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

[topscorer]

He was played consistently when the team was struggling which in turn took away all his confidence. When it did seem to click of what was required and he had a positive effect for a few games in a row, he was dumped after penalty gate. Then he got limited time after that. In our systems last year hardly any striker would have got into double figures. Costa wouldn't have nor would van persie etc. Suarez would because he could create himself. Balotelli is a much better player than we saw but its easier to say he's **** and doesn't give a ****. I think he does care and is hurt by not playing. Still wonder what might of been had sturridge not got injured so early, it would have meant all the pressure wasn't put on balotelli from the off.

I think you are partly right but he hasn't exactly done or said much to endear himself to the fans or earn any sympathy.

I think it's also right what others have said about this not being an example of the player committee ****ing up. Everyone knew it was a risk but the majority thought it was one worth taking.

If Sturridge had been fit I wonder if Balotelli would have got even less time on the pitch. Rodgers doesn't seem to play two outright strikers. Sturridge would have had to move wide to accommodate him.

[kev776]

I wanted much much more from him than he even tried to give. I never saw him once remotely put himself out or even push himself. Never out of 1st gear and always did the bare minimum.

[Daniel 7]

Re the BaloRisk - I think a lot of people were hopeful because we were still on the crest of last season's wave, and high on Brendan's seeming ability to get so much out of Daniel Sturridge. Dan's been injured this season, so it remains to be seen if the influence was from a competitive streak that Luis Suarez brought out of him, or the manager's methods. Given his at times odd behaviour dealing with some players, its easy to jump to the conclusion that Suarez did more for Sturridge than just get on his nerves by outscoring him.

[baitman]

how long did it take between brendan saying that no way are we ever going to sign mario, to then signing him saying it was a worthwhile risk.

what a bunch of clowns.

did brendan think he could do the unthinkable and turn mario into a team player. size of that ego.

[BobTheCharmer]

I never saw him once remotely put himself out or even push himself. Never out of 1st gear and always did the bare minimum.

you couldn't have watched very closely then. go back through some of the match threads if you can be bothered (don't I can't either), but I clearly remember people saying he put in a shift in at last and the like, it was around the fa cup game at palace. obviously not very often however clearly he did at times get out of 1st gear.

[red g]

he might have tried hard in the odd game, But his touch has remained consistently ****....is always offside and has zero game intelligence.

I have never thought he was a good player but he isn't as **** as he has looked for us etiher

[Exiled_red]

I always thought it was a bad move, not for the reasons it has been admittedly, but I didn't see him as the long term solution to any question we had, meaning we were always going to have to move him on and he was never going to me moving to a bigger club, so I couldn't see a profit in him, and with his reputation I thought we might have had problems getting rid. The one thing I didn't expect was him to have such a poor goal return.

[RichC]

how long did it take between brendan saying that no way are we ever going to sign mario, to then signing him saying it was a worthwhile risk.

what a bunch of clowns.

did brendan think he could do the unthinkable and turn mario into a team player. size of that ego.

Last summer was not a good one for signing strikers, we tried for others and the last resort was Mario hence him not one we were going to sign.

People moan about the signing and rightly but if we'd signed nobody and we had the same issues with Sturridge loads would have moaned "why didn't we give him a go".

Nothing to do with ego, its what was available at the time.

Cock up by the club tbh but that's how it is.

[baitman]

Last summer was not a good one for signing strikers, we tried for others and the last resort was Mario hence him not one we were going to sign.

People moan about the signing and rightly but if we'd signed nobody and we had the same issues with Sturridge loads would have moaned "why didn't we give him a go".

Nothing to do with ego, its what was available at the time.

Cock up by the club tbh but that's how it is.

I get that there wasnt loads of ready made options but the way we left it so late to consider options was comical. If we had scouted more options then we wouldnt have been in that position.
rather than grabbing whatever was left on the shelves we would have done better saving the cash and playing borini or lambert.

There is no getting away from the fact that everything about this signing shows the poor level of professionalism in our management team.

[Kenneth]

Last summer was not a good one for signing strikers, we tried for others and the last resort was Mario hence him not one we were going to sign.

People moan about the signing and rightly but if we'd signed nobody and we had the same issues with Sturridge loads would have moaned "why didn't we give him a go".

Nothing to do with ego, its what was available at the time.

Cock up by the club tbh but that's how it is.

And the response would have been "because he's a complete cock".

We had someone better and cheaper get as far as a medical and decided that a congenital heart defect meant he was too risky for us, but wasn't for 30+ games for the French national team and a ten year career in top flight football. And Balotelli was the risk worth taking

[Shaggy]

I was horrified when the link first arose cos I've not once seen Balotelli be brilliant and I've never rated him, but I was prepared to accept I might be wrong about him and talked myself into it being a risk worth taking at that price.

The fact we left ourselves in such a position in the first place, having to take a last minute gamble like that, trying to replace Luis ****ing Suarez of all people, was ****ing negligent. That more than anything wrecked our season, and whoever is responsible - be it one man or five - should be held accountable. Appalling mismanagement.

[Exiled_red]

I was horrified when the link first arose cos I've not once seen Balotelli be brilliant and I've never rated him, but I was prepared to accept I might be wrong about him and talked myself into it being a risk worth taking at that price.

The fact we left ourselves in such a position in the first place, having to take a last minute gamble like that, trying to replace Luis ****ing Suarez of all people, was ****ing negligent. That more than anything wrecked our season, and whoever is responsible - be it one man or five - should be held accountable. Appalling mismanagement.

[topscorer]

And the response would have been "because he's a complete cock".

We had someone better and cheaper get as far as a medical and decided that a congenital heart defect meant he was too risky for us, but wasn't for 30+ games for the French national team and a ten year career in top flight football. And Balotelli was the risk worth taking

Yep, that was a complete joke.

[Myo]

I was horrified when the link first arose cos I've not once seen Balotelli be brilliant and I've never rated him, but I was prepared to accept I might be wrong about him and talked myself into it being a risk worth taking at that price.

The fact we left ourselves in such a position in the first place, having to take a last minute gamble like that, trying to replace Luis ****ing Suarez of all people, was ****ing negligent. That more than anything wrecked our season, and whoever is responsible - be it one man or five - should be held accountable. Appalling mismanagement.

[Glenn Hysen]

I was horrified when the link first arose cos I've not once seen Balotelli be brilliant and I've never rated him, but I was prepared to accept I might be wrong about him and talked myself into it being a risk worth taking at that price.

The fact we left ourselves in such a position in the first place, having to take a last minute gamble like that, trying to replace Luis ****ing Suarez of all people, was ****ing negligent. That more than anything wrecked our season, and whoever is responsible - be it one man or five - should be held accountable. Appalling mismanagement.

This!