Should We.... Dare We

Flappy Flanagan (JK)

Flappy Flanagan (JK)

Well-Known Member
Jun 3, 2011
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Kent, UK
Manchester City striker Mario Balotelli set to leave after red card


By Phil McNulty
Chief football writer, BBC Sport

Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini cast doubt over Mario Balotelli's future after his red card in the 1-0 defeat by Arsenal.

The Italy striker was dismissed for two bookable offences as City fell eight points behind Premier League leaders Manchester United.

His challenge on Alex Song, missed by the referee, may be investigated by the Football Association.

Asked whether he would try to sell Balotelli, Mancini said: "Probably."

He admitted Balotelli, who has scored 17 goals in 31 club appearances this season, is now unlikely to play again this campaign.

"I like him as a guy and a player," added Mancini, who signed Balotelli from Inter Milan for £24m in August 2010.

"He is not a bad guy and a fantastic player but I'm very sorry for him as he continues to lose his talent and his quality.

"I don't have any words for his behaviour.

"I hope for him he can understand he is in a bad way for his future and I really hope that he can change his behaviour in the future. He will probably not play in the next six games.

"I need to be sure I always have 11 players on the pitch and with Mario this is a big risk."

Balotelli, dismissed for two fouls on Bacary Sagna moments after Mikel Arteta's 87th-minute goal gave Arsenal victory, has now been sent off twice this season, and Mancini added: "He's young and could be my son and when you are young you can make mistakes.

"Mario made a mistake and I hope for him - not me - that he can change.

"He clearly created a big problem but he has also scored important goals for us this season. He needs to change his behaviour if he wants to continue to play. I have seen players like him, who have all this talent, and they are finished in two or three years.

"Mario should change, he must change, and I hope for him that he does."

Mancini refused to concede defeat in the title race even though he now faces the prospect of losing out to rivals United.
And the Italian insists he is still the manager to lead City forward.

"Sure - 100%," he said.

"No, it's not mathematically (over), but it's clear now that it's very difficult," he added. "We have a game in three days and we will try to win. Never say never in football.

"In life until it's over you should do your best. In the end if we don't win it's probably because they (United) did better than us.

"It's clearly difficult (to lift the players) but we play in three days and this is good. We are a professional team, with professional players. It's important we start to win and finish the championship well."
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I am not saying I want us to sign him.

But we need a goal scorer. Balotelli has 17 goals this season and could be available cheap, and a lot of clubs wont want him, see we could have a clear shot.

Massive gamble obviously. But if he improved his disciplin he could be great.


I'm very intrigued to see what you will say to this one.
 
I would love him to be honest; seems completely off his rocker but the kids got heaps of personality. His interview with Noel Gallacher was superb and I couldn't help liking the guy, the trouble is if Mancini can't control him I am not sure anyone can!
 
Put simply - NO

We don't need a character. We do need a goalscorer who turns up EVERY match, scores the goals and goes home.
 
I'd love to have him at Liverpool given our management could control him. If the likes of Carragher, Gerrard and Kenny can't put him in his place then I don't expect anyone can.

However, he can score goals - we've seen that, and if given more opportunities surely he'd score even more! He'd be guaranteed nearly every game to start, and he'd be fed balls that any striker would love! Add to that the vendetta he must have against City if they were to sell him, he'd be great for us. The biggest problem however, is that City would never sell him to us.
 
I have to admit, in his interview he seemed like a genuinely decent guy and I warmed to him a lot.
On the pitch though, he's trouble. He seems to be permanently angry, and is in trouble constantly. It was a miracle he stayed on as long as he did yesterday- the leg-breaker he got away with should have seen him sent off immediately.
I'm not sure we do have the people who can tame him. Pity though, he has bags of talent, and if the aggression could be channelled properly he'd be a world beater.
Can't help thinking we'd be playing a lot of the time with ten though.
 
I'd want us to sign him, why? Despite his poor discipline record and attitude (at times) he still is/will be the best/most proven striker we will actually buy.

I doubt our team would be able to control him, but even if we don't, he'll still score more goals than any other striker we'll attempt to sign.

Is it likely to happen though? Nope.
 
Ze Liverbird said:
I'd love to have him at Liverpool given our management could control him. If the likes of Carragher, Gerrard and Kenny can't put him in his place then I don't expect anyone can.

However, he can score goals - we've seen that, and if given more opportunities surely he'd score even more! He'd be guaranteed nearly every game to start, and he'd be fed balls that any striker would love! Add to that the vendetta he must have against City if they were to sell him, he'd be great for us. The biggest problem however, is that City would never sell him to us.
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Unless they genuinely though he'd be a problem for us.


His interview with Noel Gallagher made me warm to him to.

TBH if we could turn him into a top model footballer, it would look great for our club.


What would him and Saurez up front be like!
 
Worth the risk in my opinion. He scores goals, and the fans would love him. Maybe the pressure at City doesn't help him as they are desparate to beat Man U. Liverpool want to get at Man U too, but given their history there is a sense perhaps of not having as much to prove, other than just to get back to winning ways.

Put another way, if Batelli had been at LFC thiks season, he would have got you enough goals to right in the 3rd/4th place battle, even if he had missed teh odd game.
 
TBH I dont think Mancini is the right manager to tame Balotelli. Mancini is grumpy and a bit of a rebel himself in an odd way. Mancini isn't always the most respectful person IMO and seems indecisive at times.
 
No way, this reeks of the Carlos Tevez stuff too and the only thing any of us were wanting was possibly a loan. I fear balotelli and carroll wouldn't get a long to well either!

Or they would be best mates and go on the lash every night, one or the other.
 
Am I the only one who thinks he's massively overrated? Practically any striker would look good with a starting line up including Silva/Tevez/Nasri/Aguero/Johnson/Milner/Toure feeding them the ball.

Average player, too much trouble. We can do better.
 
JJ said:
Am I the only one who thinks he's massively overrated? Practically any striker would look good with a starting line up including Silva/Tevez/Nasri/Aguero/Johnson/Milner/Toure feeding them the ball.

Average player, too much trouble. We can do better.
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Santa Cruz
 
jkielq91 said:
Balotelli's black so it will balance it out.

Though the papers will probably make some thing of that.
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Still think we can get something of the same rate of goals but cheaper out there. Just need to buy someone who fits our system and philosophy so they can bed straight away.
 
There's no doubt Balotelli's a talent,just look at his goals/games ratio.

Would i have him at Liverpool? Not a chance,trouble waiting to happen.

Plenty of good strikers out there!
 
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