It’s no secret that Manchester City striker Mario Balotelli is a handful, with bust-ups at his former club Inter with his then coach Jose Mourinho and even his own fans at one point. City boss Roberto Mancini has shown huge faith in the teenage star, and has tried to take the youngster under his wing by bringing him to City from Inter for around £20m, but with City having made a great start to the season without Balotelli. Is his time up?
The guy’s obviously got talent, In December 2010 he won the Golden Boy award, beating Arsenal’s Jack Wilshere who gets raved about for all the right reasons. But Balotelli looks like he doesn’t care when he‘s playing football. It’s like he doesn’t realise people pay good money to go and see their team perform.
He strolls around on the pitch, throws tantrums over minor things like having a pass cut out or being substituted, but when your kicking your heels on the football pitch not helping out your team in the slightest, you’re going to get taken off. You have to wonder why does Mancini need him now? With all of City’s power up front. What team needs they’re third maybe fourth choice striker sitting on the bench week in week out on £100,000 a week plus.
So far in Balotelli’s City career he’s scored 6 times in 17 appearances, with 3 of those goals coming in one game. He’s been sent off twice, and put in a man of the match performance against Stoke in the 2011 FA Cup Final which was City’s first trophy in thirty-five years.
However that was marred when at the final whistle Balotelli appeared to be taunting the United fans. There’s no doubt on his day he’s a force to be reckoned with and at 21 he‘s certainly a prospect, but will his poor discipline and antics on and off the field cost him a first team place at City?
I think if Balotelli pulls his finger out and works hard he can challenge for a place with any of City’s strikers. Whether that will ever actually happens remains to be seen. There’s no doubt this is a crucial season for him, any more questionable performances and mishaps like we’ve seen before would surely lead to Balotelli being shown the exit door.
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SQUAD ROTATION.
‘However that was marred when at the final whistle Balotelli appeared to be taunting the United fans.’
Utter rubbish like the rest of this gutter scraping. No action was taken. The City hate campaign continues…..
“taunting the United fans” after the FA Cup final against Stoke City… you seem somewhat confused there my friend. Anyway, any time spent winding up Camel gob and chums has got to be seen as worthwhile.
So Mario’s man of the match performance in the FA Cup Final was marred by his antics after the final whistle? Well don’t let the facts get in the way of a good story. Ferdinand so upset his team got whipped in the SEMI-FINAL couldn’t bare to see Mario celebrating. A cheeky wink put Rio in his place.
For your information a lot of City players believe Mario is the best footballer at the club and that’s after the signings of Dzeko, Nasri and Aguero. Suspect Roberto will be patient with the young lad.
Mario’s antics after the final whistle in the FA Cup final must have really surprised Rio Ferdinand. He hadn’t realised he had morphed into Robert Huth of STOKE CITY.
Why is Ferdinands discipline never questioned during that particular SEMI FINAL? Can you imagine the vitriol if we had lost 1-0 and it was Mario surging into the Utd half and manhandling their players as he disaproved of them celebrating near him? The rag top media would love it, he should be banned…..We would never hear the end of it. Where was Ferdinands rebuke accross our supposed objective media for his disgraceful behaviour in inciting violence by chasing our player into our half during OUR celebrations to grab and push whomever he pleases and then aggressively confront our coaching staff annoyed he could not get a reaction? Did Mario lay a hand on anyone? No. So where is his fault? Is it because he is Mario and there is a headline there somewhere? Did he make angels Ferdinand and Anderson react aggressively – yes. What a pathetic excuse. If someone provokes you and you react violently YOU get sent down not the provocateur.
Forgive me i almost forgot, Ferdinand is a gentleman and is of course allowed to behave like that as he plays for Yoonoited, and much like a wife beaters reasoning – ‘they’ made me do it.
People outside of Man City are desperate to see the back of Mario as on his day he is a nightmare to deal with just ask Villa. Get used to the idea of him improving with City over the next two seasons at least. Mario is loved by the majority of the faithful and is a huge asset to the team.
Jack Wilshere is raved about for all the right reasons eh?
Would that be the same Jack Wilshere who has been arrested TWICE on suspicion of assault in the past two years?
Really wish people would do their research before going to print.