Not sure I understand the argument that Balotelli should be given time to prove himself along side Sturridge... As far as I'm aware, we were light on the striker department, so we bought a striker compete with, compliment depending on formation or even replace Sturridge following an injury like now. He clearly can't come close to replacing him and he certainly isn't competing with him, so what's the point in playing him without Sturridge? When one's out, the other one is f**ed. No offense, but that's a terrible defense for Mario! He's got 5 midfielders all supplying HIM alone in a central role where he doesn't need to do anything other than get in the box and look for the ball. He should be trying to stake a claim to be the number 1 striker at the club...
A good point and it highlights again what a poor choice he was as a transfer. We needed a striker that could play alongside Studge and instead of him. This is what we had with Suarez/Studge we now have Studge/Balotelli they may work together and Studge will work ok by himself but as we are seeing Balotelli by himself leaves us with 10 men.
I don't really know why we went for Mario but we did. He was never going to replace Suarez - or Sturridge as we've now seen - because he isn't a lone striker in fact he even admits that he isn't comfortable as a [traditional] striker at all. This is what he said in an interview prior to Sunday's game - ''Right now my first league goal is my first and only objective, "I need to get in the box more. "I don't do it enough, but it is something I am working to try to do more. I have never been a real, out-and-out striker - I have always been someone who goes around the pitch, you know? "If it was my choice, I would always go with two strikers. It's the way I like to play, but Brendan [Rodgers] asked me to play as the first striker. I understand that when the ball comes from wide on the left or right, I need to be in the box otherwise there might be no-one there at all."
We've effectively signed Emile Heskey II. Works brilliantly with a partner who scores all the goals and makes all the runs (Owen), but as soon as their partner gets injured, he's useless and can't lead the line. So he can only play when Sturridge plays. Really questions the whole light on strikers issue and he actually solves no problems.
It's not about Sturridge. Any forward on the same line as him would do. Play him as a false nine too. In any case he needs movement in the forward line. Our movement in the final third is not nearly as good as that of top teams, and that is not entirely down to Balotelli. The fact that he attracts the attention of 1.5 defenders each attack, is not being exploited.
Some good points. Although the attraction from defenders is possibly what caused the og's at the weekend.
The 1st goal summed him up this weekend. Back to the play, totally disinterested, when the ball gets played in, not even the slightest bit of emotion. The guy doesn't give a sh!t, can't play, is lazy, angers his team mates and is just an all round crap player.
I actually like Berahino, had a great patch of form last season. Yes it tailed of a little, but he's young, so thats to be expected, and West Brom also tailed off until the very end. He's been the leading talent for the U21's as well. Think he's a great young talent and was very surprised that one of the chasing pack (5-10 finishers from last season), or even us, didn't look to buy him. What we looking at £15mil ish?
Balotelli isn't suited to the lone striker role - it's not his fault, it's just not his style. So the problem lies with Rodgers for a) continuing to play 1 up top, and b) signing him in the first place.
At times there was a lack of movement around him but when that improved and people broke through lines and gave him opportunity to find a pass he ignored them or didn't have the ability to find them. Playing him as a false 9 would mean teams can push up on us even further, that would be a complete disaster.
TBF, I think we should play him as a false nine..... ...so false its not even in the right stadium!!!
