GRAEME SOUNESS, Gary Neville, Jamie Carragher and that no mark troll Adrian Durham are just some of the public figures who have thrown their hats into the public ring this week. Plenty of others have already had their say. Criticism is rife and it’s anything but unexpected. This is what Mario Balotelli brings with him.
When you ‘put yourself out there’ as Mario does (he gets weird haircuts and does daft stuff once in a while, dontchaknow), you’re open to shots against you. With just one Liverpool goal to his name and plenty of detractors who have been waiting to jump on him from the moment he signed on at Anfield, Balotelli is under fire. But should he be?
‘Work rate’ and ‘Attitude’ are two phrases that are never far from anyone’s lips when they are looking to chastise the Italian. Indeed, a national newspaper this week compiled a head to head comparison of Liverpool’s forward and Arsenal’s Danny Welbeck. Predictably, two of the categories used were centred around those exact attributes. Unsurprisingly, Balotelli did not come off favourably in either sub section.
The problem for Mario is that so many people have already made up their minds about him. They did so long ago. He’s marmite. You have to be compelled to love him or hate him apparently. No nuance or objectivity is required, just sweeping generalisations and stereotyping. When Jose Mourinho criticizes a player many lemmings, particularly in England, immediately write said player off. Souness mentioned how the Portuguese manager disposed immediately of Mario on Sky prior to Liverpool’s game with Basel. The ex Liverpool manager failed to mention that – apart from the fact that what he asserted was total bull shit – Mourinho used Balotelli regularly during the season his Inter Milan team won the treble. Mario played wide a lot that season, too. You know, as one of Mourinho’s famed ‘defensive forwards’. Fancy that, eh Graeme? It matters not to people like Souness though. Perception is everything when it comes to Mario.
We know this, not because of the fact that his performances are being criticized, but because of the nature of the criticism. Ask any Liverpool fan what has frustrated them about their new striker so far and it will likely be one of two things. One, he’s not scored enough goals. Two, his movement in the box needs to improve. The thing that has impressed the supporters of Balotelli’s new club? They would most likely be his work rate and his attitude.
In almost every game Balotelli has featured in for the reds he has been targeted physically. Whether it was Eric Dier lunging in at him from behind with a brain dead ‘welcome to the Premier League’ challenge, Alan Hutton and Tony Hibbert ‘leaving one on him’ (following through with intent after winning the ball as it’s also known) or Philippe Senderos blatantly booting him up in the air off the ball, Balotelli is coming in for some severe stick during matches. He has a temper and opponents are trying to stoke the fire within to get him sent off. It hasn’t worked yet. Despite numerous occasions where he would have been justified in losing his rag and reacting to the provocation, the Italian has kept his head. He’s usually muttered some words or limped away (something else Graeme Souness doesn’t like about him, incidentally. Limping after being kicked? Not in my day etc etc) to get on with the game. Long may it continue.
Of course, no one out to slam Balotelli cares about such a thing. The way he deals with provocation will only matter when he loses his cool. It is easy to guess what the media’s reaction would have been had the Italian lashed out at Stewart Downing in the hilariously idiotic manner that Wayne Rooney did last weekend. ‘Liability’ is a word that would probably have been written and uttered repeatedly. In truth, it’s a word that is already out there when it comes to Mario.
Yes, minds are well and truly made up. Too few people who analyse the game of football are willing to scratch beneath the surface and actually break down what the Italian is or isn’t doing at Anfield. It’s apparently much easier to simply stick to the clichés about how he’s a lazy madman who couldn’t care less about his team. Neville Southall gave an unintentionally hysterical radio interview recently where he proclaimed that he had ‘never seen the lad (Balotelli) have a good game, ever’. Remember he’s talking about a player who led Italy to the Euro 2012 final, helped send England packing from the recent World Cup, scored the opening two goals in Manchester City’s most famous 6-1 demolition of city rivals United at Old Trafford, scored 12 times in 13 Serie A matches to drag Milan into the Champions League and has a winners medal in that competition, Serie A and the Premier League at the age of 24. Neville mustn’t watch much football. As for facts? Bah, who need them? He’s got mad hair, has had the odd fight in training and wears colourful boots. He’s ‘hard to like’ as Souness again said on Sky during his pre game hatchet job….sorry ‘analysis’.
The predictable, ignorant barbs aimed at Balotelli were always likely to come. A striker that isn’t scoring goals is never far from negative headlines, especially one with such a profile as high as his. Critiquing his performances is expected. There are aspects of his play that require work and it’s completely justified to focus on those areas. But the amount of asinine ‘he doesn’t work as hard as Luis Suarez’ style drivel that is saturating the media at large and social networking sites is enough to make your head spin.
Take his performance against Everton. He was given a standing ovation from the Anfield crowd when he was substituted. Safe to say they liked what the saw. He battled, tracked back, tackled, won fouls, held the ball up, brought others into play and was two inches away from finishing the game off when he hit the cross bar. If the ball hadn’t clipped an unwitting Tim Howard on the shoulder he’d have been the derby day hero and probably the man of the match. As it was, the ball didn’t nestle in the back of the net and people merely chalked it up as another goalless, bad performance from the polarising clown that is Mario Balotelli. Ex red Steve Nichol said on ESPN that Rickie Lambert would have done just as good a job in that match after the final whistle before going on to castigate the Italian’s performance. The word ‘ridiculous’ doesn’t do such analysis justice. If you know a word that does please feel free to let me know because I’m struggling to sum that little gem up.
I could go on to question exactly why it is that a player who has clearly put in a great amount of effort during his time in a red shirt is still widely perceived as lazy. I’ll save that potentially controversial topic for another day though. I’ll just say that Andy Carroll barely put in 10% of the effort Balotelli has exhibited during his stint on Merseyside and yet the tall, aggressive, bull-dog spirited Geordie’s work rate was and is seldom questioned. You can make your own minds up on why that may be. I can think of numerous reasons that I won’t go into here.
Instead I’d rather focus ultimately on how Balotelli is performing for the reds and how the future looks for him. To me, as an individual the striker is playing well. He’s winning plenty of battles, he’s got obvious skill and great control and he’s showing a real desire to work hard for his team mates. His performances against Everton and Spurs in particular point to better days ahead. His goal record from open play doesn’t suggest he will ever become a man who can score 20 league goals in England unless Steven Gerrard relinquishes penalty duties, but then we all thought that about Luis Suarez after 18 months on these shores. For me, the keys to harnessing Balotelli’s obvious qualities are Raheem Sterling and Daniel Sturridge.
With the Italian playing up front on his own Brendan Rodgers’ side have looked somewhat toothless. There are too few darting runs behind and across opposing defences. People will say that this is Balotelli’s job and he’s not doing it, but it should be clear to those detractors that things like that aren’t natural to the big forward. He’s not Daniel Sturridge or Luis Suarez and he never will be.
He’s far happier feeling a defender up against him, rolling his marker and popping it off or firing at goal. The lack of a striker like Sturridge and the repositioning of Sterling within the Liverpool team has hurt Balotelli’s game. Opposing defences focus intently on him, safe in the knowledge that they have little else to worry about in central areas. He doesn’t have a player to slip in when he gets the ball under control near the box. Too often, there is a lack of runners breaking their necks to get beyond the target man. Jordan Henderson is either sat way too deep or living in fear at having to track back should he not receive the ball after a forward run because he’s the only one with legs in the centre of the park. Raheem Sterling is playing out wide hugging the touchline a lot of the time and Lazar Markovic is completely lacking in conviction and confidence. Only Adam Lallana has semi regularly linked up with Balotelli and he’s hardly a player that looks to spring in behind defenders too often.
One assumes that with Sturridge in tandem and Sterling breaking from behind, as was the case at Spurs on Mario’s début, space and the quality of opportunities for the Italian will be increased. When Sturridge has been reintegrated into the team and lined up regularly with Balotelli that will be the time to properly judge the striker. Right now he’s merely an isolated forward lacking in service and support in an under-performing outfit. Most top strikers would be struggling to excel in such circumstances just as Balotelli undoubtedly is. As I’ve argued, there are many reasons for this.
Just don’t tell me it’s this way because he’s lazy.
Is ******* right!
Spot on. Heard Ray Clemence jump on the bang wagon on Thursday. Questioned BBC’s George Riley about lazy punditry.
As you would expect, he wasn’t having it, because balance doesn’t create chat. Whilst condemning Mario does.
The Balotelli bashers. Straight up racists those suckers are. Simple and plain.
Excellent article this. The goals will come if Balotelli continues like this. I’ve been very impressed by his discipline and work rate so far. Whether his style of play fits into the Brendan Rodgers model is a different matter and what should be debated by intelligent people like Jamie Carragher. The likes of Souness I just can’t be bothered with.
I have to second your comment. The excessive criticism of Balotelli is ultimately an expression of repressed racism that is alive and kicking even in liberal modern day Britain. I am not a big fan of his but the implication that he goes down too easily, is not putting in enough hard work and needs to just ‘get in the box’ is infantile. There is so much bovine scatology coming from the mouths of even Liverpool fans as well as the ‘lazy pundits’. The comparison with Andy Carroll is interesting. Clearly he was younger when signed by LFC but his record hardly justified the hype surrounding his move. Carroll certainly did not have the adequate fitness levels and all round application to back up his limited strike rate. The difference is that he is seen as ‘one of our boys’ from an old fashioned working-class background so people can relate to him. He was given the benefit of the doubt. Mario has no such luxury and having been eviscerated by the middle class twitterati, everyman and his dog thinks that they know about Balotelli. Confirmation bias rules all – totally neglecting that respected football managers have picked Balotelli up, said favourable things about his work ethic and some are still playing him…
he needs to grab a goal or two and he’ll stop being an easy target.
Fortunately, Living in Sweden I miss out on most of your so called experts, however we have quite a few as well. Usually you would get Jamie on some stream or download and he has ceertainly found his spot after his playing days was done. In sweden it will generally take about 30 seconds (or whenever Balotelli has his first contact with the opposition before you’ll hear the commentator say “Balotelli looks very frustrated”. Always the same. To me he’s very much alike Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Totally opposite of Suarez work rate and movement, but with very strong technical and physical skills. With that said, the thing that pleased me the most last season was our ability to press high and score on attacks that started very high. Mario is not at all at the right level in the pressing game and that is resulting in a vulnerability in the midfield and defence. I am hoping though that Brendan solves this, and pretty fast, whatever the solution. I’m not expecting a rather tall and heavy Mario to press like SSS.
Well what an insightful article,I’m on the other side of the World,& I’m not familiar with your writing. I have to say that I could not have put it better. When Mario has some support,players running in behind the defense,not only will he hold the ball up & then find the the right pass but,maybe score himself ! I look forward to your next well balanced article !
Nice to see some common sense. You make a good point along the lines of if Howard hadn’t made that wonder save then we’d have all been getting Mario haircuts on Saturday afternoon. I made a similar point myself about ‘fine lines’. I like the lad (obviously don’t know him but…). I like his personality. I like the fact that he’s less robotic than most footballers. The game needs characters. As paying fans we need characters. He seems a warm man and slightly fragile beneath the persona. None of that’s got anything to do with the on the pitch but I think he’s done alright there too. There were times against Basel when my blood raced a bit because he had one or two momentary sulks because something hadn’t gone his way but they didn’t last long. It was almost as if he’d remembered who he plays for and snapped out of it. I agree with everyone else that Sturridge will make him look better. Thought he showed some good moments in the last 2 games. That’s all I want from a new player. I just wanna see flashes to prove there’s something there. I’ve seen little flashes in Markovic too. It’s when a player just looks shit full stop when you worry and we’ve had a fair few of them.
Personally, I won’t be paying any attention to anything Graeme Souness says. Fantastic player but has been a failure in almost everything he’s touched since. I mean, this is a man who had a moustache for over half his adult life. This brings me back to saying the game needs characters. What’s going on with football pundits? Who picks these people? Who thinks ‘he’ll be good to talk about the match at half time’? You can count on one hand the number of good ones in the country. It’s unbelievable what we’ll accept as licence payers or for those who pay subscriptions.
I’ve been biting my tongue for a while now but if anyone speaks to me and says Liverpool fans are the best in the world I’ll probably just punch them. I know we have loads of fans which will mean the full spectrum but it’s getting embarrassing now. Don’t assume this is the Twitter crew who’ve been supporting us since we beat City last year. I’m talking in the ground too. Less so but even so. I feel Mario’s has been supported by the Kop though. People have either short memory’s or know absolutely nothing about football. I don’t claim to know much myself but I understand the basics. I have a very small grasp of common sense. Unfortunately, a lot don’t seem to. It’s not my place to say people shouldn’t question but it’s got well beyond that of late. I can only describe it as hysteria. I wondered be surprised if a fair few of them had moustaches.
I’m sure he will become good one day. Waiting for the time he fully riped in the red shirt!
Firstly, I’d like to say it was a well written article. I disagree with several thinsg you mentioned, but I do accept it’s always easier to pick at an article than to write one. In any case, that’s what I’m about to do.
You actually contradict yourself without probably realising. By describing Balotelli as “marmite…love him or hate him” you equally undermine those who unquestioningly think he is quality. Such fans are simply the polar opposite of those who think he can do no right.
I don’t like Balotelli as a player. Apart from his exquisite first touch (one of the best I’ve seen) and dead-ball expertise, I take very, very little pleasure in watching him play. I didn’t want him at Liverpool, but once the deal happened I hoped he’d be a success. As a Liverpool fan, have I been impressed with his work rate? Sure. Simply because I’m aware that Balotelli’s work rate has never been his greatest attribute. I don’t need some half-wit pundit to tell me that, I was able to discern that for myself having watched him play for Manchester City and Italy. It’s for that reason that he was given a standing ovation versus Everton. Not because he had been immense, but because he – Mario Balotelli, “the lazy one” – had put in a shift. Compared to the work rate of players like Henderson, Suarez and Kuyt, I can’t say I’ve been overly impressed.
As for his temperment, he may not have kicked, elbowed, or bitten anybody, but his body language is quite often pathetic. Yes he is the target of some quite poor, cynical challenges by some of the league’s most talentless defenders, and referees are contributing to this by constantly turning a blind eye. But Balotelli is too willing to become the victim on the pitch. The fact that remarkably average players like Senderos can throw Balotelli off his game is worrying. This treatment isn’t going to change any time soon. So unless you’re using “we’re being bullied” card (so often played by Wenger and his Gunnerettes), I’m not sure what your point is. Again, this is not about being led by shit pundits, but simply by comparing Balotelli to his peers.
There will be those who criticise Balotelli for reasons that have nothing to do with football. I was one Andy Carroll’s fiercest critics. For me, he was a waster. A professional footballer who was willing to come to Liverpool and earn 80k per week, but couldn’t be arsed to do any gym work. A player who had such a weak core that every time he passed the ball he seemed to fall over. And you’re right, neither his attitude or professionalism was questioned to the same degree as is Balotelli’s. But that, for me, doesn’t change the fact that Balotelli has never been a consistent performer for club or country. Although I’m hoping he can prove otherwise, Balotelli remains one of the biggest myths in European football.
Have you read Rory Smith’s article on Balotelli? If not I recommend it.
I haven’t read Rory Smith’s article on Balotelli. But I won’t bother reading it as I find Rory to be a bit wet, and I’m not particularly interested in what football journalists from national newspapers have to say.
Given your other comment on this piece, I will hazard a guess that he suggests Balotelli is a victim of racially influenced perceptions. If so, I wouldn’t argue with that, per se. As I mentioned in my previous tweet, Carroll should have been hammered for his time at Anfield, but he got off quite easily. Players like Ibrahimovic and Berbatov are lauded, whereas someon like Balotelli is seen as some uncontrollable kid.
But that, for me, is a different issue. I spelled out my issue with Balotelli in the post above. My opinion of him has nothing to do with his race (I am half black and first experienced casual racial abuse in football at U15 level) or what the media tells me about him (I rarely read national papers and I am even less likely to listen to the half-time pundits on ITV), it is based on what I have seen of him time and time again. I know there are many Liverpool fans who are desperate for him to be a success, but it is silly to conflate two clearly separate issues – namely, Balotelli’s performance levels and the media portrayal of Balotelli.
Excellent article, Ive been thinking for a while that when sturridge returns then ballo will be a different prospect all together. I dont think its a coincidence that our best performance was away at spurs and I put a lot of that down to the opposition defenders being concerned with sterling ballo and sturridge. Even if ballo drops deep you know that sterling or sturridge will run in behind. We just need to be patient.
Great piece this. The Balotelli bashing is closet racism. No English white striker would be subjected to the amount of criticism he has especially a youngster who has just turned 24. Balotelli is the arrogant Black boy who can’t be managed. Just like Sturridge was before we signed him remember. Souness still refuses to give Studge credit by the way.
The biggest disappointment is Brendan throwing Mario under the bus. So much for him being the manager to look after him.
He’s always been the English media target, and always will be. We should know them for what they are, because we are from Liverpool, and we should understand more than anyone what how media operate and how they stereotype people from this city – and Mario Balotelli is no different. What I can’t understand is us taking the lazy stereotypes fed to us by the red tops and regurgitating them.
I don’t yet know whether he will or won’t be a roaring success at Anfield, cos you never really do until months after a player comes here, but what I do know is that he was the media’s bogeyman at City and he’s the media’s bogeyman here, and we of all people should know better than to fall in line with them
Absolutely ridiculous. It doesn’t make a rats a##e of a difference what colour the man is. He’s a professional athlete who should be more than capable of harrassing defenders, and working hard. It’s 90 or 180 minutes a week we’re talking about. Jesus, you can’t even rightly criticize nor question a mans work ethic without being branded a racist anymore. I can tell you for an absolute fact that I couldn’t care less if he was white, pink, yellow, black, brown, orange, blue, muslim, christian, jewish, gay or transgender. I just want the chap to actually put a shift in and god forbid look like he actually cares. Singing liverpool songs on helium, nor shaving a liver bird into your head doesn’t cut the mustard. Putting a shift in on that thing called a football pitch is what truly matters. Is that really too much to ask of the modern day footballer? It obviously is in todays politically correct world gone mad. I’ve a feeling Balotelli thinks he’s a superstar footballer. He isn’t. Simples. He’s not Ronaldo, Messi, Suarez, Best, Pele, Zidane, Henry, et al. He’s a decent player with decent attributes who could put himself into the world class bracket if he actually dedicated the short career he has into being the best he possibly can be, rather than strike the ‘I’m Mario’, devil may care attitude out on the pitch. He won’t have a long career at Liverpool. You can quote me on that.
Good article, What exactly has Balotelli done wrong? Been thrown into a terribly underperforming team and system(s) that don’t suit him – and been expected to be their saviour? His control is exceptional (I now realise after having watched him for more than just a few MotDs) and his footballing brain for passes (let’s forget the brain for offsides) is superb. If he had no touches in the opposition area (cf. Guardian) – who are you going to blame? Him? His runs should be better to get on the end of the very few crosses – most of which were abject shite anyway – from players he doesn’t know?
Attitude? I would have stormed out of the pub without applauding after full time in our last four games if I hadn’t already had a pint on the table. Yeah, I know the circumstances are a few million different, belief is that, spirit is this, obligation is… maybe even similar. But nothing trumps being pissed off.
Anyway, not saying he’s great, playing well, or even could become a part of the side. May never become more than an enigmatic sidenote in football’s – let alone Liverpool’s – history. But this is not the time to pass judgement. May be heaven, may be hell. So what? We bought him. Pundits called it a no-brainer,..
As for Souness; one of the top three players I have EVER seen in the flesh. Had everything. Thought Julian Dicks was a left-back and Paul Stewart a midfielder worthy of Liverpool.
As for Neville. Well, as for Neville.
Have to agree with Theoria & JCuzzy1. The only other player I’ve heard described as lazy in recent years where I sit is Daniel Sturridge. Coincidence? I doubt it.
Good point @ Sturridge. I always thought highly of him and could very well see his potential. So happy he ended up a Red. Given a run of matches, he and Balotelli may be something explosive. Only time will tell. Good to see some varied opinion on the man.
Well. I’ve learned something new about myself tonight. Seems I’m racist. Now I just thought that I’d been watching 4/5 Liverpool matches and been disappointed with what I saw, but turns out I’m a member of the Klu Klux Klan. Who’d have thought?! Now I understand why I shout so much at Johnson and why I groan every time Sturridge shoots wildly. And as for those two Spanish fullbacks…send em back.
Fact is, the team have been off the boil ever since Sturridge got injured. Coutinho has let his head drop, Lallana struggled to get fit after injury and the 3 new defenders have taken time to slot in. Not to mention Sterling, (damn, forgot about him, will have to mention his long eye lashes and effeminate walk at the next lodge meeting).
But I do criticise Balotelli. He’s not Suarez, I’m not daft. But he ambles about sometimes like he’s not interested. Granted, it was pre season and he’d just come back from injury, but when we played AC Milan I was praying we wouldn’t bid for him, he was awful. I’m sure there are lots of players with lovely touches, and yes, use it to your advantage, but don’t try and dribble if you can’t. Don’t stand about when players around you are busting a gut. Don’t give the impression you are not arsed. Don’t ignore your manager and walk straight down the tunnel. I was impressed with him against Everton and because he tried, (and because Lallana looked fitter) and so the team played better. But he’ll never be my favourite, not because pundits tell me he’s hopeless, but because I see someone who is not up to it. He’s a name like Beckham. Sturridge is vastly superior to Mario and deserves his contract. I guarantee Balotelli won’t get an extension, (unless he’s having building work done), not because Brendan is racist, but because Mario won’t learn or adapt. He hasn’t lashed out yet, but it’s early doors. Balotelli getting sent off or letting the team down is as predictable as Suarez engineering a move away each summer.
Just as I was putting my white hood on I realised…Sakho! Disgraceful. French and black, no wonder.
Don’t type tripe everyone and I’ll stop typing drivel too. If a man is big enough to put himself in the firing line, then he will be talked about. If that same man has a job to do and doesn’t do it, he will then get criticised. It’s very easy. My advice to Mario is this…Keep your head down, stop visiting Djibril Cisse’s barber and listen to Brendan. Listen and do. Work hard. Then no one can criticise.
And another thing, that bloody Belgian…
Have to say I agree with your main point here. It’s not fair to bring racism into this.
I can see the point of the accusers. I remember in the 80’s, Britain’s comedians would perpetuate a myth with their humour. Lazy blacks, thick Irish, tight Scots etc. There are some players, like Berbatov, who do have an air of laziness on the pitch. Balotelli has his own style too. If someone wants to interpret that as laziness then it’s up to them. It’s nothing to do with racism. The jury is definitely still out on Balotelli both as a striker and regarding his work rate. Personally, I think he’s done ok so far and I’ve been impressed with his work rate. If that changes though, then i reserve the right to use terms such as ‘a bit lethargic’ without being branded a racist.
The only ‘real’ Liverpool performmance we’ve seen this season so far is Spurs away (i.e. diamond behind Sturridge and a partner); say we miss out on top 4 by a few points next May after we’ve got it together I’ll be thinking back to September 2014 fuming over England injuring Sturridge. People can scapegoat Rodgers or Balotelli if it makes them feel better. Whatever.
What else that was lazy about the post-Basel punditry was Souness moaning about Markovic (new lad who is only 20) and Coutinho (he’s not: he got stuck in playing in midfield in the title race) being fanny players. No one mentioned how Can and Allen are injured. It’s conjecture but you’ve got to give Rodgers a bit of credit and assume he’d at least start one of them away in Europe if they were available.
The legitimate criticism is the defending on set pieces. There’s no Sturridge at the minute or Suarez anymore but an underrated quality of our run in the second half of last season was how we somehow got good at set pieces (in both boxes – not just the goals) for the first time in years. Skrtel’s decided to revert back to his habit of wrestling his man again and Rodgers can only lead a horse to water.
Gerrard nailed it in his post-match interview: they didn’t even have to be that good to beat us. Worryingly, they just had to graft and wait for us to let them score from a soft set piece. Like Villa. Like West Ham. We’ve been turned over by the poorer sides we’ve played. We beat Southampton, Tottenham and outplayed Everton who are all varying degrees of decent so maybe there’s something in that. I thought Basel looked a better footballing outfit when they played Chelsea in the last couple of seasons. The game against them at Anfield is huge now after getting nothing out there.
Pure tosh. I’m sure you even managed to convince yourself with that article. A better titled article would be ‘Balotelli supporters are delusional’. He’s the anti-thesis of what we’ve come to expect from this Liverpool side these past 18 months. I had a feeling he would be a calamity when he signed, and absolutely nothing I’ve seen since has convinced me otherwise. I’d much rather see Lambert getting a run than Balotelli. Balotelli shows no desire, hunger or enthusiasm. All three of the aforementioned are infectious, just as a lack of them in the leading line is contagious. I truly hope we cut our losses on him in January ala Robbie Keane. God how I long for Luis. The king is dead. Long live the king. ‘Super’ Mario may pack his 3/4 length denim shorts and his onesies and bugger off back to Milan.
Yes but when he has “semi linked in with Lallana” the effort to make the link has all come from Lallana. It’s almost like Balotelli is deliberately doing the opposite of the link Lallana is trying to initiate. I’ve never watched Balotelli before, but in the games I’ve watched this season, which is all of them, sometimes it’s almost like he exudes this “anti-team” force like kryptonite. The players have started waving their arms at each other complaining which is a virus that Balotelli started. He’s Ebola.
To claim that all the people criticising a black player’s performances are racist is utterly ridiculous. If the same people said Sterling is playing well and is a great player (most of which probably are) would that mean they are psychotic?
I have not criticised MB as I think the team has issues elsewhere on the field. But I think we should have only signed him on loan and that is not because he is not white.
I like Mario. On Wednesday one of the telly commentators said ‘not for me’ as he was raked down the back of his calf. It is like they are waiting to see how hard he is kicked and then making a judgement. Thought he was good against the bitters and was unlucky with the one that hit the bar. Hopefully he’ll get a couple today. Can’t be doin with that Brendan Rogers though, why keep playing that goalie when he is obviously shite and puts us under pressure at every set piece. How many coaching courses , language classes, teeth whitening sessions do you need to get that one. If the truth be told the derby was like Swansea v Wigan. Good article lad.
The title for the article was deliberately provocative, so consider me provoked. I’m one of those who seriously questioned the Balotelli purchase, and half a dozen games in he hasn’t done enough to change my mind. But it’s not for the reasons you’re suggesting. I’m more concerned about his general decision-making. I don’t understand why he thinks he should turn and head towards a crowd of three defenders rather than make simple pass to a teammate. Trying too hard? Not for me; he just thinks he can do things he hasn’t got the talent for.
As for the people who are suggesting Balotelli doubters are racist, wow, you’ve really made me question myself. I just hadn’t realised I felt that way until now. Doesn’t help me understand why I thought Andy Carroll wasn’t up to it too, but you’ll probably have a theory to help me with that one too.
Balotelli is essentially a player who rates himself way more highly than his performances warrant. Until he starts to live up to the standard he and others clearly believe he his capable of, I’ll remain seriously unimpressed. I genuinely hope I’m proved wrong.
No point criticising Mario. We got what it said on the tin. A player with a great first touch, but little movement and someone who spends a lot of time on the deck feigning injury.
A player who can score a lot of goals in the right environment – good goals too, but that environment is Italy where the game is slow and ponderous, where any instance of bodily contact leads to the whistle being blown and the overall quality is a long way short of what we are lucky enough to get in the Premier League.
No great loss, as we got him on the cheap and another club will take a punt on him. Unless, of course, he can change how he plays and shows something we haven’t seen before. That is probably unlikely at his age but you never know. It’s down to him if he wants to adapt or not.
We should not try to adapt to him. We play great football and we’ve just lost our way a bit at the start of this season. It could be argued that the start of losing our way was signing Mario, a player who simply does not fit the way we play.
Hindsight is a great thing, but Wellbeck looks like the sort of guy we should have signed and finally put an end to this ridiculous situation where we don’t do business with Manchester United. It’s just a pointless stand-off that benefits other clubs and means both Liverpool and United always have less options when it comes to recruitment.
The players themselves couldn’t give a toss about either club usually, They want a good pay-deal and time on the pitch, where they can dream about playing for Barcelona and starting a fashion house/record label.
The author of this article should be embarassed. What an utter load of tosh on pretty much every level.
Thank fuck it wasn’t just me thinking these things! Spot on mate, spot on. Why aren’t you guys working for a national newspaper? Brilliant!
For me Balotelli’s greatest weakness has always been situational awareness. Against Everton, time and again, he got in the way of plays rather than making himself a viable option. One play in particular was on a cross into the box with Raheem bursting in far post and Balotelli inexplicably running into the same space and ruining what might have been a tap-in for the 19-year-old. Taken in isolation that might be excusable, but the fact is he did it TWICE against Basel, cutting out crosses to Manquillo, worse still doing it both times from an offside position.
Not to mention the numerous times he could have bothered to get onside, or pass the ball to better options instead of dribbling into traffic, or taking ridiculous shots from distance. Fact is that Balotelli is our player, one that I never wanted, and I’ll support him. But I’m not going to give him time as I do even with the likes of Lovren because unlike many of our newest players, Balotelli is now a seasoned international and league player even at his young age.
A new low, even for TAW.
Zzzzzz
The majority of critics are lazy.
I think Mario is clearly a special player, who seems to be making an effort to fit in with the Rodger’s approach. The open question for me is whether Mario and the team can adapt to each other quickly enough to ensure we see a return to the free flowing attacking play we all enjoyed last season.
Mario was never going to replicate the style and impact of Suarez, but who would have done?
There is one very clear sense in which Mario has completely filled the gap left by Suarez, and that is way in which lazy journalists and pundits can fill column inches and TV minutes with comments. (Take a look at how many articles the Daily Mail has managed to write about Mario.)