Berbatov | Fulham player
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I think thats perhaps the next evoluton of Ronaldo's game, yes.
But you're still doing him a disservice in his current role. He's been more of a team player and resricted to playing wider this season and its led to him creating more goals than he did last season. Of course the down side is he's scoring less often. And perhaps this team needs him scoring more than it needs him creating... But he's still doing his part from out wide.
It doesnt help that Park has created next to nothing from the opposite flank over the course of the season. For all the industry and hard work he's put in, it makes it all the more important the work that Ronaldo does do getting in the goals and crossing balls in. Because if Ronaldo isnt the one doing it, who is?
I really can't remember many goals from crosses this season at all (apart from set pieces), could be mistaken but from memory most of Ronaldos assists have come from central positions.
Selling to City for only £8mill profit after fighting them off on deadline day, do you think we'd ever live it down. It'd be worse than the Liverpool Tottenham Keane triangle.
Why, it's not like we brought him back like Tottenham did.
You might be right as I can think of only 1 Ronaldo cross headed home off the top of my head, but the point is Ronaldo has that ability to cross the ball brilliantly (now and again. Its hit and miss) and create a goal. Who else does? Rooney pulling wide I guess. So there's a lot of responsibility on Ronaldo to stay wide and be the one to get the ball into the box with some quality, he or Rooney... When in actual fact they are our two biggest game winners and perhaps they are the ones you really want being given the chances to win the game.
We'd be laughing all the way to the bank. Only £8 million profit
We were mugged for £10 million at least. If we can mug someone for £18 thats hardly something to cry about.going by their performances for us Saha was the much better player.
Berbatov is Having a very ordinary season and has looked absolutely rubbish of late. I'm more worried about him fulfilling a 10 million tag forget 30 million. I know he's talented but right now looks like ruud without the goal scoring abilities, positioning abilities and improvisation. Look at Rooney when he came , was stunning the differnce he made to us. THAT is world class. Had some chances been put away Rooney could have masterminded one of the great comebacks. Berbatov rarely looks a goal scoring threat. No team has feared him this season.
What I like about tvez and Rooney over berbatov is not their chasing, but their willingness to try things out. Tevez has a tough time this season yet he always tries things at the cost of sometimes it not coming off. Berbatov looks consumed by fear, his first priority seems to be to take 'care' of the ball. After which he plays the shortest pass.
I'm deeply disappointed in him. I can't believe fergie considers him our main striker. He deserves to be dropped on current form and no way should ever ever be picked ahead of Wayne Rooney/
Again people to stop making excuses for him all the time. If anything thee hasn't been enough prssure on him. He just seems to walk I to the team irrespecive of how he played in the last three games.
Do you remember Saha? Good in the air, great turn of pace, twisting and weaving his way around and linked up very well. Berbatov has been poor and hasn't been a patch on some of the form Saha showed for us
With Nani out of favour and Hargreaves out of action there aren't many other options, Tosic could be given a chance there, but Ronaldo's wasted on th wing. Just disappointed that Scholes got sent off so early as Berb Ronnie could have been a good partnership to watch.
Berbatov has added something to our team, but he's been inconsistent with it. He had that patch mid-season where he was really starting to look the business, so if he can find that again and stay there consistently then he'll be a real threat for us. It was during that same period where both Rooney and Berbatov were starting to click, and it was with Rooney leading the line and Berbatov sitting deeper controlling the play.
In saying that, I won't disagree with anyone saying that Saha did better. I can honestly say that if Saha didn't have those injury problems I would not have swapped him for any other striker in the world. He was perfect for the style of play that we had in 06/07.
That's mostly because there is no-one else who is a real threat at attacking headers. Same thing happened last season - Ronaldo has put in some absolutely fantastic crosses, but the other players simply aren't good enough in the air to take advantage. If those same crosses were somehow landing on Ronaldo's head that'd be another 5 or 6 goals we'd have scored this season.
People remember what they want to. Sometimes they are caught in blind nostalgia and ignore the contributions of our current players. You'd think Saha-Rooney partnership is the greatest in the history of the game going by some of your posts. Same with Rooney-Tevez. I remember how people were moaning last season about that partnership. Next season, if we sign another striker and berbatov gets dropped, you lot will talk about how great Berbatov is with Rooney this season and the part they played in our return to the top of the table after a poor start to the season.
The thing is, Rooney was actually playing like shit for the first half of the 06/07 season when Saha was blazing it up. Easily the worst period of his Man Utd career.
That doesn't take away how well Saha suited us.
He's a workshy gad.
Fantastic footballer, but lazy as feck, and when you see players like Park, Tevez and Rooney busting a gut and him strolling around like he's got a Gauloise hanging out of the corner of his mouth, its annoying.
For me, he should never play as a lone striker. He doesn't make enough runs to fit in with our quick style of play.
The ball is in midfield, players are darting here there and everywhere except Berba. He slows down our play.
Ruud was much the same (in a different kind of way though....), in that he tended to only play around the box. When Saha came in he would drop deep, go wide and work his papier-mache legs off to make space for others. When Ruud left and Saha became a fixture we saw that and it was the start of the fantastic inter-play and swapping of positions that we have seen for the last couple of seasons.
Now, Berba doesn't do that. He strolls everywhere, and doesn't drag defenders out of the way, leaving space for the likes of Ronaldo and Rooney. As such, our attacking play is suffering. The goals FOR column is evidence of that alone.
I agree, Saha is not as talented a footballer as Berbatov. Better team player? Miles ahead. If I had the choice between a fully fit Saha or the Berbatov we have seen for most of this season, I'd take Saha.
I hope it works for Berbatov here, I really do, because he's a class act, but so far he's been a shadow of the player who scored numerous quality goals for Leverkusen, Bulgaria and Spurs.
Maybe we'll see him next season, but he needs to up the work rate.
Fantastic footballer, but lazy as feck, and when you see players like Park, Tevez and Rooney busting a gut and him strolling around like he's got a Gauloise hanging out of the corner of his mouth, its annoying.
For me, he should never play as a lone striker. He doesn't make enough runs to fit in with our quick style of play.
The ball is in midfield, players are darting here there and everywhere except Berba. He slows down our play.
Ruud was much the same (in a different kind of way though....), in that he tended to only play around the box. When Saha came in he would drop deep, go wide and work his papier-mache legs off to make space for others. When Ruud left and Saha became a fixture we saw that and it was the start of the fantastic inter-play and swapping of positions that we have seen for the last couple of seasons.
Now, Berba doesn't do that. He strolls everywhere, and doesn't drag defenders out of the way, leaving space for the likes of Ronaldo and Rooney. As such, our attacking play is suffering. The goals FOR column is evidence of that alone.
I agree, Saha is not as talented a footballer as Berbatov. Better team player? Miles ahead. If I had the choice between a fully fit Saha or the Berbatov we have seen for most of this season, I'd take Saha.
I hope it works for Berbatov here, I really do, because he's a class act, but so far he's been a shadow of the player who scored numerous quality goals for Leverkusen, Bulgaria and Spurs.
Maybe we'll see him next season, but he needs to up the work rate.
We have seen what he can do at times this season. He just needs to be more consistent. I don't think he has been as bad as a lot of supporters have made out
Maybe not, but his attitude doesn't help.
I hate it when United lose, but as long as they go down fighting then at least we can take heart from that. Berba sometimes looks like he couldn't fight his way out of a paper bag.
I agree, we have seen what he can do at times, and when he's been good he's been been near to sublime, and one thing that will help him become consistent is if he pitches in and adheres to the work ethic that has been one of the club's hallmarks under SAF.
True
As I mentioned earlier, I think Berbatov is going to have to get used to more expectations from him than anyone else simply because of his price tag. Not saying thats how I look at it but how some supporters do.
I guess you're right, but I would feel the same if it was someone we got for £3.5 million. He's on the pitch, playing for Manchester United, the World, European and English champions. He should put in the performances but just as importantly, the effort befitting someone in his position.
As previously mentioned, next season will be telling. If his performances and work rate aren't improved then maybe United isn't the club for Berba. I feel that would be a real shame, because based on what he's done before he's got what we need. He just needs to put it all together.
I feel a little bit like SAF is waiting for the players to adjust to Berbatov, and while there will always be an element of that when a new player comes in, surely he should adjust to the team?
I just think he's a player that relies on the midfield functioning well, he won't be the inspiration that motivates and turns an off day midfield into a fully firing one like Rooney can, unless like at the start of the season he drops back and goes absent from attack.
Agreed
Ouch. Dipperstripper won't like this post.
I hate to say it and I still think he is a class act when he wants to be but Barbie is fast turning into a Veron signing. Berbatov was used to only having to play well in 1 or 2 out of every 5 games for Spurs. Now at United he needs to play well in 4 out of 5 games and maybe that is a step up to high for him and maybe the physical demands are too much for his laid back approach. He might be more useful when he is in and out of the squad so maybe Fergie will have to ditch any plans to sign Tevez and go for another center forward in the summer with great speed Like Eto`o where he can rotate him and barbie during the season! There are no excuses for Berba being so consistently poor at this stage of the season and I feel his lack of influence is affecting the whole team.
Surprisingly enough you're making yourself look like a prick, as always when it comes to Berbatov.
So he only had two good seasons at Spurs? Funny that, I was pretty sure we came close to signing Berbatov before he went to Spurs, which would indicate he was actually quite good before he went to Spurs.
Lazy and world class don't go together? Step forward Zidane, or Cantona if you want to. 'The lazy genius'. And no I'm not saying he's as good as Zidane or Cantona, but just showing that the idea lazy and world class don't go together is bollocks. Veron was called world class for a while, but he was always lazy. Same for Riquelme actually.
And err, hiding in big games? Doesn't he have an assist against Liverpool and Chelsea, and a goal against Chelsea for us, never mind scoring against each of the top four for Spurs?
Nice one.
So you watch a lot of German football I guess?
Well I do and tbh when playing for Leverkusen he was nowhere near beeing worldclass
Now? Yes.
back then? Never.
I didn't watch Berbatov play for Leverkusen once.
Why are we using the word world class here? Who cares if he wasn't world class? He was good enough for us to want to buy him, and Sir Alex doesn't often go wrong when he buys strikers.
I didn't say he was world class once, I'm not even sure he is now. Actually, I know he isn't. But he was always very good.
Actually I don't really know how Spurs came to Berbatov but it was surprising that they signed him but even more surprising was how he developed during his time with them.
He had 2 really good seasons at Spurs, wasnt really a big deal at Leverkusen, he had those flashes of brilliance yes but was nowhere as good as in England.
Hopefully he can regain that form he had
He had 2 really good seasons at Spurs, wasnt really a big deal at Leverkusen, he had those flashes of brilliance yes but was nowhere as good as in England.
Hopefully he can regain that form he had
i've waited a day as i felt this was a bit knee jerk but i dont think berbatov is a manchester united player
he is supremely skilled, talented and has scored and played well at all levels but to compare him to cantona is an insult to eric
his sheer lack of workrate is a disgrace and the fact that he might contribute a good pass or flick or have an excellent assist - yesterday when we were down to 10 we needed someone to put in a shift, work hard, hold the ball up and relieve some of the pressure we were under by a good passing side who were exploiting space
berbatov as he has in the majority of games went missing - what did he contribute at all apart from a tame header over the bar????
its been 8 months and he hasnt made the impact saha or tevez have playing with rooney - i honestly didnt see us standing a chance of getting back into the game with berbatov on the pitch - the difference in our performance through the team was incredible when wayne came on.
maybe i'm being hasty but i really cant see berbatov being the man to rely on to score and make goals - with ronaldo's drop in form and less selfish approach players like rooney have stepped up but berbatov isnt making the impact he should at his price tag......
i hope i am wrong about him.....
a good question is if you could have the 30 million back for him now would you take it?? i know i would
in the premier league where movement and pace are the cornerstone of our best attacking play it will be a massive mistake to let tevez go and hang on to berbatov in my view
as i said i hope i'm wrong about him
he is supremely skilled, talented and has scored and played well at all levels but to compare him to cantona is an insult to eric
his sheer lack of workrate is a disgrace and the fact that he might contribute a good pass or flick or have an excellent assist - yesterday when we were down to 10 we needed someone to put in a shift, work hard, hold the ball up and relieve some of the pressure we were under by a good passing side who were exploiting space
berbatov as he has in the majority of games went missing - what did he contribute at all apart from a tame header over the bar????
its been 8 months and he hasnt made the impact saha or tevez have playing with rooney - i honestly didnt see us standing a chance of getting back into the game with berbatov on the pitch - the difference in our performance through the team was incredible when wayne came on.
maybe i'm being hasty but i really cant see berbatov being the man to rely on to score and make goals - with ronaldo's drop in form and less selfish approach players like rooney have stepped up but berbatov isnt making the impact he should at his price tag......
i hope i am wrong about him.....
a good question is if you could have the 30 million back for him now would you take it?? i know i would
in the premier league where movement and pace are the cornerstone of our best attacking play it will be a massive mistake to let tevez go and hang on to berbatov in my view
as i said i hope i'm wrong about him
What have we seen of what he can do this season? Pop up with the odd goal here and there? Look rather 5 millionesque? Play with utter fear?
Hes been rubbish. Started poorly, had a spell where he was gaining some confidence and has now been awful of late.
Just compare him to the rest of our attackers. At some point in their careers (and most of them right now) they all looked great great attacking threats that struck fear in the opposition. Even Tevez for all his Smith comparisons has had games where hes been all over teams like a rash and been awesome. Not saying it was everygame but we've seen it, many times. Berbatov is the only who hasnt had ONE outstanding game. Everything has been goal, rubbish, ok, goal, ok, ok, rubbish etc.
Finally its an insult to Wayne Rooney that this man starts ahead of him. Quite simply, Rooney is twice the player he is.
United have lost two matches in a row... it's clearly Berbatov's fault.
Dictate the play? Dictate the match? Come up with a matchwinning contribution?
Play with fear? Never.
No outstanding games? Get a grip.
You don't like Berbatov, we get it. But don't keep going on and on about it, because you've got something against him and can't measure his performances objectively.
Should av gone for 'Binho...
If Berbatov's been rubbish I wonder how you'll describe Tevez's obviously poorer season.
Berbatov hasn't been the genius he potentially can be. But have some fecking faith and give him time. We know what he's capable of.
I hope you're joking.
Lol?
Dictate the play? When??? Carrick dictates play, Rooney dictates play, Berbatov just holds on to the ball well.
Plays with fear? Always. I cant believe you've seen his best from the Tottenham days and you think this is form is a patch on that. Hes nothing like the player he was for them. He used to go for the audacious and pull it off.
Name what outstanding he has. Hes had one outstanding MOMENT where he set up Ronaldo. No outstanding game.
Its not been obviously poorer. His best performances have still been better than Berbatovs and he always tries things. Anyway its not a debate of whose better, neither are world class, i'd rather start Tevez. Berbatov has had enough chances playing in the bigger games with the better line ups. And hes been treated like a prince and absurdly been first choice AHEAD of Rooney even. He's proven he so far doesnt deserve that treatment. Tevez to get a run in as first choice for me. Hopefully eventually both come good. Im all for them being given as much time as necessary, just not as infallable and untouchable members in the line up, thats all.
When? Do you actually care? If I told you the game, would you take my word for it or say 'nah, he just held the ball up well'. Ekeke, one of Berbatov's biggest critics, also pointed out how well he was doing for a period of time, when he was dictating the play. I know you don't care though.
That's called being in a settled environment, not playing with no fear. Pretty clear difference.
West Brom, for one. 'Oh but it's only West Brom', whatever.
He was absolutely ridiculous against Southampton. ("Oh but it's only Southampton!")