Is Berbatov the new Veron ?

[quiet_united]

Both cost us a lot, both are incredibly talented, and can produce moments of genius no doubt about that. But both are lazy feckers. When Veron came we had a winning midfield but had to change it somehow to accommodate him.

I'm not saying Berbatov will go down the same track with Veron, but it just strikes me that these two buys from Fergie have a lot in common.

 

[Alex]

You do have a point tbf, that said it is far to early to judge Berbatov at this point, he certainly has a great chance to deliver more to United

 

[77]

Good call... hope you're wrong though

 

[Julian Denny]

Actually Veron made a better start to his United career ! It's early days but there have been more negatives than positives so far. Keeping Tevez out of the side is one. Playing too deep, which the indefatigable Rooney also has a tendency to do, is another. Missing chances, which any really decent striker would gobble up, is another. All in all , Berba has blunted our attack at times. Not sure why Fergie hasn't put Berba on the bench occasionally and started Tevez more.

 

[Johnno]

I have compared Berbatov's arrival in a previous thread to that of Veron in the sense both were not completely neccessary and ultimately led to selection headaches and misery within the squad.

 

[VoetbalWizard]

much to early to call, but i don't think berbatov in breaking rooney-tevez combo is like veron breaking into scholes-keane midfield. though we won the double last term, i felt that saha-rooney in 06-07 was better than rooney-tevez so for me its all about trying to get a player to play like saha did for rooney. in that sense, both tev and berba are wrong choices at forward but as long as ronnie is here, luckily it isn't so important to be bang on up top.

 

[Johnno]

much to early to call, but i don't think berbatov in breaking rooney-tevez combo is like veron breaking into scholes-keane midfield. though we won the double last term, i felt that saha-rooney in 06-07 was better than rooney-tevez so for me its all about trying to get a player to play like saha did for rooney. in that sense, both tev and berba are wrong choices at forward but as long as ronnie is here, luckily it isn't so important to be bang on up top.

It's arguable that he O'Shea-Giggs patnership in midfield was much more efficient in the half-season they plied together in 2005-06 when they did so well. They were arguably more efficient in our fine second half of the seeason than say Anderson and Carrick together, but I don't see many choosing Giggs-O'Shea over Anderson-Carrick.
For me, it wasn't so much breaking Scholes and Keano, but I think Veron's involement at United ultimately led to a partial reason Beckham left United. Beckham and Scholes were by far out most creative players prior to Veron's arrival.
Rooney and Tevez were far our most efficient strikers. Berbatov has broken that formula.

 

[Chapster]

or it's his first season and of which the team in general has had a start stop kind of season with injuries and a tough opening fixture list not to mention missing preseason with his new side

 

[Ekeke]

There are striking similarities, but its still early days with Berbatov. Hopefully we'll end up having had far more success accomodating him into the side. That may mean changing him as a player in some ways, though. Something we never managed with Veron.

 

[Julian Denny]

The principle motivation in bring Berbatov in was the fact that Fergie wanted four strikers in the squad and could no longer rely on Saha. In Berbatov he saw a player who would compliment Rooney and Tevez with a Cantona type influence.

The problem is that Berbatov not only doesn't compliment Rooney but he has negatively influenced our attack - with his deep lying positioning and languid style. What's more with Campbell and Wellbeck making great strides perhaps we didn't need Berba, or anyone else for that matter. Far better for one or both of those on the bench than Tevez, who must be rather disenchanted with what's going on.

 

[talking robot]

Berbatov has done well so far, and it is far too early to judge how he will settle.

 

[Chris H]

In an article last fall, The Times called Veron the 11th worst signing in the history of the Premier League. And Berbatov is almost exactly like Veron...in that he was signed by Manchester United, for a large sum of money.

We're doomed.

 

[Chris H]

Doomed, I say. I'm going to tie a shirt around my head, call it a turban, and support Citeh from now on.

 

[Julian Denny]

Berbatov has done well so far, and it is far too early to judge how he will settle.

Quite frankly, I think his performances have been below expectations and his effect on the team disappointing. It is early but not that early - we're getting on for halfway through the season. I know Fergie hasn't outlayed 31m to have someone sit on the bench but frankly I don't think it would do much harm right now. Certainly Saturday was an opportunity for Berba to sit out and Tevez to sart.

Only time will tell if Berba is really suited to United or merely a luxury we should never have indulged in.

 

[Tumbling-Dice]

In an article last fall, The Times called Veron the 11th worst signing in the history of the Premier League. Berbatov is almost exactly like Veron, in that he was signed by Manchester United, for a large sum of money.

We're doomed.

Veron wasn't that bad a signing, he was excellent in Europe for us and at times very good in the league. He scored some quality goals, superb passer of the ball, his main problem was getting caught in possession now and again and giving the ball away too easily. We played some gorgeous football at times with Veron, Scholes and Beckham in the side.

Regarding Berbatov, we should at least give him a season before judging him. I do think SAF should mix it up a bit more with our strikeforce, I'd hate us to lose Tevez to another team. The only very scant consolation I could get from that would be that it would be good for him personally to start more games.

 

[Escobar]

He's not and he will prove his worth. But imo Fergie made a mistake in playing him from the very first moment instead of letting him win a place in the current team and system.

 

[Maroon Lucifer]

Managers often buy strikers, plant them on the bench and say "there, prove me wrong to bench you". It's the opposite with Berbatov, it's unquestionable that Fergie thought he would make an immediate impact. He is a very complex character, and footballer, that Berba. It is not unlikely that his style of playing hasn't really registered with our creative midfielders, and that is not his fault. There have maybe been too many changes off staff in midfield.

 

[Sultan]

Berbatov smiled on Saturday after the goal.

 

[FlawlessThaw]

I never rated Berbatov at Spurs yet I seem more compelled to defend him now than others who were quite keen and overjoyed when we signed him.

Least give him till the end of the season before you actually judge a new player.

 

[RedSky]

I never rated Berbatov at Spurs yet I seem more compelled to defend him now than others who were quite keen and overjoyed when we signed him.

Least give him till the end of the season before you actually judge a new player.

Agreed. Just look at Evra/Vidic and Carrick for prime examples. All players start slow, not everyone is a Rooney who bursts onto the scene.

Having said that, i've been disappointed mainly by his form, he's been missing some pretty easy chances recently and I expected him to be more of a threat to the goal than he's actually turning out to be. But its early days yet

 

[Godfather]

I never rated Berbatov at Spurs yet I seem more compelled to defend him now than others who were quite keen and overjoyed when we signed him.

Least give him till the end of the season before you actually judge a new player.

Exactly my thoughts.

He wasnt my first choice striker neither, but now I'm pleased so far with his performances, also because I didnt have too much expectations.

His first touch, and ball control, also his vision already show what he is capeable of and I'm sure he will prove his worth later on.

 

[Amir]

Lovely. We draw at Villa, and Berba was the one player "sorely missed". We barely beat Sunderland, and he's actually not really fitting in and maybe should be on the bench...

 

[vijay]

Veron was easily a better footballer than Berbatov although he couldn't gel in the premiership.

Berbatov can be a crack for us going forward.

 

[kundalini]

Expected a lot more from Berbatov, especially in the premiership, given his experience with Spurs. His finishing to date has been woeful. Clearly he has talent but I struggle to understand why he needs to play so deep and the lack of mobility is an issue.

Hopefully he will improve after Christmas and next season. If not then the Veron comparison may well prove to be accurate.

 

[FranklyVulgar]

Veron just wasn't cut out for the premiership. He also came at a stage where he wasn't going to adapt quickly to the hustle and bustle of the premier league after spending so long in Italy.

Which is dissapointing given that he is actually quite a versatile player, he has been playing a defensive midfield role in argentina and played deep for the national side at times.

United arn't playing particularly well as a team at the moment, you can put Berbatov down as a reason for this or you can just say United are yet to hit full stride.

Scholes was brilliant for a lot of last season, he has been missed. Carrick and Fletcher are doing well but niether have the technical ability of Scholes, that ability to play a pass that others cant see. Carrick has a great passer but not of the creative level of scholes.

I seriously feel that Tevez needs to come into the side. I don't see why United don't play with all 4 up front. Especially in a game against Sunderland where they have a 1-10-0 formation going. Tevez, Rooney, Berbatov and Ronaldo should all have played. The work rate of Tevez and Rooney would work fine and Carrick and Fletch could have sat in the midfield with Evra and Rafael bombing on giving extra width.

 

[amolbhatia50k]

still a lot of time for hiM to make his time with us a success. But I can't bieve we paid around 30 million pounds for him, Was it? I think torres was cheaper.

 

[Joker]

Good call... hope you're wrong though

Agreed

 

[Pogue Mahone]

Actually Veron made a better start to his United career ! It's early days but there have been more negatives than positives so far. Keeping Tevez out of the side is one. Playing too deep, which the indefatigable Rooney also has a tendency to do, is another. Missing chances, which any really decent striker would gobble up, is another. All in all , Berba has blunted our attack at times. Not sure why Fergie hasn't put Berba on the bench occasionally and started Tevez more.

Your logic there makes no sense whatsoever. Unless, of course, Tevez has mysteriously been transformed into a striker who doesn't drop deep and doesn't miss chances. 'Cause I would say both of these attributes are pretty much his trademark.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

Agreed. Just look at Evra/Vidic and Carrick for prime examples. All players start slow, not everyone is a Rooney who bursts onto the scene.

Having said that, i've been disappointed mainly by his form, he's been missing some pretty easy chances recently and I expected him to be more of a threat to the goal than he's actually turning out to be. But its early days yet

That's pretty much where I'm at. It's stupid, obviously, to write off any player so early in his career at a new club. Even more stupid when you consider he's already racked up a reasonable tally of goals and assists for United and was absolutely superb at Spurs. There's no doubt he's a top class player and the fans who are writing him off already could well end up eating their words.

Having said all that, I have been disappointed with him at times this season. He hasn't looked half as much of a goal-threat as I would have hoped (especially in the air) and his finishing has been downright sloppy. My half-term report would be "some encouraging signs but needs to up his game"

 

[noodlehair]

He still looks to me like he's not sure how he's supposed to fit into this side. Seems to drift around the pitch looking for a space where he can actually play at times.

It took him about half a season to really settle in and get going at Spurs, if I recall

 

[Brophs]

Your logic there makes no sense whatsoever. Unless, of course, Tevez has mysteriously been transformed into a striker who doesn't drop deep and doesn't miss chances. 'Cause I would say both of these attributes are pretty much his trademark.

This is the thing. People, when criticising Berbatov, seem to focus mainly on the same flaws/characteristics he shares with our other strikers. For all I think Tevez is a cracking player, the actual level of quality he brings to us can be negligible at times. He works incredibly hard, and covers the ground, but sometimes you need a little more than that. The way we were so threatening against City shows that. Tevez's blood and guts performances will always get the crowd on their feet, but he has his flaws as well. If we dropped Berbatov in the morning and persisted with Tevez, people would realise that quickly enough.

As for Berbatov, I agree with your below post and all, Pogue. He hasn't set the world alight for us yet, but I've seen enough to think when we settle on the system, and work out all the kinks(as SAF adverted to the other day pre-match, when he mentioned they were trying various things with the front-men), he'll prove to be an important player for us this season and next.

 

[Slugger]

The short answer- no. Veron wasn't even the new Veron, if that makes any sense.

 

[Scholesgoals]

No, Veron had no premier league experience, we didnt know if he could hack it.... it turned out he couldnt, but we KNOW Berba can

 

[Striker10]

No, Veron had no premier league experience, we didnt know if he could hack it.... it turned out he couldnt, but we KNOW Berba can

at spurs....

which is different to playing for United.

At the end of the day there is more to come and so we should be paitent. if he'd have scored with the header against sunderland - that in itself would have went some way to justifiying it as it's what he's bought for

Yes he's an alternative but at the minute I find it difficult to see what's changed..

He's doing ok - goals wise not so much, not in the premiership anyway but he's shown in the past he impoves as the season goes on

 

[Burak1878]

I hope not..

 

[MUFCgal]

I never rated Berbatov at Spurs yet I seem more compelled to defend him now than others who were quite keen and overjoyed when we signed him.

Least give him till the end of the season before you actually judge a new player.

I agree with this. Was Berbatov my first choice striker I wanted? No he wasn't, Huntelaar was. But as it happens, we've got Berbatov who is a fantastic player but long term will he prove to be right for our team? Only time will tell. It's far too early to be judging him, he's only been here like 3 months or something like that, let him get through the rest of the season and then we'll see where we are at with him. I do agree that I think Berba should be instructed more to stay further up field towards the opposition 18 yard box and to let Rooney be the one to drop deep. We all know how well Berba can finish so he should definitely be told to stay up there more.

 

[Floyd]

Veron

Berbatov

Not exactly uncanny is it?

 

[mu77]

i agree that he should have been made to earn his way onto the starting 11 , but his price dictated he'd get his name on the card. he's not my first choice either - i wanted someone that would be more a center forward , not drop deep. 30m is a steep price but fergie said he wanted an older head and he does tend to get myopic when it comes to signings. so be it , lets hope he starts banging them in.

 

[Scholesgoals]

at spurs....

which is different to playing for United.

At the end of the day there is more to come and so we should be paitent. if he'd have scored with the header against sunderland - that in itself would have went some way to justifiying it as it's what he's bought for

Yes he's an alternative but at the minute I find it difficult to see what's changed..

He's doing ok - goals wise not so much, not in the premiership anyway but he's shown in the past he impoves as the season goes on

If anything there are less other good players at spurs making it more difficult.... more space though.

 

[Julian Denny]

Your logic there makes no sense whatsoever. Unless, of course, Tevez has mysteriously been transformed into a striker who doesn't drop deep and doesn't miss chances. 'Cause I would say both of these attributes are pretty much his trademark.

I think you miss the point, so let me try and put it another way. Of course Tevez drops deep and misses (some) chances. As does Rooney and now Berbatov. So we have three strikers who do similar things. So was Berba the right choice to bring in as focal point of our attack ? Has he added anything to the team ? That's problem number one. Problem number two is that Berbatov is keeping Tevez on the bench when I think the latter should be starting his fair share of games. We know he'll put in 100% and score vital goals - despite dropping deep and missing some chances !