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

[alonso14]

He has taken a lot of stick, some of it deserved, but brendans article saying we were looking at other options which didn't work out so with a couple of days remaining of the transfer window we took a gamble on Mario didn't help. How will an article like that help a new signing feel comfortable at a new club and find confidence. If anything its undermined his brief time as a Liverpool player.

Personally I think as a club we have hung him out to dry and no amount of back tracking by the manager is going to help him. Now he has to help himself by upping his work rate and getting some goals. But I feel the club are briefing against him.

[S-RED]

Personally I think as a club we have hung him out to dry and no amount of back tracking by the manager is going to help him.

I think you are right with this point, very bad PR from the club when he signed; it was almost BR distancing himself from the signing on day one.

[MrMichael]

Our problems aren't caused by Mario balotelli. How is he to blame for the defensive problems in that every long ball into the box causes panic stations,

He isn't

why is he to blame for the lack of goal threat from the middle of the pitch

He isn't either... please quote an example where anyone has said he is to blame for these things?

- how many goals have Henderson, Allen, Gerrard and Can scored? our four creative players sterling, coutinho, lallana and markovic probably have 5 goals between them.

Which would be 5 more than Balotelli still. Whose specific job, unlike theirs, and especially as he offers so little else, is to put the ball in the net. Instead he's been missing chances you expect a youth team striker to score.

Why is everyone pointing the finger at Mario balotelli and why is the club not really defending him. He is the easy target and certain people at the club are more than happy for Mario to be the scapegoat when he's not to blame for most of the problems.

All people are doing is deflecting the problems onto one player. Mario sometimes makes it hard for himself but Is it really marios fault that were completely rubbish ?

No, but it is his fault that he is rubbish. He chooses to shoot when he has no chance of scoring. He constantly wastes possession by having no clue about passing the football. He fails to read the game and make the right runs on goal. Every argument in your post is beside the point; in a topic about Balotelli people pointing out that he isn't a very good player isn't about blame, it is just observation of incontrovertible and unavoidable fact.

[Kenneth]

I think you are right with this point, very bad PR from the club when he signed; it was almost BR distancing himself from the signing on day one.

I wouldn't say almost, I think it's clear it wasn't his idea. He has given him plenty of opportunities so far though, arguably more than he's deserved.

[alonso14]

He isn't



He isn't either... please quote an example where anyone has said he is to blame for these things?



Which would be 5 more than Balotelli still. Whose specific job, unlike theirs, and especially as he offers so little else, is to put the ball in the net. Instead he's been missing chances you expect a youth team striker to score.



No, but it is his fault that he is rubbish. He chooses to shoot when he has no chance of scoring. He constantly wastes possession by having no clue about passing the football. He fails to read the game and make the right runs on goal. Every argument in your post is beside the point; in a topic about Balotelli people pointing out that he isn't a very good player isn't about blame, it is just observation of incontrovertible and unavoidable fact.

One of the Liverpool echos headline after our defeat to real Madrid was 'apologise' in reference to his swapping shirts at half time. They put the whole emphasis of the defeat onto one player.

That's shifting all of the blame onto Mario balotelli.

[RichC]

I thought Mario was better against Hull tbh, still not to the level we need but he cut out the daft 40 yard pot-shots and actually played some decent balls in and around the area.

We desperately need Sturridge back though and I'd like to see them play in a two; the midfield need to step up a bit as well as going forwards we're looking a little unsure at the moment and I think some of that is reverting to playing one up top.

[Kenneth]

One of the Liverpool echos headline after our defeat to real Madrid was 'apologise' in reference to his swapping shirts at half time. They put the whole emphasis of the defeat onto one player.

That's shifting all of the blame onto Mario balotelli.

It may be shifting the focus, but it's not shifting the blame.

[Red_Polo]

One of the Liverpool echos headline after our defeat to real Madrid was 'apologise' in reference to his swapping shirts at half time. They put the whole emphasis of the defeat onto one player.

That's shifting all of the blame onto Mario balotelli.

I agree with you to some degree.

He is getting singled out, including in some thinly veiled comments from the manager and to my mind that is neither fair nor conducive to him improving.

However, it is our lack of goals more than defensive frailties that have held us back, and Balotelli has been a huge part of that.

So whilst I don't think it's right he has been given so much ****, there are reasons people are taking their frustrations out on him ahead of others.

[captainfog]

The shirt swapping thing is a load of old ****. He was approached by a RM player, not the other way around. What was he supposed to do? Tell him to **** off? Should have waited till he was the out of shot and then done it. Just another example of him being a bit dim.

[Kenneth]

Telling him to **** off or waiting until out of sight would have been better, yes

[Mark79]

Or just tell him they could swap shirts at full time. Simple really.

[BobTheCharmer]

I like him and feel sorry for him. Looks like he has the weight of the world on his shoulders. So want him to score.

[Kenneth]

I don't like him but also want him to start scoring for obvious reasons.

[Roboklopp]

I like him, but don't want him to score for reasons of being awkward.

[G]

I thought Mario was better against Hull tbh, still not to the level we need but he cut out the daft 40 yard pot-shots and actually played some decent balls in and around the area.

We desperately need Sturridge back though and I'd like to see them play in a two; the midfield need to step up a bit as well as going forwards we're looking a little unsure at the moment and I think some of that is reverting to playing one up top.

He was a better. It was noticeable that his first choice when receiving the ball around the area was to pass rather than the usual head down and blast one. If he can carry on taking things on board and improving he'll be useful. His movement was better too, particularly when Lambert came on but we need a lot more of it.