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

[RichC]

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.

Agreed.

He needs to do more but Hull was a step in the right direction we also need a few others to step up and get us going with a faster paced more direct style of football a la last season.

[BobTheCharmer]

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

I don't think you like anyone these days ken, you've gone all meldrew of late.

[Kenneth]

The list does seem to be getting smaller, but it's nothing new with Balotelli. I found him incredibly tiresome when he was at City and have since.

[BobTheCharmer]

The list does seem to be getting smaller, but it's nothing new with Balotelli. I found him incredibly tiresome when he was at City and have since.

Who do you like?

I feel myself wanting to whisper sweet nothings in Mario's ear. Its quite surreal. But I'd also like to steal one of his cars. What can it mean?

[Kenneth]

You're a gold-digger.

[BobTheCharmer]

Yeah that must be it.

[captainfog]

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

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

Of course, but he's a bit dim so he didn't do that. I would feel differently about the incident if he had instigated it but really all he's guilty of is being a bit brainless. Nothing new there then.

Everything about him, the baggage, the way he slumps his shoulders on the pitch, his selfishness, all if it wouldn't matter if he was scoring goals, but without that he offers next to nothing. It's why I didn't want him, but once we got him I figured at least he would do nothing for most of a game and then pop up and score an important goal, but he's just not doing that. The one thing he's good at has deserted him and it's left him looking a bit hopeless.

He's better than this, he has to be. He got more into things when Lambert came on against Hull and so I just hope we get to see more of that. It's got to be two up top or don't play him.

[DannyMan2006]

Rodgers is starting to say what I've said for a while. He's having to CHANGE Mario into a lone front man. The better idea may have been to buy one, but reasons aplenty why that may have not been possible.

If Rodgers can do what he is trying to do, then we will have what we all thought we were getting - a bloody bargain. And I have to be fair here, he's getting better by the game IMO. Starting to finally get in the right positions. Yes he's missed them, but if you're in the right positions, the goals will eventually come. No doubt about it.

I wouldn't write him off just yet people.

[MrMichael]

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.

No it isn't. You asked how he is to blame for our defensive inability to deal with long balls and our lack of goal threat from midfield; that Echo headline, while stupid, makes no reference (or inference) to either. Saying he should apologise for swapping shirts questions his overall committment and attitude but it really doesn't allocate any actual blame for the result.

The whole shirt-swap thing is obiously ludicrous, not the done thing in English football but it hardly matters in the grand scheme of things, as evidenced by the very muted reaction to "the controversy" among most fans. But the media do love using up column inches with dross about Balotelli, whether its swapping shirts or people photographing ferraris, all of it should be summarily ignored imo. What does matter is how the lad actually plays on the pitch... which up to now has been rather poorly.

[DannyMan2006]

MrM, you must admit that he's starting to slowly get better.

From zero link play, not getting in the box and crazy shots, to a bit of link play, limited long range shots and being in the position to miss more often. Not brilliant, but he is getting better.

[MrMichael]

MrM, you must admit that he's starting to slowly get better.

From zero link play, not getting in the box and crazy shots, to a bit of link play, limited long range shots and being in the position to miss more often. Not brilliant, but he is getting better.

If you consider going from a complete liability to an aimless passenger an improvement then yeah, I suppose so.

For a 24yr old international striker who has championship medals from several of Europe's biggest leagues it still is nowhere near good enough. And, on the evidence of his career so far up to this point, it never will be, which ultimately is my problem. Even if he starts putting the sitters in the net, everything else he does isn't good enough for our club. I simply think he's a bit ****, I always did when he was at City and I can't get past that; not one single monent so far in a red shirt has suggested anything otherwise to me.

Aspas gets lambasted for being useless by absolutely everyone, but I'm not sure he got the minutes in a whole season that Balotelli has for us in 2 months. I honestly don't know who I'd rather have. I do know however that I don't get why Mario is playing ahead of Lambert, and I most certainly wouldn't waste a place on him playing 2 up top when Sturridge gets fit.

[DannyMan2006]

I admit I expected better. I expected the basics. I don't understand how he wasn't able to play as a lone front man. But he has improved in that respect and according to Rodgers and everyone else is busting a gut in training.

He has natural talent, so with hard work & effort it will no doubt come good. I worried about the effort he'd show, but that has also improved. He's basically conforming to our style. It's been difficult and awkward to watch - and let's be honest we'd all be feeling better if he'd got a few goals to lessen the pain a bit. But it is what it is.

I admit I was worried, but I've thought on it quite a bit once the knifes came out for him, and only then did I notice the improvements - so I understand why most haven't noticed. They have been limited. But they are there. He will get better game on game.

By the time Danny is rested for a game after his return, Mario will be on song. This is the last I'll say on this subject until then, but people shouldn't be surprised when the tide turns in his favour.

[MrMichael]

I admit I expected better. I expected the basics. I don't understand how he wasn't able to play as a lone front man. But he has improved in that respect and according to Rodgers and everyone else is busting a gut in training.

He has natural talent, so with hard work & effort it will no doubt come good. I worried about the effort he'd show, but that has also improved. He's basically conforming to our style. It's been difficult and awkward to watch - and let's be honest we'd all be feeling better if he'd got a few goals to lessen the pain a bit. But it is what it is.

I admit I was worried, but I've thought on it quite a bit once the knifes came out for him, and only then did I notice the improvements - so I understand why most haven't noticed. They have been limited. But they are there. He will get better game on game.

By the time Danny is rested for a game after his return, Mario will be on song. This is the last I'll say on this subject until then, but people shouldn't be surprised when the tide turns in his favour.

I really hope you're right

[ronanm]

The danger is Mario will be so adept up front on his own Sturridge will have to stay on the bench once fit

[BigChief]

The danger is Mario will be so adept up front on his own Sturridge will have to stay on the bench once fit

You say that in jest but it would be just our fecking luck that Mario finds his goalscoring boots....just as we don't him anymore 'cos Sturridge is back.

Mario did look slightly more dangerous against Hull, got to the right areas to miss open goal chances which for him is a massive improvement.