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Mario Balotelli


WhiskeyJar
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And I know it's early days, and I know he will improve with Sturridge alongside him. But Sturridge will get injured again, and I firmly believe we will always look shit with him upfront on his own.

I don't think he is at his best as a lone striker, but as a pair with Sturridge could be good. But Brendan knew that when he bought him. He was nonetheless pretty short of opportunities from our misfiring midfield last night.

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I won't judge him until we've seen him have a run of games with Sturridge as that's what he was bought for. He's pretty useless as a lone striker, but he looked good against Spurs when they both played.

 

If Sturridge isn't fit, I'd be going with Lambert - who at Southampton played up top on his own and scored goals regularly.

Those three open goals he missed don't look too good though now do they
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I won't judge him until we've seen him have a run of games with Sturridge as that's what he was bought for.

I'm not accepting that as an answer. I thought we were collecting footballers with intelligence and a good work ethic? So why are we all of a sudden investing £16m in someone that ticks neither box, and doesn't have the ability to mask those deficiencies through scoring goals?

 

 

Rodgers needs to act now. He's built himself one helluva reputation over the last 18 months and he's about to see how quickly his stock can drop, all because his ego won't let him change his tact.

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Balotelli was a gamble and I was all for it. It's early days yet, but it looks like the gamble won't pay off. Balotelli yesterday was everthing we hoped not to see. No work rate, no interest in developing his game into how BR would like us to play. And a terribly stupid yellow card in the 2nd half. I'm surprised BR didn't hook him. No player should be allowed to show attitude like Mario did yesterday.

 

It's time to tell Mario the hard way. Adapt or at least try to adapt, or else... Either he gives us his best or he's not willing or capable of doing it. If so it's a lost gamble.

 

I’ve not given up on Mario just yet. His work rate has been OK in previous games but it’s not like he’s giving us the 110% we want is it?

 

Shape up or fuck off Mario!

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I really like the guy, but I did always say he's a player you like at another team because he's more funny than good.

 

I'm not one of these soft arse fans, but when I've taken a sicky from work, travelled to another country and blown a lot of doe watching those shit houses get turned over - at the very least I expect him to come and clap the away end. Cunt's trick that.

Who gives a shit? Most players don't give a toss about fans. Deal with it.

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Balotelli was a gamble and I was all for it. It's early days yet, but it looks like the gamble won't pay off. Balotelli yesterday was everthing we hoped not to see. No work rate, no interest in developing his game into how BR would like us to play. And a terribly stupid yellow card in the 2nd half. I'm surprised BR didn't hook him. No player should be allowed to show attitude like Mario did yesterday.

 

It's time to tell Mario the hard way. Adapt or at least try to adapt, or else... Either he gives us his best or he's not willing or capable of doing it. If so it's a lost gamble.

 

I’ve not given up on Mario just yet. His work rate has been OK in previous games but it’s not like he’s giving us the 110% we want is it?

 

Shape up or fuck off Mario!

 

Even in the tunnel before the game he was at the back by himself slouched up against the wall looking like a gimp.  

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Id leave him out of the squad for the West Brom game. Then work with him during the international break. 

 

I remember BR took Sturridge off last year when he opted to score for himself rather than give the ball to a better placed Suarez. To the press he praised Daniel, but the message was loud and clear. It helped us and it helped Daniel.

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I now realise that all those 30 yard screamers he's been scoring have come from having about 30 shots every game. The odds are one will go in now and again.

 

I don't understand the argument that he needs to play with Sturridge before he can be judged properly. What kind of logic is that?

 

Still, he might come good. Maybe. Mightn't he?

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Mario is fucking boss.

 

He put in a great shift last night despite getting constantly fouled. His support last night came from Markovic (who hasn't exactly settled yet), Coutinho (who's been poor since preseason) and Sterling (worst game he's played in a year). Despite that, he held the ball up well and beat his man a few times.

 

He also did a lot of closing down. Just because he didn't win the ball doesn't mean he didn't close down. There were plenty of times he went to close the fullback down by running at him and taking the angle for a pass to the centreback away. That left the only option as up the line. He can't cover both, so did all he could. If anyone else had followed his lead, they'd have blocked the ball up the line too and we'd have won the ball back.

 

I know he's paid to score, and he didn't again last night. I thought he did a great job for the team. He's no Suarez, but he's no lazy cunting Berbatov either.

 

I wonder is there a bit of Sakho syndrome about him? As in, people are judging him on how he looks and what the "experts" say, as opposed to actually seeing what he does?

 

I know if I was playing, I'd hate to have to mark him.

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Good post and I agree with all of it, the one thing he needs to learn not to get frustrated as the game goes on like he did last night as it impacted on his performance

Think he needs to learn a lot more than that, like getting into the box & fucking scoring some goals & giving us some movement. But everything is fine as some people seem to think he works hard & that's enough. Should have got Mad Erik back then.

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Think he needs to learn a lot more than that, like getting into the box & fucking scoring some goals & giving us some movement. But everything is fine as some people seem to think he works hard & that's enough. Should have got Mad Erik back then.

 

The problem is the majority don't think he works hard enough, when in fact he works as hard as any other striker. Suarez is a freak as regards hard work, so comparing anyone to him is unfair.

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Balotelli sweats and uses energy, but he is still a maverick and not a team player, thinking about combinations. Remember when Lallana had to tell him where to run so he could pass to him? That is pub league level. Although he has bags of talent, I would drop him until he gets it. Goalscoring is too important to indulge someone with that position at the expense of the team.

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Balotelli sweats and uses energy, but he is still a maverick and not a team player, thinking about combinations. Remember when Lallana had to tell him where to run so he could pass to him? That is pub league level. Although he has bags of talent, I would drop him until he gets it. Goalscoring is too important to indulge someone with that position at the expense of the team.

How many times did that happen? Once?

He also linked up brilliantly with Lallana to set up Sterling for his fluffing. There's nothing pub league level about him, and to think so is shithouse tbh. People like Erik Meijer get more support from our "fans" than a genuine talent only new to the team.

 

 

It's just so wrong that we should somehow be grateful/impressed that he runs around a bit and isn't a total shithouse.

What's wrong is people treating him like a shithouse because of his past, when he hasn't put a foot wrong since he joined.

 

Give him a chance ye shower of fucking cunt flaps.

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The problem isn't his effort, it's his application. When the run into the box is there to be made he rarely makes it, when one of our players is looking for the through ball, he's moving towards them and when he does make runs and the low ball comes in from the flanks he goes far post not near post. Just basic things, but those basic things are the difference between scoring and not scoring and winning and losing.

 

Sure he runs about and he cares but it's the in game intelligence that's lacking not the physical attributes.

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He still has so much to prove despite a decent record at City and Milan.

Those two teams are financially capable(or at least Milan used to be) of absorbing a big money flop without too much of a furore. I dont believe that applies here on the back of Suarez departure and the need for a close-ish ability replacement.

I feel as if our owners are simply buying a load of cookie cutter players without much thought of which type of player we actually need.

Some uneasy times ahead for Rodgers.

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He still has so much to prove despite a decent record at City and Milan.

Those two teams are financially capable(or at least Milan used to be) of absorbing a big money flop without too much of a furore. I dont believe that applies here on the back of Suarez departure and the need for a close-ish ability replacement.

I feel as if our owners are simply buying a load of cookie cutter players without much thought of which type of player we actually need.

Some uneasy times ahead for Rodgers.

Owners mate? This is Rodgers. After FSG's sponsorship worries with Suarez I'd be amazed if Baloteli was high on their list of demands.

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