Mario Balotelli

[jai john]

Interesting thatyuh mention Kun. In the UEFA Final thread somebody was questioning his hype but Kun Aguero is the real deal. He has the ability to hit a pgood patch and be the absolute best in the world for a while just as Ronaldo and Messi have been over the past two years. The problem is he is not at a high profile club and is not playing with a good team. Torres was highly rated but had average output when he was at Atletico. Move to Liverpool and he is one of the world’s best strikers (If he move to a better club he would be even better). Aguero would make Mas at a club like Chelsea right now.

For next season the man to watch is Villa. He outscore everybody for the past 5 years while everybody praising the strikers at big clubs. He will absolutely destroy at Barcelona next year and is a good bet for the golden ball before he even suit up.

Tough to say. At Barca Villa will have to share the wealth more so than he did at Valencia where it was pretty much him and any other 10...

Kun has all the assets- just need to get more deadly in front of goal from a pure finishing perspective....same story with Torres when he was in Spain- fella used to real throw away...Not sure if he's getting better chances in front of goal at Liverpool or if he is just a better finisher now than he was then.

Kun showed what he could do when he scored within seconds of taking the field against Canada. Most times when this happens it is from being in the right place at the right time ...a la Palermo, Ian rush, Paolo Rossi etc. except in Kun's case he picked up the ball around the half and the next person to get a touch was the goalkeeper after it hit the net. Higuain is lower in the pecking order than Tevez, Messi and Kun as finishers and he is number two in Spain playing alongside Ronaldo who doh give nobody nothing !
He walks like Romario and scores like Romario, his low centre of gravity making him very difficult to line up as he can shift effortlessly as the Canadian defender found out. I dont believe any team in theworld has ever had a more potent strike force than this argentina team. It is up to them to bring home the bacon ..
not too long now .... Waka waka esto es Africa !!

[palos]

I dont believe any team in theworld has ever had a more potent strike force than this argentina team. It is up to them to bring home the bacon ..
not too long now .... Waka waka esto es Africa !!

Argentina go be lucky to make it to the second round.

Dey have some excellent players....but a shithong coach and dat handicap dey cyah overcome.

[JDB]

Tough to say. At Barca Villa will have to share the wealth more so than he did at Valencia where it was pretty much him and any other 10...

Kun has all the assets- just need to get more deadly in front of goal from a pure finishing perspective....same story with Torres when he was in Spain- fella used to real throw away...Not sure if he's getting better chances in front of goal at Liverpool or if he is just a better finisher now than he was then.

I feel confidence is the big thing with them players. Torres come England realize he could bobolize defenders a little bit more and it embolden him to just try things. Plus at Atletico everything was on him. The pressure of knowing that you have to take your chances because they few and far between does kill strikers.

As for Villa so many of his goals were self-made that he will benfit from having better players around him. If Henry could score 20 in his waning days in that setup Villa could easily put up Messi numbers. specially if they have the tactical freedom that Fabregas will bring to the team.

[kicker]

Higuain is lower in the pecking order than Tevez, Messi and Kun as finishers and he is number two in Spain

As a pure finisher, Higuain is better than Kun.  Not saying he's a better player, but he's a better finisher.

[palos]

As for Villa so many of his goals were self-made that he will benfit from having better players around him. If Henry could score 20 in his waning days in that setup Villa could easily put up Messi numbers. specially if they have the tactical freedom that Fabregas will bring to the team.

I curious about this Fabergas to Barca move.

Fabergas is a midfield general

But Barca already has Xavi and Iniesta

Add to that Keita and Toure who play totally different types of games and fulfill a different function than Fabergas, where & how exactly does Fabergas fit in?

Even for Spain, Fabergas is a reserve coming off the bench because he cannot unseat Xavi, Iniesta, Xabi Alonso, and Silva in the starting lineup.

I understand he wants to win trophies and Barca is as good a club as any in the world to do that, but I doubt he'll be truly happy doing so sitting on the bench most of the time.

[spideybuff]

yeah me too Palos...I eh know where Fab fitting cause them two have him on the bench already for Spain.

But I not doubting Guardiola, he prove that he know what he doing.

All i could wager is that Xavi will fill the rold that Xabi Alonso plays for Spain, while Fabregas and Iniesta will play where Xavi and Iniesta currently play.

Or maybe Pep just want to keep Xavi on his toes since right now he irreplaceable.


(how a Balotelli thread turn into Fabregas and Aguero thread though?)

[spideybuff]

Higuain is lower in the pecking order than Tevez, Messi and Kun as finishers and he is number two in Spain

As a pure finisher, Higuain is better than Kun.  Not saying he's a better player, but he's a better finisher.

To top score at Real, u hadda be special. Especially like u say, with a man like Ronaldo who not sharing the ball. And with men like Benzema and Raul breathing down ur neck if u hit a bad patch.

Segio Aguero is Maradona son -in law though, right? So he and Messi safe on either side of a 3 man strike force...

[JDB]

I curious about this Fabergas to Barca move.

Fabergas is a midfield general

But Barca already has Xavi and Iniesta

Add to that Keita and Toure who play totally different types of games and fulfill a different function than Fabergas, where & how exactly does Fabergas fit in?

Even for Spain, Fabergas is a reserve coming off the bench because he cannot unseat Xavi, Iniesta, Xabi Alonso, and Silva in the starting lineup.

I understand he wants to win trophies and Barca is as good a club as any in the world to do that, but I doubt he'll be truly happy doing so sitting on the bench most of the time.

Barcelona squad was thin this year. They suffer dearly from Iniesta missing so much of the season. Barcelona with a fit Iniesta was probably beating Inter.

The current formula is Xavi, Iniesta and a Toure/Busquets. Fabregas would enter that Xavi, Iniesta rotation and allow them men some rest.  Also Barcelona could change things up as needed and play Iniesta up top on the left and play Fabregas and Xavi in midfield. That very likely to happen in big games if Ibra continue to purge. Xavi, Fabregas in midfield with Iniesta, Villa and Messi on top is real pressure for teams.

[jai john]

Higuain is lower in the pecking order than Tevez, Messi and Kun as finishers and he is number two in Spain

As a pure finisher, Higuain is better than Kun.  Not saying he's a better player, but he's a better finisher.

To top score at Real, u hadda be special. Especially like u say, with a man like Ronaldo who not sharing the ball. And with men like Benzema and Raul breathing down ur neck if u hit a bad patch.

Segio Aguero is Maradona son -in law though, right? So he and Messi safe on either side of a 3 man strike force...

yup Kun is maradona's son in law but he was on argentina's senior team before he became Maradona's son in law and before maradona was coach. Kun and messi teamed up to win de youth world cup and Maradona said then he would love to see dem playing together for argentina's senior team. Now he has the chance to make it happen.
Higuain is not a better percentage finisher than Kun ...every argentinian fan knows that ...the big ones ...Kun does not fail ...Higuain can sometimes cause you grief when it matters.. as Real have found out this season ..notwithstanding his goals total.
But I rate even Tevez above them both for his high work rate and never say die attitude ...messi and tevez will terrorize any defence in the world. we going short ...milito go jess have to watch yes !

[richpy]

Higuain is lower in the pecking order than Tevez, Messi and Kun as finishers and he is number two in Spain

As a pure finisher, Higuain is better than Kun.  Not saying he's a better player, but he's a better finisher.

To top score at Real, u hadda be special. Especially like u say, with a man like Ronaldo who not sharing the ball. And with men like Benzema and Raul breathing down ur neck if u hit a bad patch.

Segio Aguero is Maradona son -in law though, right? So he and Messi safe on either side of a 3 man strike force...

yup Kun is maradona's son in law but he was on argentina's senior team before he became Maradona's son in law and before maradona was coach. Kun and messi teamed up to win de youth world cup and Maradona said then he would love to see dem playing together for argentina's senior team. Now he has the chance to make it happen.
Higuain is not a better percentage finisher than Kun ...every argentinian fan knows that ...the big ones ...Kun does not fail ...Higuain can sometimes cause you grief when it matters.. as Real have found out this season ..notwithstanding his goals total.
But I rate even Tevez above them both for his high work rate and never say die attitude ...messi and tevez will terrorize any defence in the world. we going short ...milito go jess have to watch yes !

Leave Milito out? Yuh kidding, right?!

Thais alyuh best striker at the moment.

What they should do is play a 4-3-3 with Messi(right), Tevez/Aguero (left) and Milito up top.

That way yuh have two runners, and a target man. Ah putting Milito in front because he physical, could hold up the ball, and yet clinical. He offering more than Higuain.

[Bourbon]

Ahem. Like allyuh forget wha dis thread about?

Anyhow...leh me try to get it back on track. Ent it had rel italians who migrate to argentina and get citizenship? Allyuh feel mario should try dat or wha?
 

[Andre DosSantos]

yeah me too Palos...I eh know where Fab fitting cause them two have him on the bench already for Spain.

But I not doubting Guardiola, he prove that he know what he doing.

All i could wager is that Xavi will fill the rold that Xabi Alonso plays for Spain, while Fabregas and Iniesta will play where Xavi and Iniesta currently play.

Or maybe Pep just want to keep Xavi on his toes since right now he irreplaceable.


(how a Balotelli thread turn into Fabregas and Aguero thread though?)

nah i think its more of replacement for Iniesta because of the injuries that has hit him recently, so they don't have to run him  as hard i think. Xavi aint going any way, the guy is a machine

[spideybuff]

Leave Milito out? Yuh kidding, right?!

Thais alyuh best striker at the moment.

Yeah but we not discussing what rational people like us would do...we trying to see what a madman like Maradona would 

[Blue]

I agree - from some of the public comments Mihajlovic has made about Balotelli, it seems like he was one of his mentors during his time coaching at Inter.

Yeah, with a mentor like Mihailovic yuh could undertsand why Balotelli doesn't mind being as combative as he is.

Was watchin an interview with Gabriele Marcotti today (the main Italian football pundit in England, and an Inter fan), who confirmed that Mihajlovic and Balotelli were very close.

[kicker]

Was watchin an interview with Gabriele Marcotti today (the main Italian football pundit in England, and an Inter fan), who confirmed that Mihajlovic and Balotelli were very close.

Not really surprised to be honest.  They both have strong personalities which could mean that they could either hate eachother or quite possibly like eachother very much...

Racism is a complex thing...people hear Mihajlovic involved with racial slurs and brand him a racist type who will dislike someone like ballotelli...not saying that he isn't racist, but racism is not always that straightforward and black & white (no pun intended)...People bond based on many different factors which, if significant enough will have the strength to trump an ingrained blanket ideology (such as racism)...

[DeSoWa]

Was watchin an interview with Gabriele Marcotti today (the main Italian football pundit in England, and an Inter fan), who confirmed that Mihajlovic and Balotelli were very close.

Not really surprised to be honest.  They both have strong personalities which could mean that they could either hate eachother or quite possibly like eachother very much...

Racism is a complex thing...people hear Mihajlovic involved with racial slurs and brand him a racist type who will dislike someone like ballotelli...not saying that he isn't racist, but racism is not always that straightforward and black & white (no pun intended)...People bond based on many different factors which, if significant enough will have the strength to trump an ingrained blanket ideology (such as racism)...

Like slave owners or very outspoken white supremists who have sexual relations with black women 

Big Up!

[Trini _2026]

Ghana FA still targeting Mario Balotelli
ghanasoccernet.com



The Ghana Football Association could revive efforts in luring Italian-born Mario Balotelli to play for the West African country  after a successful World Cup campaign.

The Inter Milan forward snubbed the Ghana FA after moves were made to convince the 19-year-old play for the Black Stars.

Balotelli stuck by his decision to play for the Italy national team but was overlooked by head coach Marcelo Lippi for the World Cup.

Having represented Italy at youth level, officials say they will make a fresh bid to land the talented striker.

Even though Balotelli has in the past snubbed us, we sill think that anytime we are able to get him he will help. Two days ago, in my discussions with the coach, we still discussed Balotelli and other players young players like (Lenny) Sowah, Adam Kwarasey in Norway and many others. We will pursue to strengthen our team and make our team the best in the world,” Ghana FA boss Kwesi Nyantakyi told Joy FM

Nyantakyi also praised former Germany youth international Kevin Prince Boateng for his heart-on-the-sleeves performance after he switched allegiance to play for Ghana.

“I think Kevin’s inclusion in the team was godsend. It was so timely that in the absence of Essien, he filled the void and it was as though Essien was not in the team. We have not spared the least opportunity in trying to persuade talented players with Ghanaian parentage to play for us.”

[Controversial]

that would be a deadly forward line with essien, prince and balotelli 

[Mose]

But aren't Prince and Essien midfielders???

[100% Barataria]

But aren't Prince and Essien midfielders???

Yes, they are, Ghana essentially played a 4-5-1 all WC w/A. Gyan being their pointer

[Trinimassive]

Hope they get him

[Babalawo]

like Freddy Adu getting lef out by them too. He might have to end up playing for England 

[Controversial]

But aren't Prince and Essien midfielders???

Yes, they are, Ghana essentially played a 4-5-1 all WC w/A. Gyan being their pointer

i could of sworn i seen  a 3-5-2 in there but i must be mistaken. i cant see gyan playing striker ahead of essien when he returns but you never know

[Kingk]

it might be is only chance to play in the Sr. wold cup. cuz he not playing for italy in it.
italy not having a black player play for them in the biggest stage.

[Dumplingdinho]

But aren't Prince and Essien midfielders???

TI not easy, he plan to convert essien and prince to forwards.

[Trini Madness]

But aren't Prince and Essien midfielders???

Yes, they are, Ghana essentially played a 4-5-1 all WC w/A. Gyan being their pointer

i could of sworn i seen  a 3-5-2 in there but i must be mistaken. i cant see gyan playing striker ahead of essien when he returns but you never know

i could be wrong but i think ghana had a roaming center forward behind gyan (was it asamoah?). but yea they did play a 4-5-1 all WC.

[100% Barataria]

But aren't Prince and Essien midfielders???

Yes, they are, Ghana essentially played a 4-5-1 all WC w/A. Gyan being their pointer

i could of sworn i seen  a 3-5-2 in there but i must be mistaken. i cant see gyan playing striker ahead of essien when he returns but you never know

i could be wrong but i think ghana had a roaming center forward behind gyan (was it asamoah?). but yea they did play a 4-5-1 all WC.

Yeah, Asamoah was playmaker along w/Prince, Annan played the Essien central midfield role doing practically everything in the middle of the park, sweet team man, expecting big tings from dem in 4 years to come

[just cool]

That allyuh would never see. ballotelli doh want no part ah ghana, he wants tuh play for italy and that's that's!

[dinho]

Why Totti doh hush he cont??


Totti almost quit after Italian Cup dismissal

http://msn.foxsports.com/foxsoccer/seriea/story/Totti-almost-quit-after-Italian-Cup-dismissal

AS Roma captain Francesco Totti said he considered retiring from football after being sent off during the Italian Cup final.

Totti was given a red card for kicking young Inter Milan striker Mario Balotelli during the 1-0 loss, and Balotelli then claimed Totti racially abused him.

"I thought about quitting because of what happened," Totti told reporters on Tuesday, "but in the end after speaking with people who are important to me, I changed my mind.

"I thought about what happened both on and off the pitch," Totti said. "Every time that something happens with me it is blown out of all proportion. I have asked myself why on many occasions."

Roma was also runner-up to Inter in the league, finishing two points behind, but has since been sold by the Sensi family, who controlled the club for 16 years.

Club president Rosella Sensi is seeking a new permanent owner after she was forced to sell the club to a bank to pay off debts.

"I have full confidence in this club," Totti said. "I will always thank this family. If Rosella stays or other people arrive, the important thing is that they do it with all their heart.

"Having a Roman president and a Roma fan in charge is great, but a sheik who can put in 200 million euros to buy players would make everyone happy."

[Andre]

MILAN, Aug 6 (Reuters) - New Italy coach Cesare Prandelli has named long-overlooked forwards Antonio Cassano, Mario Balotelli and Amauri in his squad for his first game in charge against Ivory Coast in a friendly on Tuesday.

Squad:

Goalkeepers: Federico Marchetti (Cagliari), Salvatore Sirigu (Palermo), Emiliano Viviano (Bologna)

Defenders: Luca Antonini (AC Milan), Davide Astori (Cagliari), Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus), Mattia Cassani (Palermo), Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus), Stefano Lucchini (Sampdoria), Cristian Molinaro (VfB Stuttgart), Marco Motta (Juventus)

Midfielders: Daniele De Rossi (AS Roma), Andrea Lazzari (Cagliari), Claudio Marchisio (Juventus), Ricardo Montolivo (Fiorentina), Angelo Palombo (Sampdoria), Simone Pepe (Juventus)

Forwards: Amauri (Juventus), Mario Balotelli (Inter Milan), Marco Borriello (AC Milan), Antonio Cassano (Sampdoria), Fabio Quagliarella (Napoli), Giuseppe Rossi (Villarreal).