Mario Balotelli’s scapegoating hides the real issues at Liverpool

Watch the QPR game. There were at least
two occasions when we were on the counter attack, and instead of playing the midfielders in, he chose to try a 30 yards shot on one occasion and tried to take on defenders and lost the ball on another. On both occasions there were simpler passes.

It was Hendo having a go at him for one of the times and Stevie for another. He's done similar things previous games and the lads just got on with it. This time, they've started having a go at him, suggesting they're losing patience with him and that's not good for team spirit.

I do watch games and analyse what's happening, I didn't just make it up out of the figment of my imagination...but thanks for asking for evidence supporting my point of view. It's refreshing on this forum, usually we just discuss what we dreamt about.

Having a go at someone for being greedy does not equate to the rest of the team being pissed off with him. All the pictures coming out of Melwood run counter to the claim that he's unpopular. You're no better than a tabloid reporter, posting bullshit claims dressed up as truth for no other reason that you dislike him - for whatever reason why. Newsflash: He's a Liverpool player. We support Liverpool players. Henderson didn't get near this level of dirt thrown at him. Lucas didn't get near this level of criticism. Yet both these players had a very troubled start to their Liverpool careers and went on to be successes at the club. Who knows, perhaps if Balotelli will as well.

the good thing about football is we all have very short memories and if he scores a hatrick on Sunday we will soon forget what has happened this week

the good thing about football is we all have very short memories and if he scores a hatrick on Sunday we will soon forget what has happened this week

I am willing to forgive and forget, get us that hattrick now, Mario.

Plenty of players who cost more than Mario Balotelli playing sh*te. 

What's £20M Markovic done?

Fair play to £20M Lovren - he's helped with loads of goals. At the wrong end like.

Balotelli deserves stick for being a lazy b***ard but he's certainly not alone in being piss poor.  And fortunately for him the manager seems to be over-hyping him.

Having a go at someone for being greedy does not equate to the rest of the team being pissed off with him. All the pictures coming out of Melwood run counter to the claim that he's unpopular. You're no better than a tabloid reporter, posting bullshit claims dressed up as truth for no other reason that you dislike him - for whatever reason why. Newsflash: He's a Liverpool player. We support Liverpool players. Henderson didn't get near this level of dirt thrown at him. Lucas didn't get near this level of criticism. Yet both these players had a very troubled start to their Liverpool careers and went on to be successes at the club. Who knows, perhaps if Balotelli will as well.

oh please don't get all high and mighty as if anyone who has an opinion that differs to yours is somehow a less of a fan than you. really pisses me off when people do that. for one "posting bullshit claims dressed up as truth for no other reason that you dislike him"...is a bullshit statement in itself. you just got annoyed and started having a go at another fan. if i say i notice that teammates were not having a go at him previously but now they are,which in MY OPINION means it is beginning to disrupt team spirit,it's not me posting bullshit dressed up as fact. it may well be that reports come out of melwood that suggests team are united and teammates are behind balotelli...that does not mean someone's selfish behaviour on the pitch prompting players to lose patience with him on the pitch does not affect the team spirit. of course it does no matter which way you look at him. when midfielders constantly bust a gut to get up to support him and he f**ks it up with his selfishness, it will impact team spirit.

and since you simply made up your mind that i don't like balo based on absolutely no evidence, i'll clear that up as well. when we signed him,i welcomed him and expressed my desire that he does well. i even said he is a good striker and could be a masterstroke by br, but that it's always a gamble with balo. i've repeatedly, in other threads, said that he will be better once studge comes back, but on the back of recent performances and behaviour, he needs to earn his place back. never did i say i dislike him.

soi'll repeat my statement and i'll put it in baby langauge for ya so you don't accuse others of being a tabloid reporter..IT IS MY OPINION THAT IT IS IMPACTING TEAM SPIRIT.

so get off your high horse. if you don't like my opinion, shove it up your arse for all i care, but don't go round putting words into people's mouths just so you can ridicule them and make yourself feel better for being a righteous fan.

Newsflash: He's a Liverpool player. We support Liverpool players. Henderson didn't get near this level of dirt thrown at him. Lucas didn't get near this level of criticism. Yet both these players had a very troubled start to their Liverpool careers and went on to be successes at the club. Who knows, perhaps if Balotelli will as well.

Are you F***ing kidding?

Have you forgotten the amount of abuse Lucas got in 2008 and 2009, Mario's had nowhere near the amount of sh*te Lucas has had to put up with.

oh please don't get all high and mighty as if anyone who has an opinion that differs to yours is somehow a less of a fan than you.

It's not a difference of opinion when you're posting bullshit. By and large I actually agree with the majority opinion that he should, rightly so, be getting stick for being sh*t. But there's a difference between giving stick and posting bullshit. It's about fairness and proportionality of the situation. It's about criticism where criticism is due, not criticism for the sake of it then making baseless assumptions to back up that criticism. It comes down to this simple fact. Is he playing sh*t? Yes. Is he the sole reason LFC are playing sh*t? No.

~I do not get the scapegoat crap I do get he is crap.
I didn't want to see him again after QPR and what was Brendan thinking of playing him again last night.
when managers like Mourhino and Mancini just give up on him then something is drastically wrong in the lads make .I think most of us wanted him to succeed rather than expected him to do so.
Now we have a situation where he may find himself in a very difficult position as his team mates have already started having a go at him.

Scapegoat my arse - he's taking the F***ing piss, swapping a Real shirt at half-time??
The manager intimated the same sentiment a little more diplomatically of course.

Scapegoat my arse - he's taking the f**king piss, swapping a Real shirt at half-time??
The manager intimated the same sentiment a little more diplomatically of course.

Agree I've played to a decent level and the first thing you are taught is always be on your toes on half turn etc, f**king hell even for our first against Qpr the tosser wasnt even looking at ball wandering about at far post things like that are unforgivable.

Plenty of players who cost more than Mario Balotelli playing sh*te. 

What's £20M Markovic done?

Fair play to £20M Lovren - he's helped with loads of goals. At the wrong end like.

Balotelli deserves stick for being a lazy b***ard but he's certainly not alone in being piss poor.  And fortunately for him the manager seems to be over-hyping him.

I was impressed with Lovren earlier in the season, though he hasn't been great lately.

There's a difference between poor and lazy.  Markovic may not be the next Heighway but at least he gives it his all trying. Balotelli strolls around the pitch, apparently without a care in the world. He's already missed two open goals. One cost us the derby, the other almost cost us another two points. His shots are more likely to end up 20 yards off target than go in.

Certainly I would give any player time to find his feet. That's if he decides to use them.

He is already causing problems just by being here which are not really as a result of his behaviour.
If Brendan drops him he is finished if he plays him he is only playing because Brendan is stubborn. that's not the best way to select a team is it. If he plays I really hope he scores I don't think the lad could cope with another poor performance.

Another open goal. Another awful miss.

Cost: Another 2 points.

Waste of Space. 

Another open goal. Another awful miss.

Cost: Another 2 points.

Waste of Space. 

Oh but he should have got a penno when he fell over the ball that time.

Oh but he should have got a penno when he fell over the ball that time.

Think it would have been a soft pen, Mario was lucky to still be on the pitch really.

he has a mental block, couldnt score from 2 yards for fucks sake

He's an average player end of

Bet he can give a good detailed description of the sidelines though; the type of white they use, the density etc. Or at least you'd hope he'd be able to given the amount of time he is casually walking along them.

Liverpool legend Kenny Dalglish defends Mario Balotelli, claiming striker didn't mean any disrespect in half-time shirt swap

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2807509/Liverpool-legend-Kenny-Dalglish-defends-Mario-Balotelli-claiming-striker-didn-t-mean-disrespect-half-time-shirt-swap.html#ixzz3HBhsLMi0

King talking sense yet again.

i think everyone is being nice to balo because they know he has attitude problems and don't want to shake his morale, but he is not a kid anymore, maybe he needs a cold shower to wake up, it's time to score, mario !

Liverpool legend Kenny Dalglish defends Mario Balotelli, claiming striker didn't mean any disrespect in half-time shirt swap

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2807509/Liverpool-legend-Kenny-Dalglish-defends-Mario-Balotelli-claiming-striker-didn-t-mean-disrespect-half-time-shirt-swap.html#ixzz3HBhsLMi0

King talking sense yet again.

another thing Kenny has said is that some Chelsea players swap shirts at half time on a regular basis but you don't see Maureen bollocking them on tv or dropping them because of it.. It's just BR's attitude towards it..

another thing Kenny has said is that some Chelsea players swap shirts at half time on a regular basis but you don't see Maureen bollocking them on tv or dropping them because of it.. It's just BR's attitude towards it..

I'm not condoning anything here but difference is, Chelsea actually put up a fight in games and get the win more often than not. When you are 3-0 down at half time and swapping shirts I don't care who the player is, they deserve a bollocking because it is showing even more respect for the opposition and a lack of fight IMO.

He's an average player end of

He isnt. End of.