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

[RedReet]

What about him?

[RedReet]

Talking of Markovic, on LFC TV they keep pronouncing him Markoo...vich. Do Sky do the same, I haven't noticed?

Even if it's correct, it's very annoying.

[SK]

Talking of Markovic, on LFC TV they keep pronouncing him Markoo...vich. Do Sky do the same, I haven't noticed?

Even if it's correct, it's very annoying.

it's wrong

[frank the tank]

But playing him up top with Sturridge would mean one or two from Sterling, Coutinho, Lallana and Marko would have to drop to the bench to accommodate him.

I know what my preference would be...

In reality we need a squad, need rotation and Brendan will change his system as well....

That said, Balotelli will be on huge wages......plus we will have Ibe and Origi next year as well.....

[cream]

£14m for Balo + £7-10m for Borini = Lacazette. Thanks.

That ship has sailed. He's better than Bale according the Lyon president.

[DannyMan2006]

That ship has sailed. He's better than Bale according the Lyon president.

He'll likely move in the summer and go to the highest bidder. The highest bidder will depend on who needs a new striker.

[BobTheCharmer]

He'll likely move in the summer and go to the highest bidder. The highest bidder will depend on who needs a new striker.

I've read this five times. Just to make sure I've understood it fully. You will be telling us that the sea is wet next.

[McDermotX]

[vlahka]

In reality we need a squad, need rotation and Brendan will change his system as well....

That said, Balotelli will be on huge wages......plus we will have Ibe and Origi next year as well.....

I'm wondering if we will use Ibe much at all. I've got a feeling he'll be limited to a handful of appearances and then leave for another club in a couple seasons.

[Chazza]

[ame]https://twitter.com/CityTalk1059/status/555377420019445760[/ame]

[MrMichael]

i think Mario will come good

I swear people will still be saying this about him when he's 50.

Meanwhile in the here & now he has 1 goal in about his last 30 Premiership games between us & City. Ridiculous player.

[BigChief]

I swear people will still be saying this about him when he's 50.

Meanwhile in the here & now he has 1 goal in about his last 30 Premiership games between us & City. Ridiculous player.

Yes but when he comes good those figures will change.

[Chazza]

Brendan Rodgers has paid a glowing tribute to Mario Balotelli and insisted he is not going anywhere in this month's transfer market.

The Inter Milan manager Roberto Mancini has warned Balotelli that he risks throwing his career away, having failed to deliver on Merseyside. "I hope that he wakes up one morning and realises that he is wasting everything," he said.

But Rodgers - who today refused to put a timeframe on Daniel Sturridge's return to action - insisted that the £16m striker will not be jettisoned this month and could still have an Anfield career. Rodgers said: "He has come in here and is not scored the goals he wanted but he is not going anywhere in January."

The news on Sturridge was less than overwhelming, as Liverpool try to find the right way of rehabilitating the player who has suffered nine injuries to the same thigh during his ten-year first class career. Rodgers, whose side travel to Aston Villa on Saturday, said: "Time will tell. We just want him fit. There is no timeline on that. He is in the final stages of his rehab but there's no time frame. He is back and working well though obviously not ready to play yet. Hopefully in the near future he will be."

Rogers did say that Raheem Sterling was back in the squad after the holiday the manager had allowed him and was "refreshed and ready to work." Glen Johnson has been back training and may be a contender for Saturday's game. The manager is also assessing the fitness of Steven Gerrard and Adam Lallana.

Rodgers agreed that the return of players made him the most confident he has been yet, of building something from this season. "I've seen it on the training field that confidence of the players. We've had a difficult time but have used that to our advantage. I am confident in the way we are working."

Though Liverpool are also confident of bringing forward the signing of young Belgian striker Divock Origi - whom they had not planned to take from Lille until next summer having bought him for £10m - Rodgers was circumspect on that issue. He said: "He is a player that will definitely be here next summer but whether he will be here in January has been discussion but nothing more to report on it."

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/transfers/brendan-rodgers-mario-balotelli-will-not-be-going-anywhere-in-this-transfer-window-9980568.html

[kubrickscube]

Translated = The board won't let me buy a new striker and I'm bigging up Mario with the hope he might start scoring

[danperkins]

Translated = The board won't let me buy a new striker and I'm bigging up Mario with the hope he might start scoring

same as he's doing with Lovren