Good signing for them I feel, though not sure how he will go in such a fast attacking team. Should get them plenty of goals though provided he doesn't do anything stupid. His contract should help with that as well, shrewd business that part.
Balotelli signs for Liverpool - Official
- Thread starter shaggy
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He's a clown and will be offloaded again in around two seasons. I'm not worried in the slightest.
As much as I like Balotelli as a player, I think this isn't a particularly good signing for Liverpool. I get the impression Rodgers thinks he can reform any crazy young player and you've got to respect that confidence but, you can only have so many disruptive dressing room influences before it becomes too much.
People keep saying Gerrard won't allow him the space to be disruptive, but this kid has been involved with some of the most influential players in Italian football and still went mental. Time will tell, but I wouldn't be too enthusiastic about this signing if I were a Liverpool fan.
People keep saying Gerrard won't allow him the space to be disruptive, but this kid has been involved with some of the most influential players in Italian football and still went mental. Time will tell, but I wouldn't be too enthusiastic about this signing if I were a Liverpool fan.
Our idiots are usually savants (Collymore, Suarez, even Fowler). We have a good track record with them, not sure that's a good thing.
How do you know Mario Ballotelli won't?
I don't know he won't - but form suggests otherwise. Moved on after a couple if years at each club and he loves a sulk when it's not going his way.
Major issue - top forwards work hard when they don't have the ball. You can get talent with no graft a lot cheaper - see Berbatov. That doesn't cut it at the top level now.
If he can get his arse in gear and clock on that this might be his last chance at the top level than he could be a bargain. All common sense suggests that might not happen.
He didnt come cheap for you lot. Balotelli led the line for italy in Euro 2012 and did look the part. If he can find that form for a couple of seasons then I'd be happy.
He reminds me somewhat of Anelka, never stays anywhere long.
No he didn't. Fact is, there's a reason why he was moved on for peanuts after.
The bottom line was, despite the masses of talent he had, top sides can't afford to carry a player. He was kept while Tevez was, for me the better player in terms if the team.
He had his flaws and highlights exactly what I'm saying. That being said, for all his laziness he wasn't a disruptive player. The same cant be said for Ballotelli who is all about himself.
My opinion, he'll probably start well. There'll come a time though when it blows up. Liverpool seem to have a good team dynamic where everyone works hard. I can't see Gerrard being happy with Ballotelli ambling about whilst everyone else is busting a gut.
There's a reason why Inter, City and now Milan have let him go. As I said, he's a talent but it spends if that talent is worth the potential cost, financially and to the team. He's one of the reasons Mancini lost control of the dressing room.
Rodgers seems to think he can take him. Seems like a massive risk to me.
Indeed. Milan are hardly overburdened with star players, yet they're happy to move him on for a relatively small sum for a "world class" player.
Cantona was a similar risk for united and had a tendency for blowing up and causing problems everywhere he went. You lot gambled on him and the rest is history. I like a little punt every now and then. Keeps the place moving.
I think that says more for Milan's financial position more than anything else. Young Berlusconi hasn't got the money to invest anymore.
He did - and it paid off because the team as built around him and he did pretty much what he wanted. He was the first name on the team sheet and was the heart of the team.
Is Rodgers going to set up like that? More likely he'll be expected to fit into the side and pull his weight like everyone else. That's where I think they'll have an issue.
Cantona was a much bigger risk. Cantona had a history of being violent, for all of Mario's faults, he isn't that type of player.
Him and Sturridge will have more than a few on pitch rows.
Yeah it definitely says something about Milan's financial position, but there's a bit of both really. They do come across as very eager to let go.
I think the Cantona counterpoint raised by RedRover is quite accurate, he was given a free pass by Fergie, like more or less no other player before or after. Also, I don't think Balo has Cantona's talent.
The team wasn't built around him immediately. And Balotelli and Cantona aren't really similar.
What is it with their insistence on having at least one player with mental issues? I like Balotelli, I think he actually comes across ok if you look past all the crazy behaviour but there's no doubting he's a liability. Wouldn't it have made much more sense to just buy a top class level headed striker or did they try and kept getting rejected?
Sturridge and Suarez had pops at each other on the pitch too and they were alright together.
Most likely. Liverpool are seen as a 'stepping stone' club so those in their peaks are less likely to move to them.
Honestly I have no clue how Rodgers will set up but I'm eager to see how he will incorporate Balotelli into the team. I think like you said the side was built around cantona but it probably hinged on Fergies feelings having seen him for quite a while and judging the kind of character he was looking for. Ferguson was very good at that and I don't know if Rodgers is. That said I understand why folk are very wary of signing Balotelli but I like the lad in many ways and could see things working for him if all goes well.
We enquired for Benzema and were told he was about to sign a new contract. We enquired for Falcao and were told he only wanted Madrid.
Yeah fair point. They wouldn't want to ship him out if they felt they could manage him and he could improve them. Mind you Milan is a mental place at the minute.
Well at least that will please the fans. I presume Ronaldo and Messi were difficult too as they're both on relatively long contracts.
If all goes well, we will have a world class striker. It's a massive 'if' though.
Why do you feel Balotelli is world class? What characteristics of his place him in that range of players?
EDIT: or world class potential, whatever.
Yeah I loved watching the Gullit, Van Basten, Desailly, Weah, Baresi, Maldini teams. Cracking sides they were but I think Berlusconi funded them in a big way. Since his fortunes have turned so Milan have slumped. I do feel they'll come back but it could be a 5 year gap or so. Big loss to European football in my opinion.Definitely, it's actually a bit sad as it's a historically big club.
The only possible explanation for this is that Brenton wants to keep a certain level of dickheadishness floating around the club at all times.
In which case he's going to need around ten new midfielders when Gerrard retires to compensate for his absence.
In which case he's going to need around ten new midfielders when Gerrard retires to compensate for his absence.
I didn't say he was world class. I said if it goes well, that's what I would expect him to become. Again though, it's a big risk and the odds aren't in Liverpool's favour.
Great teams under Ancelotti in the mid 2000s as well. Though in fairness, you cover a large part of Milan's history by citing Maldini!
Yep I edited, I meant 'world class potential', but I'm genuinely interested in what you feel are his characteristics that put him in that range of player.
I can't wait to watch Balotelli go full on muppet and ruin Liverpool's push for the Premier League. Where's that popcorn gif when you need it? This is going to be good.
Aye it felt like himself, baresi and costa curta went on forever. I stopped watching Italian football in the early 2000s. I used to love the league when the likes of Lombardo, Vialli, Casiraghi and Beppe Signori were all firing. Some great players from the 90s.Great teams under Ancelotti in the mid 2000s as well. Though in fairness, you cover a large part of Milan's history by citing Maldini!
Yep I edited, I meant 'world class potential', but I'm genuinely interested in what you feel are his characteristics that put him in that range of player.
While your point is a bit barbed, there is a point to this. Many good teams have an antagonist, someone to irritate opponents with a bit of devil in them. See Cantona, Keane, Souness, Suarez. If kept within certain boundaries such a player can be beneficial.
It is an interesting purchase, 16m is not pennies for liverpool, though they have sold Suarez.
Balotelli is similar to Berba, without the class and touch, in as much as he will sulk, be lazy and be fairly non-existent until he has a moment of brilliance. Regardless, he is a million times better than Lambert.
Balotelli is similar to Berba, without the class and touch, in as much as he will sulk, be lazy and be fairly non-existent until he has a moment of brilliance. Regardless, he is a million times better than Lambert.
If some reports are to be believed, Rodgers did not want Balotelli.
Wait, what? Cantona should though?
I'll take a kung-fu kick over a racist cannibal anyday, thank you very much!
I believed those reports till I saw the creepy smile on Brentons face during his presser last Friday.
I'm sure it's the same smile his ex-wife was all too familiar with, I wouldn't trust it.
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