The Roar
The Roar

Football
Advertisement

Balotelli: Is Rodgers signing Jekyll or Hyde?
Andrew new author
Roar Rookie
22nd August, 2014
6
Join the conversation
Advertisement
Write for The Roar

Anyone can contribute to The Roar and have their work featured alongside some of Australia’s most prominent sports journalists.

Italy striker Mario Balotelli has failed to fire for Liverpool. (Source: Wiki Commons)
Andrew new author
Roar Rookie
22nd August, 2014
6

Is Mario Balotelli the final piece of the jigsaw puzzle, or has Brendan Rodgers just grabbed a piece from another box hoping it will fit?

There’s absolutely no denying Balotelli’s talent, 14 goals in 25 Serie A games for AC Milan last campaign speaks for itself, as does playing for the likes of Manchester City, Inter Milan and Italy.

He is one of those rare strikers who just scores goals. And he will score goals. Just ask him; “When I score, I don’t celebrate because I’m only doing my job. When a postman delivers letters, does he celebrate?”

The issue then, comes in the fact that the guy’s behaviour is about as predictable as a speed dating night in an asylum. This is the man who famously set his apartment on fire letting off fireworks inside, has training ground bust ups with managers, and throws darts at youth team players.

He also has a penchant for being sent off in big games. Mind you, I don’t think he’s ever bitten anyone. Yet.

For 16 million pounds, football wise it’s a steal. That is, if he plays to his potential and does so consistently. He’s not really one to pass, doesn’t contribute many assist and doesn’t have a great work ethic to fit in with Rodger’s pressing. But let’s imagine for a moment that Rodgers can tame him. Where does he fit into Liverpool’s plans?

It’s hard to imagine ‘Super Mario’ will be happy and conducive to a happy changeroom with a bit-part role playing second fiddle to Daniel Sturridge. Rodgers would be foolish to relegate the increasingly impressive Sturridge to the bench. Raheem Sterling and Philippe Coutinho surely warrant starts as well.

This leaves a couple of options if you don’t want this hot-headed goal scoring machine sitting on the bench and driving you mad. Surely Rodgers doesn’t want to be driven down the same path as Roberto Mancini – “if you played with me 10 years ago, I give to you every day maybe one punch in your head!”

Advertisement

So does Rodgers play a 4-4-2 diamond with Balotelli and Sturridge up front together, Sterling in the ‘hole’ with Coutinho and Jordan Henderson either side and Steven Gerrard anchoring. Alternately play a 4-3-3 with Balotelli through the middle and Sturridge and Sterling either side and Coutinho as a No.10.

One thing Brendan Rodgers has shown is that he is happy to change his formations and players throughout the season according to form, fitness and opposition. He has also proven that he can control big personalities and get the most out of players.

To mount serious challenges in the Premier League, Champions League and cups, he will need depth, options and flexibility. And goals. In Mario Balotelli, he is getting one of a handful of strikers in the world who consistently scores goals at the highest level. He just happens to be a couple of beers short of a six pack.

If he can get the best out of him, Rodgers ought to devote a whole chapter of his next 180-page coaching dossier to this one piece of managerial genius.

Hopefully for Rodgers and Liverpool, it will be fans filling their sticker books with images of Balotelli, and not just the man himself.

6
Join the conversation

Are you the ultimate team manager?  Pick your own superstar team and go head to head with other football fans for glory and cash prizes on Draftstars.  Imagine what you could be buying instead.  Set a deposit limit.

Related Posts

close