Balotelli then.

[Chinners]

It wasn't just the backheel was it. It was his apparent lacklust all round performance apparently. I thought he did ok, not magical or great, just ok ...I've seen him have far worse games for us tbh.

[Swales4ever]

I don't give a fuck whether Balotelli lasts through the transfer window, in fact I think it's probably best he doesn't & Ican understand kneejerk reactions from fans after this disappointment, however, I find Mancini's public slagging of the bloke, utterly disrepuatable & I think, once again, that it is n example of Mancini hanging a colleague to protect his own arse.

Mate,
I find this proposition quite weird, honestly.
I mean, it's fair to say that everyone opinion on Mario has a solid ground: nobody, I mean, nobody including Mancini, might bet on whether Mario will fulfill his talent or shall remain one of the many unfinished articles.
Although, I think that it's quite commonly acknowledged that the Mancini's carrots and sticks approach to him is the only one which has proved some effectiveness and - to be fair - also paid some part dividends, on his attitude onn the pitch.

Mancini certainly deserves some severe criticism for not starting Tevez in the derby, but I think he is doing right with Mario, as well as with his latest attempts to challenge our top strikers (and Joe after the derby) to step up to the further level of focus, which should be a feat of every dominant side.

Yet again, whether Mancini or any other football manager or psychologist might ever succeed on helping Mario to evolve into a grown man, it's a totally different story and everyone's guess has similar ground.

[Ted Hughes]

It wasn't just the backheel was it. It was his apparent lacklust all round performance apparently. I thought he did ok, not magical or great, just ok ...I've seen him have far worse games for us tbh.

It was pretty much that. City were doing fine but once again suffered the exact same move in the exact same area as keeps happening time & again (but the manager & coaching staff still have failed to even attempt to solve it). Immediately, Balotelli is now having a bad game.

So Balotelli was 'lacklustre' basically for running around the front line controlling the ball on his chest & laying it off, like a striker, then running for the return ball, ONSIDE for a pass that never came. But Aguero was 'lustreful' for giving the fucking ball away running down blind alleys & faililing to spot/ignoring every fucking run Mario made until it was too late ?

[Ted Hughes]

I don't give a fuck whether Balotelli lasts through the transfer window, in fact I think it's probably best he doesn't & Ican understand kneejerk reactions from fans after this disappointment, however, I find Mancini's public slagging of the bloke, utterly disrepuatable & I think, once again, that it is n example of Mancini hanging a colleague to protect his own arse.

Mate,
I find this proposition quite weird, honestly.
I mean, it's fair to say that everyone opinion on Mario has a solid ground: nobody, I mean, nobody including Mancini, might bet on whether Mario will fulfill his talent or shall remain one of the many unfinished articles.
Although, I think that it's quite commonly acknowledged that the Mancini's carrots and sticks approach to him is the only one which has proved some effectiveness and - to be fair - also paid some part dividends, on his attitude onn the pitch.

Mancini certainly deserves some severe criticism for not starting Tevez in the derby, but I think he is doing right with Mario, as well as with his latest attempts to challenge our top strikers (and Joe after the derby) to step up to the further level of focus, which should be a feat of every dominant side.

Yet again, whether Mancini or any other football manager or psychologist might ever succeed on helping Mario to evolve into a grown man, it's a totally different story and everyone's guess has similar ground.

Mario has rarely deserved any of the crap Mancini has dumped on him this season imo. He's trying his best in most games to do exactly what Mancini wants & still getting treated as if he's throwing tantrums every week. It's not fair. He should get away from Mancini & stand on his own two feet imo.

[Swales4ever]

I don't give a fuck whether Balotelli lasts through the transfer window, in fact I think it's probably best he doesn't & Ican understand kneejerk reactions from fans after this disappointment, however, I find Mancini's public slagging of the bloke, utterly disrepuatable & I think, once again, that it is n example of Mancini hanging a colleague to protect his own arse.

Mate,
I find this proposition quite weird, honestly.
I mean, it's fair to say that everyone opinion on Mario has a solid ground: nobody, I mean, nobody including Mancini, might bet on whether Mario will fulfill his talent or shall remain one of the many unfinished articles.
Although, I think that it's quite commonly acknowledged that the Mancini's carrots and sticks approach to him is the only one which has proved some effectiveness and - to be fair - also paid some part dividends, on his attitude onn the pitch.

Mancini certainly deserves some severe criticism for not starting Tevez in the derby, but I think he is doing right with Mario, as well as with his latest attempts to challenge our top strikers (and Joe after the derby) to step up to the further level of focus, which should be a feat of every dominant side.

Yet again, whether Mancini or any other football manager or psychologist might ever succeed on helping Mario to evolve into a grown man, it's a totally different story and everyone's guess has similar ground.

Mario has rarely deserved any of the crap Mancini has dumped on him this season imo. He's trying his best in most games to do exactly what Mancini wants & still getting treated as if he's throwing tantrums every week. It's not fair. He should get away from Mancini & stand on his own two feet imo.

You maybe right there, and I think You are, insofar fairplay is concerned. Still I honestly consider that Mancini is one of the very few persons which happened to go through Mario's mind and if he insists with the carrots and sticks approach, it must be some value in it.

On the other hand, I think You are bang on the money re Sergio's poor form, as per Your reply to Chinners, and I have tormented Noolie all over the game, moaning at Mancini because that was for everyone to see from previous games.
The fact that the Argies partnership can often result the most effective only tells about their desire to play together, but certainly does not affect any deserved criticism at Mancini: he is the manager and he is the one who must sort eventual "clicque" established in the dressing room, with proper man management.
I fully expect the City manager to start the most on form strikers on big games and to make sure that they play with the most effective effort for the Club's sake, irrespectively of their personal likings.

[Pretty Boy Lee]

It was pretty much that. City were doing fine but once again suffered the exact same move in the exact same area as keeps happening time & again (but the manager & coaching staff still have failed to even attempt to solve it). Immediately, Balotelli is now having a bad game.

So Balotelli was 'lacklustre' basically for running around the front line controlling the ball on his chest & laying it off, like a striker, then running for the return ball, ONSIDE for a pass that never came. But Aguero was 'lustreful' for giving the fucking ball away running down blind alleys & faililing to spot/ignoring every fucking run Mario made until it was too late ?

I think most people's frustration is because A- he hasn't looked like winning us a game all season and B- it's normally Tevez whose spot he gets.

Mario isn't doing anything too awful in most games. It's just been fucking ages since he did much more than try a bit more than his tantrum days.

[Hazy2]

If Mario cannot flourish with Silva behind him.

[Ajardine]

Balo has done nothing all season. Don't rate him, too temperamental. Stick with 3 main strikers - Tevez, Kun and Dzeko and bring Guidetti into the fray.

[Ajardine]

Aguero shouldn't play behind anyone, when Aguero & Tevez plays, it's Tevez that drops off. Aguero likes to be the main man, so does Balotelli. They can't play together, simple. If Balo plays, so should Carlos

[Niall Quinns Discopants]

If Mario cannot flourish with Silva behind him.

Exactly my thinking. It doesn't get much better than that outside of Barcelona maybe.

Food for thought.

[halnone]

[youtube]SkPTAfYn1mM&feature=plcp[/youtube]

since when can Balotelli speak Spanish?

[Mase]

Tevez looks thin as fuck in that video!!
I preferred him when he was festively plump.

[bigblue]

I still like him

Don't think he did much wrong at all on Sunday. He does need to start putting the ball in the back of the net but Nasri is disappointing more than Mario this season IMO...he's older and 100% "established" so he has far less excuses.

I've never seen a performance like that get so much shit, even from the manager. Imo, he was very close to the exact game that I've been moaning on here saying our strikers should play. Now the whole 'football family' including some of our own fans, ex players & our own manager, are giving him shit for it. I can't for the life of me figure out what it is they think he should be trying to do, & what they thought Aguero was doing that was so much better. I can't get my head round it at all.

I'm just waiting for Marsh & Kinkladze & Perhaps Frank Worthington as a guest, to come out of the woodwork & slag him off for attempting a backheel, then my astonishment will be complete.

Agree people being over harsh. At least we have a world class team mate who sees him train every day still believe:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/footba ... great.html

And I trust in Yaya. Anger fuels Mario to play his best and he will perform this season. Mark my word.