Liverpool FC Forum

[RedAnt]

Balotelli has been shocking on the pitch - that is down to him not the manager

If Balotelli is letting his football do the talking then he must be a mute

He came to us on prob his final chance and just isnt good enough or adaptable enough to fit.

It was a risk that just hasnt worked

That's not entirely fair. Balo hasn't had a chance in the team since when we were playing badly and losing parts of our season. The teams performances then certainly weren't down to Mario alone who is still new to the team and is playing under a lot of pressure due to his history. Some of those things he's brought on himself, sure, but not all of them. Perhaps since Rodgers has piled the pressure on the lad, and told him to improve then Balo might deserve a shot in an improved team. Or maybe BR fears the possibility of eating a bit of humble pie.

[Danish Red]

Balotelli was one of the main reasons why we were playing poorly - we couldnt score goals and in 12 prem league games Balotelli scored zero

As well as being unable to run the channels , or drop to pick the ball , or be involved in the short sharp quick passing - he was the wrong signing because he cant play in a lone role and cant play in a team that isnt focused on playing to his strengths.

He just isnt the player we need in the team

[eds]

Balotelli was one of the main reasons why we were playing poorly - we couldnt score goals and in 12 prem league games Balotelli scored zero

As well as being unable to run the channels , or drop to pick the ball , or be involved in the short sharp quick passing - he was the wrong signing because he cant play in a lone role and cant play in a team that isnt focused on playing to his strengths.

He just isnt the player we need in the team

No he wasn't.

The main reasons why we played so poorly was because Rodgers kept insisting on playing Gerrard in the DM role to give him a place in the starting XI week in, week out. To add to this our defense was absolutely shambolic, while Coutinho and Sterling started off very slowly.

Balotelli although poor was not the reason why we weren't scoring, we lost the intensity we had last season and hardly had any creativity up front which resulted in ALL our strikers sitting on 0 goals in the first few months. To make him a scapegoat to all our problems is a bit naive.

[Danish Red]

Balotelli was one of the main reasons why we were playing poorly - we couldnt score goals and in 12 prem league games Balotelli scored zero

As well as being unable to run the channels , or drop to pick the ball , or be involved in the short sharp quick passing - he was the wrong signing because he cant play in a lone role and cant play in a team that isnt focused on playing to his strengths.

He just isnt the player we need in the team

No he wasn't.

The main reasons why we played so poorly was because Rodgers kept insisting on playing Gerrard in the DM role to give him a place in the starting XI week in, week out. To add to this our defense was absolutely shambolic, while Coutinho and Sterling started off very slowly.

Balotelli although poor was not the reason why we weren't scoring, we lost the intensity we had last season and hardly had any creativity up front which resulted in ALL our strikers sitting on 0 goals in the first few months. To make him a scapegoat to all our problems is a bit naive.

Sitting in the stands you only have to watch his movement throughout the game - its non exsistent - the players behind are constantly looking for the runs and they just didnt happen - he just stood around . He dropped deep at times looking for the ball and then shot on sight. The was no focal point up front. Putting Sterling there gave us movement up front immediately.

Even when he did get the chance in front of goal he spurned it.

Balotelli is not and never has been a striker to fit in with the way we play - he just doesnt score enough , doesnt work hard enough and doesnt have the game sense or intelligence to be in a quick moving high pressing team. He will be gone in the summer maybe even by next week.

[red till i die!!]

Balotelli was one of the main reasons why we were playing poorly - we couldnt score goals and in 12 prem league games Balotelli scored zero

As well as being unable to run the channels , or drop to pick the ball , or be involved in the short sharp quick passing - he was the wrong signing because he cant play in a lone role and cant play in a team that isn't focused on playing to his strengths.

He just isnt the player we need in the team

Its a bit harsh blaming balotelli for the whole team under-performing during that period.

He doesn't fit the style    Try and find one person that will argue that one and you would be doing well. Everyone and their dog knew Mario would never just slot right in to that system we played last year. The majority of liverpool fans where  shocked we were even signing him but thought maybe this was the plan B we so desperately needed.
Apparently not as it seems he is expected to be a suarez and Our plan B is to change personnel but keep doing the same thing. 

Somebody at the club wanted him here and we then payed £16 million quid to make it happen. I don't care if rodgers was onboard with the signing or not. He acknowledged at the time that his work would be cut out for him in getting the best out of the player. Now he has washed his hands of him. There appears to be no coaching in this situation just bad management. Its ridiculous that 6 months later he cannot even make the bench for a cup game while we continue to line up without a recognized striker.

The lad is a new signing just like all the others who people seem to be so patient with so its only right balotelli be given the same respect. Admittedly It is hard for the lad to get that when the manager hangs him out to dry in public as he so often does.

Maybe the same tough love should be shown to some of our other signings starting with borini and then working his way down the list. 

[Fowler_E7]

Rodger's treatment of Balotelli has been nothing short of disgraceful ,his denigration of the lad through the media has hung the player out to dry .We all know the
manager is going to formulate excuse after excuse in order not to play the fella.....I just wish he would shut his fucking mouth ,and let the players football
do the talking ,his class will eventually shine through ,but not if the manager keeps giving the media ammunition. 

100% agree, Rodgers constant public shaming of Ballotelli is completely out of order and unprofessional, hes not the only player in our squad to have a bad season, in fact most of them have been abysmal for the most part.

[eds]

Balotelli was one of the main reasons why we were playing poorly - we couldnt score goals and in 12 prem league games Balotelli scored zero

As well as being unable to run the channels , or drop to pick the ball , or be involved in the short sharp quick passing - he was the wrong signing because he cant play in a lone role and cant play in a team that isnt focused on playing to his strengths.

He just isnt the player we need in the team

No he wasn't.

The main reasons why we played so poorly was because Rodgers kept insisting on playing Gerrard in the DM role to give him a place in the starting XI week in, week out. To add to this our defense was absolutely shambolic, while Coutinho and Sterling started off very slowly.

Balotelli although poor was not the reason why we weren't scoring, we lost the intensity we had last season and hardly had any creativity up front which resulted in ALL our strikers sitting on 0 goals in the first few months. To make him a scapegoat to all our problems is a bit naive.

Sitting in the stands you only have to watch his movement throughout the game - its non exsistent - the players behind are constantly looking for the runs and they just didnt happen - he just stood around . He dropped deep at times looking for the ball and then shot on sight. The was no focal point up front. Putting Sterling there gave us movement up front immediately.

Even when he did get the chance in front of goal he spurned it.

Balotelli is not and never has been a striker to fit in with the way we play - he just doesnt score enough , doesnt work hard enough and doesnt have the game sense or intelligence to be in a quick moving high pressing team. He will be gone in the summer maybe even by next week.

I agree with everything you have said about Balotelli, but that's not really the point I'm making.

There was a lot wrong with our team earlier on in the season and Balotelli not fitting in or scoring as much as you think was the main problem, wasn't.

I think Red till I die has already summarised exactly everything I was trying to say.

Making him a scapegoat to all our problems is naive as we would have struggled early on even if Sturridge was in the side as the defense and midfield was completely unstable.

[supersub]

Rodger's treatment of Balotelli has been nothing short of disgraceful ,his denigration of the lad through the media has hung the player out to dry .We all know the
manager is going to formulate excuse after excuse in order not to play the fella.....I just wish he would shut his fucking mouth ,and let the players football
do the talking ,his class will eventually shine through ,but not if the manager keeps giving the media ammunition. 

100% agree, Rodgers constant public shaming of Ballotelli is completely out of order and unprofessional, hes not the only player in our squad to have a bad season, in fact most of them have been abysmal for the most part.

Totally agree.....

[maguskwt]

What has BR done that Mourinho hasn't done 10 times worse. He has given balotelli every chance to the detriment of our results. He has started him 12 games straight or so. The comments by BR on balotelli should have kick started him if he could care abit more.

[ethanr]

What has BR done that Mourinho hasn't done 10 times worse. He has given balotelli every chance to the detriment of our results. He has started him 12 games straight or so. The comments by BR on balotelli should have kick started him if he could care abit more.

Agree with this. I'm really shocked to see all the defending of Balo on here considering I haven't seen a single moment where he's looked like he gives two ***** for this club. I think people are letting their bias towards Rogers get the best of them. I don't even see how Rogers has said anything publicly that's out of line. The media asks him on a continual basis about Balo, and when he says he's not in the team because he needs to be playing better, that seems to be a very obvious answer, and yet it's publicly shaming him? Why does anybody not play? Because somebody better than them is playing ahead of them. That's all Rogers is saying about Balo, and Balo needs a kick up the rear to get him to understand the expectations at this club.

C'mon now...

[RED BEERGOGGLES]

Balotelli has been shocking on the pitch - that is down to him not the manager

If Balotelli is letting his football do the talking then he must be a mute

He came to us on prob his final chance and just isn't good enough or adaptable enough to fit.

It was a risk that just hasnt worked

Is that just solely your view ,or are you simply running with yet more of the tabloids lazy journalism  If so ,I think you have a genuine proclivity for
'literal embroidery'  Balotelli's early performances showed enough glimpses of quality to have warranted the Kops patience.

This myth perpetuated by the media that the player is routinely lethargic would only be afforded credence by the more malleable amongst us ,certainly
not the view of those who sit on the Kop.

I accept its your opinion and you the media and Rodgers are entitled to it ,but don't wield it like its the unequivocal truth, as it does those who actually
watch games a disservice.

[red till i die!!]

I actually thought in the few games he has played that he has worked hard. Certainly harder than he ever did at city or any of his other previous clubs. I watched him play at Anfield a few years ago when we played city, The one where carroll scored a brace, and he stank the place out of it. Looked lazy, Disinterested and gave up before mancini hauled him off while the fans sang and applauded the decision. He hasn't behaved like that in any game for us that I have seen.

He is a decent player if used right and certainly has as much to offer as borini or lambert. Neither of those are tearing it up but yet find themselves in the squad most weeks. The excuses of he needs to do more in training are comical because they are coming from the guy who is supposed to be coaching him. What is he not doing that rules him out for selection in a cup game ?. 

The 12 games he played were 8 starts and he was subbed off in 4 of those. The other 4 were sub appearances with some in the dying minutes of a game. Hardly enough time played to be labelled a total flop and alienated from the side.

Our top goalscorer this season is steven gerrard, not any of our other strikers or even our makeshift one. It would be easier to understand if they were all entering double figures but in truth we will be lucky to get one of them into double figures by the end of the season.

[RedAnt]

I actually thought in the few games he has played that he has worked hard. Certainly harder than he ever did at city or any of his other previous clubs. I watched him play at Anfield a few years ago when we played city, The one where carroll scored a brace, and he stank the place out of it. Looked lazy, Disinterested and gave up before mancini hauled him off while the fans sang and applauded the decision. He hasn't behaved like that in any game for us that I have seen.

He is a decent player if used right and certainly has as much to offer as borini or lambert. Neither of those are tearing it up but yet find themselves in the squad most weeks. The excuses of he needs to do more in training are comical because they are coming from the guy who is supposed to be coaching him. What is he not doing that rules him out for selection in a cup game ?. 

The 12 games he played were 8 starts and he was subbed off in 4 of those. The other 4 were sub appearances with some in the dying minutes of a game. Hardly enough time played to be labelled a total flop and alienated from the side.

Our top goalscorer this season is steven gerrard, not any of our other strikers or even our makeshift one. It would be easier to understand if they were all entering double figures but in truth we will be lucky to get one of them into double figures by the end of the season.

Well said.

Balo's played for some big, big teams in the past, not least us. So there's something there. I always thought it was down to the manager and coaches to utilise a players skills in a way that was best for the team. People plead patience for BR who has shown none to Mario. Half a season in an under performing team doesn't give enough info. I'd love to see him given some game time now that the team is playing a bit better. He'd be bang up for the Chav match I bet.

[C-R]

After tonight's (sub) performance, i can see clearly why he is not getting a chance

[Doeboy]

Sorry to say we've got ourselves a dud. Always get the impression its a bit like the 'emperors new clothes'  with him, Lot of hype but no real substance. Yes he is capable of pulling off a quality goal now and again but now and again is not good enough at LFC. I just can't see him being a success here and would offload him as soon a decent opportunity arises