Barks to Chelsea

[Judge Jules]

He's like balotelli. Potentially all the ability in the world, just too fucking thick to make the next step up.

On the pitch, off the pitch, doesn't matter. Lads fucking dense

See, that's interesting because I don't reckon Balotelli's problem is stupidity per se. On the contrary, when I've heard him interviewed he's come across as reasonably intelligent - massively more so than Barkley, who reminds me of a lighthouse with all its fuses blown. IMO Balotelli's problem is a different one, namely incurable immaturity, due to utterly horrendous childhood experiences which he's never been able (or probably ever will be, sadly) to leave behind. Mark Wright, who's been fostering troubled teens with his missus since he retired from football, sees a lot of that kind of behaviour in Balotelli and for me that sums it up in a nutshell. Kids like that often get emotionally stuck at the age at which their terrible traumas happened to them and it can take decades for them to grow beyond it (if they ever do), irrespective of intellectual ability. That's Balotelli to a T.

 

[Mystic]

Walks out of the medical for a £40million deal, signs for £15million 6months later. Someones pocketing a bit of the difference here aren't they?

 

[Rosco]

I started reading that thinking you were talking about @Rosco !

 

[manwithnoname]

See, that's interesting because I don't reckon Balotelli's problem is stupidity per se. On the contrary, when I've heard him interviewed he's come across as reasonably intelligent - massively more so than Barkley, who reminds me of a lighthouse with all its fuses blown. IMO Balotelli's problem is a different one, namely incurable immaturity, due to utterly horrendous childhood experiences which he's never been able (or probably ever will be, sadly) to leave behind. Mark Wright, who's been fostering troubled teens with his missus since he retired from football, sees a lot of that kind of behaviour in Balotelli and for me that sums it up in a nutshell. Kids like that often get emotionally stuck at the age at which their terrible traumas happened to them and it can take decades for them to grow beyond it (if they ever do), irrespective of intellectual ability. That's Balotelli to a T.

He's also a thick cunt

 

[Dreambeliever]

15 mill. Damn. Could be a steal.

Hasn't played in forever.

Steal my arse.

 

[Halmeister]

I think it's mental how much he's screwing over his "boyhood" club. I can't really get my head around that, thick as two short planks or not.

 

[doctor_mac]

I think it's mental how much he's screwing over his "boyhood" club. I can't really get my head around that, thick as two short planks or not.

The bitters fans had really turned on him apparently, as only they can.

 

[localny]

with the right coaching and application from the player he could be a great buy for £15m

Cheap price, potential never to be realized due to a poor mentality. This will weaken Chelsea, although he'll probably show up against us twice a year. Most crap Evertonians do.

 

[gene hughes]

I never got the fuss about this guy.

 

[manwithnoname]

I never got the fuss about this guy.

I think there was that initial Bitters hype - "even better than Rooney at the same age/ biggest Academy talent ever" (I made them up, but that sort of thing) - followed by seeing him play, when he seemed like a boy in a man's body and that fearlessness of youth bollocks.

Then the media hype spread beyond Merseyside, as the country's journalists were looking for the next great white hope. There were some obvious parallels to both Rooney and Gascoigne, in that he had very obvious physical and technical attributes - he is a 'natural' footballer if that makes sense - an innate flair and athleticism, and the ability to move around the pitch at speed with the ball at his feet

He had periods where he was scoring goals and creating, and the links to United or whoever for 50m were not fanciful.

But his issues seemed to be about how he could improve his natural gifts and actually add some proper footballing intellect and 'nous' to his game. He often seems tactically clueless, and totally unaware of his role and responsibility in the team. And his mentality is also open to scrutiny, as his response to Koeman and England setbacks exposed. It probably also doesn't help that he's genuinely thick; even by naturally low football standards, he's well known around Liverpool for being almost retarded

 

[Halmeister]

I think there was that initial Bitters hype - "even better than Rooney at the same age/ biggest Academy talent ever" (I made them up, but that sort of thing) - followed by seeing him play, when he seemed like a boy in a man's body and that fearlessness of youth bollocks.

Then the media hype spread beyond Merseyside, as the country's journalists were looking for the next great white hope. There were some obvious parallels to both Rooney and Gascoigne, in that he had very obvious physical and technical attributes - he is a 'natural' footballer if that makes sense - an innate flair and athleticism, and the ability to move around the pitch at speed with the ball at his feet

He had periods where he was scoring goals and creating, and the links to United or whoever for 50m were not fanciful.

But his issues seemed to be about how he could improve his natural gifts and actually add some proper footballing intellect and 'nous' to his game. He often seems tactically clueless, and totally unaware of his role and responsibility in the team. And his mentality is also open to scrutiny, as his response to Koeman and England setbacks exposed. It probably also doesn't help that he's genuinely thick; even by naturally low football standards, he's well known around Liverpool for being almost retarded

Loads of people say this, all the blues I know do, too. But I've never really seen any genuine proof of it. Rooney seems a lot thicker from what I've seen, for example.

 

[Atlas]

I think there was that initial Bitters hype - "even better than Rooney at the same age/ biggest Academy talent ever" (I made them up, but that sort of thing) - followed by seeing him play, when he seemed like a boy in a man's body and that fearlessness of youth bollocks.

Then the media hype spread beyond Merseyside, as the country's journalists were looking for the next great white hope. There were some obvious parallels to both Rooney and Gascoigne, in that he had very obvious physical and technical attributes - he is a 'natural' footballer if that makes sense - an innate flair and athleticism, and the ability to move around the pitch at speed with the ball at his feet

He had periods where he was scoring goals and creating, and the links to United or whoever for 50m were not fanciful.

But his issues seemed to be about how he could improve his natural gifts and actually add some proper footballing intellect and 'nous' to his game. He often seems tactically clueless, and totally unaware of his role and responsibility in the team. And his mentality is also open to scrutiny, as his response to Koeman and England setbacks exposed. It probably also doesn't help that he's genuinely thick; even by naturally low football standards, he's well known around Liverpool for being almost retarded

Yup all good cept he's black.

 

[Mors]

 

[Brizzle]

Joe Anderson kicking off but in reality, Chelsea got told in the medical that he wouldn't play again until Jan and so pulled the plug knowing they'd get a reduced fee.. I don't think there is any dodgy dealing with an agent here - it would be too obvious.