Mario Balotelli (Sampdoria / AC Milan)

I agree he wasnt put in the right position ever

Yeah F**k Brendan Rodgers for playing Balotelli, a striker, as a striker.

I don't think his game has improved since he became a regular senior player and apart from the season before we got him he's never been a prolific goalscorer.  He scores the spectacular sometimes, that's how he made him name as a teenager but his all round game is no different to when he was a 15/16 year old. 

So no, I don't think he can improve even though he might score a few more.

A frightful waste of potential, then.

Some reports in Dutch media that Besiktas and Trabzonspor are after him? Also said Trabzonspor made an offer already. And Besiktas just sold Ba to some Chinese club.

He could if he had the desire and the intelligence to do so mate but the main problem for Balo is that for the first time in his career he's having to think about what he's supposed to be doing and it's confusing the life and the talent out of him.

I genuinely don't think he'll ever play for us if he stays, so why keep him.

Ach, I dunno Debs, I'm torn if I'm honest, I'd rather we keep hold for now instead of loaning him to some other and pay his wages, we need as much experience as you can get and you just can't buy that,
We've got Ings, Origi and Firmino who are all relatively inexperienced, Sturridge who's health cannot be relied on, I'd be inclined to sell on Lambert & Borini and have Balo as back up,

No one knows yet if Sturridge will get back to his pomp, or how long the new guys may take to settle so having Balo at our disposal could be vital for our start of season games.


YNWA

Ach, I dunno Debs, I'm torn if I'm honest, I'd rather we keep hold for now instead of loaning him to some other and pay his wages, we need as much experience as you can get and you just can't buy that,
We've got Ings, Origi and Firmino who are all relatively inexperienced, Sturridge who's health cannot be relied on, I'd be inclined to sell on Lambert & Borini and have Balo as back up,

No one knows yet if Sturridge will get back to his pomp, or how long the new guys may take to settle so having Balo at our disposal could be vital for our start of season games.


YNWA

But if he stays he wouldn't be backup mate, he'd be our main striker till Studge is back as we won't bring in another striker when we've got 4 plus Firmino.  I'd rather cut our losses and bring in someone to do the job Balo should have done last season. 

He's not crap by any means, for me he's just not intelligent enough.

But if he stays he wouldn't be backup mate, he'd be our main striker till Studge is back as we won't bring in another striker when we've got 4 plus Firmino.  I'd rather cut our losses and bring in someone to do the job Balo should have done last season. 

He's not crap by any means, for me he's just not intelligent enough.

Can't disagree with his intellect Debs that's fair comment, I guess we'll have to wait and see who else comes in if indeed that happens, but I wouldn't go selling or loaning until a better replacement is sought & bought .

YNWA

Personally I think the sooner he's gone the better, I think the tag he was given of being a bad apple fits him and I don't think his attitude is what's needed at Anfield.

The lads got skill no doubt but everything else he does overshadows his skill.

I just want a season of good football without all the drama, just for a change like.

Can't disagree with his intellect Debs that's fair comment, I guess we'll have to wait and see who else comes in if indeed that happens, but I wouldn't go selling or loaning until a better replacement is sought & bought .

YNWA

Well we seem to be doing our Ins before doing any Outs, apart from those who weren't here last season so let's hope that carries on.

Could be that Mario could compensate for his lack of technical skill or knowledge with his speed and ability to make the most of any half-chances that came his way, those days are long gone and he no longer is able to mask those failings.

best we can hope for is to loan him out to a club willing to pay 100% of his wage with option to buy him for 15mil if he's a success as i cant see him playing much under BR

best we can hope for is to loan him out to a club willing to pay 100% of his wage with option to buy him for 15mil if he's a success as i cant see him playing much under BR

Why loan him when we can sell him? Nobody in their right mind is going to pay close to 15m for him.

Why loan him when we can sell him? Nobody in their right mind is going to pay close to 15m for him.

true just need rid then really along with lambert and borini within the 1st week of the window dont want them hanging around. clear out the deadwood or players BR isint prepared to use.

But if he stays he wouldn't be backup mate, he'd be our main striker till Studge is back as we won't bring in another striker when we've got 4 plus Firmino.  I'd rather cut our losses and bring in someone to do the job Balo should have done last season. 

He's not crap by any means, for me he's just not intelligent enough.

This pretty much Debs he's a better version of Babel and just like Babel the thing between his ears (no not his nose) will always hold him back. The lad is equally capable of pulling off the sublime and supremely daft within seconds of each other and unfortunately the latter tends to happen more than the former. He's of no use to us, we took a punt and it just didn't work out.

Inter, City, Milan, Liverpool. A few Serie A medals, a Champions League, a Premier League, a few cups in Italy and England. People would kill for that sort of CV and he's just stumbled into it. He has more league winners medals than Stevie will most likely ever have just it's baffling.

This pretty much Debs he's a better version of Babel and just like Babel the thing between his ears (no not his nose) will always hold him back. The lad is equally capable of pulling off the sublime and supremely daft within seconds of each other and unfortunately the latter tends to happen more than the former. He's of no use to us, we took a punt and it just didn't work out.

Inter, City, Milan, Liverpool. A few Serie A medals, a Champions League, a Premier League, a few cups in Italy and England. People would kill for that sort of CV and he's just stumbled into it. He has more league winners medals than Stevie will most likely ever have just it's baffling.

I get to talk to football coaches with my work mate and I also worked in Youth footy many years ago and Balo is very typical of a lot of big, strong but very talented youngsters who fall by the wayside when they reach their 20's.

Due to their size and strength they get pushed through the ranks, play at older age groups throughout their teenage years and are basically just get told "go do your thing".  They rely on their talent to do the spectacular but as soon as you try to get into tactics, where they should position themselves, how, when and where to defend they're clueless because it's never been taught to them in their very early life.

Like you say mate, he's got a brilliant CV but when you analise how he achieved it he was never really the linchpin in those successes.  Luck plays a massive part in pro sports, especially team sports where weaknesses can be hidden to an extent and I bet if anyone asked him how he's achieved so much he wouldn't be able to tell you.

Still think we think keep Balotelli since he is better than Borini and Lambert. Get rid of Borini and Lambert and give Balotelli a chance at 4th choice striker. It's not like a good striker will accept being 4th anyway and we don't have any good strikers that have shown consistancy for quite a while in a red shirt anyway.

Still think we think keep Balotelli since he is better than Borini and Lambert. Get rid of Borini and Lambert and give Balotelli a chance at 4th choice striker. It's not like a world class striker will accept being 4th anyway.

85k -110k/week (depending on what report you believe)for a #4 striker, is a bit of flawed logic no?

85k -110k/week (depending on what report you believe)for a #4 striker, is a bit of flawed logic no?

Really didn't know he was on that much. I'd want him to be 1 or 2 for that. I think Mario can score world class goals so... hoping we can sort something out with him if he stays.

hoping we can sort something out with him if he stays.

So he took a supposed 50% pay-cut to come here; doubt he is ready for another 50% cut to become a #4.

Who in their right mind would want to take him?

Back to Inter?

Who in their right mind would want to take him?

Back to Inter?

No doubt some manager will believe they are the one that can turn him round. The list that have tried and failed is getting pretty comprehensive though.

Who in their right mind would want to take him?

Back to Inter?

This is where I get hung up too.... I wouldn't be surprised if we end up having to pay him to leave, pay another team to take him, or we get stuck keeping him because no one will take him....

Nobody wants to pay what we demand and I don't think that is a good idea to loan him and keep bay 50% of his wages. Better keep him around and hope for him to be less useless.

If there is one thing we have learned from the Balotelli, Borini, Aquilani and Dossena disasters it's this...

NEVER F***ing SIGN ITALIANS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!