game alive that little bit longer."
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The Reds, who face Arsenal, live on Sky Sports 1 on Monday night, have already shown more defensive steel this season by grinding out two 1-0 wins over Stoke and Bournemouth.
And Rodgers scotched the notion he wants to shift from his purist philosophy now Benteke is on his books.
"There's not a compromise," he said.
"I said at the beginning of the season we want the unpredictability to our game. My emphasis has always been about possession, but dangerous possession, and that is important to us.
"Our conditions of our game won't change but hopefully because of the different strikers, it gives that unpredictability to our game."
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