Mario Balotelli [On the Road to Ballon d'or)

[Lecter]

Lack of goals is not the only problem. Crouch took yonks to score, but at least his build up play gave us hope. I completely fail to see how his team mates are responsible for him not having scored once from 30 shots. 21 of which just gave the opponent a goal kick. He has been set up on a plate several times too, nobody to blame but himself for those. A disfunctional system does not excuse the continual, abysmal wastefulness he exhibits with the ball in attacking areas and his utter inability to think of the team ahead of himself as an individual. And his history, 1 assist in 3 previous years in the Prem, along side being the least accurate striker in Europe last season, kinda suggests the issue is not just about us.

Everybody seems to want to make excuses for him, he just needed Rodgers to sort his head out, he just needed to get match sharp, he needs a partner, his team mates are to blame. Its all nonsense. This is Mario, this is how he has played in 95% of his whole career up to now, open goal misses mostly aside. Ask a City fan how many good games he had for them.

Crouch had played the lone forward role most of his career

[wiw]

He looks like a lost little boy out there, it's kinda depressing, and whereas a player with a stronger mentality would dig themselves out of it by running themselves into the ground, he doesn't seem to have it in him. I think he has to hit rock bottom before getting back up and he's surely done that by missing an open goal. If he can't get a bit of fight in him for the Madrid game then we might as well all give up. Wednesday is a big day for him and his future with us I'd say.

[Roboklopp]

Not glee, absolute, all consuming frustration. I utterly detest watching him play for us in a way I think only Heskey at his worst matched.

Who says he has been good in any way?

Thing is Alex, that isn't all he is. I can handle the misses, and I can accept a system argument for some of his all round play. What I cannot get with is the disgraceful waste of good possession with the constant, aimless shooting every time he gets the ball within 30 yards of goal, no matter how many teammates are around him or in better positions. You play with him, why would you bother to keep running beyond him into the box when you know the return ball just will not come?

Give me Lambert any day.

Aye.

[Maxiedge]

Positives from yesterday:

- was a lovely touch to Gerrard for that first half chance

- got himself in the box for the last second goal which forced the O.G.

- his lack of alertness for the first goal was a great decoy

I actually didn't have a problem with him taking those shots on yesterday as there didn't seem to be a glaring option as far as I could see. There were a few passes on but they weren't going to cut open the defence. He has got a thunderbolt of a right foot and should be encouraged to shoot.

Negatives:

- he's a bit mopey, isn't he? You'd think with all the support and will in the world for him to do well, he could at least make an effort

- he looks tougher than he is.

- the 'slips'. Happens so often. Is it the boots? I do hate those pink/blue boots anyway.

I've never been his biggest fan but now that he's here, **** it, lets just persevere and see what happens. He's still a better option than Borini and Lambert but only just.

[Fivex]

What work rate???!! That is the biggest issue for me, he offers no pressing and barely gives the creative midfielders decent enough movement to work to.

Blatant NLP there from Rodgers.

[Gazzla]

It was a truly horrible performance from him but lets not proclaim Lambert as some kinda saviour, he looked out of his depth at home to Middlesborough let alone throwing him in against Real Madrid.

One thing I will say is that no matter who has played up front and I include Sturridge in this is that all our strikers have looked ****e because they are being starved of service and isolated with no support, it's no coincidence that the best we've played this year was at Spurs when we played 2 up front, Ballotelli and Sturridge looked a real threat together

[dww]

It was a truly horrible performance from him but lets not proclaim Lambert as some kinda saviour, he looked out of his depth at home to Middlesborough let alone throwing him in against Real Madrid.

One thing I will say is that no matter who has played up front and I include Sturridge in this is that all our strikers have looked ****e because they are being starved of service and isolated with no support, it's no coincidence that the best we've played this year was at Spurs when we played 2 up front, Ballotelli and Sturridge looked a real threat together

I think you could argue that this season Ballotelli and Sturridge in that game has been the only combination that has worked for us.

So far Ballotelli has looked like a failed gamble. However, I do think in a team functioning like a unite we would get a better idea of his real level and attitude.

[Pablo]

Just as people want to make excuses, a similar amount seem to be taking glee in him failing.

I dont think he has been as good as some say, but equally hasn't been as bad as some say.

Somewhere in the middle is fair IMO. He is a striker who is failing to score, and the spotlight is rightly on him because of that. Not much else too it.

Lambert has been far worse this season I think.

Glee in him failing? No chance. Watching him fail like this is one of the most annoying things I've ever seen watching Liverpool. I had doubts he'd suit us, but I didn't think he'd be this much of a mis-match, or THIS frustrating to watch.

I can't stand him and I take no glee in saying that at all.

[baitman]

Our fans have made a banner proclaiming his genius though!

they can store it next to the aquilani one

[Tee]

Blatant NLP there from Rodgers.

What is NLP?

[Tee]

they can store it next to the aquilani one

And the Charlie Adam one.

[Muddled]

What is NLP?

Neuro-Linguistic Programming.

[Tee]

Neuro-Linguistic Programming.

Ahhhh, I see......

[Fivex]

Ahhhh, I see......

He openly admits he uses the technique iirc, obviously he uses phrases like that trying to condition the subconscious of our laziest ever signing.

All under control!

[Roboklopp]

Glee in him failing? No chance. Watching him fail like this is one of the most annoying things I've ever seen watching Liverpool. I had doubts he'd suit us, but I didn't think he'd be this much of a mis-match, or THIS frustrating to watch.


I can't stand him and I take no glee in saying that at all.

Aye, this glee thing is utter bull****. The likes oif you, me & Mr M have posted here for years & never been gleeful about any player of ours being ****.

Neuro-Linguistic Programming.