KopTalk.com Forums Football Liverpool FC Forum "Balotelli has no future at Liverpool after penalty row."

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers demands more from striker Mario Balotelli



Brendan Rodgers has criticised Mario Balotelli's work rate and told him to step up his contribution.

Rodgers gave his full backing to striker Balotelli over the penalty furore which blew up in the 1-0 win over Besiktas in the Europa League at Anfield on Thursday night.

He supported the Italy international stepping in front of Jordan Henderson, captain on the night and designated pre-match taker, even if it looked unseemly at the time.
Unimpressed

But when it came to Balotelli's overall effort during his substitute appearance, the Reds boss was unimpressed.

Rodgers responded "No, not really no", when asked if he was satisfied with the 24-year-old's stint against the Turkish side, which lasted half an hour.

Rodgers said: "We need to ensure that whatever level of the game we are playing at we have everyone working as a team and once we got the penalty he stops working.

"So he needs to improve on that facet of his game to play in his position, rather than standing on the side of the football field."

Rodgers, speaking to national newspapers, said of Balotelli: "He has contributed against Besiktas, he has got the penalty and scored the goal but that is what he is paid to do.

"He needs to keep that efficiency in his game and show that he can affect the team whether he is asked to play from the bench or from the start. In a different country and a different style of football that (goal) would be all that matters but in this team there is more to it than that."

The Italian has now scored 27 out of 29 from the spot in his career and four times overall since his £16 million summer move from AC Milan, including two winners and an assist for the winner in his last three matches.
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Strong words from Rodgers.

lol says it all really

where's all the mario lovers now? our manager has basically called him a c0ck , should BR be fined? balotelli is a joke

If Henderson took the kick he would have choked as he usually does in front of goal.
I say Mario is to be commended for stepping in and showing his hunger to score. Thats his job.

Hendo is stand in captain because he is English and a first team regular.

I have made it clear I am of the opinion he may have stamina, but unfortunately is sadly lacking in basic football skills.

and that includes shooting and scoring even from the penalty spot.

for signing him yes it does.

cant believe it I actually agree with you

that is not good

again I agree with you again

Im not feeling well

not sure why rodgers keeps talking about him in the media so unfair

lambert has been crap yet rodgers keep stum hmmmm

IMO it's all Rodgers to be blame. Most if not everybody, including Hendo, know that the best penalty taker in the team with Gerrard out was Balotelli. I don't appreciate Balotelli,but if I had to chose who should be taking the shot, including set pieces in front of the goal, it would have been him by a mile, I even suspect Hendo was not that confident, I don't remember Hendo scoring from set piece. So why was Hendo nominated to take the penalty in the first place?

Potential 40-50 mil players? Is that a joke? Must be.

Agree KP. Did anyone think it would be an easy ride with Mario and at a cut price punt for a reason? This was another media non-event. Watched the 'incident' a few times they weren't rowing over anything. Hendo calmly let's Mario take the ball and he proceeds to get on with it. It is only after Sturridge appears to step in whining that things looked worse.

I'm glad he took the ball. This is LFC. Henderson's model A professional footballer bit is prevalent in many many players in the league and that detracts far too much from the fact the guy has very few top drawer attributes including not being able to hit a barn door when he shoots. Mario didn't trust him with it anymore than most of us would have, and he won us the game. F_ck Redknapp.

Mario is improving everytime he gets on, if he continues to listen to the manager and what he is asking for, he will become that £40 million player. In fact, I quite like the edgy spirited side he brings to the team on the field. We need someone firing it all up out there and the guy knows how to rile the opposition to perfection.

I'm sticking with it- Rogers will get him over the line in the end, and the lad will come good.