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

[baronvonskidmark]

I think Rodgers has more of an issue with the committee and he's using Mario as a stick to beat them with.

I'm not sure what you mean here mate. Are you saying Rodgers is doing this out of spite?

[Kenneth]

People been saying all season that Mario will play better when Studge returns from injury. Low and behold that is exactly what has happened. Publicly talking **** has probably had very little to do with it, if it had then it we would have seen Mario improve much sooner.

I'm not convinced he has improved that much, but goals make everything look better even if they are just a tap in and a penalty.

His good form equates to about a half of football, late on against tired teams. The first cameo against Palace he did very little but scored the tap in. Second one he did well and scored a penalty. Definitely not the basis for claiming he's coming good, or is jelling now Sturridge is back etc etc. Those of us who think he's a mostly useless, lazy lump of averageness have far more supporting evidence than those who think he's about to cement his place in our starting eleven.

[MrMichael]

I think Rodgers has more of an issue with the committee and he's using Mario as a stick to beat them with.

But you don't have an issue with the manager?

That sort of suggestion is just ridiculous honestly.

[captainfog]

I'm not sure what you mean here mate. Are you saying Rodgers is doing this out of spite?

Not out of spite, but I think some of the reasoning behind making the criticisms public has been political.

[captainfog]

But you don't have an issue with the manager?

That sort of suggestion is just ridiculous honestly.

I have several issues with the manager, his treatment of Mario being one of them.

[captainfog]

But you don't have an issue with the manager?

That sort of suggestion is just ridiculous honestly.

Why else would you sign a very specific style of player and then publicly criticise him for not being a different sort of player?

[MrMichael]

Why else would you sign a very specific style of player and then publicly criticise him for not being a different sort of player?

Mario's specific style of player doesn't get to be "stands around doing nothing because he scored". That isn't the style of player we signed. As I said before, this guy has won championships and played at World Cups so this stuff isn't new to him, putting in a shift is the minimum expected standard for any professional footballer and you can't just say "that isn't his style" if he flagrantly doesn't do so.

[fidget]

I'm with foggy - i've rewatched the game from the pelanty to the end several times and am struggling to see anything negative from Balotelli. Until we get to the bottom of all this who's a committee/brendan signing malarkey we'll be reading a subtext into everything.
At worst I think he can be an excellent plan B for us.

[captainfog]

Mario's specific style of player doesn't get to be "stands around doing nothing because he scored". That isn't the style of player we signed. As I said before, this guy has won championships and played at World Cups so this stuff isn't new to him, putting in a shift is the minimum expected standard for any professional footballer and you can't just say "that isn't his style" if he flagrantly doesn't do so.

I've not seen him do anything different than he's done his whole career. I don't understand anything about this transfer. I don't know why we signed him, I don't understand how he has been used (lone striker), I don't understand the way he's been handled and I don't understand Rodgers surprise/frustration at something as obvious as the nose on his face.

[captainfog]

I'm with foggy - i've rewatched the game from the pelanty to the end several times and am struggling to see anything negative from Balotelli. Until we get to the bottom of all this who's a committee/brendan signing malarkey we'll be reading a subtext into everything.
At worst I think he can be an excellent plan B for us.

Pearce at the echo set out who was the driver behind our summer transfers and seeing as he's Rodgers go to mouthpiece I'd say he was pretty accurate.

[Kenneth]

I have several issues with the manager, his treatment of Mario being one of them.

For me, even if it were political, what's the worst that comes out if it? We get rid of Mario asap and don't sign another one like him. Neither of these are negatives.

[MrMichael]

I've not seen him do anything different than he's done his whole career. I don't understand anything about this transfer. I don't know why we signed him, I don't understand how he has been used (lone striker), I don't understand the way he's been handled and I don't understand Rodgers surprise/frustration at something as obvious as the nose on his face.

Finally we have a bit of common ground, I totally agree with that bit, ridiculous signing.

I'm not going to go with the conspiracy theory committee signing stuff, just seems like bollocks that doesn't stand up to the slightest bit of scrutiny to me.

[RedRum]

I've not seen him do anything different than he's done his whole career. I don't understand anything about this transfer. I don't know why we signed him, I don't understand how he has been used (lone striker), I don't understand the way he's been handled and I don't understand Rodgers surprise/frustration at something as obvious as the nose on his face.

Now your having a go at his Frank Bruno nose

[Norbs]

Hoopleheads

[BobTheCharmer]

This sort of game is not for balotelli. No way.