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

[RichC]

Right man took the pen, scored amd won us the game that's all that matters the rest is irrelevant tbh.

All this talk of being bullied and half hearted celebrations, who cares they're grown men and I'm sure will get over it

[Reece]

Right man took the pen, scored amd won us the game that's all that matters the rest is irrelevant tbh.

All this talk of being bullied and half hearted celebrations, who cares they're grown men and I'm sure will get over it

Saw someone on here last night saying that could be it for Balotelli as the players will now turn on him etc.

If that's the case then footballers really are a bigger bunch of pathetic ****s than any of us could ever have imagined

Besides, Can didn't look like he had a problem when he went to celebrate with Mario after the goal. And as captain elect what he says/does is all that matters

[RichC]

Gerrard commenting didn't help but he's stuck in a role as a pundit and in the great scheme of things it's not that big of a deal.

I'm sure come Sunday everything will be back to winning an important league game amd if Mario is on the pitch and we get a pen if he takes the ball off someone else, scores and wins us the game them good as the right decision would have been made on the pitch

[dizzycat]

It was a class penalty, takes a lot of bottle to do that under pressure. His myth is building lol

[BobTheCharmer]

Its a shame really, but all this penalty **** has taken away from the fact that Mario looked ****ing good last night. The real deal. Every pass hit its mark, he held the ball up, he won freekicks, he defended well at a corner and had the balls to step up and take the pen and score. Definitely needs to start in place of Sturridge on Sunday.

[Assassin]

Balotelli is looking more and more like like the player who was voted the best youngster in Europe.

He has knuckled down and become a team player. The last two games he has featured in he has turned the game around and scored both winners

Last night leading up to the pelanty, he played the ball to Ibe and then set off on a storming run to get into the box for a possible return ball. Ibe was tripped....the rest is history

[Rich]

This problem, if it becomes one, is of Brendan's making. Clearly Balotelli should be just behind Gerrard in the taking penalties stakes - his fantastic stats back that up; so the manager should respect his ability. By selecting Henderson ahead of him it has given the potential for this to happen.

Rodgers should come out at the next press conference and clear the air by saying that Balotelli is a fantastic penalty taker and is Gerrard's deputy.

Back to Mario and I thought he did great when he came on - and if the penny has indeed dropped then there's still the chance he can turn his LFC career around. Looked a real threat.

[Doc_Piptorious]

Its a shame really, but all this penalty **** has taken away from the fact that Mario looked ****ing good last night. The real deal. Every pass hit its mark, he held the ball up, he won freekicks, he defended well at a corner and had the balls to step up and take the pen and score. Definitely needs to start in place of Sturridge on Sunday.

What Balotelli looked last night was confident and resolute. I have not been his biggest fan, but of late he has really stepped up and done well with whatever minutes he has been given.

[MrMichael]

Here we go, stage 2 of the Mario delusion in full swing now. This should be fun

A couple of semi-decent performances, a tap in and a penalty do not a consistent top level performer make, and definitely do not excuse the **** we watched earlier in the year. Good to see him do something... anything... in a red shirt to justify the millions we've already paid him, but the way it has been greeted worries me when I just know what will happen next. I do believe every word of this

I don't think I've ever seen a player so many people seem determined to convince themselves is actually good. But I am also fishing

You'll all regret this renewed enthusiasm, mark my words Friday, init?

[Shaggy]

I don't see the problem in praising him for contributing and demonstrating a clearly improved attitude.

[Rich]

Here we go, stage 2 of the Mario delusion in full swing now. This should be fun

A couple of semi-decent performances, a tap in and a penalty do not a consistent top level performer make, and definitely do not excuse the **** we watched earlier in the year. Good to see him do something... anything... in a red shirt to justify the millions we've already paid him, but the way it has been greeted worries me when I just know what will happen next. I do believe every word of this

I don't think I've ever seen a player so many people seem determined to convince themselves is actually good. But I am also fishing

You'll all regret this renewed enthusiasm, mark my words Friday, init?

You really, really have a downer on him don't you?

I thought he was very good last night - did everything expected of an international class striker. It might be more in hope than anything else but if he produces more of the same then he'll have been a good signing. That's three important acts in three games now - that's almost decent form.

[MrMichael]

I don't see the problem in praising him for contributing and demonstrating a clearly improved attitude.

There isn't one, but it will all end in tears

[MrMichael]

You really, really have a downer on him don't you?

Not really, its just that so many people have an inexplicable boner for him that I have to balance things. Plus I'm just right, it feels like I'm saying the sky is blue and Mario's fans say it is brown with yellow spots. And in this case I'm sort of ineffectively wumming too because I'm bored

[fah-q]

Here we go, stage 2 of the Mario delusion in full swing now. This should be fun

A couple of semi-decent performances, a tap in and a penalty do not a consistent top level performer make, and definitely do not excuse the **** we watched earlier in the year. Good to see him do something... anything... in a red shirt to justify the millions we've already paid him, but the way it has been greeted worries me when I just know what will happen next. I do believe every word of this

I don't think I've ever seen a player so many people seem determined to convince themselves is actually good. But I am also fishing

You'll all regret this renewed enthusiasm, mark my words Friday, init?

You may be right and you may be wrong but that post smacks of a little bit of arrogance on your part MM. I thought you were better than that. Disappointing.

[BigChief]

I don't see the problem in praising him for contributing and demonstrating a clearly improved attitude.

I'm no fan, but he's been nothing short of game changing in the last few matches.