Would You?

Ballo's adulation didn't last long.

Balo was always going to be a gamble - I don't think it's a good one.

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Ace Face, from what we've seen so far from Mario, I can't argue with a word of that.

All players need time to settle, but Balotelli is now a seasoned international who crucially has premier league experience playing in a top team and for me isn't doing enough. Others are seeing something different and appear very happy with his contribution. I think he will score goals, but his movement and his decision making is hindering the tempo of our game. I expected him to start quickly as he has it all to prove. He hasn't IMO and I find this worrying because further into the season I expect him to give less effort rather than more.

Farking hell, this place is awful atm. God forbid any of you lot actually get a job in football. Peter Crouch better than Balotelli, behave.

The same accusations levelled at Balo could be levelled against majority of our team. Most have not been putting in the performances and our defence is a joke. We score in very nearly every single match so if they could keep their legs closed in defence things would be a lot rosier perhaps. Balo has been poor but so has the team. His work rate seems to be improving too. We have improved in the last two matches and to my eyes the understanding will come.
Rodgers has worked with other players who were not deemed very mobile. Balo is the easiest scapegoat though IMO.

f no.....

He showed some good moments on the weekend. His strength, hold up play and unpredictability make him a great watch. Made me nervous every time he was on the ball

Balotelli was fine on Saturday imo, improving each time he plays. No way would I swap him for Crouch . Thanks anyway.

There seems to be agrowing consensus amongst pundits that Balotelli IS putting in a shift for us. Just about evry single pundit who’s covered our games this season has said that they’ve been surprised (in a positive way) with Balotelli’s work-rate, and Phil Neville added himself to the list at the weekend.

Yet we still have people coming on here and saying he’s ‘lethargic’. Is that because they haven’t actually watched the games, and are just forming opinion from reputation?

There’s a stronger argument for saying he doesn’t fit in with our style, but in the one game this season when we definitely played with the same style as last season, against Spurs....he fitted in well, and should have had a hat-trick before half-time.

He’s not taking chances just yet, but so long as strikers are getting into the right positions (and he is).....that will come. He has very quick feet in the penalty box, and he’s decent in the air. If he continues with the same attitude, I’m pretty optimistic about Balotelli, especially when we revert to last season’s playing-style.

Crouch is a decent player, who’s been underrated because of the way he looks....but he’s 33.
He did play for us and we had to be patient because it was 4 months before he scored, so perhaps we should extend the same patience to Balotelli.

Balotelli is 24, and I definitety wouldn’t swap, right now, it's a slightly bizarre suggestion.