Following the departure of Luis Suarez to Barcelona earlier this summer, Sturridge was expected to be the main center forward for Liverpool. Could it remain so even with the arrival of Balotelli?
The 24-year-old Italian has returned to the Premier League after completing his £16million move from AC Milan
Mario Balotelli’s move to Liverpool has divided opinions, with some claiming that the Premier League club have made a mistake and others stating that Reds manager Brendan Rodgers will be able to get the best out of him.
Given Balotelli’s history and the problems he has had at Inter Milan, Manchester City and AC Milan, one can understand the worries of Liverpool fans.
Former Liverpool midfielder Gary McAllister has his say on the impact Mario Balotelli could make at Anfield following his move from AC Milan. Former Liverpool player, Gary McAllister believes, the Italian striker will not be a success at Anfield.
“It will split everyone,” the former Scotland international midfielder said. “He’s got great ability, but Liverpool are very much together under Brendan Rodgers and it doesn’t take a lot to split a dressing room. And that’s my only fear. I’m not so sure about it.”
If the likes of Jose Mourinho and Roberto Mancini struggled to keep the 24-year-old head cool and focused on his football, then it is not entirely wrong to suggest that Rodgers cannot.
The former Reds player is also worried about the playing position of Daniel Sturridge. The England international striker has blossomed under Rodgers since his move to Liverpool from Chelsea in January 2013, but the Scotsman suggests that the 24-year-old could struggle to play alongside Balotelli.
“I don’t know where Balotelli play. If he plays up top, does Sturridge move to the side? I don’t think he likes it out there.
“Balotelli is not going to be second fiddle, that’s not his thing. I’m looking forward to seeing how they line up with the three or four really attacking players they’ve got.”
Ex Liverpool vice-captain Jamie Carragher believes Rodgers is taking a big risk with Balotelli.
“Looking at the situation Liverpool were in, one week until the window shuts, they needed a striker and they’re getting the Italian number one striker for £16million.”
“If we could see the Balotelli we saw at Euro 2012 I’d say ‘It’s a great signing’ but I don’t want to see the Balotelli I saw at City in a Liverpool shirt: petulant, stupid, sendings-off, walking about.
“I played against him two or three times (and he was) doing nothing in the game and you knew if you got tight to him and put him under pressure he’d fall out again.”
But on the contrary, another Liverpool legend Gary Neville believes the former AC Milan striker will fit in perfectly and partner well with Sturridge at Anfield.
“Sturridge is more mobile than the Italian and having played with Suarez, he would know what it takes to play in a two-man attackline.”
“Balotelli featured alongside the mobile Sergio Aguero at City so playing alongside Sturridge may not be as difficult as some would suggest.”
Liverpool manager, Brenden Rodgers, is very confident he can get the best out of the 24-year tall and prolific attacker despite the player’s ugly past.
Balotelli has had an eventful career so far, none more so than during his three years at City where he got into his fair share of scrapes on and off the field, but Rodgers does not see that as a problem.
“I’ve worked with those type of players all my life from when I worked in youth coaching.
“I never had the finished article and that’s how – at times – I like it.
“Most players I like to sit down and look in the eye and see the honesty and the humility that they have.
“I spent a bit of time with him, about three-and-a-half hours, just talking him through Liverpool – it’s a massive club and it’s a different club, it’s a family club with strong family values and as I said behaviour is very important here.
“He’s a very bright boy. He was very clever. He understood where he’s at this stage of his career and he knows himself that this is probably his last chance.
“I look at the talent. He’s a wonderful talent.
“He’s got huge potential but needs to come to Liverpool and be consistent because if he can do that we’ve got one hell of a player.”
ANTHONY NLEBEM
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