Brendan Rodgers

[RedRum]

We all hope and believe that mario Balotelli and Daniel sturridge in attack will change our results.

I hope so but I don't believe it. It seems to me Balotelli is just not good enough.

[Bender]

We all hope and believe that mario Balotelli and Daniel sturridge in attack will change our results.

So do the rest of the Liverpool Team

[alonso14]

I hope so but I don't believe it. It seems to me Balotelli is just not good enough.

In my eyes at the moment the team isn't quite set up to allow Mario to play to his strengths so he looks very clumsy. Other players can sometimes come and not play their preferred roles and still do a job but I'm not sure Mario is like that.

Personally, I think if Daniel and Mario are played together in attack, then we will see the best of Mario who looks like he needs the freedom to roam around. He has some quite unique strengths because I haven't seen a striker built like a target man but who prefers to play off someone before. Normally, the little one plays off the big one but I think for us it could be the other way around, Mario will play off Daniel sturridge. Before I am shot down he reminds me a little of Eric cantona.

His touch is amazing, but the team has to be built around giving him freedom around the edge of the box. But like everyone else I am not sure whether Mario should be given the free role ahead of philipe coutinho or Raheem sterling. Is he good enough to have our team built around him rather than the other 4 no.10's we have in the squad.

Maybe Brendan can do what he did with Luis Suarez and get him playing in certain areas more than going wherever he likes.

[ChrisDR1968]

When he has Balotelli and Sturridge available again will Rodgers consider both to be undroppable like he did last season with Suarez and Sturridge?

He appears to only play two up front when he feels he has no choice in the matter for the above reason. Instinctively he seems to be a lone striker kind of manager.

[DannyMan2006]

He wasn't electric for the whole of the season - his form dropped off considerably come the run in, the goals weren't going in at the same superhuman rate and he looked jaded. What he did offer though was presence and inspiration to his team mates - they played the way he did, he lifted them when he was on the pitch, probably more than Steven Gerrard ever managed when he was at his peak.

Sorry mate, agree initially, but saying Suarez carried LFC more than Gerrard ever did, nah mate.

[frank the tank]

Sorry mate, agree initially, but saying Suarez carried LFC more than Gerrard ever did, nah mate.

the guy won a european cup with a team containing Traore, Baros, Cisse, Riise and Harry Kewell......

[BigChief]

the guy won a european cup with a team containing Traore, Baros, Cisse, Riise and Harry Kewell......

Its not even in the same ballpark as some might say.

[Daniel 7]

You may have a point when you put it like that! I'd argue that Suarez's league impact last season was greater than Gerrard's in a league campaign, but that's subjective and possibly influenced by the passage of time.

Whats without doubt though, is that we have been lucky to have had two massively influential players that have lifted lesser players to achieve better things. Don't forget though, that Gerrard had alongside him Pepe Reina, Alonso, Mascherano, Carragher, Hyypia and Torres...

Hardly a ragtag bunch of players

[Daniel 7]

Sorry mate, agree initially, but saying Suarez carried LFC more than Gerrard ever did, nah mate.

Misread that - I never said carried, I said inspired. Different thing altogether. Stand by the impact that Suarez had over a league campaign though - they never got closer than last season since winning it in 1990

[BigChief]

He didn't have Reina, Mascherano and Torres when lifting the CL trophy, but you have a point. Its just that Gerrard is always involved in matches, and often turns up for the big games.

Not revising history but Suarez didn't turn up until nearly Christmas. Sturridge and Coutinho did all the groundwork for us. Then he didn't turn up for the likes of Chelsea, etc. You could never, ever imagine a 26 year old Gerrard just cruising through those sorts of league games.

Unheard of.

[The_weatherman]

He didn't have Reina, Mascherano and Torres when lifting the CL trophy, but you have a point. Its just that Gerrard is always involved in matches, and often turns up for the big games.

Not revising history but Suarez didn't turn up until nearly Christmas. Sturridge and Coutinho did all the groundwork for us. Then he didn't turn up for the likes of Chelsea, etc. You could never, ever imagine a 26 year old Gerrard just cruising through those sorts of league games.

Unheard of.

That's a bit harsh IMO.

[Daniel 7]

He didn't have Reina, Mascherano and Torres when lifting the CL trophy, but you have a point. Its just that Gerrard is always involved in matches, and often turns up for the big games.

Not revising history but Suarez didn't turn up until nearly Christmas. Sturridge and Coutinho did all the groundwork for us. Then he didn't turn up for the likes of Chelsea, etc. You could never, ever imagine a 26 year old Gerrard just cruising through those sorts of league games.

Unheard of.

Never turned up?!?!

He scored 20 goals in 15 games between the end of September and the end of December - I've never heard such redrawing of history!

[Norbs]

He was overrated

[DannyMan2006]

Gerrard at his peak turned up week in, week out. And he always showed up for the big games. Goals in an FA Cup, League Cup, UEFA Cup & CL Final. The ultimate big game player.

[Tee]

Gerrard at his peak turned up week in, week out. And he always showed up for the big games. Goals in an FA Cup, League Cup, UEFA Cup & CL Final. The ultimate big game player.

The benchmark. The reference point. The greatest English player of all time. The greatest Liverpool player of all time. I love you Stevie G.