Mario Balotelli Improves vs. Hull, but Rodgers Continues to Do Him No Favours

LIVERPOOL, England—A third game in six days for Liverpool saw another episode of "The Mario Balotelli Show" as the Italian striker continued to be the centre of attention at Anfield in the Reds' 0-0 draw with Hull City.

Upon signing the 24-year-old at the end of August, Brendan Rodgers had asserted how "This isn’t the Mario Balotelli Show, I’ll tell you that now. This will be about him being part of the team and performing like everyone else."

After a dismal performance, rounded off by the open-goal miss, against QPR last Sunday, then a half-time substitution and shirt swap against Real Madrid on Wednesday, Rodgers' week had been dominated by questions around the £16 million man. This is The Mario Balotelli Show.

But, there were clear signs of improvement, Balotelli was part of the team and he performed well. Well enough, anyway.

Positives

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In his post-match press conference, Hull boss Steve Bruce claimed Balotelli was Liverpool's best player. "He's [Balotelli] the whipping boy at the minute," said the former Man United centre-back.

Perhaps Bruce has a point. Balotelli certainly wasn't Liverpool's worst player anyway, and at least he was trying to make things happen in what was a pretty turgid team performance for much of the match—certainly for the first hour before Rodgers brought on Rickie Lambert and Philippe Coutinho for the ineffective Adam Lallana and Joe Allen.

Bruce's claim that Balotelli was Liverpool's best player is perhaps more of a sign of how flat many other of Liverpool's best players were. His free-kick delivery aside, Steven Gerrard looked extremely in need of a rest, one which Rodgers continues not to give the 34-year-old despite the congested fixture list. Raheem Sterling suffered similarly.

Liverpool's best performer was probably substitute Philippe Coutinho, who was surprisingly not started after an impressive cameo at QPR and being one of the standout players against Madrid before his early removal.

Alas, this is about Balotelli.

There was a clear attempt for the Italian to play higher up the pitch and lead the attack. He was playing on the shoulder of the last defender far more than we've seen of late and consequently dropping deep less often.

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It was through this position and increased movement that he found his first chance on 12 minutes. Sterling played a nice through ball down the right side of the box and Balotelli moved onto it but his shot was saved at the near post. In all honesty it was a very simple save for Eldin Jakupovic but movement across the front line was a welcome sight.

Balotelli's best chances later on arrived after Lambert's introduction and the two of them combined well on a couple of occasions.

There were some nice touches and link play from the Italian, and his missed chance in the final seconds did at least show evidence of his better movement—possibly the first time the Anfield faithful have seen him make a near-post run.

Certainly, this was a better performance than a week ago and far less wasteful shooting from distance was on display.

Negatives

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For all the claims of improved performance from Balotelli, though, there are two points to contextualise them. Firstly, he could only improve after what was a pretty shambolic performance at QPR. Secondly, isn't it a little condescending to praise hard work and effort? Isn't that the minimum requirement from any footballer?

"He worked hard, he’s doing his best," said Rodgers post-match. Hard work and doing your best is the minimum requirement of any professional, and something that players like Dirk Kuyt were often criticised for in the past. There has to be end product and output, especially from attacking players.

One thing that's noticeable about Balotelli is how slow he is on transitions, both in-play and on dead-ball situations. 

"The best players come alive when the game goes dead," said Rodgers of Sterling last week at QPR.

Sterling had taken a free-kick quickly, Glen Johnson's low cross was turned into his own net by Richard Dunne and Liverpool had the lead. What was noticeable was how Balotelli, at the time of Sterling's quick thinking, was actually looking away and had turned his back on the ball. Madness. This happened again against Hull on Saturday.

In-play, when Liverpool broke, especially in the second half, rather than immediately move into space, Balotelli's first instinct is to drop deep, giving the player on the ball few options ahead—and giving the opposition's back four little to worry about in behind.

Of course, this is where Rodgers needs to be questioned on continually playing Balotelli as the lone forward in Daniel Sturridge's absence. His attempts to change the former Man City player are akin to a girlfriend convincing herself she can change her boyfriend's ways.

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Balotelli was appealing for a penalty late on after being played in by Lambert. In truth he should have been far stronger under pressure from Alex Bruce. We're talking about a big strong, 6'2", forward. Balotelli has a severe case of the Emile Heskeys at times.

Overall

Balotelli was certainly better. Without the previous performances, we wouldn't even be looking too closely at this one, but eight games without a goal is an extremely poor statistic for any forward.

What is abundantly clear is how Mario works better with another forward alongside him. We've known this for weeks now but Rodgers refuses to change. It was baffling that it took until playing Real Madrid to finally try Sterling alongside Balotelli—something that was scrapped after going 2-0 behind.

Why Rodgers didn't go with that setup against Hull, and play Coutinho, a player back in form, at the top of a midfield diamond is puzzling. Seemingly the only answer is because he was keen to accommodate Lallana on the left. It didn't work.

Rodgers praised Lambert and Balotelli's combination in the final half hour and the pair are both desperate for a goal to find form and confidence. Surely the Liverpool boss will be tempted to start them together against Swansea in the League Cup on Tuesday night.

Balotelli needs to be cut some slack, because Rodgers has not and is not doing him any favours.

Quotes obtained firsthand unless otherwise stated.