Balotelli then.

[Lee_R]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8HKSXSU148

So.. did he think he was offside? Its a bizarre one for me.

The thing is he slowed right down and it wasnt even almost on target when he knew exactly where the goal was. It was so half arsed. Or.. is he just completely thick? :)

[The Man In Blue]

I love Balotelli. If I ever found myself hating him, I'd have to give up watching football.

[bluelogic32]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8HKSXSU148

So.. did he think he was offside? Its a bizarre one for me.

The thing is he slowed right down and it wasnt even almost on target when he knew exactly where the goal was. It was so half arsed. Or.. is he just completely thick? :)

I really think he thought he was offside, he completely buggered off and slowed down by the looks of it. I imagine if he knew that he was on he would have taken a crack at goal before then...Its difficult to say though for sure, he is a bit of a nutter we all know that. No matter what the truth is the media will blow this up surely, hell they are have.

[Curlie]

He thought he was offside cause a whistle is blown.

[Dameerto]

I'd like to hear what he says - it looked to me like he just gave up and was theatrically returning the ball to Galaxy, after either thinking he heard a whistle or assuming he was offside.

[bluelogic32]

At the very start of this video it sounds like there is some sort of whistle, and that's when he just slows right down to give the ball back.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YhOvY-gMgv0

[Douglas Higginbottom]

Pleased to see Mancini take him off. Total tosser.

[Kladze]

Are you all fucking mad? (edit: not you Doug)

Clearly trying to showboat and even managed to fuck that up.

Kudos to Mancini.

[Mark (Blue Army)]

Are you all fucking mad? (edit: not you Doug)

Clearly trying to showboat and even managed to fuck that up.

Kudos to Mancini.

I agree, there's no way he thought he was offside, he was just trying to be clever and fucked it up.

[twosips]

S'all hilarious and it'll completely blow over as per normal. I love it personally.

[Blue Blood]

Massive respect to Mancini, did the right thing hauling him off.

Balo, Clean through, tons of space, easy easy chance to score... and he does that. Childish arrogance.

If you are a pro you act like it.

Well done bobby for setting the example.

City are a team of professional players.That shit won't be tolerated.

[twosips]

Agree Bobby Manc did the right thing. This is a massive season. He's gonna take no shit this year. He's a different man from last year. An angry streak in him a bit like, dare say it, Fergie.....but it's cos he's a winner. And I love that. Fortunately we have a squad full of pros, Balo aside, who will react well to it.

Balo was silly, regardless of whether he heard a whistle or not, but I guarantee you that this will calm down by next week. No one will care. It'll be reet. The team, as they did (kudos for NDJ and Taylor both clearly visibly having a go), will put him in his place, as will management and he will be just fine. Paddy V will probs have a word too.

[Ted Hughes]

One striker has the brain of a twelve year old, the other is doing a personal tribute to Gareth Taylor. If Tevez leaves, we should sign a replacement. These blokes are unreliable. Aguero on his own is not enough insurance.

[Blue Blood]

Agree Bobby Manc did the right thing. This is a massive season. He's gonna take no shit this year. He's a different man from last year. An angry streak in him a bit like, dare say it, Fergie.....but it's cos he's a winner. And I love that. Fortunately we have a squad full of pros, Balo aside, who will react well to it.

Balo was silly, regardless of whether he heard a whistle or not, but I guarantee you that this will calm down by next week. No one will care. It'll be reet. The team, as they did (kudos for NDJ and Taylor both clearly visibly having a go), will put him in his place, as will management and he will be just fine. Paddy V will probs have a word too.

Genuinely beginning to believe that if the board keeps the faith he could well be our baconface.

Mancini is bossing things now, I absolutely love the "my way or the highway" thing he's got going on.

Top class.

[halnone]

he tried something different... so what??
Balotelli is a legend in the making

[Lee_R]

I dont know what it was lol.

Mancini has closed the case on it and I'm glad, we ont have time to dwell on it now... that said IF it was deliberate then it was shit but IF it had of gone in it would have been brilliant. I dont want our players to not try crazy shit in fear of getting bollocked though.. fine line I guess. I do like the entertainment and drama.

[kinkylola]

mancini says this:

Manager Roberto Mancini was clearly furious and immediately took Balotelli off.

"I hope this is a lesson for him," Mancini told various newspapers after the match in which City won 7-6 on penalties after it ended 1-1 in normal time. "In football you always need to be professional, always serious and in this moment he wasn't professional.

"If you are serious, you can play 90 minutes. If not, you can come and sit by me on the bench."

The striker responded with a few choice words to the City chief as he made his way to the bench, indicating that he did not understand what he had done wrong.

Mancini replied, presumably pointing out how disrespectful the move had been. Balotelli angrily took his place on the bench before throwing his water-bottle to the ground in disgust.

He did not return to the bench for the second half, further fuelling an already tempestuous relationship with Mancini.

"He needs to understand his behaviour has to be good in every game - not just in a final or a semi-final but every game," Mancini added. "He knows he made a mistake. Football should always be serious and if you have a chance to score, you should score."

Balotelli's actions add to growing crime sheet since he joined City just 12 months ago, although Mancini was keen to draw a line under the incident.

"Mario is young, I want to help him and that is the end of it,'' he added.

"To take him off after 30 minutes is enough punishment. It won't have been easy for him but it has to be a lesson.''

Asked what Balotelli had said to him, he replied: "It was in Italian. In English I would find it difficult to give you the translation. But Mario is streetwise, he knows he was not offside."

article from ESPN

[Florida Blue]

He thought he was offside cause a whistle is blown.

While I do agree with you, I also think that no matter what just shoot the ball, especially in that situation, it is so quick, there will not be a yellow if you are wrong. Should have just finished, even though he body language seems to suggest he thought he was off.

[frozen_pea]

Shown that video to a work colleague (Liverpool fan) who hadn't seen the indecent and asked what he thought.
He clearly heard a whistle and thought he was offside.

Even if he didn't think he was offside, it's a friendly, he's already scored and we were not only winning, but dominating. Why not try something outrageous?

If he tried doing that as a pass to another player outside the box and it didn't come off then no one would care.
Just because he was in a goal scoring position and tried something fun, he's getting slated again.

Blaming Balotelli for causing the inevitable media coverage of this isn't entirely fair. If Mancini had waited until half time, spoke with him in the dressing room and then subbed him, wouldn't be so public.

[Piccsnumberoneblue]

I just get the feeling that drawing attention to Balo again was not the right thing to do. Have a word in private and take him off at half time. It's a friendly and nobody would have been surprised. I don't think more negative headlines are what is needed for Mario.