Which Striker Does Bob Really Really want?

[Alioune DVToure]

LOL

I couldn't disagree more. I feel exact opposite. Benzema is readymade for Premier League. Cavani would struggle with pace of game in England. He has got pace but the he uses it the way they use pace in Serie A ie counterattack and shit. We aren't really counterattacking team.

See, I'd say we are a counter-attacking team, especially away from home.

We know that the four guys we have can do the business, so why bother risking millions on someone else until we know for sure that one of them is off?

If one of them goes, I would then seek a direct replacement for that striker, I.e.

An on-the-shoulder type for Sergio, a waspish warrior for Carlos, someone who runs the channels for Mario, or a big man who can finish for Dzeko.

[Alex Sapphire]

I really hope we keep what we've got.

bearing in mind Bobby's said no-one's going, "I already have four very strong strikers. I just need them to compete in the Champions League. We are OK up front" and Joorabchian is not all over the papers, I believe this is probably the plan.

[sheikh it all about]

As I said though, now we are Champions, I would like to see how our present group of strikers respond with one or two extra creative options to feed them. Psychologically, it could have a big effect on Dzeko in particular. Mario could have one last chance to grow up & if he blows it, stick him in the reserves work with 3 strikers til Christmas, bring someone in on loan & fuck him off at the end of the season. Another occasional scorer or two as part of our midfield should be enough, so long as they help feed the current bunch.

You talk a lot of good sense imo, mate. We've got some great resources and should aim to exploit them to the full. Yes, of course there are risks with Balo and Tevez but no more than with RVP, Cavani, Benzema & Co. You've only got to look at the comments on this forum to see how opinion is divided on each of them. I'm hoping the days are gone when we acted like kids in a sweet shop.

[Dubaimancityfan]

Keep the forwards we have. We need a WINGER whis is quick and can cross accurately

As has been said above : Bale ! Otherwise I agree, we don't really need a new striker unless Tevez wants to go (or Bob wants to see him go !).

[Piccsnumberoneblue]

We miss pace. And I think Bob really wants the Napoli kid.
I love Mario's nutsness, but he might be more trouble than he is worth.
Dzeko offers us a more direct plan 'b' but he does appear to have the touch of a rapist.
Tevez is one of the finest strikers I've seen in Blue, if not the best BUT he fucked us over, he may well do again and his value is decreasing all the time.
All of them have some value and are good players, but there are reasons to get shut of all three.

[Crossie]

Apparently Van Persie is a no go, according to Bluemooners.

Good, twat.

Id rather keep the 4 we have and see if we can squeeze Guildetti some game time too, dunno how!

There isnt really much better out there and our 4 havent really even had a full season together yet (thanks to Tevez!)

Cavani and Benzema stand out, but I don't anyone else can afford them and there's no real rush for us.

[clawbaggio]

Don't want RVP. Ok, he had a good season but actually played more games than he has since he signed for Arse. He finished the season shit and did crap at the Euros.
Cavani would be too expensive.
Was there a rumour Mourinho fancied Dzeko? I wouldn't mind a swap for Higuain. Another intelligent, mobile striker and great finisher.
We'd have the Argie front 3, all we would need then would be Messi!

[Dameerto]

I get the impression Higuain is a bit of a knob, he (or rather his agent) has already used us to get a new contract - if you only considered players who weren't knobs the list would be rather short though.
Benzema took a full season to show signs of settling into life in Spain so the chances are he'd do the same in England.

[london blue 2]

Keep who we got and get Modric and we will walk the league. That little guy is fucking class!

[branny]

I really hope we keep what we've got.

I'm with you on that one Daz. If Tevez is happy and we get a full season out of him and Mario cuts the silly reds out we'll be fine.

[kinkylola]

to be fair to mario ... he only recieved 2 reds this season and they were both actually 2nd yellows. In the liverpool game and in the Arsenal game. The liverpool one was pretty controversial, imo ... and not a second yellow. The arsenal one, no one can argue with the second yellow, but in my opinion the first yellow was suspect.

Anyway, I agree that he still needs some growing up to do, but I don't think it's fair to act like he's the same as when he first arrived. He has managed to progress fairly substantially, considering his starting point.

I think the striker that Mancini really wants is a grown-up Mario Balotelli, and I can't really argue with that.

[chips]

to be fair to mario ... he only recieved 2 reds this season and they were both actually 2nd yellows. In the liverpool game and in the Arsenal game. The liverpool one was pretty controversial, imo ... and not a second yellow. The arsenal one, no one can argue with the second yellow, but in my opinion the first yellow was suspect.

Anyway, I agree that he still needs some growing up to do, but I don't think it's fair to act like he's the same as when he first arrived. He has managed to progress fairly substantially, considering his starting point.

I think the striker that Mancini really wants is a grown-up Mario Balotelli, and I can't really argue with that.

You get a round of applause from me. Spot on.

[Slim]

to be fair to mario ... he only recieved 2 reds this season and they were both actually 2nd yellows. In the liverpool game and in the Arsenal game. The liverpool one was pretty controversial, imo ... and not a second yellow. The arsenal one, no one can argue with the second yellow, but in my opinion the first yellow was suspect.

Anyway, I agree that he still needs some growing up to do, but I don't think it's fair to act like he's the same as when he first arrived. He has managed to progress fairly substantially, considering his starting point.

I think the striker that Mancini really wants is a grown-up Mario Balotelli, and I can't really argue with that.

Didn't he also stamp someone and get retroactively punished and then there was the tackle on Song that he should have been punished for and the fact he missed the opening games of the Champions League due to him getting a red in the last European game of the previous campaign? So what's that, 9 games of this campaign he missed due to suspension?

Where is this progress?

[london blue 2]

to be fair to mario ... he only recieved 2 reds this season and they were both actually 2nd yellows. In the liverpool game and in the Arsenal game. The liverpool one was pretty controversial, imo ... and not a second yellow. The arsenal one, no one can argue with the second yellow, but in my opinion the first yellow was suspect.

Anyway, I agree that he still needs some growing up to do, but I don't think it's fair to act like he's the same as when he first arrived. He has managed to progress fairly substantially, considering his starting point.

I think the striker that Mancini really wants is a grown-up Mario Balotelli, and I can't really argue with that.

Didn't he also stamp someone and get retroactively punished and then there was the tackle on Song that he should have been punished for and the fact he missed the opening games of the Champions League due to him getting a red in the last European game of the previous campaign? So what's that, 9 games of this campaign he missed due to suspension?

Where is this progress?

It's amazing, he's now acting like a prick for his country yet people still defend him like he's the innocent party.

I really want him to prove me wrong but I'm not seeing any signs of him sorting his attitude or progressing as a player.

After he scored that (fantastic) goal Italy had a break where they were two on one and he had the ball from a tight angle, did he pass the ball...did he fuck.

[Niall Quinns Discopants]

to be fair to mario ... he only recieved 2 reds this season and they were both actually 2nd yellows. In the liverpool game and in the Arsenal game. The liverpool one was pretty controversial, imo ... and not a second yellow. The arsenal one, no one can argue with the second yellow, but in my opinion the first yellow was suspect.

Anyway, I agree that he still needs some growing up to do, but I don't think it's fair to act like he's the same as when he first arrived. He has managed to progress fairly substantially, considering his starting point.

I think the striker that Mancini really wants is a grown-up Mario Balotelli, and I can't really argue with that.

Didn't he also stamp someone and get retroactively punished and then there was the tackle on Song that he should have been punished for and the fact he missed the opening games of the Champions League due to him getting a red in the last European game of the previous campaign? So what's that, 9 games of this campaign he missed due to suspension?

Where is this progress?

Good to see you around mate.

I don't see the progress either but Mancini seems adamant to give him chances. I'm not going to doubt Mancini but I don't see any progress with Mario, playing style or being less of a loose cannon.

[Alex Sapphire]

to be fair to mario ... he only recieved 2 reds this season and they were both actually 2nd yellows. In the liverpool game and in the Arsenal game. The liverpool one was pretty controversial, imo ... and not a second yellow. The arsenal one, no one can argue with the second yellow, but in my opinion the first yellow was suspect.

Anyway, I agree that he still needs some growing up to do, but I don't think it's fair to act like he's the same as when he first arrived. He has managed to progress fairly substantially, considering his starting point.

I think the striker that Mancini really wants is a grown-up Mario Balotelli, and I can't really argue with that.

Didn't he also stamp someone and get retroactively punished and then there was the tackle on Song that he should have been punished for and the fact he missed the opening games of the Champions League due to him getting a red in the last European game of the previous campaign? So what's that, 9 games of this campaign he missed due to suspension?

Where is this progress?

Good to see you around mate.

I don't see the progress either but Mancini seems adamant to give him chances. I'm not going to doubt Mancini but I don't see any progress with Mario, playing style or being less of a loose cannon.

that's because you don't want to (crave to) see it enough. It's there, and he will be king one day. At City

[Niall Quinns Discopants]

to be fair to mario ... he only recieved 2 reds this season and they were both actually 2nd yellows. In the liverpool game and in the Arsenal game. The liverpool one was pretty controversial, imo ... and not a second yellow. The arsenal one, no one can argue with the second yellow, but in my opinion the first yellow was suspect.

Anyway, I agree that he still needs some growing up to do, but I don't think it's fair to act like he's the same as when he first arrived. He has managed to progress fairly substantially, considering his starting point.

I think the striker that Mancini really wants is a grown-up Mario Balotelli, and I can't really argue with that.

Didn't he also stamp someone and get retroactively punished and then there was the tackle on Song that he should have been punished for and the fact he missed the opening games of the Champions League due to him getting a red in the last European game of the previous campaign? So what's that, 9 games of this campaign he missed due to suspension?

Where is this progress?

Good to see you around mate.

I don't see the progress either but Mancini seems adamant to give him chances. I'm not going to doubt Mancini but I don't see any progress with Mario, playing style or being less of a loose cannon.

that's because you don't want to (crave to) see it enough. It's there, and he will be king one day. At City

I hope you are right mate. You may or may not have noticed that I've mostly stayed away from all the millions of Balotelli arguments. Mainly because I trust The Great Mancini. However, like I said, I haven't seen much progress in his game. I do think he is massive talent though.

[Ted Hughes]

to be fair to mario ... he only recieved 2 reds this season and they were both actually 2nd yellows. In the liverpool game and in the Arsenal game. The liverpool one was pretty controversial, imo ... and not a second yellow. The arsenal one, no one can argue with the second yellow, but in my opinion the first yellow was suspect.

Anyway, I agree that he still needs some growing up to do, but I don't think it's fair to act like he's the same as when he first arrived. He has managed to progress fairly substantially, considering his starting point.

I think the striker that Mancini really wants is a grown-up Mario Balotelli, and I can't really argue with that.

Didn't he also stamp someone and get retroactively punished and then there was the tackle on Song that he should have been punished for and the fact he missed the opening games of the Champions League due to him getting a red in the last European game of the previous campaign? So what's that, 9 games of this campaign he missed due to suspension?

Where is this progress?

Good to see you around mate.

I don't see the progress either but Mancini seems adamant to give him chances. I'm not going to doubt Mancini but I don't see any progress with Mario, playing style or being less of a loose cannon.

that's because you don't want to (crave to) see it enough. It's there, and he will be king one day. At City

I hope you are right mate. You may or may not have noticed that I've mostly stayed away from all the millions of Balotelli arguments. Mainly because I trust The Great Mancini. However, like I said, I haven't seen much progress in his game. I do think he is massive talent though.

I think he's absolutely drinking at the 'Last Chance Saloon' as far as Mancini is concerned.

He really wants Balotelli to succeed & can see what he could bring but Mario needs to behave with some responsiblity & soon, or Bob will write him off imo. He could be like Cant**a, a headcase for life. I hope not.

[Slim]

I trust Mancini, he has delivered two trophies so far and no reason to see that not continuing. But I believe he has a blind spot when it comes to Mario. As much as I love him one second, I hate him the next; and at this level of the game I think we need consistency which we in no way provides.

[sheblue]

i would be a bit worried about RVP poor enough in EURO12, i would rather let ED go and bring in benzema