Mario Balotelli and Referee's

[blues2win]

Balotelli's made a case for starting at the bernabeu with Tevez playing in midfield instead of Nasri. By and large he did try and stay on his feet and he worked hard throughout the match which Dzeko is not exactly famous for.

[Ted Hughes]

Balotelli's made a case for starting at the bernabeu with Tevez playing in midfield instead of Nasri. By and large he did try and stay on his feet and he worked hard throughout the match which Dzeko is not exactly famous for.

All 4 have a case for starting at the Bernabau just as any of 3 had a case for starting yesterday.

Whoever Bob chooses, there would be a good case for it.

[blues2win]

If we assume Mancin will play 1 up front you have a choice between a little un or a big un. My worry about playing Dzeko on his own is that I can see him getting disenchanted and becoming ineffective. We need a player playing on his own who really works the Madrid centre backs and can bring our attacking midfielders into play with quick counter attacks. On yesterday's form Balotelli could do that very well.There again he could get wound up by the Opposition and obsessed by unfair refereeing. He's still unpredictable.

[Lee_R]

Credit to Mario yesterday. Played well and didnt throw his toys out of the pram. That backheel to Tevez was lovely.

[Lee_R]

Credit to Mario yesterday. Played well and didnt throw his toys out of the pram. That backheel to Tevez was lovely.

[BlueMoonAwoken]

He does go down easily but for me he needs to look as though he is actually trying to stay on his feet and fight for the ball, a little like yaya does.... He feels a tug trys to make sure the ref see's it and goes down. Thats not how to play football at any level.

[ayrshireblue]

He does go down easily but for me he needs to look as though he is actually trying to stay on his feet and fight for the ball, a little like yaya does.... He feels a tug trys to make sure the ref see's it and goes down. Thats not how to play football at any level.

Absolute tosh. At one point yesterday he'd ran ten yards getting his shirt pulled off his arm and then when he misplaced the pass because he was getting pulled Clattenburg let play carry on. He couldn't win whether he went down or stayed on his feet. Bad referees make a lottery of the game but biased ones like Clattenburg just make it impossible to win at times.

[ronk]

He does go down easily but for me he needs to look as though he is actually trying to stay on his feet and fight for the ball, a little like yaya does.... He feels a tug trys to make sure the ref see's it and goes down. Thats not how to play football at any level.

Absolute tosh. At one point yesterday he'd ran ten yards getting his shirt pulled off his arm and then when he misplaced the pass because he was getting pulled Clattenburg let play carry on. He couldn't win whether he went down or stayed on his feet. Bad referees make a lottery of the game but biased ones like Clattenburg just make it impossible to win at times.

He gets fouled a lot because refs let them away with it. Stoke fans were booing him for getting elbowed in the mush, it's effective enough that people keep doing it. What he needs is our support. I have no time for diving, but I have a stronger dislike for the guys who foul left, right and centre, then start accusing the guy they've fouled of diving.

[DoomMerchant]

Mario earned the free kick that got us level. Any talk of him going down too easily is bollocks IMHO.

Mario is fantastic. And did well Sunday. Dunno what people who say otherwise were watching.

[Ted Hughes]

Mario earned the free kick that got us level. Any talk of him going down too easily is bollocks IMHO.

Mario is fantastic. And did well Sunday. Dunno what people who say otherwise were watching.

I've criticised Mario for doing it in the past but he was a reformed character on Saturday (in all aspects of his game) & was being constantly fouled. When he did stay on his feet, he didn't get any free kicks, so what the fuck is he supposed to do ?

No other striker would have reacted any better than Mario did on Saturday.

[Chinners]

Because of past instances he's going to get this for a bit. As Ted said, he did well on Saturday and he's going to need to do this (and not get wound-up when the decision doesn't go his way) for a few more games before refs start giving him the benefit. The Tranny cut alot of it out of his game whilst at Manu and eventually he started getting the decisions again.

[Sideshow Bob]

one thing is certain: if balo plays against madrid, that dirty twat ramos will be kicking the fuck out of him all night long.

[Beefymcfc]

Not seen anything today, was the footage reviewed and action taken?

[Nigels Tackle]

Not seen anything today, was the footage reviewed and action taken?

don't be fucking stupid

btw - loads of moaning on stoke forums that clattenberg was biased towards us!

[Mase]

They let Tevez off elbowing Barton so that they can hang that over our heads when an incident like this happens

[Beefymcfc]

They let Tevez off elbowing Barton so that they can hang that over our heads when an incident like this happens

Eh?

Do you mean when he kicked out after being grappled by Barton?

[Mase]

Eh?

Do you mean when he kicked out after being grappled by Barton?

No. He elbowed Barton in the first instance.

[Beefymcfc]

Eh?

Do you mean when he kicked out after being grappled by Barton?

No. He elbowed Barton in the first instance.

Did he, I don't recall that one. I best go and have a look.

[youtube]FtAhaWkaDBY[/youtube]

And after review, I see no elbow. The way you put it, it sounded like an elbow in the face not a slap on the back (forearm smash if you're a bit soft) after Barton tried cutting him off.

[Beefymcfc]

I see Wilkinson got a 3 match ban. Seems Mario's little talk had an affect on Clusterfuck.