► Mario Balotelli and Danny Welbeck both moved for £16million
► Balotelli has had a disappointing start to his Liverpool career
► Welbeck, however, has impressed after signing for Arsenal
► Liverpool lost 1-0 against Basle with misfiring Balotelli up front while Arsenal beat Galatasaray 4-1 courtesy of Welbeck hat-trick
Arsenal and Liverpool each paid £16million for a striker with something of a point to prove in the closing stages of the transfer window.
Danny Welbeck arrived in north London with a reputation for hard work, level temperament, a little skill, pace, power, and questionable finishing.
Mario Balotelli landed on Merseyside with a reputation for not much hard work, erratic temperament, a lot of skill, pace, power and cool finishing, at least from the penalty spot.
But already, with Wednesday night’s Champions League action as Exhibit A, the evidence suggests it is Arsene Wenger with the bargain on his hands, while Brendan Rodgers perhaps has only trouble, greater even than he anticipated.
Wenger had the opportunity to buy Balotelli but declined, while Rodgers had earlier in the summer dismissed the idea totally. Circumstances changed and he must now get the best out of the Italian. The Englishman has quickly shown he could be better than many thought possible.
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