Dubai: Liverpool’s spirit looks broken after Saturday’s 1-0 defeat away to Newcastle United, but you can’t just blame Mario Balotelli’s questionable replacement of Luis Suarez.
Having missed a slim window of opportunity to clinch their first league title in 24-years last season the atmosphere is more than a little flat at Anfield.
Add to that Suarez’ departure, and the admission by Steven Gerrard that he may also leave when his contract expires this summer, and the future becomes increasingly uncertain.
It’s all a far cry from the premature euphoria of last season when The Reds needed just three wins to clinch the title, only for Gerrard’s slip in a 2-0 defeat at home to Chelsea to symbolise the club’s fall from grace.
With such a crushing anti-climax and the weight of expectation to deliver still the same even without Suarez this season, Brendon Rodger’s side has been understandably slow to start, winning just four of the first ten matches, to stand seventh in the English Premier League table with 14 points.
A lot of heat has been placed on Balotelli, who, some say, doesn’t fit into Rodgers’ style of play. The Italian admittedly hasn’t ingratiated himself to supporters after swapping shirts at half-time in last week’s 3-0 Uefa Champions League defeat at home to Real Madrid and allegedly threatening a female fan.
With just two goals in ten appearances, the former AC Milan and Manchester City forward is getting more headlines than hat-tricks, but Liverpool should have seen that coming given his track record.
A lot could be said about his behaviour and compatibility with the club both on and off the pitch, but at the end of the day, he is just part of the problem and his performances are reflective of the team.
Liverpool still has the promise of Raheem Sterling, Philippe Coutinho, and now Adam Lallana in their ranks, and once Daniel Sturridge returns to full fitness, it could well be a different story.
It’s a bit harsh to throw Balotelli into the mix and expect instant results given the wider goings-on, and if we’re not careful he may become an easy scapegoat to bigger problems.
A bit more patience might be needed, with the club having to accept last season was a massive overachievement brought about by the alignment of stars, which just happens with players who have been together a long time.
Taking a step back to rebuild again, while accepting the club may be on the cusp of a shift in era, would be wise. And now that Liverpool have committed themselves to Balotelli, the focus should be on making him part of the cure.