Balotelli: being a " character" is not enough (merged)

[Deleted member 14625]

Re: Where do you stand?

I think he'll be in his mid to late 20's before he becomes this great player he has the potential to be. At the moment he's an immature dick head with great ability but little work ethic. At 20 you'd think he'd be more mature than this but the fact is, he isn't. There's not much anyone can do about this, not even Mario himself. Many actions are instinctive, especially when you're young, and while he's still immature he will have naive and inexperienced instincts. These will cause him to make bad decisions. But the reality is that Mario will mature with time. Obviously he has learning or behavioural difficulties - ADHD or something alike - and it is taking this young man a little longer to mature than many people would. As I said initially, he might get to 25 before we see this maturity to his personality. It is a realistic age for people like him.

So the question is, do we have patience with him? Do we allow him time to develop as a person and also a player, all while understanding this lads situation?

Or do we get rid of him and watch him become a world class player with someone else? Which for me, would be criminal!

 

[mcfc1996]

Re: Where do you stand?

Currently we aren't set up to his strenghts, he is fitting into a team that is set up for other players. He isn't a forward I would be playing up front on his own. He is a 20 year old taking his time to adapt but I reckon he is showing signs of adapting. He is working harder game by game.
I expect a different Balotelli next season in a team that I reckon will be set up differently. Without Tevez I expect to see a better Balotelli and Dzeko.

 

[cinnamon blue]

Re: Where do you stand?

As usual City fans want instant success and wont allow a little time for things to mature and develop, Mario Balotelli WILL be one of the best players in the world, im 100% sure of this. Whether this will be at City or elsewhere, is a different question. Give the lad time and he will flourish. Balotelli is to City what Cantona was to United. If he isnt playing for your team you will instantly hate him.

Agree Rick

 

[Deleted member 14625]

Re: Where do you stand?

Plus, how many games has he started in a row in his favoured position (left in a front three) in a row for us? Three? Two? No more than that! How many games has he played with a steady partner consistently? One at a time?

Jolean Lescott has had a consistent run over the last three months in his favoured position (left centre half) and has become one of the best players in our team in that three months. He has been our best performer very recently - even better than Kompany - no denying that. Yet this time last year there were threads saying Jolean was a waste of money and he was shit! But look what a consistent run of games, with a partner playing with him, has done for him and thus our team!

And just think, Jolean is 28 and has played in this league all his career. Mario hasn't been shown even a tenth, a hundreth, of this patience yet people are so quick to say he's shit and we need to get rid. It's frankly laughable (I use that term so often when describing my fellow blues outlooks and opinions)!

 

[Mancio]

Re: being a " character" is not enough

months after months many many people here were moaning becouse lack of pace in our games

this was with tevez on the pitch

in the last 3 games i'vnt no more seen any moaning for the lack of pace

maybe becouse balotelli play one touch and dont slow the play keeping the ball and trying to win the games dribbling player after player ?

 

[fatbloke]

Re: being a " character" is not enough

Playing the game for 34 years clearly doesn't benefit you with any form of footballing intelligence, as judging by your comments you have a typically narrow minded British mentality of thinking running and workrate will always work. Without tactical discipline and intelligent movement and positioning you will never have an effective team, the first 20 minutes at Wembley show what an impact Scholes was making until Mario was instructed to shut down that option to Vidic and Ferdinand.

At no time did I berate Tevez, I simply said his one man missions to win the ball back are ineffective "even if the fans (me included) love it" so I fail to see your point??? Other than catching Van Der Sar in possession at The Swamp a few years ago I can't actually remember his closing down bearing any form of positive results, we don't play the tactics to capitalise on it especially under Mancini. I'll gladly hold my hands up if you can tell me any others??? I'd love us to play the Barcelona "win it back in 6 seconds" style but we don't and you can't blame Mario for dropping back into midfield as he is clearly told to do.

Mario did play well yesterday, he was simply let down by our midfield's inability to play the ball through to him. Other than Silva all our midfield players look to play an easy ball to keep possession rather than looking to play a defence splitting pass. That isn't Mario's fault, it's a lack of creativity and awareness by our defence minded mentality in midfield. As a striker you can only make runs and give your midfield players options (which is what Mario did time after time), if they haven't got the ability to find you then that shows a weakness in midfield not in the striker. It's like Torres at Chelsea, without Gerrard in central midfield picking out his runs off the ball he's useless. Until the Chelsea players can adapt to playing with a different style of striker to Drogba then Torres won't score goals. Our midfield is used to playing with Tevez and him coming deep to recieve the ball, Mario is a different type of striker who exploits space in behind the opposition.

To come out with comments like he's "not fit to wear the shirt" are just pathetic and show a lack of intelligence of the game on your behalf.

Ps... Your lack of grammar and ability to structure sentences and paragraphs don't help you, considering you're 40 plus.

 

[Damocles]

Re: being a " character" is not enough

The Ronaldo comparisons are about The Real Ronaldo, rather than Tranny. Either way, seem to remember people slagging him off for being disinterested in his first couple of years

I've heard it many-a-time where people have said he will one day be for us what the Tranny was to United.

Ah, I see what you mean. I thought it was a comparison of players.

That may well be the case and only time will tell. My point though is that people have given him legend status for the mad-cap things he has done off the pitch, and I think it covers the cracks that the actual case is that he isn't that good where it matter - on the pitch. Imagine someone 'boring' putting in the same performances? Someone who doesn't wink at Rio, who doesn't wolf whistle at hookers who bedded Rooney, who doesn't break into womens prisons, who doesn't drive round with £25k 'because I can'.... those things instantly appeal to some fans because its what we would all like to do ourselves, and it portrays a character, a mentalist and someone who is just a loony who we all love. The fact is though that he doesn't apply himself on the pitch as much as he should do, and it should only be on the pitch where he is judged, not some hoo-har he causes in an italian restaurant in town. That 'boring' player I referred to would have been hounded ages ago.

I agree somewhat with this; he has achieved a cult status because of his off the pitch stuff. However, there are those of us who have watched him his entire career and appreciate the player that he is.

Look at this another way, almost EVERY poster on here who regularly watched him at Inter madly raves about him. We can't all be making things up; added to this, that there is video evidence of what we are talking about.

Some people say "judge him off of what he does at City", I say that this is unfair for such a young player in his first season. Think of how Torres would be seen if he was judged purely because of his time at Chelsea. He wouldn't even get near the Burnley team. However, nobody in their right mind believes Torres is anything short of world class. We know this because we've watched him for years and recognise his quality. The Balotelli situation is the same. I honestly don't know a single person who consistently watched him at Inter and thinks anything other than him as a world class player and a massively talented young lad. I'm sure that those people exist, but that opinion is in the minority.

Mourinho is famously pig headed about disruptions. Despite him classing Balo as one, he still consistently played him in big games and in his Treble winning season he played nearly 40 games for them. He doesn't ever give any other player this privilege, Mou himself rates him as somebody who can be the best player in the whole world.

I know it's hard because he is so hugely rated by some sections of the fanbase, so it automatically makes you examine his performance closer than you would.

Let's look at this another way. He's already won the Champions League, the Serie A on three separate occasions, the Italian FA Cup, the Italian Charity Shield, has been capped for his country twice at full international level, played over 100 senior games and was just voted the best under 21 player in the world, in front of the Wilshere's of this world.

He's 18 months younger than Daniel Sturridge.

This is the level of player we are realistically dealing with.

 

[Mancio]

Re: being a " character" is not enough

I've heard it many-a-time where people have said he will one day be for us what the Tranny was to United.

Ah, I see what you mean. I thought it was a comparison of players.

That may well be the case and only time will tell. My point though is that people have given him legend status for the mad-cap things he has done off the pitch, and I think it covers the cracks that the actual case is that he isn't that good where it matter - on the pitch. Imagine someone 'boring' putting in the same performances? Someone who doesn't wink at Rio, who doesn't wolf whistle at hookers who bedded Rooney, who doesn't break into womens prisons, who doesn't drive round with £25k 'because I can'.... those things instantly appeal to some fans because its what we would all like to do ourselves, and it portrays a character, a mentalist and someone who is just a loony who we all love. The fact is though that he doesn't apply himself on the pitch as much as he should do, and it should only be on the pitch where he is judged, not some hoo-har he causes in an italian restaurant in town. That 'boring' player I referred to would have been hounded ages ago.

I agree somewhat with this; he has achieved a cult status because of his off the pitch stuff. However, there are those of us who have watched him his entire career and appreciate the player that he is.

Look at this another way, almost EVERY poster on here who regularly watched him at Inter madly raves about him. We can't all be making things up; added to this, that there is video evidence of what we are talking about.

Some people say "judge him off of what he does at City", I say that this is unfair for such a young player in his first season. Think of how Torres would be seen if he was judged purely because of his time at Chelsea. He wouldn't even get near the Burnley team. However, nobody in their right mind believes Torres is anything short of world class. We know this because we've watched him for years and recognise his quality. The Balotelli situation is the same. I honestly don't know a single person who consistently watched him at Inter and thinks anything other than him as a world class player and a massively talented young lad. I'm sure that those people exist, but that opinion is in the minority.

Mourinho is famously pig headed about disruptions. Despite him classing Balo as one, he still consistently played him in big games and in his Treble winning season he played nearly 40 games for them. He doesn't ever give any other player this privilege, Mou himself rates him as somebody who can be the best player in the whole world.

I know it's hard because he is so hugely rated by some sections of the fanbase, so it automatically makes you examine his performance closer than you would.

Let's look at this another way. He's already won the Champions League, the Serie A on three separate occasions, the Italian FA Cup, the Italian Charity Shield, has been capped for his country twice at full international level, played over 100 senior games and was just voted the best under 21 player in the world, in front of the Wilshere's of this world.

He's 18 months younger than Daniel Sturridge.

This is the level of player we are realistically dealing with.

unfortunally you'r wasting your time. mario inst rated (or criticised) on what he do on the pitch. he is criticised by a group of "the sun" readers and believers. and the simple fact they are "the sun " believers suddenly should lead you to understand that you dont have any chance to talk with them , coz you dont write on the sun.

if mario was grown in City ranks they would leak his ass post after post.
if mario was english they were suking his cock in the way they suck AJ cock.

unfortunally mario isnt AJ (thank good he is a lot better) and so you are wasting your time.

 

[taconinja]

Re: being a " character" is not enough

Some of you balo worshipers are missing the point , so before calling it disgusting I suggest you read through it .

To the posters showing his involvement today ... his standing in the box and a tackle before a corner t .. Christ I can go onto the 4 th teir of any division and show you a tackle or some striker standing in the box .

the whole point of this thread is not to dispute his undoubted talent .... it is that he doesn't bring ALL of that talent to the table when he plays .
Fuck me some of the embarrassing posts on here describing Sundays game ,he did 2 parts of fuck all.

Don't throw runs and tackle facts at me , cos ill through more impressive stats from Billy Blogs playing for any side in the lower leagues.

The guy doesn't do enough ...

Or am I not ' down with the kids " cos he winks at Ferdinand??


In that case hes a Legend. ,Colin Bell and Francis Lee can go and fuck themselves cos they never winked ..... fucking let downs.

So you spent half this discussion whining that someone wouldn't prove Balotelli's worth to you and now you're pissed that people are using actual measurables to prove Balotelli's worth to you.

Why did you start this discussion? What did you hope to gain from this as you've boiled it down to "No one can prove he's worthwhile because I say so!" and won't hear otherwise?

 

[*singingtheblues*]

Re: Where do you stand?

No real pace... cannot hold a ball played up to him... cannot head the ball... no real dribbling skills... not a genuine team player... goes down too easily... has a shit attitude with his team mates, manager and opposition players... is not a natural goalscorer...

Yeah, apart from that potentially a world superstar. ;-))

Hasn't DJ Campbell scored as many goals?

Poor attempt at a joke?