Mario Balotelli [On the Road to Ballon d'or)

[baitman]

...He's a like an eternal teenager, stomping around his room, occasionally shouting about how he's doing his best but oblivious to the cum-sodden sock stuck to the window and the decaying smell, the source of which numerous family members have been unable to locate.

we've all been there

[Exiled_red]

Good point made about Mario's workrate and attitude on Off The Ball a few weeks back:

He doesn't try very hard because he constantly hears about how truly great he would be if he worked harder but because he's scared he'd still make the same outlandish ****-ups - missed sitters, stupid shots, daft positioning - if he actually tried, he's happy to hear all the nearly-great stuff about himself.

I also think he's one of those people who genuinely have no real understanding of what actually woking hard means. He's a like an eternal teenager, stomping around his room, occasionally shouting about how he's doing his best but oblivious to the cum-sodden sock stuck to the window and the decaying smell, the source of which numerous family members have been unable to locate.

The thing is no-one would really care if he missed sitters or took the occasional crazy shots if he worked his nuts off. The reason people get on his back is that he does bugger all work for the team (most of the time) and then when he gets the ball he shoots from 35 yards and it is either blocked or goes well high or wide.

[Alex]

Struggling to see a reason to keep this bloke on at the club.

Made zero contribution on the pitch. My only hope is when Sturridge is back we try them both up top together.

Other than that he looks pointless.

[badpiggy]

The thing is no-one would really care if he missed sitters or took the occasional crazy shots if he worked his nuts off. The reason people get on his back is that he does bugger all work for the team (most of the time) and then when he gets the ball he shoots from 35 yards and it is either blocked or goes well high or wide.

The point was more about his perception of himself but

[Norbs]

Struggling to see a reason to keep this bloke on at the club.

Made zero contribution on the pitch. My only hope is when Sturridge is back we try them both up top together.

Other than that he looks pointless.

He looks totally unperturbed to how his career pans out here. Couldn't give a ****, IMO

[red g]

He looks totally unperturbed to how his career pans out here. Couldn't give a ****, IMO

he will end up in the middle east or russia soon enough getting paid ridiculous amounts.

[MrMichael]

Struggling to see a reason to keep this bloke on at the club.

Made zero contribution on the pitch. My only hope is when Sturridge is back we try them both up top together.

Other than that he looks pointless.

At least you can see now why I "lost my ****" (wasn't it?) so badly in the summer...

[G]

According to the boss we've been working on our current system for a while so I don't see us changing it to accommodate two up top when Sturridge is fit so best to drive Mario out into the woods and release him.

[BobTheCharmer]

Struggling to see a reason to keep this bloke on at the club.

Made zero contribution on the pitch. My only hope is when Sturridge is back we try them both up top together.

Other than that he looks pointless.

In his ten minute cameo, I thought he did ok. He closed down where he could, he tried to make something happen and tripped on the ball, which I've seen hundreds of players do at one time or another and then tried to play one touch and did well to get a shot off that the keeper saved down low. Ten premier league games without a goal is not THAT alarming, he is getting in positions to score and has been unlucky on quite a few occasions. If the Everton one he hit onto the bar had gone in early doors, it would have been so much different. I would play him instead of Sterling against Leicester and see what he's prepared to do/contribute.

[MrMichael]

I would play him instead of Sterling against Leicester and see what he's prepared to do/contribute.

[BobTheCharmer]

Sorry but Mario is a very good striker and is more than capable of playing at home against Leicester in this more attacking team that we have.

Long term, in a team set up to pressure high up, then no Mario is not the ideal striker. But in many other teams, he would excel.

[dww]

There is a real danger of burning Sterling out if we make him play every game. Other than that there is little real case for Balotelli as a starting option at the minute. The Leicester game is probably as sensible a game as any to give him a go. That said I would expect us to continue with the same front three.

[Slinky Skills]

Sorry but Mario is a very good striker and is more than capable of playing at home against Leicester in this more attacking team that we have.

Long term, in a team set up to pressure high up, then no Mario is not the ideal striker. But in many other teams, he would excel.

He isn't Bob he's ****.

[S-RED]

I thought he looked fairly good in his cameo yesterday. He was trying to play the way the team was playing, passing the ball about rather than hogging it and losing it....

He was ok, but a ten minute cameo is probably as much as Mario could do playing the pressing game. He would quickly revert to type if he stated the game

[Lee]

There is a real danger of burning Sterling out if we make him play every game. Other than that there is little real case for Balotelli as a starting option at the minute. The Leicester game is probably as sensible a game as any to give him a go. That said I would expect us to continue with the same front three.

I'd rather we start Lambert up top against Leicester.

Balotelli is a better player than he's shown so far, but he's been muck for us and I see no reason to start him against Leicester.