KopTalk.com Forums Football Liverpool FC Forum Does this Balotelli deal not make you wonder...?

You look at the guys record at every club and call your view rational and realistic. That is ridiculous and flat out laughable Marko.

However, I will give you the age matures (wisdom I ain't buying) and he may know he must be near the last chance saloon or hopefully his agent does and they will have 'that chat'.

With the clauses added (if he accepts them) then it mitigates the risk and I feel easier now hearing this, but there is still a far higher than 50/50 chance it comes crashing down and we are yet again in a situation which could screw the whole team and the good things BR has done and instilled.

I really hope it works because as others have said if the lad takes this chance and exploits it positively he could be one of the all time legends- he certainly now has the quality supply needed that's for sure.

Yes, but the EPL allows for much more physical play than the Serie A does, so i expect that number to drop.

People forget how far we've come in a few years...

After the summer we've had, any striker would be the icing on the cake, but for £16m, I think we've got the bargain of the summer.

It's hard not to believe with BR around - maybe Mario feels he's a point to prove, maybe he's grown up a little, maybe BR's told him he won't take any sh*t. At £16m it's a gamble worth taking. At 24 too, it's an absolute steal.

It's a deal,it's a steal,it's the sale of the fukkin century ...maybe.

I for one feel relieved. I've voiced my concerns about Balotelli, and I still have them, but for once I feel like we've actually addressed our major weaknesses in the squad.

We needed more steel, creativity, and goals in the midfield, so we got Can, Lallana, and Markovic. We needed a defensive leader, so we got Lovren. We needed new fullbacks who can provide width and protect the flanks, so we got Moreno and Manquillo. We needed another striker to replace the unpredictability of Suarez and back up Danny, and we appear to have gotten Balotelli. We aren't a paper thin squad anymore, and we actually look like we'll be competing on all fronts again. I don't expect all the signings to come off, but if only half of them do, I think we'll be in very good shape.

Things just got more interesting that's for sure and I feel more comfortable but this still does not solve the striker problem medium term unless mario is a changed character to some amazing degree. But it takes the immediate pressure off

He might, he might not. But he usually does very well when he first signs for a team, and for 16 mil, he's a good short term solution. Next season we'll probably try out Origi to supplement the group and either move Mario on if he doesn't work out or keep him if he does. I think the squad as it is is good enough to get top 4 and win something, and provided that happens, signing someone next season would look a lot less difficult.

lets say he kicks sterling in the face in training, atmosphere goes sour, we miss out on top 4..thats the risk we are taking , its not just a case of sending him back - wtf he derails our season!!!!! He was prob behind remy & bony on BR's list. BR has already said its a risky signing before he has even signed.

hope for the best fear the worst or just the usual(him not trying and then being sold)

My concern is whether he and Sturridge can be in the same team. Suarez and Sturridge created loads of chances for one another. I don't recall MB doing much in the 'creation dept' He's and athletic and skilful finisher but we need someone that will link up with Sturridge in the same way that Suarez did.

His behaviour and his price tag are not a concern because, you're right, we cam just sell him abroad for £12m if it goes sour.

If he and DS cannot link up effectively, it's doomed to go sour, because I cannot see either of them sitting on the bench for extended periods. That's my worry.

Yeh.