Liverpool returned to Premier League action on Sunday and triumphed with an eventful 3-2 win over QPR.
However, despite the fact they were facing the legaue’s bottom side, the Reds performance was poor.
Indeed, it was Harry Redknapp’s side that dictated the play for most of the game before the mad climax that produced four goals in the final seven minutes with Liverpool scoring the winning goal in the dying seconds of added time.
Yes the result was important, but the performance was still a long way off from what supporters enjoyed last season and Mario Balotelli’s display in particular came in for a lot of criticism.
The Italian has struggled to find his form but his lack of effort against QPR angered many supporters as he yet again failed to make an impact.
Balotelli looked lazy and unhappy at the challenges from QPR defenders and all too often he failed to hold the ball up.
When he did get possession he only wanted to shoot despite the fact that his teammates were often in better positions and a pass would have been the sensible option.
In fairness to Baltelli, manager Brendan Rodgers persists with playing him as a lone striker and it is never going to work. Balotelli needs a strike partner or else he is as well sitting in the stand with the supporters.
Rodgers is struggling to bring the best out of his new signing and Liverpool supporters are only seeing the Balotelli they feared instead of the Balotelli defenders feared. Rodgers has to change things up front or the gamble on Balotelli will be a failure.
Story: Metro; 
Picture: Reuters