Steven Gerrard and Mario Balotelli Critics Rubbished by Brendan Rodgers

Brendan Rodgers has been boisterous in his support of two key players amid Liverpool's recent crisis of form, insisting he has no problems whatsoever when it comes to the performances of Steven Gerrard and Mario Balotelli.

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The Reds were especially abject in their most recent defeat—a 3-1 loss to West Ham United—with many suggesting Gerrard's performances in a deep-lying midfield role have been a far cry from his typically impeccable standards.

But for Rodgers there are no concerns regarding the 34-year-old talisman, with the Liverpool boss preferring to put the club's poor form down to collective deficiencies, per David Anderson of The Mirror:

"

I have no concerns. He’s a brilliant player for us, really talented. It was a team performance that was not up to scratch against West Ham.

We have conceded eight goals and the majority of those could have been avoided. But for us as a team, we need to be better. We’re still looking to find our performance level, which apart from Tottenham, we’ve not been at.

"

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Balotelli has also come under fire after he's failed to find the net in his first three Premier League games for the club. It was a frustrating afternoon for the Italian at Upton Park, summed up by his tiff with West Ham keeper Adrian. But again, Rodgers insists there is nothing to worry about, per Sky Sports.

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He is a good guy, he wants to do well for the club and he has shown me that he cares enough about the club (for me) to devote that time to him.

For me, he is not complicated—he is a football player who wants to do well in his life and his career, and if he continues to give everything and work tirelessly for the cause, then there will always be an opportunity here for him.

"

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Indeed, focusing entirely on Liverpool’s on-field concerns, it’s undeniably the former of the aforementioned pair that represents the most pressing concern for the Reds boss.

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There’s no denying that Gerrard has been a giant for Liverpool during his trophy-laden career, but his value in that deep-lying position is becoming less and less obvious. He just doesn’t seem to have the dynamism to play in that role at the moment, and perhaps the Reds No. 8 has shirked some criticism because of his iconic status with the club.

But with league, domestic cup and European commitments to fulfil, Gerrard can’t play every game at his age. And although it may not be a popular decision with some Liverpool fans, it’s time for Rodgers to give serious thought to an XI that doesn’t feature the club captain; maybe even his best XI.

Jim Boardman of The Mirror thinks it’s something Rodgers must look at:

As for Balotelli, he is a player that will almost certainly take time to adapt to life on Merseyside and although his only goal in the red strip so far was against Bulgarian minnows Ludogorets Razgrad, there have been glimpses aplenty of his quality in his relatively short Liverpool career.

Adrian Durham of talkSPORT thought the former Milan forward was actually one of Liverpool’s best performers against the Hammers:

Once he better acclimatises to the requisite qualities Rodgers demands of his players and becomes acquainted with how things are supposed to be done at a club like Liverpool, we should start to see the best of him. And let's not forget, in the one game he’s started in attack with Daniel Sturridge, both Balotelli and Liverpool looked excellent.

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The attacking areas of this team have never been an issue, and although both Balotelli and Gerrard have come in for some criticism after some mediocre displays, there are much bigger concerns in this Liverpool squad. Ones that are perhaps being overlooked in favour of scrutinising more reputable players.

The defence in particular—an area in which Gerrard must also be considered culpable as a holding midfielder—is a shambles at the moment. Liverpool lack cohesion, leadership and intensity in that area of the pitch, and when those undesirable qualities coalesce in front of an out-of-form goalkeeper like Simon Mignolet, problems are always going to materialise.

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It's a combination that makes more encapsulating vaudeville for neutral supporters, but for the Anfield faithful, the calamitous streak in this defence makes for worrying watching.

Dominic King of the Daily Mail was far from impressed with the Reds’ back line:

Liverpool face a massive game in Week 6 of the Premier League, when they welcome local rivals Everton to Anfield for the Merseyside derby; a fixture the Reds haven’t lost in 15 years. Both Balotelli and Gerrard should start and it’d be no surprise to see either produce a match-winning display, such is their temperament for excelling in the big games.

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Rodgers would be fully vindicated in his support of the duo, then, but it’s critical that the Reds’ perpetual problems in defence are addressed at the earliest opportunity possible. Balotelli and—to a lesser extent—Gerrard will be the least of his worries at the moment.