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

[RedReet]

I agree with the 1st part, he doesn't suit the style BR wants to play.

Suarez was inherited and on paper wasn't a Rodger's type player. Likewise, most on here said he couldn't play CF. Give Mario time.

[Slinky Skills]

He's looked pretty poor so far, he did work harder today but only in patches.

He's doing more wrong than right for me and I'm starting to agree with MrM and that he may not be the right fit for this club and this team.

Finding it hard to find any real positives.

He's extremely greedy and selfish.

Tries long shots that are never going in all the time.

His finishing is wayward.

He can't head the ball.

He can't tackle.

Doesn't work hard enough, doesn't chase around hard enough and at times looks completely lazy. That's partly down to having a bad attitude but he's also arrogant.

He's not particularly quick.

He goes down like a sack of spuds feigning injury even at the slightest of touches, none of us want to see that kind of nonsense.

Spends most of his time complaining, never smiles or looks like he's enjoying himself.

His hair is ****, it's the type of thing you do with your hair when you're 15.


Overall not sold on him, but I am willing to give him more time.

[baitman]

I would love to find out what was so wrong with loic remy and how he "failed his medical"

How the hell did we end up with this lad.

I know be can play a bit but he isnt making a valid contribution for enough of the game.
No doubt he would be better with sturridge alongside but so would anyone, even rickie.

For all the time we give him to find form we are going out on the pitch with less than a full team.

[Buzzo]

I've never known a player to get as much stick. The commentators were after him all game too, even after one tackle where he was chopped down by Hibbert.

He's been with us, what, 5 weeks? We gave Suarez time to settle, we need to give him a chance. He definitely has talent but he is not Luis Suarez and expecting him to be the real deal so soon is unfair. If Sturridge we're fit we'd have been able to bring him in a bit more slowly, but he's had to lead the line on his own from day one. He's working hard with little service and a ponderous midfield.

To the doubters give the lad a chance FFS. He's one of us now.

[RichC]

I've never known a player to get as much stick. The commentators were after him all game too, even after one tackle where he was chopped down by Hibbert.

He's been with us, what, 5 weeks? We gave Suarez time to settle, we need to give him a chance. He definitely has talent but he is not Luis Suarez and expecting him to be the real deal so soon is unfair. If Sturridge we're fit we'd have been able to bring him in a bit more slowly, but he's had to lead the line on his own from day one. He's working hard with little service and a ponderous midfield.

To the doubters give the lad a chance FFS. He's one of us now.

FFS Buzzo stop being sensible!!

[Zapater]

It's pretty much as expected. I knew no one would give him a chance. If it were any other player there wouldn't be nearly as many complaints. I guess reputation is everything.

It's funny how everyone has forgotten the millions of sitters Suarez missed under Dalglish.

[fidget]

I've never known a player to get as much stick. The commentators were after him all game too, even after one tackle where he was chopped down by Hibbert.

He's been with us, what, 5 weeks? We gave Suarez time to settle, we need to give him a chance. He definitely has talent but he is not Luis Suarez and expecting him to be the real deal so soon is unfair. If Sturridge we're fit we'd have been able to bring him in a bit more slowly, but he's had to lead the line on his own from day one. He's working hard with little service and a ponderous midfield.

To the doubters give the lad a chance FFS. He's one of us now.

I've been impressed with the effort he's putting in and he did well to even get that "sitter" he missed today on target. can't wait to see him and Sturridge together.

[Buzzo]

FFS Buzzo stop being sensible!!

It has been getting my goat for sure.

Its unbelievable the press he gets. The more everyone gives him unfair stick, the more I like him.

[SB]

That and slaving away to get to Europe. Been traveling for nearly 3 months haha

Sounds the life. with the little lady? Where've you been ?

[G]

To be fair I think the ponderous midfield is pondering what to do because Mario doesn't make very many good runs. We badly need Sturridge back to occupy defenders thoughts and leave Mario some space.

[baitman]

To be fair I think the ponderous midfield is pondering what to do because Mario doesn't make very many good runs. We badly need Sturridge back to occupy defenders thoughts and leave Mario some space.

I remember lallana having the ball moving forward through the midfield and having to turn and turn again cos mario wasnt getting on the edge of the box. Seems to lack intelligence as regards where to go and what to do. Hes training with these lads, its not too much to ask, no.

[captainfog]

Mario needs to score goals or he offers little to the side. He was a little better than 1 in 2 for Milan and if he can do that for us then he'll do for me. But if he doesn't score regularly then he is no good to us.

[EwarWoo]

The commentators were after him all game too,

Commentators were tossers. Even got a comment that Markovic was taking "longer than normal" to settle into the PL. How many games has he played you cocks?

[marcus50bucks]

Posted on another forum

I think his mind is filled with 'me' rather than 'we'. His desire to get involved is detracting a bit from our play. As was said above by FCPG, there are times when you want him to make a run to create space or drag defenders around, but he'll only make a move if he thinks he will profit from it.

Its rare when he gets the ball that he pops it off. He'll take a few touches to see what he can manouvre and if nothing is on, he'll play it to a team mate.

I think he loves the ball, he drops off alot because he knows he'll get more touches that way rather than getting in the box and the chance the game might pass him by.

There's alot of raw talent there but I think he needs a bit of work to fit in with our game. There was one moment in the first half where he was looking for a ball straight down the middle through a tight channel (a high risk ball), however, Henderson, I think, played a more diagonal ball looking for him to make a run into the space behind the full back. Balotelli wasnt interested running after it, its little things like that which makes me think he puts himself first.

Interesting view point. I definitely think there are times when he is occupying the space of players like Coutinho and Lallana when he would have been better further up the pitch on the last defender so he could receive the through ball.

[Zapater]

Mario needs to score goals or he offers little to the side. He was a little better than 1 in 2 for Milan and if he can do that for us then he'll do for me. But if he doesn't score regularly then he is no good to us.

I tend to agree overall, but he has been directly responsible for quite a few of our goals this season. I.e. winning the free kick yesterday and plucking the ball out of the sky for Sterling to score against West Ham. It's not exactly like we're playing Hernandez, and if he's not scoring he's absolutely useless. His hold up play at times has also been very good.