Page 19 of 64

Re: Mario Balotelli

PostPosted: Sun Oct 19, 2014 8:29 pm
by RedAnt
It really is harsh to single him out. We look so disorganised and dispirited that the entire teams body language is wrong. People are watching Mario and waiting for him to eff up, so it's more obvious. If we'd started the season better, then Balo might have bagged a few goals and be smiling rather than moping and things would look much different. At the moment both he and the team need support. It's difficult. It's very easy to let your shoulders drop and sigh as a supporter, but that is the equivalent of the players poor body language. We need something to cheer. Really we should cheer today's win, but we, just like the players, know that despite today's win, something is seriously wrong. Still, it's three points more on the board and that's a step in the right direction.

Re: Mario Balotelli

PostPosted: Sun Oct 19, 2014 8:35 pm
by UvS xR4GEx
He's not a natural finisher thats for damn sure. He was poor today, really poor. He was snatching at shots and kept taking the wrong option. There was a good opportunity when he was wide inside the box with one defender to beat... and he just shot the ball straight at him.. Suarez would have cut inside on his left foot and hit it in the bottom corner. And don't get me started on the open net.

Re: Mario Balotelli

PostPosted: Sun Oct 19, 2014 8:45 pm
by ycsatbjywtbiastkamb
UvS xR4GEx » Sun Oct 19, 2014 7:35 pm wrote:He's not a natural finisher thats for damn sure. He was poor today, really poor. He was snatching at shots and kept taking the wrong option. There was a good opportunity when he was wide inside the box with one defender to beat... and he just shot the ball straight at him.. Suarez would have cut inside on his left foot and hit it in the bottom corner. And don't get me started on the open net.


To be fair to him that miss was probably a tougher chance than it looked, he didn't have much time to react as the ball came back at him quickly and as it was at an awkward height he had to take it on the volley too, Lallana's opportunity was probably easier.

Re: Mario Balotelli

PostPosted: Mon Oct 20, 2014 3:42 am
by Octsky
ycsatbjywtbiastkamb » Sun Oct 19, 2014 7:45 pm wrote:
UvS xR4GEx » Sun Oct 19, 2014 7:35 pm wrote:He's not a natural finisher thats for damn sure. He was poor today, really poor. He was snatching at shots and kept taking the wrong option. There was a good opportunity when he was wide inside the box with one defender to beat... and he just shot the ball straight at him.. Suarez would have cut inside on his left foot and hit it in the bottom corner. And don't get me started on the open net.


To be fair to him that miss was probably a tougher chance than it looked, he didn't have much time to react as the ball came back at him quickly and as it was at an awkward height he had to take it on the volley too, Lallana's opportunity was probably easier.


you can say that the ball is raising when he hit it, he got very little time to react, the def was closing down on him etc etc.
but when you are paid 100k/week in which many of us here will take a lifetime to earn what he earns in a month, you really ought to bury that kind of chance into the open net.
what about the chance he missed against everton? did the miss from 2 yards caused us to drop 2 points?

Re: Mario Balotelli

PostPosted: Mon Oct 20, 2014 8:09 am
by only me
ycsatbjywtbiastkamb » Sun Oct 19, 2014 7:45 pm wrote:
UvS xR4GEx » Sun Oct 19, 2014 7:35 pm wrote:He's not a natural finisher thats for damn sure. He was poor today, really poor. He was snatching at shots and kept taking the wrong option. There was a good opportunity when he was wide inside the box with one defender to beat... and he just shot the ball straight at him.. Suarez would have cut inside on his left foot and hit it in the bottom corner. And don't get me started on the open net.


To be fair to him that miss was probably a tougher chance than it looked, he didn't have much time to react as the ball came back at him quickly and as it was at an awkward height he had to take it on the volley too, Lallana's opportunity was probably easier.


Unacceptable! In front of an empty net a top striker must put it in. Wouldn't give him an inch of break.

Re: Mario Balotelli

PostPosted: Mon Oct 20, 2014 9:28 am
by SouthCoastShankly
only me » Mon Oct 20, 2014 7:09 am wrote:
ycsatbjywtbiastkamb » Sun Oct 19, 2014 7:45 pm wrote:
UvS xR4GEx » Sun Oct 19, 2014 7:35 pm wrote:He's not a natural finisher thats for damn sure. He was poor today, really poor. He was snatching at shots and kept taking the wrong option. There was a good opportunity when he was wide inside the box with one defender to beat... and he just shot the ball straight at him.. Suarez would have cut inside on his left foot and hit it in the bottom corner. And don't get me started on the open net.


To be fair to him that miss was probably a tougher chance than it looked, he didn't have much time to react as the ball came back at him quickly and as it was at an awkward height he had to take it on the volley too, Lallana's opportunity was probably easier.


Unacceptable! In front of an empty net a top striker must put it in. Wouldn't give him an inch of break.

It seems like he a second behind all things that happen on the pitch. It is as if everyone round him is playing at a higher tempo, he seems to suffer when expected to react quickly. That goal opportunity was a prime example, he reacted way after the ball got to him and hence shinned it.

Re: Mario Balotelli

PostPosted: Mon Oct 20, 2014 9:38 am
by Stu the Red
only me » Mon Oct 20, 2014 8:09 am wrote:
ycsatbjywtbiastkamb » Sun Oct 19, 2014 7:45 pm wrote:
Unacceptable! In front of an empty net a top striker must put it in. Wouldn't give him an inch of break.


Had he not missed similar chances time and time again I would defend him and say You're wrong as anyone can miss a sitter, even the very best. However for him to keep missing the same chances then stroll round with a cob and have to be told four times in a game by enrique lallana sterling and even johnson, needs to book his ideas up big time. He hid yesterday, granted his manager hanging him out to dry and failing to use him properly doesn't help but that can be no excuse for hiding.

Re: Mario Balotelli

PostPosted: Mon Oct 20, 2014 11:27 am
by only me
Stu the Red » Mon Oct 20, 2014 8:38 am wrote:
only me » Mon Oct 20, 2014 8:09 am wrote:
ycsatbjywtbiastkamb » Sun Oct 19, 2014 7:45 pm wrote:
Unacceptable! In front of an empty net a top striker must put it in. Wouldn't give him an inch of break.


Had he not missed similar chances time and time again I would defend him and say You're wrong as anyone can miss a sitter, even the very best. However for him to keep missing the same chances then stroll round with a cob and have to be told four times in a game by enrique lallana sterling and even johnson, needs to book his ideas up big time. He hid yesterday, granted his manager hanging him out to dry and failing to use him properly doesn't help but that can be no excuse for hiding.


What caught my eye as well that he didn't display any joy when we scored our goals ,like everything rotates around this prikkk and if he doesn't put it in then fck it. Really dislike this one as you might have noticed.

Re: Mario Balotelli

PostPosted: Mon Oct 20, 2014 11:46 am
by parchpea
He is miles off where we need him to be and if this continues I think we will look to offload him in the summer.

Re: Mario Balotelli

PostPosted: Mon Oct 20, 2014 11:50 am
by Stu the Red
He has obvious quality but clearly bad management and his attitude aren't working for him. He's not suited to our system what so ever

Re: Mario Balotelli

PostPosted: Mon Oct 20, 2014 12:55 pm
by Ben Patrick
I dont think he is anywhere near as poor as he is playing at the moment.
However I do totally agree with Stu, he doesnt suit how we play at all.
There where a number of occosians yesterday where we won the ball back and looked to spring a quick counter in which he got it totally wrong.
It just doesnt look like his game.

He might do alright coming off the bench in games to provide a different option but for me if we are going to rescue this season he needs to come out of the team.

The problem is we only have a frequently injured Sturridge, Lambert and Borini.

It does make the decision to not sign Remy seen a really poor one.

Re: Mario Balotelli

PostPosted: Mon Oct 20, 2014 1:01 pm
by woof woof !
His whole attitude and demeanour stinks. Scowling at every team mate that fails to put the ball on a plate for him and when they do he invariably fails to do anything of note with it.

Is it just me but has anyone noticed how when he's even bothered to go for a 50/50 ball he slackens his pace in the last two to three yards ? Says everything about his appetite or lack of it for the game .

Even though I've never rated him as a top striker (because he isn't) I was prepared to support him all the way if he just got stuck in but from the off he's never really put in what anyone in their right mind would call a shift.

I've had enough of him already and I've gotta a feeling that if they were being honest so have most of his team mates.

Re: Mario Balotelli

PostPosted: Mon Oct 20, 2014 1:07 pm
by C-R
woof woof ! » Mon Oct 20, 2014 12:01 pm wrote:His whole attitude and demeanour stinks. Scowling at every team mate that fails to put the ball on a plate for him and when they do he invariably fails to do anything of note with it.

Is it just me but has anyone noticed how when he's even bothered to go for a 50/50 ball he slackens his pace in the last two to three yards ? Says everything about his appetite or lack of it for the game .

Even though I've never rated him as a top striker (because he isn't) I was prepared to support him all the way if he just got stuck in but from the off he's never really put in what anyone in their right mind would call a shift.

I've had enough of him already and I've gotta a feeling that if they were being honest so have most of his team mates.


This summed it up perfectly for me, had enough of him already, would prefer a less talented Borini out there who at least plays for the team and gives 100%

Re: Mario Balotelli

PostPosted: Mon Oct 20, 2014 1:19 pm
by 7_Kewell
woof woof ! » Mon Oct 20, 2014 12:01 pm wrote:His whole attitude and demeanour stinks. Scowling at every team mate that fails to put the ball on a plate for him and when they do he invariably fails to do anything of note with it.

Is it just me but has anyone noticed how when he's even bothered to go for a 50/50 ball he slackens his pace in the last two to three yards ? Says everything about his appetite or lack of it for the game .

Even though I've never rated him as a top striker (because he isn't) I was prepared to support him all the way if he just got stuck in but from the off he's never really put in what anyone in their right mind would call a shift.

I've had enough of him already and I've gotta a feeling that if they were being honest so have most of his team mates.

It's the guy's last chance and, even now, I say he's worth the risk. Mario knows as well as we do, that if he f**ks this up, he'll be plying his trade in Russia or the USA.

I agree with what you say though, but (to plonk my ***** on the fence) I'd say we've not helped by playing him as a sole striker. Mario has always played well with a partner up front and he's never been a lone man. Our tactics work into the opposition's hands, because he's isolated all too quickly, which leaves him frustrated and taping pot shots from 40 yards. Personally, I'd like to see him line up with Sterling.

Re: Mario Balotelli

PostPosted: Mon Oct 20, 2014 1:36 pm
by Ben Patrick
7_Kewell » Mon Oct 20, 2014 12:19 pm wrote:
woof woof ! » Mon Oct 20, 2014 12:01 pm wrote:His whole attitude and demeanour stinks. Scowling at every team mate that fails to put the ball on a plate for him and when they do he invariably fails to do anything of note with it.

Is it just me but has anyone noticed how when he's even bothered to go for a 50/50 ball he slackens his pace in the last two to three yards ? Says everything about his appetite or lack of it for the game .

Even though I've never rated him as a top striker (because he isn't) I was prepared to support him all the way if he just got stuck in but from the off he's never really put in what anyone in their right mind would call a shift.

I've had enough of him already and I've gotta a feeling that if they were being honest so have most of his team mates.

It's the guy's last chance and, even now, I say he's worth the risk. Mario knows as well as we do, that if he f**ks this up, he'll be plying his trade in Russia or the USA.

I agree with what you say though, but (to plonk my ***** on the fence) I'd say we've not helped by playing him as a sole striker. Mario has always played well with a partner up front and he's never been a lone man. Our tactics work into the opposition's hands, because he's isolated all too quickly, which leaves him frustrated and taping pot shots from 40 yards. Personally, I'd like to see him line up with Sterling.

I agree with what you are saying about getting the best out of him.
But do we change how we play to accomodate him ?
At this moment in time he is looking like a panic buy. I'd already be looking for a striker that has energy and movement for January if I was Brendan.