"Time To Go Mario"

[jimharri]

Serious question, and I have no intention of getting into an argument with anyone on here, okay? Anyway, if it isn't for the purpose of embarrassing the OP, just why was this thread bumped and what is the point of it? 99% of posters on here have said things that (with hindsight) they maybe wouldn't have posted. Fuck knows, I have. Plenty of times. But does bumping the thread actually achieve anything? And I'll repeat; I have no intention of getting into any argument with anybody on here (pro or anti Mario).

 

[franksinatra]

Tevez and Silva's return to form definitely made a difference.

I'm not a Balotelli hater by any means, he's a talented lad and I want him to do well. But I still have reservations about his temperament,teamwork and his ability to produce the goods on a consistent basis.

Swansea - No Kompany, no Lescott, Aguero off on 37 mins
Stoke - No Kompany, no Lescott, no Aguero
Sunderland - No Lescott, no Aguero (though when you concede three goals at home and Balotelli scores two, it's hard to blame Balotelli for those points dropped)
Arsenal - No Silva, no Yaya (after seventeen minutes).

After Arsenal, none of these issues were a problem apart from no Yaya against West Brom (we'd expect to win that one surely, even in a bad run of form), and a late sub for Yaya against Norwich (we scored four of the six, with the score at 2-1, AFTER Yaya came on), and when he was subbed against QPR (and we know what happened there).

Am I painting a picture? We get all our best players back at once and suddenly we're back on form. It's now down to Balotelli's failings. The simple reality, and I've said it all season, is that our squad may be strong and we can take damage in quite a few areas and be ok but we still have key players and without them we're half the side.

-- Tue May 29, 2012 9:03 pm --

I dont even think Skashion would agree with that. You do the team a disservice. Its child like fawning

I don't list Balotelli in my list of key players. To me, they are Hart, Kompany, Yaya, Silva. Even before then Aguero, and possibly even Lescott would get a look in over Balotelli on my list. Balotelli is disproportionately involved in big moments though. He scores big points-winning goals.

I was thinking of asking you that. I asked a similar question to didatic a while ago and if memory serves me correctly we concluded for his ability he should be much higher up the list of key players. I personally would add Richards Clichy and Barry to that list. With Mario top of the supporting cast of De Jong, Dzeko, Kolorov, Milner, Johnson.

 

[Cellarite]

As I stated at the time, if you read through this thread, the line "single handedly derailed the title charge" didn't come across as I'd meant it to. What I meant was that at crucial times, such as Sunderland He scored two goals in that game, what more do you want from a striker?, Arsenal He got sent off after the team was already a goal down for a second yellow for a challenge that was clumsy at best when other players on the same pitch had gotten away with worse. He should have been sent off earlier. and Stoke away You must've missed the way he was manhandled all game with the ref choosing to do fuck all about it , it was almost becoming the Mario show. Can you honestly say that he didn't piss you off at any of these times? I'm more pissed with the over the top reactions when it comes to Balotelli. Not an over the top reaction, I just say what I can clearly see when I watch my team.

I like him, I really do. I just want this brattish behaviour to stop. He went through a patch where he was turning the media onto his side. After the Noel Gallagher interview though (the timing was weird) he just seemed to start believing he was special. To be fair you have zero clue what he believes. To be fair, I never said I did. I said he SEEMED to think he was special. I've almost completely forgiven him but want to see him turn into the player that we know he could be and he claims to be. Another handful of incidents like last season though will see the same headlines and results. I admit the media love it when he gives them a headline but the point is that he does. Joe Hart's reaction at Arsenal let us see the frustration of the players. Everyone was frustrated because so much was at stake and it seemed the title was lost, it's normal when you lose a game. But kicking a post straight after a red card and shouting "That's your fucking boy!" isn't something we see during every 1-0 defeat. The way he sloped off the pitch was disrespectful to the team. He should have jogged off quicker but that's no reason to conclude that he was purposely being disrespectful, i bet he was disappointed with himself. Not as disappointed as Mancini was with him. I acknowledge that Kolarov took the ball off him at home to Sunderland but why is it that Mario is always involved. Because it's only made a big deal when it's him. He played peacemaker between Dzeko and a Sunderland player during that very game but no one remembers that.

It wasn't a knee-jerk, overreaction as you suggest Skashion. I sat with my 5 year old lad in tears when SSN said he wouldn't play for us again. He worships him. I found it hard to explain that Mancini might sell him because he acts like a dickhead. His age and background have got to be put in the past sooner or later. By background do you mean the racial abuse he's been subjected to in the past? If so, are you suggesting that that should somehow be ignored? No, I'm on about his parents, the racism, the whole shebang. I appreciate he's not had it easy but we're a football club, not a social worker. He needs to get himself sorted. Hundreds of footballers have been racially abused. I would dearly love him to become a City legend but simply cannot see it with the way he carries on presently.

 

[Skashion]

I was thinking of asking you that. I asked a similar question to didatic a while ago and if memory serves me correctly we concluded for his ability he should be much higher up the list of key players. I personally would add Richards Clichy and Barry to that list. With Mario top of the supporting cast of De Jong, Dzeko, Kolorov, Milner, Johnson.

Erm, Nasri?

 

[Cellarite]

I've not 'conveniently' left anything out. I like the fucking bloke. How many more times do I have to say it? I just want him to grow up or get the fuck out.

I don't mind you, I'm not trying to paint you out to be the bad guy at all but I hope you're not letting Bluemoon ego get the better of you.

What the fuck does "bluemoon ego" mean? I hope you're not letting fanboydom get the better of you.

 

[Skashion]

Serious question, and I have no intention of getting into an argument with anyone on here, okay? Anyway, if it isn't for the purpose of embarrassing the OP, just why was this thread bumped and what is the point of it? 99% of posters on here have said things that (with hindsight) they maybe wouldn't have posted. Fuck knows, I have. Plenty of times. But does bumping the thread actually achieve anything? And I'll repeat; I have no intention of getting into any argument with anybody on here (pro or anti Mario).

I did it because I hate citykev28 with all my soul.

 

[franksinatra]

I was thinking of asking you that. I asked a similar question to didatic a while ago and if memory serves me correctly we concluded for his ability he should be much higher up the list of key players. I personally would add Richards Clichy and Barry to that list. With Mario top of the supporting cast of De Jong, Dzeko, Kolorov, Milner, Johnson.

Erm, Nasri?

I almost missed Barry out aswell and he is one of my favourites. I think he had a really strong end of season and Im really looking forward to his performances next year. Behind Mario in the secondary list

 

[salfordblues]

Tevez and Silva's return to form definitely made a difference.

I'm not a Balotelli hater by any means, he's a talented lad and I want him to do well. But I still have reservations about his temperament,teamwork and his ability to produce the goods on a consistent basis.

Swansea - No Kompany, no Lescott, Aguero off on 37 mins
Stoke - No Kompany, no Lescott, no Aguero
Sunderland - No Lescott, no Aguero (though when you concede three goals at home and Balotelli scores two, it's hard to blame Balotelli for those points dropped)
Arsenal - No Silva, no Yaya (after seventeen minutes).

After Arsenal, none of these issues were a problem apart from no Yaya against West Brom (we'd expect to win that one surely, even in a bad run of form), and a late sub for Yaya against Norwich (we scored four of the six, with the score at 2-1, AFTER Yaya came on), and when he was subbed against QPR (and we know what happened there).

Am I painting a picture? We get all our best players back at once and suddenly we're back on form. It's now down to Balotelli's failings. The simple reality, and I've said it all season, is that our squad may be strong and we can take damage in quite a few areas and be ok but we still have key players and without them we're half the side.

-- Tue May 29, 2012 9:03 pm --

I dont even think Skashion would agree with that. You do the team a disservice. Its child like fawning

I don't list Balotelli in my list of key players. To me, they are Hart, Kompany, Yaya, Silva. Even before then Aguero, and possibly even Lescott would get a look in over Balotelli on my list. Balotelli is disproportionately involved in big moments though. He scores big points-winning goals.

It's a combination of many factors that brought about a change in form, one of which was the inclusion over Tevez instead of Balotelli.

Consistency is a cruical part of success in the Prem and so far he hasn't displayed. If he improves his consistency in performance and shows a better attitude on the pitch then we've got a player.

 

[Skashion]

What the fuck does "bluemoon ego" mean? I hope you're not letting fanboydom get the better of you.

It means I hope you're not more bothered about being seen to be right on here than you are with analysing the truth. I am not accusing you of that by the way but if you're going to say

Mario's been at it again this week saying that he wants to win the Ballon d'Or. Try a golden boot first eh Mazza?

in an accusing tone, which sounds pretty bitter, then a fairly-balanced reply would acknowledge that in making those comments he said he'd have to get much better to win the Balon d'Or. Isn't that what you're actually saying. That he has the talent but needs to apply it, he says the same thing and then you have a go at him for it? Sorry, don't get why you said this and left out the fact that he says he needs to work and improve to get there. It looked like you were making a one-sided defensive argument.

 

[franksinatra]

Tevez and Silva's return to form definitely made a difference.

I'm not a Balotelli hater by any means, he's a talented lad and I want him to do well. But I still have reservations about his temperament,teamwork and his ability to produce the goods on a consistent basis.

Swansea - No Kompany, no Lescott, Aguero off on 37 mins
Stoke - No Kompany, no Lescott, no Aguero
Sunderland - No Lescott, no Aguero (though when you concede three goals at home and Balotelli scores two, it's hard to blame Balotelli for those points dropped)
Arsenal - No Silva, no Yaya (after seventeen minutes).

After Arsenal, none of these issues were a problem apart from no Yaya against West Brom (we'd expect to win that one surely, even in a bad run of form), and a late sub for Yaya against Norwich (we scored four of the six, with the score at 2-1, AFTER Yaya came on), and when he was subbed against QPR (and we know what happened there).

Am I painting a picture? We get all our best players back at once and suddenly we're back on form. It's now down to Balotelli's failings. The simple reality, and I've said it all season, is that our squad may be strong and we can take damage in quite a few areas and be ok but we still have key players and without them we're half the side.

-- Tue May 29, 2012 9:03 pm --

I dont even think Skashion would agree with that. You do the team a disservice. Its child like fawning

I don't list Balotelli in my list of key players. To me, they are Hart, Kompany, Yaya, Silva. Even before then Aguero, and possibly even Lescott would get a look in over Balotelli on my list. Balotelli is disproportionately involved in big moments though. He scores big points-winning goals.

It's a combination of many factors that brought about a change in form, one of which was the inclusion over Tevez instead of Balotelli.

Consistency is a cruical part of success in the Prem and so far he hasn't displayed. If he improves his consistency in performance and shows a better attitude on the pitch then we've got a player.

For me one of the main difference is the we seem to have a bit more movement about us and give the opposition more to think about.

Sometimes with Mario he seems to get more embroiled tangling with the defender, backing in, trying to win free kicks than moving off the ball to create situations. Sometimes we can look a bit static upfront similar when Dzeko plays there also.

I also think it contributes to our style of play. if a player is static with a defender behind him, players are less likely to play the ball to him due to the fear of the defnder intercepting the pass and losing posession. That lends itself to playing the ball square and and is possibly the reason sometimes our build up play can be quite slow.

On the flip side he is immense at playing of the last defender for the ball over the top.