He may not have made a blistering start to life back in England, but Mario Balotelli has still been grabbing the headlines. The roguish striker has endured a turbulent career, but Liverpool have taken a “calculated risk”, according to their manager, on him as they look to rebuild after the exit of Luis Suarez.
‘Super Mario’ has all the ability needed to be a top class player, but doubts about his behaviour and motivation have been bubbling away for some time. Yet we at FFC Towers think he could find himself at Anfield, and here are five reasons why things are about to get better for him…
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He functions well with Daniel Sturridge
The sense of relief when Balotelli poked the ball home against Ludogorets Razgrad during the midweek Champions League clash was almost palpable. The Italian, making his third start for the Reds, was beginning to get some hassle from the Anfield crowd after missing a few decent chances and being caught out of position as he desperately sought the ball to make something happen.
But ‘Balo’ showed what he was about as the ball fell to him in the box on the 80-minute mark, as he swivelled, kept possession in spite of the defenders being in close proximity and nudged home a smart finish. The confidence boost from finding the net will surely help ‘Super Mario’ who must have had the issue weighing on his mind after the loss to Aston Villa last weekend.
He functions well with Daniel Sturridge
We may have only seen about an hour of Balotelli and Sturridge in the same XI so far, but the duo’s link up play and combination looked effective. The pair started against Spurs as Mario made his debut in a game the Reds won 3-0. Neither striker found the net, but their styles seemed to compliment one another.
With Sturridge’s pace pushing the backline deeper, ‘Balo’s’ tendency to drop and find space in wide or central positions was boosted, giving Tottenham’s rearguard all manner of headaches. Balotelli looked out of sorts against Villa without his partner in crime, and Brendan Rodgers will be desperate to get the two back together when the England international returns to fitness.
He’s a real personality
To be a true star often takes more than just ability. Greats need that ‘x-factor’ or trademark style, and Balotelli looks to have what it takes. The Italian is a personality off of the field thanks to his sometimes sweet, sometimes mad, acts and that character translates into his performances.
The striker can appear aloof at times, but with his skills and abilities he has the tendency to snap into gear in an instant and grab the headlines. If Rodgers can keep him grounded and interested, Balotelli may become a Merseyside hero.
He’s still young
With spells at Inter Milan, Manchester City and AC Milan all under his belt, it’s easy to forget that Balotelli is only 24. The Palermo-born attacker has played for more top clubs in his short career than many stars will get the opportunity to do during their entire playing days, meaning he still has the chance to get things right.
The potential is there, but the keys have been misplaced on a few occasions, with troubles at City particularly noteworthy. Oh yeah, he’s also starred for Italy at a few major tournaments, too.
Brendan Rodgers can get the best from trouble stars
The progress of Sturridge and Raheem Sterling is testament to Rodgers ability to get the best from players with problems. Sturridge arrived at Liverpool from Chelsea with a reputation as a selfish character, while Sterling was rumoured to have off-field distractions threatening his awesome potential. Both players have been grounded by the Northern Irishman, who seems to have turned them into top-class Premier League performers.
Balotelli may be a bigger challenge, but Rodgers has shown that he has the patience and man management skills to get results.