Balotelli's Liverpool honeymoon is over

(ANSA) - Rome, September 30 - Mario Balotelli's honeymoon period after his close-season move from AC Milan to Liverpool appears to be coming to a close. The talented 24-year-old striker, who courts a rebellious image, was well received in Liverpool after the transfer, with team shirts with his name on the back selling fast.
    The spell at Anfield started well, with the Italian scoring his first goal for his new club in a 2-1 home win over Ludogorets Razgrad in the Champions League.
    He also converted two penalties to help the Reds win a penalty shootout to win a League Cup tie against Middlesbrough last week.
    But Liverpool's form in the English Premier League has been poor so far this season. They are a lowly 14th, trailing leaders Chelsea by nine points, and have shown few signs so far of being able to mount a challenge like last season's, when they finished two points behind champions Manchester City.
    And, much like he was many people's scapegoat for Italy's poor showing at the World Cup, Balotelli, who has not scored in the English top flight this term, is starting to get the blame for his team's performances. This is nothing new, as the player was regularly at the centre of British media storms during his 2010-2012 stint at Manchester City, due to his poor disciplinary record and bizarre off-field antics.
    But this time more attention is being paid to Balotelli's alleged footballing deficiencies, as seen in a scathing attack in Tuesday's Daily Mail.
    "Mario Balotelli is an overpaid penalty taker who no longer takes penalties," read the piece by Adrian Durham. "Milan were so desperate to get rid of the striker they accepted only £16million for him.
    "That desperation became obvious when they (Milan) replaced him with Fernando Torres.
    "Liverpool shouldn't be dealing with bargain strikers nobody else wants.
    "Let's wait and see what it is that Mario Balotelli brings to the Liverpool party. A couple of stuttering shoot-out spot-kicks against Middlesbrough, and a goal against Champions League also-rans are a mediocre return so far. It's early days, but points are being dropped...
    "Managers who have put their faith in Balotelli in the past have been let down. (Liverpool boss) Brendan Rodgers is setting himself up for a fall - he has put an extraordinary amount of faith in this player, and it would be a shame if Balotelli didn't repay this faith in full. But will he?".