With striker Mario Balotelli once again left out of the Italy squad for their up-coming Euro-2016 qualifiers, Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers thinks that Reds captain Steven Gerrard can help the controversial striker get back on scoresheet — and then the international radar.
“You could see his quality and his ability to combine with Balotelli straight away,” explained the Northern Irishman. “Steven is a player who makes the game look simple and Mario knows he is playing with one of the greats of the game. Mario is a guy who needs certain types of passes and Steven is the sort of player who can provide them.”
Gerrard was pushed farther up the pitch during the last half-hour of Liverpool’s win over West Bromwich Albion over the weekend and his immediate impact envoked memories of his swashbuckling displays of the past. The midfielder has been playing a deep-lying playmaker role over the last two seasons, but there’s been calls to restore his to a more attacking position — something that could help his teammate get back in the international set-up.
“Mario has started a new path. It’s not an easy one and I believe he must be given the necessary time to adapt at Liverpool,” explained Italy boss Antonio Conte following the news that Balotelli has once again been left out of the Italy squad. “We are following him just as we monitor all Italians that play abroad. I make selections not exclusions, which is something completely different.”
Balotelli has scored only once since moving to Anfield this summer, but if Gerrard can help the 24-year old re-discover his eye for goal, Conte could very well be forced to re-consider his hard line on the controversial striker.
