Extraordinary quotes from Reds boss.
Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has plainly admitted that failed summer signing Mario Balotelli does not suit his team’s style of play, the Guardian reports.
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Liverpool transfer news
The Reds paid £16m to sign the Italian international from AC Milan this summer, but he has yet to score a single Premier League goal in a highly frustrating campaign at Anfield.
Known for being a controversial character, Balotelli has shown glimpses of exceptional talent throughout his career, but his time with Liverpool has been surprisingly poor for a player of his calibre.
Rodgers now looks to have hinted that the signing was a mistake, saying that the 24-year-old’s playing style does not lend itself well to his philosophy of high-pressure attacks and fast-paced, intense playing style.
This has supposedly put Serie A side Sampdoria on alert for Balotelli’s potential availability in January, though Rodgers has also said he will have to make the best of the situation with the current options he has in his attack.
“We’re at our best when our game is aggressive,” Rodgers said. “So for us it was about trying to find the solution to get back that intensity and tempo to our game, which is critical in terms of how we work. That’s key, that real aggressive pressure at the top end of the field. The players are starting to adapt and performances will get better and better.
“We have seen it’s not really his (Balotelli’s) game. Working with him for the period of time he’s been here we have seen that he’s probably someone who’s better in and around the box.
“That level of intensity and pressing isn’t part of his game. But you try to get the best out of the players you have and the qualities they have. So that’s something we will focus on. The most important thing is he is now available and adds another player to the squad.”
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