Steven Gerrard Unimpressed As Mario Balotelli Takes Ball Off Jordan Henderson Before Scoring Penalty Vs Besiktas (Video)

Alan Duffy

19th, February 2015

9 Comments

By Alan Duffy

Mario Balotelli has looked far more positive (and effective) in recent games for Liverpool and in Thursday night’s Europa League clash with Besiktas, the Italian was once again the goal-hero for the Reds in a 1-0 home victory. However, the former Man City only scored the goal, from the penalty spot, after he had taken the ball from captain Jordan Henderson, the cheeky scamp. Here’s the whole palavar…

Henderson revealed after the game that he had wanted to take the spot-kick, while the injured Steven Gerrard then criticised Balotelli on ITV. Here’s what Stevie G had to say:

“It’s not nice to see when players are taking the ball off each other.

“Jordan Henderson should have taken that penalty. I think Mario is being a bit mischievous by stepping in front of him and going against what the manager’s planned.

“Credit to him he’s finished the penalty off but it would have been very interesting if he’d missed it. I think we’d have had a similar situation to what we saw at Everton a few weeks ago.

“For me rules are rules and codes are codes inside the dressing room and when a manager selects a penalty taker that person should take it.”

I’m not sure if national TV was the right place for Gerrard to have a go at Balotelli, to be honest.

(Video: Footytube)

Posted in Europa League, Liverpool, Newsnow, Videos

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9 Comments

  1. EDub says:

    Stevie G, if you really love Liverpool, keep this stuff in the dressing room.

    Now, THIS is what we are discussing instead of the victory.

    Come to think of it, you’ll fit right in as a replacement for Landy-cakes :)

  2. Jarren says:

    It really undermined Henderson’s position as Captain.

    If he’s that easy to be walked over, how can he be expected to lead from the front?

    • zak says:

      sometimes its for the best to just walk away. leadership doesnt mean taking control of every situation. his position as captain would have come under far more scrutiny had that situation escalated any further. AND it was the right thing to do in the end. i credit henderson for that

  3. Tom says:

    Refreshing to see a player not flapping about under a challenge in the box.

  4. Degs says:

    No problem with Mario taking the penalty.
    More of an issue that Gerrard is slagging his teammates off on national TV.

  5. Hugo says:

    I reckon keeping this stuff in the dressing room is what Mario’s teammates from Inter, City and Milan have tried. Doesn’t seem to be working so I think Gerrard did well to try a new approach

  6. Stephen says:

    Lets be real. Henderson is not the real leader LFC fans hope he will be. Playing with heart and guts and determination and shouting around the field are all valuable assets, but true leadership is not in Henderson or maybe anyone in the liverpool squad at the moment. To me the captain should be the man to steady the ship when an opposing team is delivering constant pressure OR drive the team forward when the opposing team is killing the game ala the Everton derby (something I’ve noticed is completely lacking during this season). It sucks for LFC at the moment but a true captain and leader does not really exist.
    Crazy, but maybe Coutinho (although he never features for enough minutes), youngsters Ibe, Sterling and even Moreno seem to possess more natural leadership than Henderson.
    Henderson can be a midfield driving force but honestly him stepping up to the penalty spot does not inspire captaincy material.
    Rodgers MUST find or mould a natural born leader or I fear Liverpool going the way of Arsenal (who have not really had major leadership since their invincible days!)

  7. Chris says:

    Alan – they’re grown ups….they’re all man enough (or should be) to accept criticism and move on.

    If the world knows about it really who cares. I say better to be upfront about your feelings – always. It won’t win you popularity contests but it tends to bring the right people around you.

  8. Hootie says:

    Like him or not, Balotelli is a fantastic penalty taker. It undermines my belief in Rodgers that he isn’t the chosen penalty taker when Gerrard isn’t in the game.

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