If we could get him for £4M and on less wages I would say he's worth a punt. Might fit our team/style of play better than Arsenal/West Ham, who knows

He has not flopped at all. This is exactly the type of thinking that is damaging, measuring player according to the number of matches. What if he just comes on for 4-5 minutes in those matches? Does it still count as 20 matches??

What if I tell you he didn't play more than 500 minutes in his usual position as striker and still managed to score 4 goals??

At Arsenal they kept on using him only as winger. Kind of hard to score from that position (at least as much as center forwards do). Try putting Benteke on the wing and see of he scores that much. Oh, wait...

This is EXACTLY the kind of player who is cheap because people don't realize that his big number of matches is actually a small number of minutes and his value is kept down BECAUSE of that statistic you give of just 20 appearances and 1 goal making people suspect him a flop.

This is exactly why people like me are good at this job, observing what others can't, seeing a player who others don't and getting him on the cheap when his value should be much, much higher and he WILL score BIG TIME if he is played, this I could almost guarantee if I were a scout.

Also, your stats above is bulls*it. Where are those 11 starts for Arsenal in those 20 appearances in that 16/17 PL season? I'll pay you 100 dollars if you find more than 2 starts. And they were both as winger

Edited by mattteo (22 Jan 2019 7.10pm)

Of course he hasn't flopped; the fact he couldn't get into the first XI for neither West Ham nor Arsenal is pure coincidence. The 3 Premier League goals he's managed since joining in 2016 make him a real success.

To challenge your points;

You introduced the idea of Perez's versatility in your OP, yet now you argue it's unfair to judge him when not played up front - which is it?

There are so many flaws with your obsession with minutes/goals as the predominant comparative measure;

Why do you think he has so few minutes in the PL? Could it be because he wasn't deemed good enough by his managers and coaches? Could it be that he has a bad injury record? Poor attitude? All of these are factors in judging a player, and all contribute to how many minutes they get on the pitch - his numbers on that front are pathetic.

Nearly always, the best players play the most minutes in their best positions - if you're telling me the bloke has only played 500 minutes in his preferred position in 3 years, that is a million miles from being a positive. I'm asking why on earth is that the case?

Attackers coming off the bench are generally bought on because their team is chasing a game - naturally, their goal/minute stats can be massively inflated because of this.

Your point about 'people like me being good at this job' - what job do you do exactly? I was under the impression you're not professionally involved at all?

The arrogance of your posts is really something to behold.

He has not flopped at all. This is exactly the type of thinking that is damaging, measuring player according to the number of matches. What if he just comes on for 4-5 minutes in those matches? Does it still count as 20 matches??

What if I tell you he didn't play more than 500 minutes in his usual position as striker and still managed to score 4 goals??

At Arsenal they kept on using him only as winger. Kind of hard to score from that position (at least as much as center forwards do). Try putting Benteke on the wing and see of he scores that much. Oh, wait...

This is EXACTLY the kind of player who is cheap because people don't realize that his big number of matches is actually a small number of minutes and his value is kept down BECAUSE of that statistic you give of just 20 appearances and 1 goal making people suspect him a flop.

This is exactly why people like me are good at this job, observing what others can't, seeing a player who others don't and getting him on the cheap when his value should be much, much higher and he WILL score BIG TIME if he is played, this I could almost guarantee if I were a scout.

Also, your stats above is bulls*it. Where are those 11 starts for Arsenal in those 20 appearances in that 16/17 PL season? I'll pay you 100 dollars if you find more than 2 starts. And they were both as winger

Edited by mattteo (22 Jan 2019 7.10pm)

There is a brad pitt movie based on i think the anerheim angels where their players are all recruited on stats.
Cant remember the title but it took a while and minutes in the pitch to prove the stats were correct.
Four years later another side copied the theory and won the baseball title.
Matteo does have stats so why couldnt he be right.
The only issue is the patience needed to see it through.
I take my hat off to the man matteo for the research and time and effort he puts in.
Give him a break and respect his respect of our club.