I fully understand what you're saying and I agree, however, the fans have taken to him already. I can't remember another player having 2 songs before they've even played! Liverpool fans historically have liked players who are different - see Biscan for an example of this. Now he looked like he hadn't quite woken up most of the time but he has legendary status with the fans. If Balotelli can get double figures in goals this season, the general mass of fans won't care how laid back he is .... oh except Gerrez but he's written him off already
If Balotelli gets double figures as in 15-20 then ok but just getting around the 10 mark just isn't good enough, I didn't want him and I'm still of the opinion that he's a bad buy but I will give him a chance. If we get work rate and goals and no stupidity this season then he may grow on me.
Fair do's TGOA,I guess the way I'm looking at it is this. What do we expect out of Balotelli to consider him a worthwhile acquisition? Well,if he scores about 15 to 20 for us (in all comps) then its job done for me. BR will be looking at Balo and deciding which is the best way to maximise his talent,so we need to be patient. I'm not sure looking at his Citeh stats is wholly relevant (Tobes),he was a younger player in a different team. His AC Milan goal ratio is decent,something like 30 in 54?? for a struggling side. I think by the end of the season he will have proved his worth to the team as a whole,he won't be playing every game but this guy will score goals.
We need to judge him when Sturridge is back. Balotelli on his own doesn't fit well with the way we try and play, but with Sturridge upfront doing the running in behind the defence and down the line and it'll allow Balotelli to stay central and play deeper while we still have someone right up top.
If he gets 10 Sturridge gets 20 and Sterling gets 10 then I'd say that's a good return from the "front 3".
I haven't written him off. I've said numerous times that he's been better than I expect so far and that I don't question Mario himself, I question Brod's logic behind recruiting because I don't see where he fits. As for the songs, LFC fans have always come up with songs that fit the players name. If its purely based on the player quality then where the hell is Studge's song? I think Biscan covers this quite well here. Mario getting 15-20 goals is fair game but just that doesn't cut it for me. I don't care how many a individual scores or assists, I care about how goals and points the team gain. If Mario gets 20 but we fail to get CL again then its not worked!
I know that and I haven't said he's a complete and utter failure that won't improve. I've said I don't see how he fits. I hope to be proven very wrong like I was about Studge and Coutinho!!!
I agree. Balotelli provies a good centre pin to our attack for Sturridge and Sterling to play off. Allowing them freedom and keeping the opposing CB's occupied. In this scenario Balotelli may not score as much as Sturridge and Sterling, but Sturridge and Sterling wont score as much with out him. What I do want to see is a link building between Balotelli, Moreno and Manquillo. We now have two fullbacks who like to attack and put crosses in. I want to see Balotelli feeding off this and grabbing goals.
But maybe we are trying to play a different way because Rodgers knows we don't have Suarez who was instrumental to the way we played. His change in tactics is to have 1 forward making runs behind and one coming deep to pick the ball up and provide a physical threat up top. Unfortunately we only had 1 game to try that and we won 3-0 away from home. We've all said we cant replace Suarez like for like, so why try? Yes we could have got someone that will put in **** loads of work (Long) but all they would have done is run around a lot which would have replaced 1 part of Suarez's game but not the other 3 or 4 that he brought. Instead, replace him with someone different and alter your tactics to suit.
Fair enough if we're going to try a different approach, time will tell I guess and I'm willing to give us that. I repeat, my concern is about how he fits, nothing else. As for replacing Suarez, that is a almost impossible task since only players like C.Roanldo or Messi would be capable of filling Luis' boots. However, not being able to replace a player doesn't mean the whole philosophy needs to be changed. The same approach (hard working, pressing and movement with pace) could still have been applied with the money being spent on strengthening in the defensive areas. Afterall, conceding less goals was one way on combating the loss of Suarez's goals!
I've been supporting Liverpool a long time and I've never known a player get a song before they've played. Balotelli has had the best welcome songs ever. It's not based on quality at all, it doesn't have to be, it's based on how much the player endears themselves [clumsy word but can't think of another atm]. Balotelli isn't going to get 15-20 goals - do you know how many players a season score 15 or more - roughly 6 - Mario's not going to be in the top 6 scorers but 10+ and he's doing ok.
Balotelli needs support, he likes to have the ball in good positions. Our midfield either bypasses him or he has to come in deep to receive the ball where he tries to shoot from hopeless distances. Against Spurs, he could of scored with the header created from a good cross. Against Everton, he should of scored which started from a great cross. Our creativity has been woeful and we complain that our main guy atm is trying to score from long distances? Gotta only question the midfield there.
Balotelli's a lazy twat and doesn't have the skill to justify his apathetic approach to the game. Welbeck has even less talent but works his nuts off for his team. There's absolutely no doubt that for the same transfer fee as Liverpool paid for Balotelli, Arsenal did the better deal by signing Welbeck.
I think you're watching different games to me... I see our midfield (and defense at times) passing left to right and backwards because all the players ahead of the ball are static. Edit: and by all, I'm not just singling out Balotelli here. There's very little movement anywhere in the team.
