Im beginning to warm to the idea of us buying Balotelli but didn't Jose say before that he was'unmanageable'

If we bought those 2, Lukaku would go, since he'd never get a game.

 

yeah, you're probably right but just think of the options we'd have in attack with that lot - wow!

Something no one has mentioned. If he signs for us the English media will be going balls out to crucify him. Ballotelli will be portrayed as the equivalent of Charles Manson for every mis-demeanour and Torres MK II for every poor performance. It will just be another stick to beat us with. I don't believe Ballotelli is strong enough to cope with that pressure.

I'd rather spend 25 or so million on Balotelli than 60mil on Falcao/Cavani. I think it's worth the risk.

Big gamble but could be our best option right now. I don't think we will have to pay a huge amount either, we could get a fair price for a player of his quality. Mourinho did say Mario was good fun, if he can come here and sort himself out then we will have ourselves some striker.

I'd rather spend 25 or so million on Balotelli than 60mil on Falcao/Cavani. I think it's worth the risk.

Agreed. I'm also desperate for us to keep Lukaku. His strike rate is 1 in 2 apps since joining the premier league. The guy can grow into an elite striker

I'd much rather have Balo than Mandzukic or Costa, which are the only other 2 players in the frame most likely (unless we're going to spend absurd money).

 

If Balo would cost in excess of 25-30m though you wonder if we wouldn't be better off using big Rom.

He hasn't acted the tit too badly this season, nothing that hasnt been blown up by the media anyway. Wouldnt mind taking a gamble on him, he has all the talent in the world, he just needs someone to help him live up to it. Just another character for people to hate us for, like JT and Ash, but that has never bothered me

Edited March 7, 201412 yr by RMCM

Mario

Lukaku

Hazard

Salah

Will

Schurrle

Oscar

Rambo

Marin

Kakuta

Piazon

Moses

This LOT to pick from this summer. Certainly JM can manage that group

I'm 70% on it being Costa, I don't see Jose going for Mario at all.

As Just points out the media would crucify him in the press and Mario has a short enough fuse as it is, he's not got the mental strength to play for a top club challenging for titles IMO. Yes he done it with City but he was a major blip the next season with his moods and training ground bust ups.

Personally if I had a choice between Marios I would opt for Mandzukic, but in all fairness if Balotelli is ever going to live up to his 'potential' it will be under the guidance of a manager like Mourinho.

Balotelli is without a doubt one of the most talented strikers in the world but I'm still very concerned about his attitude and the way he could get teammates offside if he doesn't work hard on the pitch and in training and therefore dressing room disharmony could occur amongst the club which wouldn't help us at all. Mourinho also once said that Balotelli is 'unmanageable' so I'd be very careful to sign him if we did pursue that avenue as a club.

I always had a sense that Balotelli left Man City in the first place not only because his player/coach relationship broke down with Roberto Mancini and the club thought he was high maintenance but because he couldn't stand the constant media attention he received in England as he emphasised in his first press conference when he signed for AC Milan in January last year. Part of me is not surprised that he's having issues at AC Milan now. It seems like trouble or problems always follow this man for some reason. 

Overall, he's without a doubt a great striker but I'd prefer to go after someone like Edinson Cavani even if he's three years older than Balotelli. He's been a great player at PSG this season and his goalscoring record in the past few years has been very consistent and solid.

Talent is nothing without desire and mental strength.

Personally if I had a choice between Marios I would opt for Mandzukic, but in all fairness if Balotelli is ever going to live up to his 'potential' it will be under the guidance of a manager like Mourinho.

 

Can we not sign them both just so we can refer to them as the Super Mario Brothers? 

Can we not sign them both just so we can refer to them as the Super Mario Brothers? 

 

Haha, we can even bring back Marios Melchiot and Stanic as their 'retro' equivalent.

 

Suarez can be Wario, Torres can be Princess Peach, and I can't remember any of the other characters.

Suarez can be Wario, Torres can be Princess Peach, and I can't remember any of the other characters.

 

I feel like if you threw a mustache on Lampard he would make a great Luigi. 

http://news.ladbrokes.com/en-gb/football/premier-league/mourinho-sweet-bringing-man-city-striker-chelsea_189748.html

“Balotelli is with a big club at the moment but you never know the future,” said Mourinho.

“They want to keep the best players and want to keep the best Italian players. But Mario has already been in English football before.

“I’m not going to be manager of Milan or the Italy national team, but he’s a good kid and somebody I’d like to work with again.”

Despite being in pole position to win the Premier League, having forged a 4-point gap at the summit, the 1/1 favourite’s search for a new striker is no secret.

Having been linked to all manner of high-profile and often implausible names such as Radamel Falcao since Mourinho took charge, a move for Balotelli first gained credence when the former Inter Milan and Manchester City striker spoke out about the Portuguese himself.

“Of course I would like to play under Jose again,” Balotelli said earlier in the year.

Although the pair had a few issues when Mourinho took charge of Inter, the Italy striker explained that they had since gone on to form a ‘real friendship.’

Despite Balotelli enjoying another fruitful season in front of goal for AC Milan, the club are marooned in mid table and a move back to England is sure to appeal greatly.

All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.

Hmmmmmmm

Edited March 7, 201412 yr by Zola

http://news.ladbrokes.com/en-gb/football/premier-league/mourinho-sweet-bringing-man-city-striker-chelsea_189748.html

Hmmmmmmm

 

Well done Zola, you've successfully managed to find the same quotes that started this whole discussion yesterday

 

http://www.theshedend.com/topic/24690-mario-balotelli/page-7#entry789868

 

Hey! Ive been busy in work mother f**ker!! Haha

Mario vs costa vs madzu vs cavani

That seems to be the consensus on who we should be in for this summer.

Re: summer- even if costa has a semi decent run at the WC I can see him wanting the love and admiration to extend in Spain.

Madzu will just want to leave bayern because his spot will be taken, not a particularly good reason to pick up him.

Cavani will no doubt be a double winner in France by the end of the season and playing with uraguay in brazil will pump up his conference as well. He has to know that ibra is out of his way soon and he alone will lead the line at PSG.

Mario will end up out of cl football with Milan by the end of the season and will be looking forward to shine for Italy this summer. He will be aiming to be picked up by any big club with cl football and as such we should be the most appealing club. Can't see him moving to Germany, possibly to Spain. Would be a shame if he went to arsenal or boo Man U

He hasn't acted the tit too badly this season, nothing that hasnt been blown up by the media anyway. Wouldnt mind taking a gamble on him, he has all the talent in the world, he just needs someone to help him live up to it. Just another character for people to hate us for, like JT and Ash, but that has never bothered me

 

Look how cool Ash and Terry have been over the years, such consistent performers they have been to the club.

 

A bad attitude does have positives, Balotelli thrives under pressure if anything, he likes to prove people wrong. Look at his Man City days when those Villa fans laughed at him for slipping over, he said that he was going to score and he scored an over head kick from a corner and went straight back to those Villa fans what laughed at him and just looked them dead in the eyes. It was quite funny to be honest. But my point is that Torres is such a negative forward at times, he frustrates me, he rarely looks confident on the pitch at all. Balotelli may at times be greedy but he will never lack the confidence in front of goal I know that.

 

To look at all this in a positive way and ignore all the negatives, lets just say it will be a massive improvement to what we've got right now in terms of quality.

Likelihood is that we have already signed a striker for next year (contract won't have been signed yet but deal will already be in place behind closed doors) hopefully its someone good

I'm 70% on it being Costa, I don't see Jose going for Mario at all.

As Just points out the media would crucify him in the press and Mario has a short enough fuse as it is, he's not got the mental strength to play for a top club challenging for titles IMO. Yes he done it with City but he was a major blip the next season with his moods and training ground bust ups.

 

I would maybe agree with your and Just's point on the Media going after him if we had another manager beside Jose. Because we have Jose I think Mario could be the answer we need at striker. Jose would never allow the treatment of Balotelli to occur the same way it did at City. He would go on the defensive and defend him to the death. I could see him using it as a sort of rallying point for the team and for Mario to use it as fuel.

 

A strike force of Balotelli and Lukaku makes me very excited. Young and hungry with our coach and the attacking midfield we have. Look out premier league!

So saying "lots" of his goals have been penalties isn't true then.

 

To be scoring 1 goal every 2 games for any side, let alone one sitting mid table is always impressive. 

 

End of the day we need someone who can stick it in the onion bag... Balotelli can do that.

 

I'm still far from convinced that we will be going for him in the summer but as I said before I do rate him as a very talented striker. 

 

Yeah, to be fair I thought It was this season. I was getting the seasons mixed up. He can still definitely improve so much, but his temperament isn't always the best, especially at crucial times, i.e. ON THE PITCH! lol. In the big games I'd be worried that he would go get himself sent off, seeing as these are higher pressure atmospheres. I would hope this isn't the case, but when it comes to Balotelli, you just never can be sure. He is the ultimate footballing Jekyll and Hyde! 

Look how cool Ash and Terry have been over the years, such consistent performers they have been to the club.

 

A bad attitude does have positives, Balotelli thrives under pressure if anything, he likes to prove people wrong. Look at his Man City days when those Villa fans laughed at him for slipping over, he said that he was going to score and he scored an over head kick from a corner and went straight back to those Villa fans what laughed at him and just looked them dead in the eyes. It was quite funny to be honest. But my point is that Torres is such a negative forward at times, he frustrates me, he rarely looks confident on the pitch at all. Balotelli may at times be greedy but he will never lack the confidence in front of goal I know that.

 

To look at all this in a positive way and ignore all the negatives, lets just say it will be a massive improvement to what we've got right now in terms of quality.

 

Can we call you "Agent Slawth" ?