I wouldn't, actually. I want to see him given a couple of games in his best position, up top paired with Borini. If after a few games in his best and preferred position he still produces nothing, then drop him. But everyone is judging him, myself included, in a position he has clearly stated he doesn't like, and we all know doesn't suit his game. The only idiot here is BR, for continuing to play him out of position.
Yeah, he is, but at the end of the day at least with a partner he actually scores goals while being a lazy mess.
He has actually - when he came on vs. the Swans. Surprise surprise we played 2 up top and scored twice. I don't think we can blame Balotelli for today. Clear scapegoating. Solitary striker has never been his position and he's always said so himself. Why play him like that then? Why? Because he's Brendan ****ing Rodgers and despite his 4-3-3 being **** in his first season here, he's gonna try it again. Because he's smarter than that. It didn't work the first 200 times, the opponent will never guess he'll do it again for the 201st. It's pissing me off. Oh and Tobes is right about Origi. Not nearly the finished product we need at the moment.
Rodgers' biggest mistake and current problem is that he has not bought the quality players to fix this. Lambert, Balotelli, Moreno, and Markovic are not of the standard we need to get back into the top 4. If you have players with potential then you can improve but I just don't see Lambert and Balo making it. Moreno is out of position half the time. However, we could have got something today.
As his biggest critic, I'd to say he wasn't lazy today (least not in the first half, didn't see the second)
I only saw the first half but Mario certainly wasn't to blame from what I saw. He was much more involved. He wasn't just making movements when we were in possession, he was actually being a team player in defending too
RE; Rodgers and the difference between last and this season... Last year, obviously we didn't have European football and we had the third best player in the world player (at the time) for us but most of our main competitors had new managers too.
At this point it can be turned around. The opportunity wont be around much longer though. Is he good enough to turn it around though?
We already know he's good enough because he's done it before. the question is, is he willing to accept and change the glaringly obvious problems?
Honestly, no. He is sadly another British manager who has reached his limit. Which is once again below those that are the best in the world.
What I have really hated about the champions league the past few years is watching Arsenal year after year just being content with qualifying. City and all the money just rolling over. The chavs and all their money just defending their way to progress. I really wanted to see us just go for it, as you are in it to win it. This week I truly lost hope in Rodgers, we may have lost anyway, but give it a go ffs. Then to just let the chavs turn up and control the whole game. I dunno, but I am starting to doubt him. It just feels like his first season all over again.
Now there's a telling phrase. We haven't bought that for god knows how many seasons. If you want to win you buy the talent that's ready to hit the ground running and do the job now. We never do that. We buy sub-par and put up with it, telling ourselves said player will come good he's just having a difficult time of it, or we buy trash. Occasionally, very occasionally, we unearth quality but they are transient players at the club. We inevitably sell them. Chelsea is the best current example. Need striker. Bang. Get Costa. Need dynamic midfielder. Bang. Buy Fabregas. Need solid back up. Bang. Drogba. Sorted. None of this ****ing around that we did all summer talking up blatant averageness and light weights. Where has it got us. Well, into our current dire dire state. When did the club actually last buy a player that's ready to do the business at the highest level right now?? Good question to ask ourselves as fans and also necessary to look at the management at the club and basically ask what are you playing at, you talk the talk, 'we want to compete at the highest level of the game' etc etc, but you aren't walking the walk.
He's got till crimbo. Keep going the same way we are until then and a) top 4 is gone b) owners should be drawing up the shortlist of replacements (which may have happened already) In Borini, Lambert, Sturridge (know he's injured and all that but maybe this is bad transfer strategy risking it buying injury prone players) and Balotelli he's bought four strikers who've got three goals all season so far. Two of them haven't even got off the mark. Pathetic.
Rodgers can turn it around but things have to change. 1) We need a DoF who is in charge of recruitment and works with our scouting team who are hugely talented. Rodgers cannot have control over this but appears that his impressive 2nd place finished meant he had more of a say this time round - Lallana, Lovren and Lambert being his main targets. Lets Rodgers stick to coaching and developing players because that is his skill set. The best and most successful teams in history have this set up - people like Ancelloti etc are called First Team Coaches, not managers. They have a dedicated team to recruit in line with club policies. It then means the first team coach has more time to spend on the training field rather than the office. 2) His insistence on playing certain individuals will get him the sack unless he changes things. Johnson, Skrtel, Lovren, Gerrard are the biggest causes of our downfall yet he refuses to do anything about it. The fact that he tried to pass off the team selection against Real as an exercise to show that players would be dropped on form in an attempt to show his power and authority is now quite embarrassing because it's clear he has his favourites. 3) Get some top quality coaches in. People with experience at a high level - who the f*ck are Mike Marsh and Colin Pascoe?
he's not lazy, that's just lazy banter he's obviously not a lone striker yet for some reason our manager keeps trying to make him one I don't think we have a manager problem or a Balotelli problem But we do have a manager being stubborn sticking with something with no chance of working problem. which is very fixable.
if it lasts a long time then yes we do have a manager problem if he changes his mind, or, even better, an injured player gets fit, then no we no longer have a manager problem this is a temporary issue
