Mills & Boom: Balotelli's final chance

03 August 2011 10:35
Danny Mills tells TEAMtalk why this could be Mario Balotelli's last season at Manchester City, before giving his views on Joey Barton's issues.[LNB] Balotelli's backheel antics in the USA are the focus of my latest TEAMtalk column and I think time may well be running out for him at City.[LNB]My old team-mate Joey Barton has also been in the news at Newcastle and Alan Pardew looks as though he has a complete rebuilding job to do up there.[LNB]It's a race against time for Manchester United to sign Wesley Sneijder and he would be a brilliant addition to Sir Alex's squad, but I do think it might just be Chelsea's title this season.[LNB]Please give my latest offering a read and let me know your thoughts and if you want any topics covering, let me know in the comments box below - Danny.[LNB]Last chance saloon[LNB]I really think this could be Balotelli's final chance at Manchester City.[LNB]If he doesn't change from now on, or if he tries something stupid again, then I believe he will be pushed out of the club.[LNB]Things like that can cost you a game, a point or three, which can be serious come the end of the season, especially when things are likely to be so tight next term.[LNB]I think Roberto Mancini was right to substitute him. This is not the first time he has shown petulance and a poor attitude, and basically been disrespectful. [LNB]Showboating is fine, but one, it has to work, and two, you have to be able to retain some humbleness - and Balotelli did neither.[LNB]Mancini was right. Pre-season or not, you should put the ball in the back of the net as easily as possible - simplicity is genius.[LNB]You need to do the right things well and properly and that is what makes good or great players.[LNB]Take Paul Scholes, for instance - would you ever see him try that? No! Would you see Ryan Giggs doing that? No! And Sir Alex Ferguson wouldn't stand for it either. [LNB]'Nothing fancy'[LNB]Who has been the greatest Premier League striker to date? Alan Shearer maybe? But he was nothing fancy, he just kept putting the ball in the back of the net, week in week out.[LNB]It's not how you score goals or how spectacular they are, it's about how many![LNB]I just think Balotelli needs to learn, but without a shadow of a doubt he is a talented player.[LNB]But I've spoken to the coaches at City and they believe his talent is second to none. He has an absolute raw talent and I think he will always score goals if he is given opportunities, but he has a very suspect temperament, which we have seen several times at City since he arrived.[LNB]If he learns to control that and curb his tempe,r and give his flair the right direction, then he has a fantastic chance of being top class, but whether he can do that is open to debate.[LNB]Barton mystery[LNB]I'm really not sure what is happening with Joey Barton at Newcastle. [LNB]He had a really good season last year and when I spoke with him, he seemed to suggest he got on well with Alan Pardew.[LNB]He couldn't go on the pre-season trip to America because of previous incidents, but that was not his, or Pardew's decision.[LNB]But something must have gone badly wrong to suddenly offer him a free transfer.[LNB]He is not only a great asset to Newcastle, but he would also command a reasonable fee, although he doesn't have long left on his contact. [LNB]I believe Joey may have had issues with the club and not the manager. [LNB]However, a club cannot progress when it constantly lets its best players leave - Andy Carroll, Kevin Nolan and Barton.[LNB]They were the heartbeat of Newcastle's team and now Pardew has to rebuild completely - and that is never easy.[LNB]Sneijder chase[LNB]Time is beginning to run out for Manchester United if they are to sign Wesley Sneijder.[LNB]There's only a month left of the transfer window and I would suspect Sir Alex would want his team in place before the start of the season so they can get off to a winning start.[LNB]There is no doubting Sneijder is a fantastic player and he would probably play just in behind Wayne Rooney at United.[LNB]They may even have two players 'in the hole' with Rooney and Sneijder playing pretty close to each other and it may even need a change to United's current system.[LNB]Javier Hernandez would be the player running off the front and it would be a similar system to the way that Barcelona play.[LNB]They have Lionel Messi, but he doesn't stand up front, he pops up in unusual positions and he causes massive problems to defences.[LNB]Chelsea to 'nick it'[LNB]Realistically, I think Chelsea and Manchester United will be the two frontrunners in contention for the Premier League title this season and I can see City not too far behind, but finishing in third place.[LNB]I just think the squad and experience that Chelsea have got will push Manchester United all the way and they may well just nick it.[LNB]But, I think that if United can bring in a creative midfield player - Sneijder for example - then that would be a fantastic addition.[LNB]But on the whole Chelsea and United have squads with plenty of experience and a little bit more strength in depth, and I wouldn't be betting against either of those to lift the title.[LNB]Have Your Say on Danny's opinions by using the Comments facility below. You can also listen to Danny on Skysports News Radio every week.

Source: Team_Talk