The Balotellization of coaching failure

[cic old boy]

I read Paul Ince say somewhere (after Manure beat Liverpool 3-0) that Brendan Rodgers should get rid of Balotelli before the player got him sacked. I was like et tu Incey Wincey? Have you too jumped on the blame the black guy bandwagon?

The strange thing was that Balo was not fully fit for the match and just coming back from injury. But the guy has become the fall guy for Liverpool's failures this season. And his playing style, perceived low work rate, history of antics and silly haircuts don't help.

But the reason his team have not reached the heights of last season, despite the idiotic claims of pundits like Ince and co, has little to do with Balo, but all to do with poor coaching.

First off, when he has been fit, the service to him has been very poor. How you can blame him for this when the even more expensive Adam Lallana has done precious little to justify his £25m price tag, is beyond me. Then you have a defence leaking goals with the £20m Dejan Lovren. Yet very few are questioning the judgment of those that authorised the signing of such average players at huge expense.

But the real issue is about coaching. Liverpool could play fast counter-attacks last season with Suarez, Sterling and Sturridge. Balo's game is more about a slow build up. A good coach should know what Balo brings to the table and adjust the team's play to get the best out of him. Atletico Madrid won La Liga and reached the CL final last season playing on the break and relying on Diego Costa to execute. This season they signed Mario Mandzukic from Bayern, who was used to a possession-based game at Bayern. So Atleti have modified their game to one based on possession and short-passing b/c Mandzukic is different from Costa.

I always thought Rodgers was promoted beyond his capabilities and that last season was a fluke helped by Suarez's rich vein of form. Rodgers is confirming my suspicions this season and Balo is a useful scape goat.

[Coach]

Ince is whiter than rice with vitiligo, an absolute Samuel L's Stephen, for all his driving Miss Daisy, he's out of work and next in line yo be Tanya'd. The consummate c**n.

[Bigpokey24]

kai i am vexed i actually agree with this useless CIC

[mouko]

I read Paul Ince say somewhere (after Manure beat Liverpool 3-0) that Brendan Rodgers should get rid of Balotelli before the player got him sacked. I was like et tu Incey Wincey? Have you too jumped on the blame the black guy bandwagon?

The strange thing was that Balo was not fully fit for the match and just coming back from injury. But the guy has become the fall guy for Liverpool's failures this season. And his playing style, perceived low work rate, history of antics and silly haircuts don't help.

But the reason his team have not reached the heights of last season, despite the idiotic claims of pundits like Ince and co, has little to do with Balo, but all to do with poor coaching.

First off, when he has been fit, the service to him has been very poor. How you can blame him for this when the even more expensive Adam Lallana has done precious little to justify his £25m price tag, is beyond me. Then you have a defence leaking goals with the £20m Dejan Lovren. Yet very few are questioning the judgment of those that authorised the signing of such average players at huge expense.

But the real issue is about coaching. Liverpool could play fast counter-attacks last season with Suarez, Sterling and Sturridge. Balo's game is more about a slow build up. A good coach should know what Balo brings to the table and adjust the team's play to get the best out of him. Atletico Madrid won La Liga and reached the CL final last season playing on the break and relying on Diego Costa to execute. This season they signed Mario Mandzukic from Bayern, who was used to a possession-based game at Bayern. So Atleti have modified their game to one based on possession and short-passing b/c Mandzukic is different from Costa.

I always thought Rodgers was promoted beyond his capabilities and that last season was a fluke helped by Suarez's rich vein of form. Rodgers is confirming my suspicions this season and Balo is a useful scape goat.

...kpomme'd double...

[metalalloy]

kai i am vexed i actually agree with this useless CIC

[Prince]

I read Ince comments I was in shock, Lallana is being praised for trickery with no goals as end product, all Rodgers signings have failed.

[felarey]

De Gea 3 - 0 Balotelli....enuff said! Balotelli has been woeful and is definitely playing a key part in Loserpool's issues. Lets not make it a race issue. The boy has been garbage, doesn't run, doesn't play for the team and definitely doesn't score. Then he goes on a racist rant. Lets be honest with ourselves, the coach has his faults but I don't see how anyone who has watched Mario this season can say he's not a major part of their problem.

[Prince]

De Gea 3 - 0 Balotelli....enuff said! Balotelli has been woeful and is definitely playing a key part in Loserpool's issues. Lets not make it a race issue. The boy has been garbage, doesn't run, doesn't play for the team and definitely doesn't score. Then he goes on a racist rant. Lets be honest with ourselves, the coach has his faults but I don't see how anyone who has watched Mario this season can say he's not a major part of their problem.

And Lalana? What does he do? He cost as much as Costa and three time the price of Loic Remy

[kalamashaka]

De Gea 3 - 0 Balotelli....enuff said! Balotelli has been woeful and is definitely playing a key part in Loserpool's issues. Lets not make it a race issue. The boy has been garbage, doesn't run, doesn't play for the team and definitely doesn't score. Then he goes on a racist rant. Lets be honest with ourselves, the coach has his faults but I don't see how anyone who has watched Mario this season can say he's not a major part of their problem.

Incey, is that you?

[felarey]

De Gea 3 - 0 Balotelli....enuff said! Balotelli has been woeful and is definitely playing a key part in Loserpool's issues. Lets not make it a race issue. The boy has been garbage, doesn't run, doesn't play for the team and definitely doesn't score. Then he goes on a racist rant. Lets be honest with ourselves, the coach has his faults but I don't see how anyone who has watched Mario this season can say he's not a major part of their problem.

And Lalana? What does he do?

Lalana hasn't done much neither. Not sure who their worst is between Balotelli and Mignolet.

[Baggy]

Same question i have been asking o
Is Ballo the only player on the field
So, when Liverpool lost when Ballo is not on the field, is it his faulty too
Let Mr Paul Ince go and sit down on the toilet seat, yeye guy

Am actually praying for Ballo (though am not a Liverpool fan) to start scoring and play well not against Manure though .

[maceo4]

Poor Balo, his reputation for antics make him an easier target than the others who are clearly not performing either...

[felarey]

That he only got 1 game ban for his racist twit is evidence the FA are still not serious about tackling racism afterall Suarez got 8 games.

[kalani JR]

Balotelli has been poor this season but Liverpool's problems neither begin nor end with him.

[Kabalega]

I read Paul Ince say somewhere (after Manure beat Liverpool 3-0) that Brendan Rodgers should get rid of Balotelli before the player got him sacked. I was like et tu Incey Wincey? Have you too jumped on the blame the black guy bandwagon?

The strange thing was that Balo was not fully fit for the match and just coming back from injury. But the guy has become the fall guy for Liverpool's failures this season. And his playing style, perceived low work rate, history of antics and silly haircuts don't help.

But the reason his team have not reached the heights of last season, despite the idiotic claims of pundits like Ince and co, has little to do with Balo, but all to do with poor coaching.

First off, when he has been fit, the service to him has been very poor. How you can blame him for this when the even more expensive Adam Lallana has done precious little to justify his £25m price tag, is beyond me. Then you have a defence leaking goals with the £20m Dejan Lovren. Yet very few are questioning the judgment of those that authorised the signing of such average players at huge expense.

But the real issue is about coaching. Liverpool could play fast counter-attacks last season with Suarez, Sterling and Sturridge. Balo's game is more about a slow build up. A good coach should know what Balo brings to the table and adjust the team's play to get the best out of him. Atletico Madrid won La Liga and reached the CL final last season playing on the break and relying on Diego Costa to execute. This season they signed Mario Mandzukic from Bayern, who was used to a possession-based game at Bayern. So Atleti have modified their game to one based on possession and short-passing b/c Mandzukic is different from Costa.

I always thought Rodgers was promoted beyond his capabilities and that last season was a fluke helped by Suarez's rich vein of form. Rodgers is confirming my suspicions this season and Balo is a useful scape goat.

Interesting take on things.....

I think Rogers slowed down Liverpool because of the tough schedule and to accommodate Stevie G.

Balo can play in either scheme and probably would thrive better in last year's fast pace because he would have more space and touches on the ball.

[benteke]

Paul Ince comes across as one of those black brits who have a low opinion of africans and never say anything nice about african footballers

[YUJAM]

some of these English pundits really crack me up

they can be some of the mos insular and narrow-minded pundits you'll ever run across. i actually read another article talking about how the EPL had transformed DeGea as a goalie with the writer conveniently forgetting that dude was top class in La Liga where he pulled off similar spectacular saves at Atleti.

balotelli is a proven star. he did not forget to play football at Pool. we've seen him excel at all levels before Pool.

pool's problem are ageing players like Stevie G and as CIC correctly points out failure of the coach to adjust after Suarez whose impact on the team when he was there cannot be under-emphasized

[Rawlings]

I said it before and I'll say it again

Balotelli is a wastepipe ....

[Goldleaf]

Most Liverpool fans agree with Ince. Nothing to do with colour but Balotelli is proper shyytte!

[GG of G]

Balo needs to score more, he puts in a decent shift, but needs to find d back of the net. Having said that, the buck stops at Brendan desk and he and he alone should take full responsibility for his decisions including buying Balo that is. As for Paul Ince and his armchair co-horts, less said the better.

[marko]

when liverpool agreed to sell Suarez, that marked the end of liverpool almost 'domination' you dont sell your star player and expect the same amount of goals, to make matters worse, Sturridge is also injured and on a long road to recovery, just goes to show Suarez was a 1 man team after all, maybe he gave liverpool an almost sense of over confidence, to be honest, Liverpool are a top 10 premiership side, nothing more, they were lucky last season

[olumide]

That he only got 1 game ban for his racist twit is evidence the FA are still not serious about tackling racism afterall Suarez got 8 games.

How can you compare a harmless Instagram post, to actually racially abusing people on the field of play?

[Comrade Machel]

I said it before and I'll say it again

Balotelli is a wastepipe ....

I agree with you. The hype is nowhere near his ability

However CIC hits the nail on the head. Mario is not responsible for the plight they are in now. But i guess with his supertardom the fans were pinning their hopes on HIM being the torchbearer after Suarez

Maybe when Sturridge returns their fortunes will turn