Why Mario has to go - now (ESPN article)

[Pureblood]

I feel sorry for him.  There, I said it.   I'm not pissed off with him for missing one chance, it can happen to anyone.  Especially a striker low on confidence (which he visibly is).  Henderson's chance was far more presentable, as were numerous other openings across the two legs.

 

Granted, he has been a bit Crystal Skull for us (okay, very Crystal Skull).  The decision to shoot from the narrow angle was criminal but no more so than Sterling not playing Gerrard in.

 

I wish things had worked out for him here.  He doesn't seem like a bad person and Gerrard has spoken very highly of him.

[stringvest]

An excellent piece Dave, and I completely agree with it. The more I watch him, the more convinced I am that football is almost incidental in his thinking.

[el nino laff]

I watched a video of all his goals for city last night looks a total different player now. He was scoring all types of goals and he was years younger then , weird how he's getting worst with age.

I was crying out for Brendan to bring him on last night then he passed to Coutinho and just stopped and coutinho was running towards the goal on his own while Mario watched instantly I remembered how shit he is.

[RoboRiise]

Jairzinho nailed it for me it's the not giving a fuck and total lack of end product does it for me. The last player I can remember hating this much was downing.

 

Kewell for me.  I could happily have spaded that cunt to death.

[RoboRiise]

Has he been given a fair chance in your opinion and long enough?

 

Was the early season poor form down to him and where the other players performing?

 

Is it possible for a player to take time to adapt and come back after suffering confidence issues?

 

Ive seen shitter players here get longer then him and not be judged as quick, in fact i saw a carbon copy shitter version here when we had babel who got 2-3 years.

 

He's an international striker who we paid £16m for.  He's had over 50 shots and hasn't scored a fucking goal.  I hardly think that's harsh.

 

 

I feel sorry for him.  There, I said it.   I'm not pissed off with him for missing one chance, it can happen to anyone.  Especially a striker low on confidence (which he visibly is).  Henderson's chance was far more presentable, as were numerous other openings across the two legs.

 

Granted, he has been a bit Crystal Skull for us (okay, very Crystal Skull).  The decision to shoot from the narrow angle was criminal but no more so than Sterling not playing Gerrard in.

 

I wish things had worked out for him here.  He doesn't seem like a bad person and Gerrard has spoken very highly of him.

 

Just on that last point, he's apparently one of the nicest lads you could ever wish to meet.  Not enough though is it.

[Pureblood]

No, not at all and I'm not defending him.  I just feel sorry for him.  Sad Mario :-(

[RoboRiise]

No, not at all and I'm not defending him.  I just feel sorry for him.  Sad Mario :-(

 

Same, I mean I want every signing we make to be a success obviously, so I take no pleasure at all in one that isn't.  I can't imagine it's a barrel of laughs for him either.

[Dr Nowt]

If it's true that ignorance is bliss, he'll be as happy as a pig in shit.

[Boss]

He's incapable of following tactical instruction and at this level it's all about understanding your role in a formation, pressing, when to attack, when to hold shape, when to make the run, how to mark on corners etc. It's like playing with 10 men when he plays because he does whatever the fuck he wants and it's almost always the wrong option.

 

He's either a yard too late in the box because he's too stupid to see the move before it happens, or looking on as a spectator as everyone else busts a gut to try and get forward. Not only does he not suit us, even if he suited our style of play he'd still be shit because well....he's shit. 

 

Time to cut our loses, even subsidise his wages to send him off for the rest of the season on loan. He might score a few goals and someone else might fall for the Balotelli con, it won't be the first time. 

[redinthehead]

Watching him saunter about, I reckon that of those with the 'this could be his lucky night' mindset, Mario himself is the first in line.

[Guest Numero Veinticinco]

He needs putting inside a giant christmas cracker and sending back to Italy, because he's a really shit joke.

 

See what I did there?

[kidney]

That's exactly it and the thing is, I keep falling into the trap too. 

 

I said to my dad last night, "if he gets a chance I reckon he'll score here. He's due a change of luck". My dad looked at me like I was a moron. "If he gets a chance he'll put it miles over the bar" he said.

 

And then he did exactly that. 

 

Dads are always right Dave! lol

[s(k)aturation]

That's exactly it and the thing is, I keep falling into the trap too. 

 

I said to my dad last night, "if he gets a chance I reckon he'll score here. He's due a change of luck". My dad looked at me like I was a moron. "If he gets a chance he'll put it miles over the bar" he said.

 

And then he did exactly that. 

 

Maybe not in other areas, but when it comes to football, fathers know best.

 

Edit: Mark M and kidney beat me to the punch.

[Jairzinho]

Same, I mean I want every signing we make to be a success obviously, so I take no pleasure at all in one that isn't.  I can't imagine it's a barrel of laughs for him either.

 

I find it really uncomfortable disliking any of our players. But any time I start to feel even slightly sorry for a player like Balotelli I think that he could improve many people's opinion of him simply by running himself into the ground for us. Is it too fucking much to ask a player coming off the bench for the last quarter of an hour of the game to put some pressure on the opponent's defenders?

 

It's such as easy way to get fans back onside.

[s(k)aturation]

Yes, actually trying usually gets you some empathy.

 

Although Borini might beg to differ.

[RoboRiise]

Dads are always right Dave! lol

 

Haha with the state of your lad, I bet they are.  Beverley Callard, fucking hell.  I will never forget that.

[s(k)aturation]

I find it really uncomfortable disliking any of our players.

 

I don't dislike any of our players or the manager.

I just don't love them like I loved the players/Paisley in the 70s and 80s... maybe because I was 8 when that love affair began and probably because we were winning then... and now I'm a grumpy old bastard and we don't win stuff. And frankly, I simply don't see the same passion and urgency from us that I did back then.

That's why I got so worked up for those few months at the beginning of last year. It was like flicking through an old soccer annual, the excitement.

 

When I think that Balotelli is personally worth US40m and I compare that to Tommy Smith and Ray Kennedy having to sell their medals and such... yeah, I'm a grumpy ageing man.

[Jairzinho]

I'm largely ambivalent to most of the squad now, which is sad really. Even 5-10 years ago there were far more players I genuinely really liked. People like Kuyt and Hyypia, and of course Stevie and Carra. Character and presence.

 

I'm not sure if this is an opinion born purely out of supporting the club, it probably has to be to some extent, but I reckon we've had less bellends play for us than most other clubs. Obviously we've had several, but we seem to indulge less than most.

[stringvest]

I think attitude to players does change as you get older. And of course, the whole culture of football and footballers is unrecognisable from that of even 30 years ago. I'm not sure who I can hold close to my bosom once Stevie packs in. We'll be an identikit team with an identikit manager. I'm still looking though, and somebody that I want to hang my hat on might emerge from the drones. Let's hope so.

[skend04]

Another Balotelli bashing thread yet the gimps that signed him are being afforded more time to turn things around. We will end up with fuck all this season and the only reason we will challenge for the title next season as Rodgers proclaimed earlier last week is that we won't be in Europe. So it's back to his comfort level of coaching once a week.

[Paul]

So you're Sean Connery in this scenario, Dave?

[dave u]

I was thinking Pascoe is. I didn't mention it in the piece because I figured half the people reading it wouldn't even know who he was.

[Soleilrouge]

Dave

I normally find your analysis pretty good

On this occasion you are way off the mark in terms of the assessment of the plaers contribution on the night

It apears even Carra has defended Balotelli on the defending of the free kick

For  the rest of his game he did well and showed for the ball when toher were hiding and was clearly the only player towards the  end with the skill and physicality to help us build an attack once Chelsea sat back a little more

He also worked ahrd chasing defenders - not his natural game but at least he is trying

On top of all of that, your call for his sale is a betrayal of the ethos of the club and the role of the fans whose job it is to support the players

[Bjornebye]

he is our best player

[Tony Moanero]

I take it Dave U is another of Code's aliases?