Wilfried Bony: A Good Idea?

As rumours speculate the arrival of Wilfried

Bony to Anfield this summer I thought I would
analyse the potential behind the Swansea
man.
The 25 year old has shown promising signs
since he burst onto the Premier League scene
twelve months ago. He successfully filled the
boots of the injured Michu and carried the
Welsh club to premier league survival almost
on his own broad shoulders. However, this is
all well and good say Liverpool fans: but can
he replace Luis Suarez?
The Metro this week published an article
explaining twelve reasons as to why John W.
Henry must open up his chequebook and pay
the fee to lure the Ivorian to the red corner of
Merseyside. Its demanding tone was
underpinned with statistics comparing Bony
to European giants Karim Benzema, Mario
Balotelli and recent Reds' target, 19 year old
Belgian, Origi. Wilfried completes on average
more passes per game than his continental
counterparts, while simultaneously scoring at
a ratio 0.58 goals per game last season:
eclipsing the aforementioned strikers.
He scored at only 0.37 at Sparta Prague when
he was finding his feet as a 19 year-old striker
in professional football. He rapidly improved
to 0.70 goals a game at Vitesse while also
holding an impressive record at international
level. He scored twice at this year's World
Cup, demonstrating his prolific nature, despite
the quality of his team being far inferior to his
own.
It is looking good for the 20m rated man.
Who played street football religiously in his
childhood: encouragingly in the 'Maracana'
style of Brazil. If this, and the stats are
anything to go by, then Bony technically looks
to have the CV to warrant a move to
Liverpool.
However, these compare Bony to three
strikers who are more proven, and still would
do well to convince the Anfield faithful that
they are worthy to wear the heavy shirt that
Luis Suarez has left in the dressing room.
If one takes a look at Liverpool's system last
season then we see that Brendan Rodgers
built a formation around Suarez and
Sturridge, such was their prolific nature. We
all know from his Chelsea days that Daniel
demanded to play on his own and thus it is
unlikely that Bony will bring enough acclaim
to the table for Rodgers to risk playing them
both together. Especially as Bony has played
on his own all year in Swansea's 4-2-3-1. As a
result, Bony is likely to be a back up to
Sturridge, who was superb in Suarez's
absence last year, not an out and out
replacement for the Uruguayan.
If this hypothesis is to come true, then is it
worth Liverpool spending a third of Suarez's
transfer fee on a benchwarmer? Many fans
will deem not. Many will have seen the
demise of Tottenham last season as Chairman
Daniel Levy failed to spend wisely the vast
sums they accumulated from the record 85m
Gareth Bale signing.
Wilfried Bony may be a quality striker with an
ability in the air which would certainly
complement with Lazar Markovic's crossing
ability. However, I would state that he is a
character who prefers to be a big fish in a
small pond and Brendan Rodgers would be
better suited persuing a striker who is proven
at the highest level. For example a Benzema,
who, although scores at a lower rate, and
passes less than Bony, does so at Real Madrid,
in the Champions League. A track record
which, in what could prove to be an arduous
season, Liverpool need more than ever.