Penaltelli

[rurikbird]

To be fair, every club has some kind of issues. For instance Bayern has very opinionated chairman who has no problem with criticizing the current players or even the manager publicly. Many Italian and Spanish clubs' presidents and officials like to mouth off too and I've heard a lot more cringeworthy stuff elsewhere.

 

[peterhague]

Haha this thread is ridiculous.

Half of you lot spent a lot of time crucifying Mario for months and now all of a sudden he's a saint, cos he showed blatant disrespect to his teammates and scored a penalty. A PENALTY. And it's not even a cup final winning penalty. One bloody goal out of how many blood-boiling, hair-pulling performances ??? Not some amazing goal but A PENALTY ! And it wasn't even his to begin with. And suddenly Mario's form is back and we should all go easy on him ?!

If I was the captain and he grabbed the ball off me, I would have smacked his head instantly and beat the shite out of him in the dressing room for making a fool out of me in front of millions of people. Can you imagine Mario doing that shit to players like Zlatan or Roy Keane ?

I don't care if you're the Pope...if you don't have respect, you can bloody well piss off.

Manners maketh man.

Christ, you're a fucking moron.

 

[Mystic]

If this is Brendans plan to motivate Balotelli, I'm not sure its going to work. Heh who knows, everyone else has tried the arm around him approach, maybe he does need to be constantly belittled in the press.

 

[gkmacca]

If Balotelli had stayed well away when we got the pen and just watched with his hands on his hips as Hendo (probably) missed, I bet he would have been accused of not caring, of not being a team man, of not taking responsibility. And would Gerrard have defended him in public? I rather doubt it. Would Brendan? I doubt that, too. The player is on our books for at least until the end of this season, he's getting paid, so for god's sake work on getting him as effective as possible. This smacks of Rafa's mad stubbornness in his last couple of seasons.

 

[My_Blood_Bleeds_Red]

Christ, you're a fucking moron.

Oh ok, I'll bite.

I can see now why you think Mario's actions should be defended.

 

[Judge Jules]

If Balotelli had stayed well away when we got the pen and just watched with his hands on his hips as Hendo (probably) missed, I bet he would have been accused of not caring, of not being a team man, of not taking responsibility. And would Gerrard have defended him in public? I rather doubt it. Would Brendan? I doubt that, too. The player is on our books for at least until the end of this season, he's getting paid, so for god's sake work on getting him as effective as possible. This smacks of Rafa's mad stubbornness in his last couple of seasons.

Sorry, macca, while I agree that we should now be moving on and prompting others to do the same, I don't think anyone would have said a dicky-bird about Balotelli any more than they would have about any other player if Hendo had taken the pen. I'm one of Balotelli's biggest critics on here but it simply wouldn't have occurred to me that this had anything to do with him. Had Hendo missed (and I don't agree that was probable) it's the manager who would have shipped the criticism, and rightly so.

 

[doctor_mac]

We have missed 8 out of the last 10 penos not taken by Stevie G (not including shootouts).

The odds are good that Hendo, without any competitive penalties to his name, may well have missed what was a crucial spot kick. I'm grateful to Balo for taking the ball from him.

 

[the count]

So Baloteli was the designated penalty taker on the pitch when the spot kick was awarded.
He took it and scored.
Can someone please explain to me just what he did wrong apart from spark an odd reaction from Stevie?

 

[peterhague]

Sorry, macca, while I agree that we should now be moving on and prompting others to do the same, I don't think anyone would have said a dicky-bird about Balotelli any more than they would have about any other player if Hendo had taken the pen. I'm one of Balotelli's biggest critics on here but it simply wouldn't have occurred to me that this had anything to do with him. Had Hendo missed (and I don't agree that was probable) it's the manager who would have shipped the criticism, and rightly so.

What do you honestly think happened, though?

Clear instructions given that Henderson should take the kick even ahead of Balotelli and Lambert which Balotelli then defied?

Or something less clear-cut?

If you genuinely think it's the first you must be pretty concerned about Rodgers's suitability to manage us. It'd be an insane decision. This is a bit like that Schrodinger's cat experiment. The assumptions required to sustain an outrage at Balotelli pretty much require total disdain for Rodgers, and yet you've only voiced one and not the other...

 

[peekay]

To be fair, every club has some kind of issues. For instance Bayern has very opinionated chairman who has no problem with criticizing the current players or even the manager publicly. Many Italian and Spanish clubs' presidents and officials like to mouth off too and I've heard a lot more cringeworthy stuff elsewhere.

Bayern have the aura and the money to buy most players they are interested in irrespective of their chairmans public opinions. Most Italian and Spanish clubs with opinionated Presidents do not win anything except Real who are bigger than Bayern. So that should not be a standard to hold ourselves too.

Brendan at times does suffer from verbal diarrhoea with the press. I for one have been extremely disappointed with Balotelli for his contributions on the pitch. But the last few weeks he has been ok. We have handled this entire incidents like mongs and I cannot believe I am actually sympathetic to Balotelli for the way this has unravelled.

 

[Spionkop69]

Haha this thread is ridiculous.

Half of you lot spent a lot of time crucifying Mario for months and now all of a sudden he's a saint, cos he showed blatant disrespect to his teammates and scored a penalty. A PENALTY. And it's not even a cup final winning penalty. One bloody goal out of how many blood-boiling, hair-pulling performances ??? Not some amazing goal but A PENALTY ! And it wasn't even his to begin with. And suddenly Mario's form is back and we should all go easy on him ?!

If I was the captain and he grabbed the ball off me, I would have smacked his head instantly and beat the shite out of him in the dressing room for making a fool out of me in front of millions of people. Can you imagine Mario doing that shit to players like Zlatan or Roy Keane ?

I don't care if you're the Pope...if you don't have respect, you can bloody well piss off.

Manners maketh man.

He was the designated penalty taker if Gerrard wasn't on the pitch. Did you read that bit? Or ignore it so you could rant on about Balotelli actually doing his job.

 

[Judge Jules]

What do you honestly think happened, though?

Clear instructions given that Henderson should take the kick even ahead of Balotelli and Lambert which Balotelli then defied?

Or something less clear-cut?

If you genuinely think it's the first you must be pretty concerned about Rodgers's suitability to manage us. It'd be an insane decision. This is a bit like that Schrodinger's cat experiment. The assumptions required to sustain an outrage at Balotelli pretty much require total disdain for Rodgers, and yet you've only voiced one and not the other...

Either the manager's instructions weren't as clear as they should have been or Hendo got confused about them. In either case it's not that person's finest hour, but that doesn't make any difference to the rights and wrongs of the situation as it actually unfolded. The skipper implements the manager's instructions on the field and publicly going against him over it is unacceptable in any circs.IMO. Team spirit and morale will never survive such behaviour and, if they don't survive, we're stuffed regardless of any single match result. It's like referees having to be right even when they're wrong - there might sometimes be a price to pay for that, but there's no alternative that will work.

 

[Judge Jules]

We have missed 8 out of the last 10 penos not taken by Stevie G (not including shootouts).

The odds are good that Hendo, without any competitive penalties to his name, may well have missed what was a crucial spot kick. I'm grateful to Balo for taking the ball from him.

If Hendo didn't take any of those other kicks, that stat tells us zip about the odds for or against him scoring.

 

[My_Blood_Bleeds_Red]

He was the designated penalty taker if Gerrard wasn't on the pitch. Did you read that bit? Or ignore it so you could rant on about Balotelli actually doing his job.

Oh if I had wanted to rant on about Mario doing his job properly, i wouldn't have conveniently ignored his remarkable goal-scoring record for us, not to mention his penalty-taking prowess. Yup, job well done so far Mario.

Did anyone actually notice his celebration after he scored ? What a humble guy !

 

[Tinto]

Oh if I had wanted to rant on about Mario doing his job properly, i wouldn't have conveniently ignored his remarkable goal-scoring record for us, not to mention his penalty-taking prowess. Yup, job well done so far Mario.

Did anyone actually notice his celebration after he scored ? What a humble guy !

He made a point of thanking Henderson.

 

[peterhague]

Either the manager's instructions weren't as clear as they should have been or Hendo got confused about them. In either case it's not that person's finest hour, but that doesn't make any difference to the rights and wrongs of the situation as it actually unfolded. The skipper implements the manager's instructions on the field and publicly going against him over it is unacceptable in any circs.IMO. Team spirit and morale will never survive such behaviour and, if they don't survive, we're stuffed regardless of any single match result. It's like referees having to be right even when they're wrong - there might sometimes be a price to pay for that, but there's no alternative that will work.

But doesn't that require the very unlikely scenario that Balotelli is certain Henderson should be taking them at the same time that Henderson is uncertain? Surely the uncertainty would apply to them both? Balotelli thinks the instructions mean one thing and Hendo thinks they mean another. Surely then, in a real world situation, there has to be some kind of common sense used and they try to come to an understanding? I just don't think it's realistic to expect a player to revere the position of captain to the extent of showing no dissent whatsoever. I think that's the crux - in reality there is going to be that back and forward between people.

 

[LeTallecWiz]

When Mario was managed by Mancini and Mourinho etc, did they ever go after him in public the way Rodgers has?

I don't know why (and I'm not one of those 'famous' sudden Mario supporters), this is helping the kid more than not. He's always been sheltered etc - never forced to take responsibility for his actions etc ... Maybe Rodgers will finally turn the switch on ... Here's hoping a lot of the people (I remind you the many who crucified Studge before he even arrived for his 'attitude') will be eating humble pie the 2nd half of the season ...

Avatar change needed.

 

[Judge Jules]

In all fairness I don't like this stuff being laid out in public either. However, it's entirely possible that those who have resorted to it have made innumerable attempts to get through to the guy behind the scenes and that this is all they feel they have left to try.

And Wizzy old pal, as often as you remind some of us that we were sceptical about the Studge's attitude before he signed, I'm going to come back at you with a reminder that he's said in at least one interview that such doubts were understandable.

 

[cloggypop]

Here is Studge saying that criticism of his attitude is totally unjustified.

http://www.espn.co.uk/football/sport/story/280171.html

 

[gkmacca]

Sorry, macca, while I agree that we should now be moving on and prompting others to do the same, I don't think anyone would have said a dicky-bird about Balotelli any more than they would have about any other player if Hendo had taken the pen. I'm one of Balotelli's biggest critics on here but it simply wouldn't have occurred to me that this had anything to do with him. Had Hendo missed (and I don't agree that was probable) it's the manager who would have shipped the criticism, and rightly so.

I'm sure the commentators and pundits would have brought up his excellent penalty record and made it an issue. After all, they're forever bringing up his poor assist record. He's a magnet for comment and criticism.

 

[LeTallecWiz]

And Wizzy old pal, as often as you remind some of us that we were sceptical about the Studge's attitude before he signed, I'm going to come back at you with a reminder that he's said in at least one interview that such doubts were understandable.

... so if you are trusting his words here, why not trust them when all he's said about Mario is positive etc ...

... and why not trust the many teammates who have not said anything about Mario being a 'problem' in any dressing room etc ...

 

[Leo]

This.........thing is getting exceptionally annoying.

 

[#roadred]

Well, although I still believe in Rodgers as our long term manager, I have long ago lost faith in his media skills and the drivel he spews out. It may have been just last week he bigging up Balotelli as 'no one is working harder' this week(if the quotes are real) then he is lazy. I don't believe his line that Balotelli was the designated penalty taker. He needs to stop trying to have something cool or exiting to say to the camera and concentrate on managing the team. That said, I agree that Balotelli is lazy, a terrible addition to the squad and the sooner he leaves the better. A mixed bag so far this week for the club, lets hope tomorrow brings a little more sunshine.

 

[Oncy]

Why always him.

 

[dantes]

If I bought a cat, and abused the shit out of it because it didn't sit on command, I would be a despicable cunt. Then after all that abuse if the cat miraculously learnt to sit, but it momentarily failed to do so a few times, yet I abused it some more, then I would be as much of a cock as Brendan Rodgers.

 

[jexykrodic]

I like Mario and I'm glad he scored. I'm glad Hendo looked to the bench for clarity and got it. I like the manager clearing the matter up.

I'm glad Steven is moving on as he caused this.

 

[Mamma Mia]

"Storm in a teacup!"

10 pages.

You lot complain about your media but you sure do love lapping it up.

 

[doctor_mac]

If Hendo didn't take any of those other kicks, that stat tells us zip about the odds for or against him scoring.

What it tells us surely, is that this is the kind of scoring rate that using inexperienced penalty takers results in? The poor scoring rate tells me that I'd much rather have a proven penalty specialist rather than a player who has taken no competitive penalties to step up for what could be a crucial kick.

 

[Judge Jules]

Here is Studge saying that criticism of his attitude is totally unjustified.

http://www.espn.co.uk/football/sport/story/280171.html

He's talking about the people who still take that view of him (and quite right too, because he's proved beyond any shadow of doubt that he isn't like that now), but that's a rather different matter.

 

[Judge Jules]

What it tells us surely, is that this is the kind of scoring rate that using inexperienced penalty takers results in? The poor scoring rate tells me that I'd much rather have a proven penalty specialist rather than a player who has taken no competitive penalties to step up for what could be a crucial kick.

That as a general proposition is fair enough. IMHO it's still a step too far to extend it with any confidence to a player who wasn't one of those eight.