Christian Benteke doesn’t feel like his time at Liverpool was an abject failure unlike many other critics. Benteke, who was brought in at Anfield by Brendan Rodgers for a sum of £32 million from Aston Villa, saw his chances at first team play diminish under Jurgen Klopp. After failing to ignite Merseyside in his brief one-year stay, he was quickly shown the exit doors.
“I don't see my time [at Liverpool] as a failure,” Benteke said to the Daily Mail. “When I signed there was another coach and with him, it might have turned out differently. I did not fit the tactical system of the new coach. That was not easy mentally because I was left to fight a losing battle. But I must not look for excuses. I could also have done better in those few minutes I got.”
The forward in fact took the onus on himself of finding the solution even in a tough situation that he was in at Anfield. “I have not performed as expected. Liverpool is a big club and, there, you do not go looking for the coach, knocking on the door of his office. I am grown man and I was able to deal with it. He had a particular system and I did not fit in. It was up to me to find a solution. These are things that happen in a career. There are no regrets,” quipped the new Crystal Palace forward.
The Belgian international signed for the Eagles earlier this month in a deal which saw the Reds recuperate nearly all the amount they had initially paid for his services last summer. Benteke seems to be looking forward to the future in London at Palace and be back to his peak which saw him score 42 goals over three seasons at Aston Villa which eventually turned him into one of the hottest properties in England.
“I really want to show what I can do this season,” Benteke added. “I had the chance to call and talk in advance with Alan Pardew. “He knows my qualities and, although I had hardly played, I knew I had a good pre-season behind me at Liverpool and would not need much time before I was ready to play.”
Crystal Palace have had a rough start to the season, gaining only a single point from their first three games whilst scoring only one goal during the period. However, with the addition of Christian Benteke from Liverpool and Loic Remy on loan from Chelsea, the Eagles would hope to soar once the action starts off again after the international.
