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

[danperkins]

Wellbeck gets so much stick on here. He's never going to be amazing but he works his bollox off, makes decent runs & to be fair to him he's scored 6 goals already this season.

[baitman]

signing him must have been like picking straws when there was only one left

do you really think he will be reborn when he gets to play alongside sturridge

lambert may not have enough pace but he is more intelligent and can make a better contribution.

[kingfunk]

I can categorically tell you we will not be signing mario ballotelli.

[Fredo]

Even Danny wellbeck scored a hat-trick. Same money. Oh how we laughed at that!

I didn't. Bender did.

[Tribute]

Mario Balotelli

Welbeck's just having a purple patch. He's Andy Cole MkII. Needs 35 chances to net one. Can look half decent in a free-flowing team, but not a natural finisher in the same league as some other Prem superstars. Also has a **** 'wedge' hairdo.

[Shaggy]

Didn't fancy him as a player before he came but became convinced he was well worth the gamble at £16m. I think he's done okay overall, to be honest. But "okay" isn't good enough, not for Liverpool FC, and especially not when you're trying to fill the boots of Luis ****in Suarez.

He'll be better when Sturridge comes back, I know he will. Both need a partner and at Spurs - with **** all training/bonding behind them - they looked good together. It's still too early to write him off but **** me he's frustrating.

[Fredo]

He's done okay but as Venton said, he lacks the mental toughness when things aren't going well for him. He's hard work but he is still very raw.

[Chazza]

How raw can you be at 24?

Surely after winning all those titles you should be proven.

[Tribute]

He's like a more whingey Nando. And without his shooting boots.

[Bender]

@101greatgoals: Brendan Rodgers post-match: ‘He’s working hard, but Mario Balotelli needs to do more’ [Video] http://t.co/TM7uYC34t4 http://t.co/29pLaZNs0X

[Shaggy]

@101greatgoals: Brendan Rodgers post-match: ‘He’s working hard, but Mario Balotelli needs to do more’ [Video] http://t.co/TM7uYC34t4 http://t.co/29pLaZNs0X

I saw the interview in the pub and he was right. It's also quite rare for a manager, especially Brendan, to have even the slightest pop at their own player post-match. He was only hinting at his dissatisfaction publicly, so you can imagine how pissed off with Mario he really is. I think he needs a lot of convincing over Balotelli and Rodgers has shown he's ruthless enough to **** the under-performers off. I don't think Brendan will stand for this for long.

[Fredo]

How raw can you be at 24?

Surely after winning all those titles you should be proven.

He is though, not the finished article in the slightest.

[G]

I saw the interview in the pub and he was right. It's also quite rare for a manager, especially Brendan, to have even the slightest pop at their own player post-match. He was only hinting at his dissatisfaction publicly, so you can imagine how pissed off with Mario he really is. I think he needs a lot of convincing over Balotelli and Rodgers has shown he's ruthless enough to **** the under-performers off. I don't think Brendan will stand for this for long.

Maybe he didn't sign him and it was the committee

[Fredo]

We wouldn't have signed him if there was a better player available.

[Chazza]

He is though, not the finished article in the slightest.

He should be close to it Nige.

Let's be honest he has been around long enough to know what he should and shouldn't be doing.