When I was a lad I went down to Maine Road a couple of times with a few lads to watch the football. If one of my blue mates had a ticket going spare and I had nothing better to do, then I’d go along. I only saw a handful of games but it was interesting enough going to someone else’s ground.
I don’t know how it works for other people, but I was always far more interested in Manchester United than I was in football in general. Whilst lots of kids used to collect those football stickers and talk about which players were the best in the league, I only really cared about United. I didn’t really know much about other clubs and hadn’t really considered that other clubs or other fans were different to ours.
When going to Maine Road, the thing that struck me as the biggest difference (yes, even more than the quality of football being played!) was how angry the City fans got. They were shouting and swearing at their own players from start to finish, berating their players for every mistake and banging on about it being “typical” whenever a player messed up. Even when winning, there wasn’t a very pleasant atmosphere. They were angry and waiting for failure.
I’m not trying to argue that the atmosphere at United, home or away, is always perfect, but there is more often than not the belief that we can do something and the faith in our own players.
But today sections of our fans were booing Dimitar Berbatov and I feel like an idiot for thinking I belonged to a better group of supporters than that. They may have been the minority but there was still enough of them for it to be obviously heard.
We needed to beat Blackburn today and because we haven’t it’s probably a case of when, not if, we see Chelsea lift the trophy.
With 20 minutes to go and us in desperate need of a goal, our fans started booing and verbally abusing our only striker. You have to wonder what motivates people like this. You may think Berbatov is the worst and laziest and most frustrating player to ever wear our shirt, that is an opinion anyone is entitled to, but when he is on the pitch playing for us in a game we need to win, it doesn’t take a genius to work out it would be in our best interest to cheer him on.
He collided with a player off the ball and went down holding his face. I haven’t seen any replays of what happened but he had to go off the pitch for treatment and I’d like to think that was because he’d actually been hurt, not because he felt like had nothing better to do. As he was holding his face, the boos and insults came pouring out. “Get up you lazy twat!” followed by “Fuck off back to Spurs, Berbatov you cunt!” and “What a fucking waste of money, you fucking cunt, Fergie get that twat off the pitch!” and the like. Moments after coming back on the pitch, a ball through from Berbatov to Nani was cut out by a Blackburn defender and met with more boos from our fans and more insults.
I’m stood there thinking how did it come to this? How did it happen that a player who wears our shirt, who shunned City’s money to play for us (unlike that prick Tevez whose chant our fans sung relentlessly over Sir Alex Ferguson’s end of season speech after we had just been named Champions, meaning he had to cut it short because he could no longer be heard), who is in the top ten scorers in the league, has come to receive such abuse from our own fans. The bandwagon has got out of control and people are getting hysterical with it. I’m all for a difference of opinion, blogs like this thrive because of them, but I am sickened and embarrassed by the attitude of too many of our fans now.
So, what does it come down to? Let’s narrow it down. Carlos Tevez was benched for the big games last season and complained relentlessly to the press about it. Dimitar Berbatov has been benched for the big games this season and we haven’t heard a single negative word from him in the press about it. (‘What is the best thing about being a Manchester United player?’ he was asked. With a smile, ‘being a Manchester United player’ he replied.) But Tevez was still adored and Berbatov is booed. Can anyone explain that?
Maybe the issue is to do with goalscoring. Berbatov has played 1851 minutes of football in the league this season and has scored 12 goals, the equivalent of 1 goal per 154 minutes (2 hours 34 minutes) on the park. Last season, Tevez played 1856 minutes of football in the league, scored 5 goals, the equivalent of 1 goal per 371 minutes (6 hours 11 minutes) on the park. But Tevez was still adored whilst Berbatov is booed. Can anyone explain that?
Maybe the issue is to do with assists. Berbatov has 6 assists this season (21 players in the league have assisted more goals than him) whilst Tevez had 3 assists last season (73 players in the league assisted more goals than him). Looking at goals and assists, Berbatov has scored/created 1 goal per 103 minutes on the park (1 hour 43 minutes) whilst Tevez scored/created 1 goal per 232 minutes on the park (3 hours 52 minutes). But Tevez was still adored whilst Berbatov is booed. Can anyone explain that?
So, which boxes did Tevez tick that Berbatov doesn’t? He ran around a lot. I mean, fuck me, he ran around a lot. He lost the ball and he wouldn’t stop running around until we got possession back. I loved that too, I think it’s a great quality to have, but I think there are qualities that come higher. Scoring more goals is more important, something Berbatov has done. Creating more goals is more important, something Berbatov has done. Wanting to play for Manchester United more than the money of Manchester City is more important, something Berbatov has done. But because Berbatov doesn’t run around like a headless chicken, our fans call him lazy, and now boo him, whilst Tevez, who was nowhere near as effective last season as Berbatov has been this, was worshipped by our fans. Is this for fucking real?
Our fans reached an embarrassing low today and got the result they asked for. You’re not going to motivate your players to do well, any of them, if you’re singling one of them out for abuse. The fact that he was our only striker on the park adds to the insanity. I don’t know whether to laugh or cry!
Fine, for whatever reason, our fans adored Tevez last season, regardless of the fact he was shit in front of goal and complained tirelessly in the last few months, and for whatever reason, they don’t like Berbatov. I can’t understand it but I can understand that not everyone is going to have the same opinion. But the abuse Berbatov received today was shameful and embarrassing. On that performance on the pitch, our team doesn’t deserve to win the league, and on that performance in the stands, neither do our fans.
To quote a very wise man: “On you go. He’s a fucking great player. You are all fucking idiots.”
Thanks Scott. It made me cry. Really.
Couldn’t have summed it up better, some people on here take note, your not real fans, your idiots.
I’ve lost faith in Berbatov , but I would never behave like that. As long as he’s a United player we get behind him like we would anyone else.
Felt really bad for him. Come on United fans, we’re better than that.
Spot on! Summed up my feelings perfectly. Its going to be one long summer after the derby game and quite frankly can’t be fucked talking about football anymore. Will be at Spurs and hopefully Stoke. Then am avoiding all footy till August.
i wont accept that chelsea has won until it is cast in stone. a bad day for our players, but we’ll fight on
you actually knocked some real sense into me… I was beginning to jump on the anti-Berba sentiment but what you said is so true. How would you react if you’re being constantly criticized and scolded when at work? 1.Put in more effort [Tick] 2. Not be in your usual element [Tick]. Hence what we got was Berba running around at positions where he doesn’t normally go to just to please the booing fans.
Scott,
After seeing Berb’s performance against Bolton a few games ago I said “wow – he is finally playing like a 30 million player.” However looking at every other performance apart from that – today included – I can’t see why you defend him so much.
I do not agree with our fans insulting him – not at all – however I equally disagree with you repeatedly defending him.
Despite all the presented statistics, Berb has been a waste of 30million. I truly hope Fergie gets rid of him this summer.
LUHG
A new low for a section of our fans.
My opinions on what happened today and the berba debate are all on the other thread…..
but sitting here after having returned from the game…..its a very surreal moment
Best post in a while Scott!
Just wished GHTT and King Eric were here to read it.. well well.. this is why I keep coming here every day..
I became very frustrated with Tevez last season and was happy to see him go for the obvious reasons.
BUT, Tevez could always get IMPORTANT goals. He scored quite a few of them. Don’t think I can remember Berbs popping up with many? He had his chance to in massive games, where we really needed him to prove himself over the last 8 days but yet again he bottled it.
So many times we need late goals, we get into bad positions, to be a United striker you need to be able to keep going and have the belief that you can get the late, important goals. This is where Berbatov fails.
We definately got the result we deserved! These fans are lucky enough to go week in week out to watch our beloved team and behave like this? WTF! From watching at home these chants weren’t evident but it’s absolutely ridiculous… This article mate is spot on! If our fans want to get to the low of shitty scum then all be it and fuck off to the other side of the city!
as a player i dont think that he is good enough but i would never boo him. as scott rightly pointed out , he wanted to play for manchester united, more than can be said for the argie twat. im not a fan of his by any means but getting on his back like that is not right.
I don’t agree with the booing however. He tries, it’s not his fault he just hasn’t got the right character to be a success at United.
Surely you one can’t be that stupid talking about that 30 mln. how one can’t understand that it is not the player’s fault ?
How many balls did he receive as a clear cut chances ? or as a 50-50 chances ? you are outrageous.
Thank you.
I felt embarrassed today. I am pretty sure some fans enjoy more Berbatov failing so that they can reinforce their hate of him.
Really looks, like many people have a win win plan, either United win or we blame and curse Berbatov for everything
We’re trying to find a scapegoat for our shit performances and berbatov is it, because we paid £30m for him instead of the argie cunt tevez. I havent seen a single “fan” berating valencia for his miss, if it was berbatov i cant imagine what this place would be like. Abusing our players shouldnt be happening, especially at this stage of the season, especially after losing to chelsea and going out of the the CL. The players themselves know they need to do better, they need encouragement not berating.
stop being idiots and support your TEAM.
Well, with the kind of form Tevez has been in and keep aside the behaviour of the fans and tevez during the last couple of months of previous season, wouldn’t we be inclined to say that Fergie made a wrong choice between Berba and Tevez? Wouldnt tevez have been a better backup to Roon than Berba?? I still think Berba is a great player but just not for United. United are too fast and pacy maybe and maybe tevez fitted that more than berba?
I wonder what Sir Alex is thinking about this.. and what about berbatov.. If I was him I would have boycotted the rest of the season, and searched for a new club.. even if it had to be in china.. at least it would have been far away from those embarrasing cnuts you are describing in this post Scott..
The abuse really is disgraceful. Our away fans are the best in the country but those who insult and boo shouldn’t bother to attend Utd games. Moan on forums and blogs and groan to your wife and family at home all ye like but not in the fucking stadium. It’s not like he hasn’t been trying, he has. Things just haven’t worked out at this club. I personally don’t want him to leave until we find him a suitable partner.
I think you are spot on, but I have one quick question. You said repeatedly that Berba was the only striker on the pitch. What is Macheda, chopped liver? Or did this happen after Macheda went off?
We should be cheering on the badge on his chest, not booing the name on his back.
End of story
As always (well almost always!) I could not agree with you more Scott. Tevez was a busy bugger, but Berbatov has class. He got kicked from pillar to post today, and held the ball up well and kept the complaints to a minimum. I thought it was clear how much better he is in a 4-4-2, with someone up there with him to pull the defence about and take advantage of his turns and flicks. But unless we go back to 442 (which I would love since, for me, that is the real Utd way), then we’re not going to get the best out of him.
I once read a thread after we lost to Chelsea, and everyone was gleeful that they weren’t a Chelski fan for defending their own player (no matter what he did, no matter how bad it was!) but look at some of us going against our own player for nowt all! Don’t you lot think others will look at us and wonder how life will be as a United fan…And then hating it?!
I got stick for telling someone to shut up after shouting at the top of his voice “Berbatov you weenie, shoot harder” (No idea what ‘weenie’ is, but I assume not nice)…Does it get worse? Yes! He was telling me how he’d rather have Tevez over Berbatov any day of the week! Hahahaha, I mean seriously?!
truereddevil – But our fans didn’t seem to think £25m for Tevez was a waste of money and worshipped him. My point isn’t about defending Berbatov, rather trying to get my head around why Tevez was worshipped after scoring 5 goals last season and why we were desperate for Fergie to spend £25m on him despite him constantly talking about how unhappy he was?
Totally concur with some of the comments above. Berbatov total waste of money and not up to it at all. But never ever go to a football match to watch manchester united and do that.
i don’t agree with fans booing him. but…
the thing with berbatov is that we all know what he is capable of… i mean we all know the class he has and what he can do, but we only see him do that form time to time.
We needed him to step up in the last 2 matches… he didn’t…
ive lost my faith in berbatov… he might love the club a lot but we didn’t needed a fan today, we needed a goalscoarer, that’s what we paid 30 mm for.
Berba is a great guy, i like him, but he is just not the player we need now, i think that was proven in the last 3 matches.
Here’s a post a made under an earlier thread:
All of you picking on Berba ….. Why do you need a scapegoat? Why can’t you accept the truth?
Football’s a team game and we haven’t proved to be the best team this year. That’s the truth and the end of the story.
Get over it and stop whinning about individual players who you want to say “We’d be CL and Premier Champions …. if not for”
After you watch football a bit longer you’ll realize how much rubbish it is to look at any one individual’s performance in any given game and put our season down to that. (Much like Macheda v. Villa last year on the positive side.)
Fact is, we’re an unbeliveably succeesful club in the last 20+ years and any of you who think that coming 2nd in the league, out of the C.L. on away goals (and a soft sending off) in the quarter finals and Carling Cup winners is a “disaster” need to find a different sport.
I’ve watched United in the second division after watching us win our first European Cup and when I read some of the whinning on this site I can only say ….. GROW UP YOU PRATS.
its wrong to say all our fans barracked him, that aint true….
i was in the darwen end with the other 8000 odd fellow utd fans….and again they made the best away day of the season….what noise, what banter, what chants and atmosphere…as usual did us proud.
But time to time fans do get angry and frustrated…hence vent their anger because they care and want to urge the team on…ok yes a few behind me went ott..
but theres 2 sides to the argument
1. I NEVER WOULD SHOUT ABUSE AT OUR OWN PLAYER AND DIDNT
2. THOSE FEW FANS WHO DID WERE WRONG AND SHOULDNT HAVE
3. BUT THEY WERE RILED BY all the finger pointing, petulance and attitude that was going on, namely berba hands on hips, hands in air, on ground, stomping thudding ground, getting up slowly, playing with shinnies, sulking back, slow etc.
As i said he’s a nice man, mellow man, kind articulate caring guy, always says the right thing and in my eyes a thousand times the man that argie cunt will ever be. I also DO appreciate his style…my fave players off all time had that technical ability, that style, that guile that poise, that velvet touch, that balletic poetic play aka SCHOLSEY AND ZIZOU. And i do think he’s one talented guy, but like the saying in boxing..styles makes fights…..maybe he didnt make the fight with us. Its about being effective whatever the stats say….im no lover nor hater…but something has to be done in the summer.
Because as a human being i saw him today on and off the camera and he looked mentally psychologically a broken man…he was crying for help, wanting the ground to swallow him up, i felt for him, no matter the ugre for him to pull his finger out and do summat, i was feeling for him as a human being.
He knows the media and fans opinion…..is he dead man walking??? i dont know these things…one way or tuther…SAF has do something about it this summer…this cant go on.
Im sitting on the fence….
AND I’LL SAY AGAIN THE FEW FANS WHO DID WERE WRONG…..BUT FELT PEEVED AT HIM
THE REST 99.9% MAKE MADE UTD PROUD…GREATEST FANS IN THE WORLD!!!!
We need successful through balls into the box. Till then, I refuse to put all the blame on Berba.
JakeManc- Well said mate.
Berba > Tevez
The unfortunate thing is that at a point in time Berba departs and 90% of the fans will think he has been a useless mothefrucker not caring about anything else. This is life for you.
At last! Some sense. The previous post has got out of control. The game today was Blackburn vs. United, not Blackburn vs. Berbatov and friends. Ok, he isn’t in the form of his life but he isn’t the only one who underperformed today.
And we haven’t become such a bad team suddenly. Our season isn’t over too and Chelsea are not invincible (although they’ve just been handed the FA Cup). And even if we lose the 19th this year, we’ll bounce back next year and we’ll be much better, with some defenders too (unlike much of this year!). Cheers!
Your comments re going to Maine Road bring up a great point, Scott.
I used to go there occasionally many, many moons ago and always noticed the same thing. That’s why we call them the BITTERS!!
I wouldn’t say Berbatov deserved booing by the United faithful, but to be honest the Berbatov performances are embarrassing. He can’t seem to stay on his feet anymore, and especially at vital times in the area. The Blackburn fans were taking the piss out of him for a good part of the game, and the great man hiimself Sir Fergie is showing a lack of confidence in Berba unless he has to play him because there’s nobody else. He is left out of the big games, and I don’t buy this ‘Oh that’s because we are playing one striker on his own up front’. Berbatov has proved a talented player for other clubs he played for, but he doesn’t fit into our playing system really, and is somewhat of a square peg/round hole syndrome. While I don’t think it is fair to blame him alone for United’s end of season seemingly going TITS UP, he has hardly , even in the games he did score, covered himself in glory really. I don’t feel sorry for him though, because the person I feel sorry for Is Wayne Rooney, who played his arse off to keep us in all 3 competitions. In Rooney’s best season ever, he is likely to miss out on PL trophy as well as CL. We all saw how gutted Rooney was when we went out of CL on away goals rule!
In other news, congrats to Pompey!
I really hope they win, their fans deserve it so much more than the rentboys’!
@suhayl – sorry pal. you’ve said Berba heard what was directed at him. surely Ewood Par couldnt be that silent in order to ler Berba hear all this stuff that was directed at him .
And yes, sometimes you just have to make a decision regardless.
Great post Scott.
Personally I think making Berbatov the scapegoat is ridiculous, stupid and petty. I do not know what fans wan’t Berbatov to do to accept him. His statistics is better then Tevez last year. He is the best 2nd striker in the league, would you rather want Bendtner, Anelka, Bellamy, Ngog ?
Why do you all think he’s playing so deep ? He wouldn’t play that deep if SAF didn’t want him to, thats for sure. We have a problem with our midfield. Important players have been injured (Hargreaves, Anderson), underachieving (Carrick) or are getting too old (Giggs, Scholes). Then add the sale of Ronaldo.
Now Berbatov is the one most fans blame, yet he drops deep, has great touches and helps out our midfield. He holds the ball, which is something this midfield has been unable to do in many important games (3 games vs Liverpool, vs Barcelona, vs Chelsea, vs Bayern in Bayern).
Let’s forget the stats for a minute (Berba’s in not even impressive), it’s obvious that he’s not good enough for United. He’s our most expensive player ever and he has maybe played a handful of good games for us. NOT GOOD ENOUGH! GET RID OF HIM IN THE SUMMER SIR ALEX!!
Comparative Transfer fees never have and never will make sense. We paid what had to be paid to bring the sort of talent Fergie felt our squad needed.
Do any of you honestly think one player in our dressing room to day sat there thinking …. “It was Beba’s fault we didn’t win today ….. or it was Berba’s fault we didn’t win the league or CL”????
No football’s a team sport and it’s about 11 men trying to get 1 result. We weren’t good enough to get the results we needed against Chelski or Blackburn and we therfore don’t desreve to be Champions AS A TEAM unless Cheski fail AS A TEAM fail to win three of their last matches. End Off
There’s two issues in this post:
1. Our players always need our support. There is no question about that. Agree 100% and fans who boo our own players deserve the consequences – ie players get demoralised.
2. The Berba V Tevez debate. I think the statistics you produce are a bit misleading. Both players have played two seasons for United, and over those two seasons I think you’ll find Tevez fared better. When given a regular run-in, Tevez scored more goals, linked up with Rooney better, and his all-round contribution to the game was greater.
Plus, he was more dynamic – You only have to see how many matches he won for us by scoring last minute crucial goals in important games. When the pressure’s on, Tevez produced the goods, Berba seems to bottle, and his goal contribution comes in matches we already seem to be winning anyway.
Fergie’s decision to leave Berba out in the big games, (and to pick a 40% fit Roo ahead of him in the Champs) is a damning indictment on his future role at the club. I think the only reason he’s still played is because the £30m pricetag needs to be justified.
Whilst I was frustrated with Berbatov today, booing him is fucking disgraceful. Booing anyone wearing our shirt is fucking disgraceful.
I have a hard time describing my feelings for Berba. It’s almost that I’m surprised when he scores, as if I don’t expect him to. For instance, when Ole would come on I would always feel assured of a goal. He scored clutch goals and when Fergie would bring him on everyone would hold their breath waiting for him to get the ball, and at the end of the day if he didn’t score we were surprised.
When Berba scores I almost say to myself “Fuck me, Berba scored,” not really inspiring the confidence one would expect. He’ll score a brilliant goal that seemed impossible or he’ll miss a sitter my nan could have put away. I think he’s a frustrating player at times and some fans just don’t feel he was worth the price, not necessarily that he’s shit. And he hasn’t really shown up the past few matches when we’ve desperately needed him to, which fuels the criticism of him.
Forgive me if I’m rambling, I think Berbatov is class and I love how he wants to play for us, he’s just frustrating at times. But it’s unfair to blame our recent results on him, it was Carrick that fucked us against Bayern, not Berbatov, but no one is calling for Carrick to be shipped out.
And any United “supporter” that boos our players should be ashamed. Why the fuck would you travel to boo our lads when you can do that from the pub.
The FA have ensured the Chavs get to the cup final and sit at a very comfortable position in the league. Thank God european refs hate Chelsea because otherwise they too would have ensured they get to the last 8 in the Champions League.
i really think our fans need 2know winning is not our birth right. 3 in a row &d lads tried 2go 4d 4th one..ok it looks like we will come up short but is not like d chavs have run away wit it. majority of our fans always use berba as a scapegoat when d team has a bad result(even when he isnot playing). i wish berba would chip in wit crucial goals( u pay big money so ur striker can score crucial goals when d team is playing poorly) but sadly berba has not been dt player 4us but when he plays he does try & d no of bad games he.s had are few…
d shirt is a sign of defiance… if not this season then next…
It is really unfair to blame Berbatov for today’s display when most of the team was crap. At least he created the one telling chance that should have been taken by Valencia.
Times and times again this season our players frustrated us by choosing the wrong option or playing a bad pass. Had we done some things simply we would have been in different position, both in the league and Champions league (just an example from today when Nani had a wild shot while Macheda was unmarked near the penalty spot) .
It is a shame that we let the title slip through our hands. This season more than ever we lacked the cutting edge in the final third of the pitch and players did not seem to be motivated enough for success. I thought that we only had any chance until now frankly because others have been crap as well and no one could not run with it. 7 defeats so far tell the whole story. Yes we had a lot of injuries, but so did others. Also, when the going gets tough, we lack a true leader in the middle of the park. (Roy Keane, is yet to be replaced).
I suppose from now until the end of the season, Fergie will reflect on the quality and the depth of his squad and signs a creative midfielder that will make difference next season.
Finally, lets hope the lads give us a decent send off for this season by beating Shitty. Could not bear to lose to them as well.
@isaidso…i agree with you…you make some relevant points….
Even the rovers fans sensed the antipathy towards berba…and yes you are correct, they even mocked him, geered him, took the mickey out off him each time he slipped, fell, lost the ball or misplaced a pass. Infact that got to me the most…it got embarrassing…..not to mention my family giving him grief and texting me from the jack walker stand…they are rovers fans though so i can understand….
but yes it became like a joke…hence i say SAF has to sort this out this summer..
AND MAY I ALSO POINT OUT AGAIN…WE UTD FANS KEPT SINGING TILL THE END..MAKE YOU PROUD
Fully agree Scott!!
I was really getting frustrated with Berba coz I feel in the first half he actually looked one of our better players but didnt perform in the second half, but I realised as I watched his performance dwindle it seemed to go hand in hand with the boo boys and I started to get pissed off with them!!
I am not one to hold back if I feel a player isnt pulling his weight but I would never under any fucking circumstances boo a player wearing our shirt!! It was a fucking disgrace and if any of those so called fans come onto this blog you should hang your head in fucking shame!! You have played your part in the result today!!
It might well do some of our fans some fucking good to win fuck all for 50 years so they understand what SUPPORTING your team is really about!!
And as for Tevez, Ive said it a thousand times, he has the touch of a fucking rapist and I was glad to see him go, he was a headless chicken who thought he was the dogs bollocks. Fuck off you argie shite and any of those fans booing at ewood today get your fucking council house season tickets if you miss the little cunt that much!!
April 11, 2010 at 19:09
Scott the Red says:
“truereddevil – But our fans didn’t seem to think £25m for Tevez was a waste of money and worshipped him. My point isn’t about defending Berbatov, rather trying to get my head around why Tevez was worshipped after scoring 5 goals last season and why we were desperate for Fergie to spend £25m on him despite him constantly talking about how unhappy he was?”
People liked Tevez because he scored some important goals for us, something Berbatov only ever did once (the winner at Bolton, set up by the hard work of Tevez!)
However, I never once chanted that “Fergie sign him up” shite as any idiot could see the little cunt was stringing us along and had no intention of signing for us. Well done to all the fuckers who did sing it though, especially those cunts who sang it at Fergie whil he tried to address the crowd after we won our 18th title at Old Trafford. I hope you mugs fucking cringe with embarrassment every time Citeh fans mock us by singing it.
We should get a song for berbatov , Anderson got a song after a couple of good games and I think Berbatov did a decent job with us
we should stop this comparsion , Berbatov is our player and that cunt isn’t
I think Berbatov is a victim to the Tevez saga
we all know what Berbatov had done in his previous clubs and he’s got the ability to succeed
Let’s Believe in him
We’re supporters and our job is to support and if we didn’t do our job don’t demand results from the players
Great article Scott! I totally agree with you, Berbatov has been amazing for us this season and does not deserve to get booed after two poor games. I thought Nani was worst than berbatov today. His performance today was from a Nani with little confidence and i dont understand why he has such little confidence after his performance on wednesday.
i dont like berbs, i think hes a great player but he simply doesnt suit utd. he doesnt suit our style and our style doesnt suit him, but booing him is completely bang out of order.
he didnt play well today i thought, he touches and running were good, but it seemed like he doesnt like macheda, he was in room lots of time but he didnt pass to him once?
as for some of our fans, they are total idiots, which is disappointing, everybody who sang those words “fergie sign him up” were imo out of order too, tevez was slating the club yet these idiots wanted to sign him still!
I just dont think he is a fist time united player, he is class in certain areas and situations. touch
+ contro for instance. However he doesnt suite our style of play 90% of the time, he doesnt impose himslef on games and he doesnt work well as a lone striker.
So basically good or not he isnt what we have needed this season in my eyes. He tends to slow our play down a bit, and only rocasionaly goes for the quick one or two touch release.
its the glazers tightness, the injuries to the defence, some bad luck and even more bad football from our team that have cost us this year. We have looked tired as a whole this year, from christmas onwards we have struggled.
We need youth in the side again, and another attacking focal point other than wayne who can carry the weight of expectation and the demands of goals. Then maybe have berba as an extremely expensive small team bully.
Thats the only way out i see right now…
*Team
It’s not a new low, or the lowest, I’ve seen and heard United fans boo Giggs. But it’s nonetheless despicable.
To all our fantastic fans who sang their hearts out for the lads, WELL DONE YOU MAKE ME PROUD!!
As has been said above it was a minority booing and not all!!
@ the author:
Spot on.
No, he did not have a really good game today. How is that a reason to slag him off as the sole reason for the lost points? Was he really bad? The only goal threat today came from him and Valencia, + Nani was trying very hard but ineffectively.
So who had a decent game other than maybe Rio + Vidic? Scholes and Giggs were completely out of it. Again. And no, it is not their fault they are 34+ and STILL the most creative options in United’s central midfield. Park is not exactly a world beater. Carrick either. Overall, the midfield has been mediocre for more than a season and showed it today.
Kiko Macheda’s performance did not justify his inclusion. His age means he should not be heavily criticized though. The full backs were useless going forward.
That leaves us with about the entire team being crap today – so why single out one of them?
At the end of the day this United squad needs more class than it currently has and removing Berbatov will NOT add class.
@Scott – If you watch Tevez though all you see if effort, sadly with Berbatov you don’t. How many times did you see him shouting and waving his arms about today at other players and going to ground and getting up slowly? Too many times. It’s so frustrating to watch and this leads to the booing, I don’t agree with the booing at all, it’s pathetic but he doesn’t help himself. People defend him by going on about his style and being different to Tevez, it’s nothing to do with his style that frustrates people, it’s his effort that does.
Thanks Scott, great. This is why you win awards. I read the article neiter for or against Berba, but as a stick to those of us who dont know the meaning of supporting our team. We have to critisise ourselves when needed. Hopefully someone has learned a lesson.
corea…im sure he did…in the 2nd half we were attacking our fans end..the darwen end…and he slipped over a few times and some balls didnt come off, which led to finger pointing and gestures and players berating each other where they should be and should go etc…in that time some off our fans were pointing gesturing and letting off some expletives..
believe me players pick up on all off this…they hear and sense it…players are too aware off it…berba knew it…because at the same time rovers fans were mocking him with ‘ woooah’ ” woooah” ironic sarcastic chants
Also he knew, because rovers fans dont have any chants and dont sing too much, being a family club lends it to it being a morgue at ewood at times….with only the odd chant odd ” usa usa” ” barmy army’ ” or big sams blue and white army”..thats all…
We make all the noise…hence our players sense everything and everything our fans feel…
berbs knew….hence he had his head down dejected
Scott i think you partly right. It’s not good to abuse a player of own team. But like you say, he is the only striker in the team. What on earth is he staying in midfield? Why dont he go forward? The manager plan to ask him to stay in midfield? He is tall and he should go stay near the box and head the ball. With him, our winger dont know whether to cross in or not. Look at Valencia, I think he only make less than 2-3 cross today given that normally he could cross more than a dozen.
I like berbatov as a person but i still hate his attitude. Not sure whether you have watch this game, but he is constantly berating his own team mate and i mention a lot of times i dont like this kind of attitude. Why do you keep supporting him? Just because he is united player? Dont you mind him moan and groan at every wrong pass or decision? Dont you think he is spoiling the team spirit? Dont you think he is one step over? Dont you think who gives him the right to do it?
He even berating Macheda who is a youngster holding up front on his own while berbatov drops so deep in to the midfield. I like tevez for his attitude on the pitch but not his person. I hate him for going to the media and complaining this and that but he does not grumble on the field, he does not constantly berating his team mate, he works hard, he inspire others, he gives other a clap even when the ball is too far to reach. That itself brings more confidence to the team but what does berbatov brings? All i see him is keep moaning at his team mate, you can name all the names from VDS to Macheda. This is so frustrating.
Well there are mentally ill people and retarded people in this world.. there are criminals, rapists and drug addicts.. you have to expect some booing here and there, but when large parts of our support starts to boo a player I feel embarrased and I start to think if I really want to celebrate further glory with such people.. Would it be better if Chelsea won it? certainly not, but there are far too many glory hunters around.. makes me sick
@Xyth – who said some of our players do not seem motivated – now there’s some statement mate and how often have any of us ever had opportunity to say that about our past teams, as we have said it about the team this season? We haven’t because even when our past great teams haven’t won games, certain silverware etc, we had no complaints because they played their bollocks off for the cause, and we respect that. I agree that this season too many seem to be lacking that winning mentality our boss says is demanded in every player who pulls on a United shirt. Course we had leaders then like Keane, Robson, Ince etc who would have kicked them in the said bollocks if their incentive levels dropped!
@suhayl – “because at the same time rovers fans were mocking him with ‘ woooah’ ” woooah” ironic sarcastic chants”
of course the best way was to mock OUR fucking player even more.
i wouldn’t like to be in your situation right now. i can’t argue with you further because you are one of the indispensable members of the club and i can perfectly understand the complexity of the situation you are in right now.
This is so frustrating, even liverpool are going to end the season better than us if they are going to win the europa league. Now we need to buy a good striker
Well said Scott!
RIP Zaddu.
Berba is our only striker as you said early on.
So why did he not score?
Why did he play an unfit Rooney last week instead of?
He and several other players are not up to the mark.
Neville, Scholesand Giggs should be in reserve.
Nani is pure shite and cannot get more than 1 cross in out of 6.
All this is the money constraits put on by the Gimps.
I totally agree that yoy shouldn`t abuse your own players like that. It is a disgrace.
The problem today is that Evra and Fletcher starts on the bench. Not that O`Shea is versatile and has proven people wrong when they have said he isn`t good enough for us. But he has been out for half the season and at Ewood park wich we know is a difficult place to come, i think we should start with our best team at the moment. The same goes for Fletch, Giggs should not have played instead of him even if Giggs is my favourite player.
Fletch, Evra and Rooney has been out most consistence players this season. Fpr God sake we are chasing a PL title…..Then we should have our best team out there. If they need a rest then take them off when we are 2-0 up.
@valencia2010
Seriously now, no one gives a fuck about the Europa League.
Scott maybe you can point out the disgraceful actions of so called United fans that are saying SAF should go too
I know what promised to be a roller-coaster ride 2 weeks ago has suddenly blown a fuse and er ground to a halt – but this is getting beyond a joke
It’s not in our hands no more – but if Bolton get any result the pressure is back on or will have to live with whatever happens in the next 4 games – but it’s ridiculous to give up when we have A chance
I am disappointed as the next United fan but it’s becoming a joke to fall to Liverpool or Chelsea or fuck me City standards now
I mean okay SAF has made mistakes and boy especially in the transfer market – but he doesn’t control what the players do on the pitch – because it’s up to the players to respond to his call – and the fact that they haven’t means that it’s up to us to pull them through whatever low point they might be going through.
It’s fucking not on to kill them off or boo of them especially when we just don’t know now where fate will take us. It’s a long shot but it is one – and as long as it is there we have to go for it.
Again not winning today has hurt a lot – but lets assume that Gary’s last ditch tackle on Nzonzi meant that one point might mean something – it might not make sense now – and it might not at all this season – but here we are and we have to hold on for what it is worth
I implore fans to buckle up and again I call out to my fellow reds – fans that are the backbone of this blog Costas – GHTT – King Eric etc to come back
Please reds do not swoop to the low that this blog has got to in recent weeks – we haven’t had our luck – our best player is out – now weve had 3 injuries today – bashing Berba isn’t going to help – it was Valencia ’s chance which was the easiest and to our discontent was the marker for the teams performance.
Again if SAF deems it necessary to let go of Berba so be it – at the end he hasn’t even given him the licence to go for it in the big games – yet Berba has stayed loyal – it’s sad that our season has come to this but in truth we payed a heavy price in hindsight in winning the carling cup – God what chance to have had Owen these last few weeks?
Story of our season – fucking injuries wrong time all the time
I expect the media to go in to over – drive about us being a one man team.
I totaly agree that it was shameful and embarrassing express of emotion towards Berbatov,that mustn’t ever be repeted regardless of the score,but we have to admit that Berbatov alone is not able to do serious damage to our opponents and If Rooney got injured much earlier It would have been desastre.This seson is over for us but if we want to be compatitive we gona have to bye fast and energetic striker that is capable of making a serious damage such as Aguero/Villa
Arsenal are battling it out with Manchester United over Fiorentina keeper Sebastien Frey.
http://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/sport/football/778986/WENGER-BATTLES-FERGIE-FOR-FREY.html
Frey is a top keeper,although I wouldnt mind either Lloris or Neuer.
Akinfeev is shite BTW, dodgy @ handling the ball!!
Mmm popcorn.
Youre only talking about tevez last year, what about the year before? When we won the double and probably played the best football in a long time.The reason Tevez probably didnt play as well was because we signed berba. Did you see him preseason brilliant!!?? If berba is worth 30 mill??then tevez was worth 25. Yes he is a cunt for what he did but lets not try to make berba out to be better because he is not. Tevez in his first season was great and its never mentioned in your stats. The fans were a disgrace, but to be honest I hate seeing his name in our starting line up. We cant play properly with him. Tevez scored 5 goals all season but his influence was good as well as scoring important goals. ALWAYS. Liverpool, Chelsea, Wigan, Lyon and many others. Berba just cant fit, no stats will prove he can. sorry
To be fair i didnt hear that much abuse scott but the point is still valid.
If you dont get berbatov you dont get football. end of
Berba is not United quality – FULL STOP!
We need someone in midfield like David Silva and we need a quality striker – anyone see the hat-trick Saurez scored for Ajax in their 7-0 win?!
Anyway, what wasn’t Fletcher playing today? He has been our best player this season (bar Rooney) and we could have done with him today.
Totally gutted today and it’s been a terrible 11 days or so for us
MG – So called United fans were phoning and texting Talksport today calling for SAF to go, because maybe he’s went on for too long.
Famous quote by fellow red AIG:
“If Berbatov runs as fast as Usain Bolt and scores 1000 goals he will still not be appreciated.”
@corea…
mate this 14 year old riles me up…pops up from nowhere with some time on his hands before he goes to bed and fires insults away and then fucks off….
and there we were maturely sensibly debating the game today..so peacefully and intelligently..
seriously at first i didnt agree with ghtt, k eric, costas et al leaving…but now i see why they left….when rom is filled viruses like this..what do you expect???????
In Berbatov first season he started 29 games, 2 as sub, scored 9 goals and 9 assist = 18 goals
Tevez first season he started 31 games, 3 as sub, scored 14 and assisted 7 goals = 21 goals
I was so happy when we signed Berbatov but he doesn´t give us anything when we need it the most, he has only scored against Everton of the 9 highest positioned league teams. And although he is taller than most center backs and much taller than Rooney he doesn´t win as many headers as him.
I doubt that SAF will buy any strikers but I would like to see Dzeko play with Rooney, now that would be something for other teams to worry about.
THE DIFFERENCE IS THAT LAST SEASON WE HAD OTHER PLAYERS WHO COULD AND DID COMPENSATE FOR TEVEZ LACK OF GOALS AND ASSISTS, AND HIS RUNNING AROUND WAS WHAT ALLOWED OTHER PLAYERS TO 1. NOT RUN AS MUCH AND 2. SCORE THE GOALS AS OPPOSE TO CLOSING DOWN THE PLAYERS.
DONT GET ME WRONG, I APPRECIATE BERBATOV AS A PLAYER AND I KNOW HE IS TOP CLASS BUT HE DOESNT SUIT OUR STYLE OF PLAY, HE TRIES TO DO THE HARD PASS EVERY TIME, HE SLOWS US DOWN AND HE DOESNT PUT ENOUGH EFFORT IN WHEN HES OFF THE BALL.
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TEVEZ LAST SEASON AND BERB THIS SEASON IS THAT WE DIDNT RELY ON TEVEZ GOALS, BECAUSE WE HAD RONALDO, ROONEY ET AL. BUT THIS SEASON WHEN OUR ONLY WORLD CLASS STRIKER AND ONLY GOAL SCORER ISNT PLAYING, THEN WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO EXPECT BERBATOV TO FILL IN FOR ROONEY IN THE GOAL SCORING DEPARTMENT, AND IF HE ISNT UP TO THE TASK WHICH HE CLEARLY ISNT THEN FERGUSON MUST LOOK AT BUYING ANOTHER WORLD CLASS STRIKER TO PLAY UPFRONT WITH ROONEY WHO CAN COME IN WHEN ROONEY CANT PLAY.
ALSO ID LIKE YOU TO COMPARE THE RELEVANCE OF GOALS BERB SCORED IN COMPARISON TO TEVEZ’S. I HATE TEVEZ WITH A PASSION BUT WITHOUT HIS GOALS AT STOKE AWAY ETC THEN WE WOULDNT HAVE WON THE LEAGUE.
DAVID VILLA OR BENZEMA PLEASE
MESSAGE TO SCOTT…..
dipper insults
mother insults
saf insults
Believe me i can take all this and in real life a guy would end up in a wheelchair if he ever said that to me or anyone i knew.
But ghtt, king eric, costas etc have all left…and before you lose every single one off the old regulars on here….PLEASE MODERATE AND BAN THESE KIND OF PEOPLE ON ROM……DIPPERS RENTBOYS ETC I CAN UNDERSTAND…BUT SO CALLED UTD FANS?????
MODERATE AND BAN THEM……before you lose all the old regs..seriously…even im contemplating it
it wasnt a minority today, it was everybody, berbatov has had his chance to prove himself and he is fuking shite. how many times have u heard” give him a chance” i was one who said give him a chance and the chances are over, not worth 15 mil never mind 30 mil. We dont expect him to carry the team , just to do his part and he doesnt.
and also i believe ferguson has seriously shot us in the foot this year. its not his money hes spending, so fuck it and go out and pay the 40 million required for us to compete at the top. im sick of buying youth. his team selections of late have been horrendous. chelsea and b’burn. 5 points dropped, terrible team selections. sort it the fuck out fergie
spot on mate..that lad is a fuckin talented player..cant believe many of fans are craving for his blood.comparing him with that twat from argentina is like..what can i say? its shit man..someone who has got arguably the silkiest first touch in the world,great field vision should be our team’s asset.not a garbage!he had a good first half at Ewood park but our fans were not supporting him still!shame for a great club like United..unlike Veron, berba showed lots of class here.scored pretty important goals and made some audacious maments of football in the red jersey..deserves appreciation.not backstabbing from those idiots!
To be fair I was pretty angry when he stayed down holding his face because there was clearly nothing wrong with him but this is nothing unique to just Berbatov, ninety per cent of footballers are pathetic in this sense, it makes me embarassed to be a football fan at times they way the crumble to the floor when someone brushes their face.
I have never been a fan of him and have made that clear on this site, but I have never got on his back at games. I really do think he has to go though in the summer, but we can expect a fraction of the fee we payed for him. He clearly isn’t a United player, it just hasn’t worked out for him.
@suhayl
Moderating would probably be very time consuming for Scott. Just ignore him if you don’t like what he says. What he wrote was childish but it’s no point in everyone leaving because of a few bad eggs. Don’t leave us here with the riff raff mate!:)
@willierednut
Mate then they are not United fans
If people want that then go fuck off and support Madrid or City or bollocks like Chelsea
I would rather have Arsenal win the title over us any day
At least Wenger has a philosophy – a desire – like our gaffer to readdress and challenge footballers to actually play the game the way it should be played
I am deeply saddened – deeply hurt by Manchester United fans calling themselves United fans and asking the gaffer to go – fuck off – there isn’t much time left for him anyway because his age his now firmly against him – yet here he is – changing United again – building a squad full of promise – one more time maybe his last time.
And this is how some so called fans repay him – they should all go fuck themselves and never come back
And again – the shirt is a symbol of defiance – if no one can understand that – if so called fans only want glory then they will never get it – this club – this whole point of Manchester United – it’s history – it’s love affair – is based on defiance – if we are down now then we will get up and just get going again – it it’s this season then brilliant and if we have to wait then okay we’ll wait
I can’t even believe that I’m writing this – just cannot believe the nerve on some of these people. Fucking disgrace
One great thing about being a United fan is the ability to say “I have seen it all.” In August 2003, a young, gangly kid with braces took up residence on the right side of our midfield. He was replacing an icon who had been forced out in the summer. In his first game, Ronaldo absolutely devastated Bolton. He didn’t score himself that day, but boy was he exciting. Then he began to produce only in fits and bursts. We didn’t win the league that year. We did win the FA Cup. Eventhough he produced an outstanding performance against Millwall in that game, Ruud Van Nistelrooy was named Man Of The Match. Even he was shocked. The next season we finished empty handed having lost a penalty shootout to Arsenal. The season after that we went out at the group stages of the Champions’ League and couldn’t even get into the UEFA Cup. Then in August 2006, the turnaround came.
United became suddenly had as much verve as Arsenal and as much steel as Chelsea and everyone looked to us to stop Chelsea from winning a third title on the trot. We did not fail. And through it all the gangly kid with braces became the world’s most feared forward and today, it’s most expensive player.
I always think about Ronaldo whenever I see a player with unquestionable ability struggling on the United stage. Maybe it’s the way we play, maybe it’s the pressure or maybe they’re just taking the time to settle. Ronaldo had nobody challenging him for that right wing role. He had a good run of games and still took 3 years to come good. Nani hasn’t had that and looks like he’s coming good anyway. Berbatov has had even less game time than Nani.
We may yet win the title. If we don’t, we’ll be back next year and the one after. Berba’s learning the first lesson of being a United player: Their hate makes you stronger.
@suhayl – Costas is going to come back, pal. i am lucky enough to know his email
there will be time when we’ll have 30-40 posts a day and of course you know it’s summer. i think we’ll see the guys then.
@Scott The Red
I agree with you that booing our own players is not on.
I am not a Berbatov fan but I got behind him both against Chelsea and Bayern Munich for the good of the team because we all needed to stand up and be counted in difficult times. Show some unity, be United.
I don’t know whether we can call those United fans at the Blackburn game today Plastic Mancs but they must come really close. Really close to my fellow poster’s on here calling for SAF to leave which really has riled me and I am still very annoyed about it. There isn’t much wrong at Old Trafford but comments like that add to the problems at United. We don’t need wholesale changes either. Or Villa for £40 million and £200,000 per week. He just isn’t worth it.
To my main point though. Your statistics are great at proving a point but why not compare Tevez and Berbatov records this season. For whatever reason Tevez left and the past is the past, but I reckon he has a better goal scoring ratio than Berbatov this season. Which is perhaps where the argumement that he runs around like a heaqdless chicken falls down?
Don’t get me wrong Tevez acted an idiot but Berbatov doesn’t fit in to the system SAF likes to play. Perhaps SAF has lost some faith in him because he started an injured Rooney against Bayern Munich instead of Berbatov. Perhaps that says it all really…?
Scott’s comments are a little ironic when only Wednesday he wanted Rafael’s head on a plate. I was angry with him also that he got himself stupidly sent off but he is still only 19. Now I agree no united player should be booed but no one can tell me berbatov has been a success and he has not stepped up to the plate he does not even look like scoring half the time, he drops far to deep and he lacks the drive to put defenses on the back foot. PPL go on about tevez goals for record last season that was last year this year looks totally different would anyone do this seasons stats no, many use any type of stat to try and justify that they are right but stats and what happens on the football field are totaly different, we can say micheal carrick stats are better than roy keane’s but who would you take in their prime it is apples and oranges for me
@suhayl.
just cos you dont like peoples opinions doesnt mean their wrong. berb is top class but doesnt suit us and 2 seasons in he hasnt done for us what he did for spurs. with that 30 mil we could have bought torres and apparently the reason we didnt buy him from athletico because our scouts didnt think he would score enough in england. FUCK THAT!!!
what about wesley sniejder and robben, why didnt we go in for them this summer? isnt snjeider exactly what we need? a goal scoring creative midfielder not carrick who pussies out of tackles and cant shoot to save his life. im very frustrated with us this year. weve lost to ourselves against b’burn, chels and bayern. gutted
I liken this to my old views of Fletcher. when he first started playing I used to think why is Ferguson putting him on? I used to cringe every time i saw Fletcher’s name on the team sheet but now look at him, if he’s not playing I wonder why he isn’t. Ferguson had faith in him the same way he has faith in Berba, there must have been a reason why Berbatov was kept over Tevez. Some players just need some time to get used to playing the United way, I still support Berba no matter what, if he wears a United shirt then I support him. The reason most people jump on the slate Berba bandwagon is because of his 30mil price tag, if we bought him for ten mil it would have been a different story but at the time we bought him we needed a second recognizable striker and the market was inflated. I just think that we can’t get used to watching an inform Rooney bang goals in whole season and then when he gets injured put on our second choice striker and expect him to perform on the same level in crucial matches with far less game time.
I will always support him as long as he is wearing United Red unlike that money hungry Argie Twat
Booing our own players is never going to benefit the team so i can’t understand why fans do it.
I think a lot of people seem to be of the opinion that while Berbatov is clearly a great player, he does not fit into the current United team. Sorry to say but Ferguson made a mistake in signing him in my opinion, though for as long as he is committed to United i will support him.
The abuse for Berbatov is pathetic and those responsible are complete morons. No question.
Those who preferred (and would still prefer) Tevez aren’t though, and the dismissal of him as a headless chicken and the use of stats from last season when (a) those stats don’t include the cup goals he scored, or reflect the importance of his goals, and b) his first season, when happy and first choice, was much more impressive, is both lazy(!) and misleading.
There’s two separate points here basically. There’s almost a Berbatov vs Tevez argument, which has been done to death and, like it or not, plenty of clued-up and sensible Reds disagree with the ‘headless chicken’ stuff, and then there’s the question of the abuse from the terraces, which I’m sure every Red worth their salt finds abhorrent.
To be fair to that prick Tevez (and he is a prick) he suffered in terms of goal scoring stakes last season because of not playing consistently. All so you fail to note his goals in other competitions Scott, to make his goals per game ratio look a lot worse than it actually was for your argument. He banged them in his first season and I didn’t hear anyone complaining. He all so came time after time with important goals, last minute levellers at Lyon, Spurs and Blackburn, not too mention a winner at Anfield, opener against Chelsea, last minute winner at Stoke e.t.c. I did really like Tevez and I still rate him as a player.
Anyway he’s gone now. I can still appreciate what he did for our club, he all ways gave his all and certainly contributed to our success, but we have moved on now. Better players have left the club before and we will go on.
It’s SAF who is the backbone of the team. It is he who has been the main reason for our dominance over the past two decades. It is he who has won us 34 trophies, who won the treble. It is he who has been with the club for 24 years, and stuck by the club through thick and thin. It is he who broke records, he who has created history. It is he who inspires, enourages, motivates players. It is he who created glorious teams, he who provided us with the luxurious breathtaking football over the years. It is he who rebuilt team after team and proven all critics and haters wrong. It is he who never gave up and maintained the hunger and desire. It is he who has no fear in facing obstacles thrown in his way. It is he who has gave us plenty of memories to last a lifetime.
And some fickle idiots want him out. What the fuck does that speak of Utd fans? Get a grip on. There will never be a better man, nor a better manager. End of.
A shame. A great shame that a poor team performance as a whole warrants the singular abuse of one of the “team”. Berba hasn’t set the world on fire for sure, but he also hasn’t dragged United to the depths that some “fans” would like to think. Knee jerk reactions rarely get you anywhere in life, as on the pitch. Where would we be if SAF had the same ficklety as some? For sure we wouldn’t be chanting football genius after Darren Fletcher’s name!!
colbert..i can take the banter and disagreements mate…….boy me and king eirc, fally, stephen, ghtt etc have beaten so many dippers rentboys bitters and gooners on here that ive lost count…left em in a pulp..
in real life its been the same…some nights in the cells etc…but im a true red..a hardcore matchgoing red off 30 years…….and when young pubescent teens come on rom..infiltrate like a virus and fire off insults to all and sundry and personal ones at that…then what do you do…
in real life…the guy would be dead….mark my words…..but on here i dont have the time and patience for it.
hence at first thought costas, k eric, ghtt were wrong to go….but now i understand….ive been with these guys on rom since 05/06…..and you never got personal vitriol and abuse from people calling themslevs utd fans..
hence NOW i undertand why they fucked off….
and if rom isnt careful .you’ll lose corea, giles etc too…….
debate, baneter, discussion, criticism..yes all good..
insults at peoples mothers…..NO
welovethereds – we have never needed wingers nani and valencia sorted that problem out its been our midfield and also uniteds defence has been battered with injurys
NickOGS20
Good points. Scott is guilty of some fairly selective use of statistics and that’s not right. You can use statistics to make any claim. “Lies, damned lies and statistics”….
Any fan calling for SAF to go, can go and fuck themselfs. The greatest manager thats ever come from these shores has earned the right to go when he likes. I hate Liverpoo with a passion, but you would never see, or hear their fans calling for Shankley or Paisley to go.
@ MG, your “the shirt is a symbol of defiance” line should go on a banner mate. Inspirational it is.
suhayl – ROM when looking through I do not think has been open in 2005. and why bother getting so hot headed what some idiots say everyone will have a different opinion no matter how thick it is if everyone agreed it would be boring has hell. But I will not leave not a million years no matter how retarded the post is
One more thing, and someone else pointed this out to me – the quotes at the end, “youse are all fucking idiots” etc, about Veron. Let’s not forget that great player or not, Fergie saw it wasn’t working out and got rid after two seasons…
If we had Tevez we would’ve walked the league by now!!
This is what I think happened last season.
Tevez fought tooth and nail last season for a permanent contract (scored vital goals for us)
SAF wanted to spend the 25-30 mill on Benzema instead of Tevez
We were outbid by Madrid for Benzema
Tevez signed for the rentboys after being pissed off by us
SAF lost out on both Tevez and Benzema
SAF made Tevez the scapegoat by saying that the contract was there for Tevez to sign
We signed an injury prone Owen
THIS IS ONLY MY OPINION LADS SO NO ABUSE PLEASE
REMEMBER AT THE END OF THE DAY WE SUPPORT THE SAME TEAM.
welovethereds…hello mate i think youve got it all wrong…lol
i was at the game today…im no berba hater nor lover..i sit on the fence….ive never backed or loathed a berba pro fan or anti con fan….
infact ive never discussed and got into the berbs debate…becos it lets off a stink in here so bad.
My post you musta read criticising and telling scott to moderate was nothing to do with berbs or footie…it was due to some guy coming on here calling me a dipper and insulting my mother…
glad thats clarified. lol
im all up for discussion debate and free speech on berba by the way..
glad thats clarified too
@suhayl – i am begging you not to leave. i am serious. this place will never be the same without you.
“I’m not trying to argue that the atmosphere at United, home or away, is always perfect, but there is more often than not the belief that we can do something and the faith in our own players.”
Fans have that faith because our players tend to win games. When they don’t, the fans will react accordingly. There’s nothing special about United that makes the fans less likely to get angry at our own players, it’s just that we rarely have a reason to. Today, the fans watched our players throw the season away in what turned out to be the cherry on top of a shittastic week, so it’s not surprising that a few United fans would start acting like City supporters. It’s shitty, but it shouldn’t be surprising.
Good post Scott. I’m not a fan of Berbatov’s but booing him is fucking disgusting.
suhayl
Insults are stupid, yes, but it doesn’t mean anything if some little shit says something on the internet, Just ignore it or use reason against them and get on with it. Scott can’t go around and think “hmmm, what should I do to keep commenter A and commenter B. I better keep them happy or they’ll threaten to leave again”. It just doesn’t work like that. And it would be a shame if people who have a good head on their shoulders and something to contribute leaves because of a few petty insults.
im not doing our defence has been pounded with inuries, but if it hadnt me may have won the league already. but thats not excuse for quite a few of our results. sunderland at home, burnley away, bburn, chelsea, liverpool its too many dropped points because without ronaldo and now rooney we dont have that match winning threat we had last year, thats why i think we need huge re inforcements. maybe not robben, but sniejder was a big missed oppurunity. dont u think?
Colbert – actually I said scott has used selected stats to back up his claims, but to keep using stats from last season is like using ronaldo stats 2 years ago against rooney stats 2 years ago. when you should look at stats for the precent.
also he did bash rafeal at 19 like he wanted his blood did many object to that. Also yet someone like berbatov who was on the floor half the time who was acting like a 4 year old has gone unnoticed.
Ohh COME ON SCOTT. ENOUGH of this statistical nonsense. He slowed the game way too much today. Berbatov is too slow for united and everyone can notice that. (eg. vs arsenal away.. do you think we would have won had he been playing?) of course not.. cos he retains possession for far too long and lets the other team get in their place.
I m not justifying the booing. but honestly.. are you happy when you see his name in the line up?
fair play mate i didnt know that. im red through and through and any cunt that comes on here who isnt a red is clearly jealous of something we have and they dont…. success. keep your chin up and ignore the fuckers
I think the difference between Berbatov and Tevez on the pitch is that Tevez is a trier abd Berba isn’t. Also you hardly ever saw Tevez berating his teammates and throwing hissy fits after a poor ball..as greedy as he was off the pitch (with his comments and clamouring for more money) once Tevez stepped on it he was the ultimate team player…I can’t take that away from him…I partly blame Fergie for the Berba situation because It hink he just got it plain wrong..while offering something different Berbatov just doesn’t fit with our more effective high emp style…he plays at a more deliberate pace that might be mroe suited to la liga or where he can be the fulcrum of the team..unfortunately he won’t be the fulcrum of this team because that is one mr Rooney…strikers need to be loved and unfortuntely berba gets none because of his lack of prowess in front of goal…after all he is a strikers and needs to produce the goods when its required..as much as I would like to put my arm around him I think its unacceptable that when we most need him to score he seems to come up short AND he has a tendancy to be less of a team player on the pitch with the petualance towards teammates…I think his time is up…the Berbatov experiment has failed…
another thing why is everyone getting over melodramatic its like insecure girls here for Christ sake ignore the comments and just post away, PPL think it is bad in here has anyone gone on a 606 blog now there is when it gets ridiculous, and another you want annoyance try and debate fan boys of xbox 360 vs PS3 console wars that will drive you mad if you debated it with them.
Real shame. Berba was poor today and wasn’t getting up for crosses but this is no excuse for this abuse. Eventhough our fans were in gret voice today, it spoiled it.
@Zaddu
Don’t know whether we would have walked the league mate.
I think it’s crazy being linked to Villa who is 29 years old and costs £40 million and wants £200,000 per week. Benzema was 22 years old and would have cost £35 million and Tevez was 25 years old and cost £25 million. In comparison to Berbatov who was 29 years old and £31 million.
Personally just because Berbatov wants to play for United isn’t a reason for him to be at United. Hell even I wanna play for United but it doesn’t mean I should be there!
Tevez scored some important goals the last 2 seasons at United. Especially when we need them he was there. The winner against Liverpool away, the equalizer against Spurs away, the equalizer against Lyon away all spring to mind.
I don’t think SAF thought Owen AND Rooney would be injured a the same time.
There is a real danger we may finish 3rd this season with the Arse breathing down our necks.
Tevez was brillant for us and scored important goals, but SAF decided against buying him for whatever reason. As a United fan, i’m happy for SAF to make them decisions, as i have total trust in the manager, as should all United fans.
@DON
agree 100%
@WE LOVE THE REDS …. No you don’t! – You love the Glory and think we have a devine right to a never ending run of success. We won three in a row and if this ends up being a “transition year” how bad was it?
Maybe we don’t win it again for a couple of years before another spell of sucess. But this I know …Fergie will manage long term sustainable success at MUFC better than anyone on the planet.
Who the hell do you think you are telling him to “sort it the fuck out Fegie”? Have some repect.
I can’t believe some fans would want SAF to leave, one of the reasons that I support United is because we aren’t a team with our heads in the clouds . why would you want to sack a manager that has built great team after great team after great team??there isn’t a manager that can compare to Ferguson in terms of success and sheer dominance in world football, SAF didn’t just build a football team he built an empire, the ideologies of Modern Manchester United are built around his own personal vision….do we really want to jump on the instant success train just ask Real Madrid/Chelski/Man Shitty how well thats going first two knocked out in early stages of Uefa Champs and Shitty well they just plain arseholes, 11 draws in a row anybody? Im glad Fergie is at the helm, if we dont win the league this year it is understandable we lost 2 important players always remember Fergie will be back
rntk….long long time ago pal….must be staring off 06…we ve been here reading this blog since the start..
discussion, debate, banter…bring it on..criticism is great..great to air opinions and let off steam…great to problem solve have different ideas etc..who said no..
you havent been here when dippers used to post 100 comments a day….and coming out with alsorts…anyway i agree some are retarded posts..some are stupid and silly..and you let em come..its all good…
but mother names…that AINT COMMENTS YOU CAN DEBATE…THAT S AN INSULT.
Glad thats clear
willierednut – well the though of having the same attacking options has next season plus if the mexican forward does not step up will be a horrible situation in.
I don’t like Berbatov and on this blog have many times criticised him but our fans at the games need to get behind him……. Call him all the names you want to after the game is over…… Again fluffed 2 big chances today and let the rentboys get both hands on the trophy……
Was thinking of defining moment of our season this morning…….. Last season it was Kiko with goal in 92nd minute against Villa…… This year has to be Berbatov’s miss against Chelsea in stoppage time and Olic’s goal in the Bayern away leg…… Story of our season we had it in our hands yet THREW IT AWAY!!!!!!!!
Have to agree with keano on this. He never has been and never will be a United player. He slows the play up, doesnt make any effort to get into the 6 yard box and generally looks like he doesnt give a fuck. I hope he goes in the summer. Saying that, booing one our own players in a must win game is pointless
@Don
Altringham need “triers”. (“Get stuck in lad” etc.) United need class.
Tevez = Trier (and whinger)
Berba = Class act.
http://actimindex.files.wordpress.com/2008/08/premover_index_top10025.gif
Dimitar Berbatov was ranked 4th in the top 100 players in the league for the 2008-09 season, ranking #1 for Manchester United ahead of players such as Wayne Rooney (36), Cristiano Ronaldo (11), and Edwin v. der Sar (15). Lets see, where is Tevez…. not on the list?
Where are the stats for tevez first year(you know the one where we won the CL?) where are the stats for this season? You only use last season, because fergie never gave tevez a fair run of games. Firstcyear he played and scored loads, second season wasn’t really played he scored less goals. This year city play him and he scores more goals, you notice a pattern? How many goals is he now?
If you honestly can’t see why united fans appreciated tevez more than berbatov, then youvtruly are a blind supporter.
dont tell me what to say dave mack lad. i know football, i played for united until i was 13 years old. i breathe football and i know exactly what im talking about. we could’ve bought players in the summer that we didnt. its all about calculated risk, and snjeider and benzema and even villa come into that category. we cant buy the perfect player every time
did u see cities front 3 today? we would love an adebayour at united. i just dont get fergies stubborness in teh transfer market. its VERY clear to see what ronaldo carried us last few years, and with rooney he was made to look better cos rooneys so fucking good. but we need a couple players and ferguson is trying to create them and not buy them. that philosophy is the past.
MONEY TALKS MY FRIEND.
corea..email him mate…will be great to have him back again…..summers are quiet months on here as we know….just the regs to converse with..
no doubt..with giles ill health, denton posting infrequently, costas, k eric and ghtt taking a break etc..
the average age of the rom poster has gone from 35/40 to 13/14 years…
hence the text language and schoolground child post 1999 comments….
too old for that….
i’ll be around posting here and there..
take care pal..
fag and brew time
@AlphaRS
Agree with you…… cant remember apart from Bolton last season in 90th minute which by the way was assisted by Tevez, any other important goal by Berbatov……….
Also just some food for thought…… We have not played Berbatov in a lot of the big games…… Would you not wan’t your 30 million pound striker to throw a tantrum…… seems he shirks away from big games…….
I feel really sorry for Berbatov. What on earth has he done wrong to receive the flak. The matches that we lost this season were failures in defending and midfield. He created the ball for Valencia today, a chance from which Van der Saar could have scored. Like Glazers, we have some muppet supporters hanging to the club like leeches. Sorry Berbatov for every bit of abuse you received.
Not really sure if something Sir Alex said about Veron’s the best quote to use… but I do think it’s a joke people booing their own players or yelling abuse to them. Fair enough if someone makes a mistake and you scream out in frustration, but you don’t abuse your own players. End off. If we don’t support them, who the hell will? All fans are going to get frustrated though, and today, I can understand why. I wouldn’t do it, but when you see the league slipping further and further away… it can make you do some funny things.
MUFC E236 ‘ What exactly do you mean “and looks like he doesn’t give a fuck”? Wha do you want him to “look like”? Did you honestly think he didn’t care today? Maybe you just like players who “look like” Tevez?
i.e. headless chickens. (Get stuck in there lad)
@ MJ
I think it would be fair to say that Tevez is a momentum player and has the talent and the need to play in every game….. Since last season, our game has turned into a squad game where there was no fixed starting lineup…….. No matter how many expletives I get to read, I think it was a mistake not to sign up Tevez after the 2007-08 double win……… In 2008-09 when he did not get enough games he became a money grabbing whore……
We didn’t get outbid for Benzema – he WANTED to go Madrid – End of Story.
Bashing our own players at games is classless – End of Story.
Berbatov has been playing with a knee injury that needs operating on – a fact everyone conveniently ignores.
Insulting someones mum especially to somebody you don’t know in person makes on a blog makes you a cunt – End of Story.
I ain’t got issues with not winning the league our squad is in much better shape then chelskis for next season they have very few young players and little talent coming through.
They’re going to need to buy 5 players, same goes for dippers. L’arse and ourselves have the squads that at most need tweaking and we’ve already started.
Sad thing about today is not just the result but Rio, O Shea and Giggsy also picked up injuries. We have to start playing the Da Silvas, Gibsons, De Laets, Machedas a lot more next year. Even Diouf. Just get a me a defensive midfielder and all shall be well.
curttalkthai – It happened after Macheda went off.
I think what this proves is that every club has some really pathetic fans. When Chelsea fans booed Wayne Bridge, Scott the Red, generalised all Chelsea fans to be like that.
@Dave Mack
Tevez is a horrible little cunt but he has produced the goods in three countries; Argentina, Brazil and England. He won two leagues with us and an European cup. He is not a headless chicken.
@urval87
Alright mate. When I hear Berbatov is class I would like to know how?
We need goals, not fancy flicks. Tevez has scored more goals this season than Berbatov.
When I hear he is class it reminds me of Arsenal who are more interested in playing beautiful football than winning football. I just can’t understand it to be honest with you.
United play fast counter attacking football at the moment usually in a 4-3-3 formation.
He does not fit in to that as he slows the game down. I just don’t get how thtas is class.
We should have signed Tevez, and i wanted to shag Jenna Jameson, but i didn’t.
@suhayl – already emailed him yesterday, pal. he will come back.
but we felt your absence during the season so badly. be sure of that and make sure we won’t lose you anytime soon.
i am tired. goodnight. and thanks for your support at Ewood Park. Proud of you and of myself knowing you.
Agree with above posts regarding these ridiculous stats. Tevez is a mouthy little prick who couldn`t stop running to the papers who certainly overrated himself. But please stop using these berbatov/tevez `mins on pitch/goal` ratios. As has been pointed out, tevez the striker scored when it mattered, berbatov the striker does not. End of.
SCOTT – SLIGHT PROBLEM WITH THE ARTICLE MATE.
First I want to say it was an Interesting read and I agree with your arguement against abusing our own players. The thing that sprang to mind though, was your comparison of Tevez and Berbatov.
You kept comparing Tevez LAST season to Berbatov THIS season (coincidentally Berbatov’s Best for United and Tevez worst for United ) Surely u should be comparing both players on performances THIS season? I know Tevez at City has seen less of the bench than Berbatov at United, but if you look at Appearances for this season alone, Tevez has still made 37 apps and scored 22 Goals. Meanwhile Berbatov has made 38 apps for United but has only scored 12 total.
So based on this season alone, Berbatov has scored little more than half as many goals as Tevez despite appearing in one more game then Tevez.
Or to put it another way……..
Rooney has had a better season than Ronaldo THIS year, hands down, correct ?
Ok, well Tevez has had a better season than Berbatov this year too, hands down, so arguably if you use statistics from the current season you COULD argue that supporters were CORRECT to prefer Tevez over Berbatov last season, just like some of us were correct to prefer keeping Rooney over Ronaldo last season. Like it or not.
Tevez was the last person on my mind today, but you mentioned him today after a poor performance by our Team against Blackburn. So in response to Tevez, IMO, he is a far better player than Berbatov. Firstly, he’s been a big game player and big game scorer since he arrived in England with West Ham, while Berbatov has never had that reputation. Secondly, Tevez is still only young lest we forget, he came to us aged just 23 and left us age 25. As a Striker he’s not even at his best yet, and even now he’s still young enough to fall under our new Transfer Policy of NO CLUB FOR OLD MEN. Coincidently, Alec said Berbatov (29) would be the last “mature” player we spend 30 million on. I dont see the relevance to Tevez to todays game, but I’ll happily take the opportunity to state my opinion that Tevez always has been a big game player, and if given the choice between a 26 year old 22 goal Tevez and a 29 year old 12 goal Berbatov – I’d happily go with the guy who indirectly threatened John Terrys life.
Finally, this post in no way places me on a Anti-Berbatov bandwagon or makes me a Berba Basher.
i’ll sum up what do i really think about berbatov …
he maybe a fantastic player, love him for his attitude towards our club … but TBH, he just doesn’t fit into our system … feel sorry for him really … it’s not that he’s not trying or what … but maybe he just ain’t meant for the club …
but anyhow … even how ineffective berbatov performs for us, i will still say … Berbatov > argie cunt
@corea…..HEART OF GOLD MATE…HEART OF GOLD YOU HAVE…….
like i said…things happened this year…but i came back on rom for you guys..giles, ghtt, ke, fally, stephen, drew vader, tonybee, boogeyman……etc etc to see what u guys were upto…..only to catch up with me old pals.
take care mate
Paul Parker
Regarding your last sentence, absolutely not. I read your post as perfectly reasonable.
Scott, I think you are trying to make yourself feel better here…on 90% issues agree with you, not on this one but PEOPLE GOING TO THE GAMES MUST NOT ABUSE BERBATOV!!!!!!!!!!
I think these will be my last posts on Tevez……. He is gone and we can do nothing about it…… In one line an assessment of Berbatov…….. He is world class but does not fit into our footballing model and needs to go……
For those who are wanting stats for Tevez’s first year… MJ etc.
Carlos Tevez – 07/08
2685 minutes
14 goals (9th highest in the league)
1 goal per 192 minutes (2 hours 72 minutes)
7 assists (18th highest in the league)
1 goal scored/created per 128 minutes (2 hours 8 minutes)
Dimitar Berbatov – 09/10
1851 minutes
12 goals (10th highest in the league)
1 goal per 154 minutes (2 hours 34 minutes)
6 assists this season
1 goal scored/created per 103 minutes on the park (1 hour 43 minutes)
Paul Parker – it is important to show the stats for Tevez last year because Tevez was worshipped by United fans and our fans wanted the club to spend £25m on him. How he has played for City this year bears no relevance to the point.
Quite simply, if Berba was good enough he wouldn’t be on the bench for top games.
We play one up front either because our team is lacking in midfield we need a clear out or he’s not good enough. Which one is it?
Berba isn’t lazy, he lacks aggression. When the weather isn’t good he goes missing. Tevez is a player that can turn any game, while Berba is an awesome player, but only when things are going well.
Tevez is having a fantastic season regrettably and Fergie made a mistake of not signing him after we won the European Cup and Premiership. He took a gamble of signing Berbatov with an eye of signing Tevez the following season and it backfired. Tevez and Rooney made a great partnership and he should have sealed that and he didn’t.
Berba was too expensive. A 30 million player should be starting most or if not all the important games and he doesn’t. End of. It’s time to face facts and forget stats, he just doesn’t cut it often enough in crucial games when he needs to step up.
As for the booing…..idiots. High level sport is just as much mental as physical and booing is only ever going to have a negative effect on a player of Berba’s type. The guy doesn’t deserve it.
@Fze123
Mate
Put it up somewhere – anywhere – I thought about that two weeks ago ready for Bayern and the rest of the stuff that was to come
It hasn’t worked out for us – we are out of the CL and now only fate can intervene this season to get to 19
I don’t know if we will get there but I hope we give it a damn go for what it’s worth.
To all of you and to any of you who are privileged to go to the Theatre of dreams every game
Stick it up on the banner – it belongs to each and every one of us who are proud to follow this beautiful club –
Who are proud to stand by it through thick and thin – through the good times and the bad times – through the highs and through the lows
We lost the greatest team in history that never had the opportunity the way SAF has given countless United teams over the years to thrill us – we live in memory and in respect to them
In gratitude and in remembrance
In defiance
We live in defiance now to those that question us
To those that ridicule us
We will never ever leave this shirt – the shirt was is and forever will be the symbol of our defiance to those that do not believe us – that do not follow us
We do not need them – any of them – never did and never will.
Be proud all of you and tell those – especially those so called United fans that if you do not believe in the power of this manager – this team – then walk away
We will all come to an end – but this club will never die.
@Paul Parker
What he just said….
Guys, I’d never boo our lads on the pitch, but let’s get fuvking real, berba’s a good player, but not a utd player. Simple. All that bollocks that if u don’t get berba u don’t get football bollocks!! He ain’t utd calibre simple as.
Wholeheartedly agree, @ScottTheRed.
Very occasionally (couple of times a season maybe) a blue mate of mine will throw me a freebie to the Wastelands and they are still very much of that mindset. The last game I went to (Liverpool 0-0) saw the home crowd berate their “superman” Stephen Ireland. Disgusting stuff, but nothing new for them. When I get the chance, I return the favour and allow my mate a seat in the Stretford End, so he can see how real fans behave.
Or do they? The Berba-baiting has been simmering away all season and now the fat lady appears to be singing on our season, they have turned up the volume. Berbatov’s personality means than unfortunately he will not be strong enough to continue playing in front of such hostility. Question is through, at his age, how much of his transfer fee will United be able to recoup? Answer: £7-8m, tops.
So well done to the all of the Berba-haters. Not only has your dreadful behaviour destroyed the confidence of a prodigious talent and ultimately prevented him/us from making that vital difference when backs are against the wall. It has probably also given us a net loss of around £20m+.
I see no option now but for him to pick himself up, move on and hopefully hit his best form again at another club.
The last player I saw treated this way was a certain Teddy Sheringham in his first season at OT. I rememeber being sat in the Stretford End, when Teddy went to take a corner and someone (home supporter) actually threw a pie at him. Unbelievable. Fortunately he was made of sterner stuff and cemented his popularity forever through his actions in Camp Nou in May 1999.
No such luck for Dimatar. It will always be a question of what might have been.
All I ask for now in the closing weeks of the season is that we go to City next week and stop them from taking the final CL spot. To see them clinch 4th place by taking points of us, really does not bear thinking about.
If we can’t make it 4 in a row this year, then my hopes are with North London. Arsenal for 1st and Spurs for 4th. I will find it hard to stomach the cheating rent boys in first, with a (short lived, I’m sure) CL debut for the bitters.
Cheers for now.
Guys,
I check the site and read the articles daily but have never commented until now. I agree 100% with what Scott has said here. Tevez endeared himself to the United fans because he was perceived to be putting in more effort than Berbatov does. The stats prove which player is the more effective!
The truth is, they can’t be compared as players as they are almost opposites! Berba is a red, and is proud to be a red. Tevez upped and left as soon as the Arabs wallets came out, where Berba didn’t even give them the time of day. He is a red, and he is proud to be a red. He is a frustrating player, but anybody who knows anything about football can see that he is a one off talent. Booing him is not going to help, full stop. Given the chance by the fans and the manager, he could still be a United great. Anybody remember how frustrating both Nani and Ronnie were in the early part of their United careers…?
While I agree on the point that when a player is playing on the field wearing United jersey it is very unfortunate on supporters’ side to boo him, we should not forget Berbatov hasn’t delivered the results that were expected from him. May be fans need a platform where they can vent out their frustration when one of the most loved players consistently disappoints you for two seasons….
It doesn’t matter how much you love the club as a player. At the end of the day you have to play well and make people trust you. Now saying we should not dislike Berbatov because he never speaks against the club is something I find it hard to agree with… I too love the club, I never speak against the club. But, that is not a qualification to play for United. There are thousands of players who love United more that Berbatov does….
You say, Berbatov chose United over City’s offer which was fetching him more money. Yes, he did. We loved him for that. He did it because United is a prestigious club to play for. Just like Berbatov was more talented than others over which he was picked up. Imagine if City and United’s positions were reversed, would Berbatov had still picked United over City? Answer is a resounding ‘NO’.
He had his share of love from fans and support. Now it is high time he proves himself as the player which we thought he was or not stay there in the squad.
It hurts immensely to write this about a player who really loves the club and whom I still like a lot. But, we have to stay objective to win trophies. If you continue to make decisions completely based on your emotions you might never see another trophy in OT which is something worse than getting killed on a first date with Angelina Jolie (I know last line is pathetic, but I hope you understood).
- suhayl – maybe but I still ignore it, it is annoying but I think its way OTT for PPL to leave when a phew idiots say stuff like that would anyone let the terrorists win no.
But when I post a comment on a player or the state of the squad I am unhappy with its done with well constructive arguments that for me are needed to be backed up not name calling its pethetic, and I feel whenever I have commented on the worry of the squad not even the likes of Costa’s and King Eric have been able to counter well apart from the injurys and adjusting but other than than they could not despite the faith they have shown which I got to give them credit for a little to much faith instead of looking at worrying problems in the squad if united picked up injurys.
- I have said our strength in depth upfront is a real concern and the last 2 weeks I have been proven right unfortunately. These are the reasons why I have been proven right and these are well constructed reasons and facts why
- united now play 433 system. 2 wingers supporting the CF. Now the real problem with this system is when you lose the main striker the whole system falls apart like a movie that falls apart when the plot is all over the place, but if your wingers or supporting cast have not got a good record of scoring goals themselves then the team are even more vulnerable of that system completely failing. Valencia and Nani are good wingers but they are not a great suppler of scoring goals like Barcelona’s front 3 last season of messi henry and eto’o, if one of those 3 were not available you can fit them into different positions and they still score you a ton of goals
now another problem with the forward positions is, beyond Rooney it is not great for many reasons, berbatov for many reasons cant play 433 he is a tactical nightmare for the boss, his lack of drive that he always wants to come deep and he does not seem to have the energy to put defenses on the back foot or go box to box when he comes deep and the wingers have no outlet no one to get it to and that is a real problem for united testing the GK and stretching the defence.
- Owen is also a tactical nightmare he also cant play 433 and he will also pick up injury’s, and both berbatov and Owen are combined age of 60. Owen has been a great signing on a free but when it comes to formation Owen has to be in a 442 because he is such a small player who is not great in the air against big defences.
macheda diouf and welbeck are way to inexperienced and the Mexican forward we have no idea how he will settle. So in all the striker situation when Rooney is not available is a bit of a nightmare especially when the team has not got the midfield to play a 442, united lack a plan B when Rooney is not available and thats the worry.
i think the thing with berbatov is that for him to function properly you need a midfielder that is like HIM. He seems to be in different wavelength to others. he needs to be given passes to his feet right in front of central defenders with two midfielders running past him. our midfielders cannot play when highly pressurized. there needs to be a midfielder like say PJANIC from lyon who gives and takes and follows. THEN THE REAL BERBATOV WILL BE SEEN.
lack of pace today throughout the team. when a teams intention is just to defend you must play at an high tempo which we didn’t, its easy to criticise after the game but fletcher, evra and rafael would have helped.
This summer will be a defining time for the club
@ Paul H -21:06 – Great Post.
Cobert … Tevez was a headless chicken for us and that’s all that matters here. All effort and low result as Scott’s stats bear out. Berba has given us a ton more but some posters want him to run around and “look like” he’s trying. Tevez was all show and got the “sign him up ” chants going by chasing down lost causes.
In other words it was all about him rather than United.
No need or justification for you to defend him him. Who cares what he’s done elsewhere?
@ AlphaRS
Mate I think you got me wrong…… I am against Berbatov being a United player…. posted that i agreed with you……. Does not fit into the formation, not aggressive enough and does not finish well….. Shirks away from the big games, throws tantrums on field which are worse than ones from Tevez which were off the field… Never on shoulder of last defender even when we are losing…….
All i said was that fans going to the game should not booo him since it is in our interest if he is deluded enough to think we support him…. Call him names after the games……
@Dave Mack
I would rather have a guy who will die for the shirt ON the pitch than one who will talk up a good game about his love for the club but show petulance towards teammates on it and not produce the goods when required. I really don’t see berbatov as a class act on the pitch..perhaps off it..but ultimately you re judged by what you produce and Berba just hasn’t delivered. I don’t love tevez or anything but we are missing his fight and desire…and the guy could score some important goals to boot…Tevez is exactly like Rooney albeit not as skillfull)..I sincerely believe if Tevez was still around we would be sill in the title race and possibly Europe…hindsightn is 20/20 of course but just my 2 cents…we lack cutting edge up front outside of Rooney..anybody can see that…oh well…let’s hope for some further changes in the striking deparment in the offseason…
Agreed with the booing….
however i hate Berba moaning and complaining on the pitch when someone misplace a pass… he did it today with Macheda aswell – i fear Berba could be demorolizing sometimes to the other players
I used to laugh at my city mates about the abuse they used to give to their own players, now unfortunately my own club have reached a new low. Fucking idiots
your thoughts really are wise and emotional.
nonetheless, I feel the booing can be explained (although I also think it’s wrong).
I wrote a text once about how the Cantona’s kung-fu kick destroyed the atmosphere on pitches.
see, that day the brutal, physical game ended and a new, sterile one was born.
same thing with players – why we remember the famous ‘I’m not a role model’ quote?
cos we bloody want it to be true AGAIN. football is a way aside of our regular lives.
going to fitba means leaving all the common shit behind you and becoming a fighter.
we expect, we NEED our players to fight for us just like we fight for them, mentally, verbally.
we like tackles, we love Neville, adored Zidane for what he did to Materazzi, Cantona for the CP twat.
Tevez is a warrior. his ambition doesn’t allow him, as you have wrote, to stop running
and we like that. ambition, fighting… when you are ambitious on the pitch for 90 minutes,
fans can forgive you many things. but if you’re not, they tend to underline each mistake you do.
running like that, you show that you’re ready to fight to make your mistake up.
I got no respect for Tevez as a man anymore for what he did to us. even an ambitious man
when he betrays, he is an ambitious traitor. a scum, a twat. that’s all.
coming back to Berba, his ambition stays in his comments. what is more, he’s so childish repeating
that he is so disappointed with his performances. looking for mercy and understanding.
he bloody should be well disappointed for his two seasons here. so are we.
his attitude on the pitch is not only lazy, as you’ve written. he’s also ‘quitty’. he quits every time.
he does not fight for balls, waving his hands instead. he does not run, doesn’t do shitloads of things we’d like him to do. when you are a red devil, you have to be prepared to replace your blood with acid, if necessary, and run and fight ’till the end. he doesn’t do that. when on a pitch, he looks like running while wearing magnetic boots, and the pitch itself is made of steel.
we don’t like people who quit on us. we are fighters. we kill our throats for them, we wear colours, they create a large part of our lives. we want some ambition and some fighting.
Berba just doesn’t fit as a United player – he’s not a warrior and he will never be!
that’s not his fault. this is the thing you can’t learn – you are or are not a fighter. he is not.
that’s why we need to get rid of him. for our and for his sake. we need a warrior to replace him.
we need to look really carefully not to destroy another player’s career, as I believe Berbatov’s career has been destroyed during his stay at Old Trafford. he doesn’t fight and can’t stand the pressure. we need to replace him. to do that, we need Rooney’s lookalike (Benzema maybe).
Berbatov has to go and someone more eager to die on the pitch for us has to come. fresh blood.
we need someone to fight for us and for United.
we need ambition!
i’m not saying i like him for hpw he got on last year, but in my opinion,if we’d kept tevez and sold berbatov – we’d still be in europe and the title race….
TEVEZ IS A TWAT
BERBATOV FUCK THE WORLD!!!!!
Kinkyp – Yeah, a real lack of pace in this United team. Every time Rio or Vida had the ball, they didn’t have the option to play it over the top.
Whether you’re pro or anti Berbatov (me being somewhere in the middle, swaying towards the anti) you have to support the players on the pitch. If someone wants to criticise a player after the game, be my guest. This is why I would refuse to boo my team off the pitch at half or full time.
The Bayern game for example, we had been knocked out of Europe despite the fact we were 3-0 up on the night but I still sang “We’ll never die” with many others and clapped my team off the pitch, as I did today.
Berbatov, the same as any United player, should not be subjected to abuse during the game.
Would I like him replaced during the summer? Probably.
If he stays will I still support him? Most definitely.
@NewtonHeath
I see what you’re getting at but it depends what Tevez you’re talking about:
Tevez this season as a Citeh player – yea we may well be
Tevez last season as a United player – no chance
@Dave Mack
Totally disagree about your Tevez comments…stats don’t do justice as to some of the goals Tevez socred last year…you forget Brimingham away at teh end of the season that virtually clinched the title? lyon away in the CL to tie the game? I would caution against falling in love with stats…an important goal in a 1-0 or 1-1 game is far more important than a brace by Berba in a 4/5-0 thrashing..it seems berba just can’t function under stress or pressure conditions while Tevez could…and tevez much more suited to playing with Rooney and our pace out wide…
@jujugs
perhaps you ar right. He just doesn’t FiT in the current system! Its plain as day…he plays at one tempo and the rest of the team at another…the question if we did get such a player to complement him what would that mean to the overall team system? Would that make our wide play less effective? I guess time will tell..don’t know if Berba will be there to see it…
i genuinly think berb was quality for us in the first half today, maybe bar nani he was our best player. he needs a player to play on the shoulder of the last man to bring out his best. rooney loves the ball at his feet too.
defoe is the kind of player to compliment berb…. owen is our version of him, and hence whenever they play together, they connect.
berb- i want your babies
@Dave Mack
You’re deluded if you think Berba has done “a ton” more for us than Tevez. How can you say that? Even if you solely use the stats to claim that, it doesn’t hold water. And anyone who saw United play in 07/08 can see what Tevez brought to the team. It ended horribly for his United career and he is a horrible little man but don’t try to revise history.
Colbert – if you can respond since loads are typing on here I agree with you. it looks like everyone has lost faith in berbatov I never had it to begin with the sad fact is his lack of drive to trouble defences is the ultime factor he dily dallys way to much and his lack of end product but he did creat uniteds best chance so I will give berbatov credit
to be honest im not that bothered about his goal stats. the problem is that without rooney we dont have a striker who can lead the line. tevez could do that and wouldve done it against chelsea and bayern in wazza’s absence – which i think in turn would have changed the results….
It’s been obvious for all to see this season that our play has become laboured and players prefer the easy five yard pass, rather than expressing themselves and having the guts to try something different. Is that Fergie’s fault? We have a big squad, but it’s not a squad to excite. There is too much medicority and I am worried about the direction we are heading with the signings made in the past 18 months or so. Berbatov hasn’t done it for us that’s true. But I can’t help thinking he’s suffered for the side’s lack of imagination, pace and guile in the middle of the park. At times Berbatov and Rooney together have the looked the business but it’s been all too fleeting. We all have our favourites but some of Utd’s home support is a joke when it comes to player-bashing. We have been spoilt but let’s have some perspective. After six or seven games this season something about us didn’t feel right. Berbatov hasn’t fitted in the way we’d have wished. But booing our own puts on the same level as that boreish lot from North London and the large minority of morons that support Ingurland and that is what is most sad.
CUNTS for booing, should never refer to themselvs as manchester united fans ever again!
Scott, you are a genious. noone could have put this better, and i just realy hope people will realise that it’s not berbatovs fault every fucking time we drop points.
Don says it all –
Tevez could (and probably still can) stand the pressure of score.
Berbatov can’t. He fails when we need him most.
@ MG, spot on. I sent the line to SEF just now. I hope we can see it on a flag at OT.
Fantastic post, Scott! Berbatov is class, no doubt about that.
Berbatov plays more like a attacking-midfielder and that was very clear today. He is still able to score 12 goals, 5 goals less than Torres, and has some assists as well. I don’t think Rooney would have so many goals if it wasn’t for Dimitar!
Love United, LOVE BERBATOV!
Damn it’s hard to stay away from this place. Especially in crappy days like this. Haven’t read all of the recent comments, but just wanted to thank everyone who said a kind word.
It’s an approriate topic for me to post in. It’s the same problem I had 4 days ago when Carrick was on the receiving end of horrible comments. Not critisism, mind you. We are all entitled to that. Not a great fan of Carrick’s, but today (in hindsight of course) we could have done with his passing. Not to mention Fletch driving the team forward.
The reason why verbally abusing players ticks me off, is because it’s a trend we notice in less civilized football cultures. The Greek championsip, Serie A, Madrid fans, Shityzens etc etc. Why don’t we look at the bigger picture? What has led to our downfall this season has not been some plyers underperforming. It’s a combibation of referees noiceably favoring Chelsea(Terry you are a bastard by the way), injury nightmares and management mistakes. Those who say that Fergie should leave are the very least ungrateful. But, I feel that the Great Man has let himself down in recent weeks with some of his selections.
Finally, Berbatov. Not his best game by a long shot. Some people were expecting him to make or break our season when Rooney got injured, but football is not black and white. No one could replace Rooney this season. And it’s weird how football works, but we went to the Reebok with Berba as the main man and won comfortably, albeit with a big break. So what was the difference today? Quite simple, nothing is(or has been) going our way in recent weeks. Not that Berba would have scored a hat trick 3 weeks ago, but today I couldn’t help but feel that all of them were feeling sorry for themselves. Berba in particular. Nani could be the only exception to that rule.
So is the chase for title 19 over? Probably yes. It’s sad that this season of amazing adversity couldn’t get capped off by winning the title. But some players have showed promise this season and if we approach 2010-2011 with a better outlook on our squad(and it’s undeniable gaps) we will be back. Sorry for the long post.
P.S. Sorry to hear about the mass exodus, but I hope that people like GHTT, King Eric and AIG return. I hope they just needed time to cool off like I did.
Berba was the second gun – man on the grassy Knoll.
Welcome back Costas.
Costas back in the house!
Costas
No need to apologize for the length of your post. Only stupid people complain about lack of brevity:)
Even redscot has disappeared. Why did everyone boycott ROM? Because certain fans went overboard after the Bayern game? Well these idiots calling for Fergie to retire, demanding we buy VillaSilvaBenzema and bashing our players always appear after defeats, so it was pretty normal to see them out in full force. There’s no need to leave because of that guys!
Welcome back Costas. I hope the others return too.
Thanks guys. And the fact that you responded so quickly means that you didn’t read my post at all!
Just kidding. redscot is gone too? Jesus Christ, I hope not.
Colbert & Don.
You can’t have it both ways. Apparently you don’t like the stats when they confirm that Berba has made a much more significant contribution than Tevez. So what are you trying to argue ….. that he brings more quality??!! I don’t think anyone’s going to buy that one!! Can you remember Berba against Spurs at OT
last year and against West Ham? He showed more quality in those two games alone than Tevez showed in his in entire loan period (he never actually signed for us) at United.
I agree there’s a question and debate about how well our system can accomadate him but you and others seem to need to see our players “look like they’re trying” and value EFFORT as much as CLASS..
Lets face the facts here! Berbatov will not be leaving united for a long time to come and i doubt sir alex will never sell him! so lets just get on with it and get behind the lad!
@Fze123
Then mate I hope someone puts it up at the Stretford End and every away match representing ALL OF US that love our club
Fuck me lose a few games and suddenly people lose perspective of just about everything
Absolutely not on – really not on – all of us will have to raise our game higher too – we owe it to our team because they need us – like I said only fate can intervene – hope he’s around at the Reebok then for starters.
And even if he doesn’t show up – I am proud to be a supporter of Manchester United – this is my club and everyone else that doesn’t see that – so called United fans included can fuck off
This is our club – our team – and if anyone wants to fuck with it they’ll have to go through us first – I swear people are so fucking deluded into buying into this media bullshit – I don’t fucking care who hates us – I don’t love them either
They can all go fuck off when they write shit about our club
i am a utd fan and i have never seen a slow palyer like him he kill the enjoyment of the game i’m not an britsh i am from SA and man-utd has been my work & love also soul = quarter of my life so i will always expect the best of my team and witth berba the best is not like what i expect so i hope we sing some good skilly players
Nice to have you back Costas.
Unfortunately having been drunk on success for the last 3 seasons it brings about its own problems with an influx of new ’support’ and insurmountable expectations.
If, as is expected, Chelski will win the title this season some of the plastics will defer to them and we’ll be left with the hardcore support we are used to.
@urval87
I know mate I was agreeing with you. I’m with you all the way.
I was just saying I can’t see why other people call Berbatov class.
I just don’t get it.
By the way, I meant to say that this is one of Scott’s best pieces since I’ve been at ROM and one of the reasons why I felt eager to return.
Well said Scott.
Costas glad you are back – hope everyone else gets back too
Scott – as much of a Tevez fan as I was (past tense), I never said we should love Tevez more than Berb.
You write many blogs, and don’t hide your love for Berba. More time than not, backing your case up with stats. I’m surprised how a man who knows and loves the club so much can defend such a poor player, so much.
Again – I’m not for the booing of one of our players – thats disgusting ! ! ! and if I was there I probably would have said something about it to someone – just as I did at Fulham away.
We need to get rid of Berba and get Benzema, even though he did snub us for Real Madrid.
If not Benzema, I’d be happy for us to give Kiko, Diouf and Hernandez a good shout at establishing their selves as first team players.
Look forward to your response.
LUHG
I’m really not that disappointed with the draw at Blackburn. It’s a tough place to go without our main man and off the back of a European game, it was always going to be tricky match.
I agree with the general condemnation of fans booing Berbatov whilst at the match. I do hope we get rid of him, however, as he is simply not the man for us.
I must take issue, however, with this notion that all Tevez did was “run around a lot”. Whilst I dislike the Argie mercernary for the crap he spouted about the manager and the way he tried to create a rift between Fergie and the fans, he was an important player for us.
He could lead the line for us and has it already been forgotten that he scored important goals against the likes of Lyon, Stoke and Blackburn? Tevez was an impact player. Even if he wasn’t scoring, at least he injected a bit of life and urgency in the side when we needed it, encouraging the other lads to up their game too. He was never worth £30 million but his contribution shouldn’t be dismissed. Statistics can tell you a number of things but there are some things they don’t tell you.
@ Dave Mack
When I said he looks like he doesnt give a fuck I mean when he drops to deep to pick up posession (which he actually does well) he takes an age to lay it off and then just strolls forward instead of bursting a gut to get on the end of any crosses that might come in. He’s been our lone striker at times this season so how the fuck does he think he can still stroll about and not work the opposition defenders. Its painful to watch
@bchilds
Thanks mate. The bad news: Chelsea might win the title. The good news: Where do they go from here? We have undergone more changes since we won the league title in 2007 than they did since their last league title in 2006.
It would be nice to see relegated Portsmouth beat them in the final, but who am i kidding? Malouda will break Rocha’s face again, Terry will try to break Piqionne’s leg, none of them will get sent off and they will win it.
When you are paid the amount of money football players like Berbatov are paid, I think its expected that the paying fans get frustrated when Berbatov’s portfolio of shockingly slow and inept peformances yeild literally nothing for our club! IMO the fans pay then they can do and say what they believe. I mean despite his performance Berbatov tommorow morning will wake up happy mainly because of his Bank Account that we have kept happy for the last two seasons. Nani, got stick Nani improved, Flecther got Stick Fletcher improved, Vidic and Evra started off shcokingly in thier carrers with us now, if thier names are not in the team we aint as strong at the back. So what makes Berbatov greater beyond criticism? (I sure as hell know it aint his performances for us)
Althought, I do not think he is totally to blame for the draw today, mainly because Antonio should have scored. However because, he is not a £30 Million pounds, No.9 shirt wearing striker (plus he has had both a better debut season than expected at Man Utd and a better season than Berbatov) is why he wont get it as much stick as Dimitar Berbatov today.
As for Berbatov, The man is the biggest Striking con-artist I have ever seen. I have absolutely NO FAITH in his abilities. Undoubtably Berbatov is talented, I mean a player that cost £30 MILLION POUNDS IS EXPECTED TO BE! However, what his main talent is……….is doing FUCK ALL for Man Utd! I say that this is his main talent becuase he manages to display this talent every game. Berbatov represents a severe striking malfunction at the club, where if Rooney aint there, forget about carrying an striking attacking threat! he is a total waste of money, money that at the time we bought him could of gone to, dare i say it, contribute to the purchase of £25M Tevez! Who, as Scott says, yes, would have complained alot and question the manager, but whilst doing so, won the League twice, and won the Champions Legaue, aswell as getting to another Champions League final.
Granted, Tevez is a turncoat. However he plays with alot more desire and grit than Berbatov, with his mouth firmly closed! I’d rather we had paid the cash for Tevez and be assured that we have a striker that can actually RUN FORWARD! than of paid £30 MILLION POUNDS for: Dimitar “NO RUNNING, NO COMPLAINING BECAUSE HE POSSESES NO DESIRE, ABSOULUTELY MINIMAL EFFORT, UNRELIABLE, BIG GAME BENCH-WARMING” Berbatov.
Funnily enough as I say this, the fact that Tevez was doing the bulk of what I described Berba’s current role is at the club speaks volumes considering how much Berba cost us! What annoys me mostly about Berbatov’s nonsense performances for Man Utd, is the fact that recently the custodial term for the lack of transfers last summer was that the transfer market had apparantly “No Value” who the hell saw the value in the £30 Million Pound purchase of Dimitar Berbatov!
To be honest, I do not even want to see him on the field for us at least for the remainder of this non title season. I’d rather see the blooding of our less expensive young strikers than pay to see that £30 Million pound striker! I saw the way some of the players were looking at him during the game, I can tell they have had enough of him!!! Macheda and Ferdinand looked like they was gonna slap Berba at one point! Even the players can see it! Last season stats don’t mean anything, when you watch Berbatov TODAY, its what we see every game this season that presents this frustration concerning Berbatov.
4eva United
@ Scott the RED- aaaah, I see your point mate. Spot On.
Must admit tho, I also agree with part of the counter view as well. Tevez scored 19 overall in his first season with us aged 23. He then scored 15 goals for us last season aged 24 despite RARELY playing. This year he’s been top drawer with 22 goals. But even before this season started I expected him to have an amazing season with City. To me that was obvious – He left us aged 25 and I didnt think for a second that he wouid suddenly stop being a big game player just because he wasnt a Red anymore. Tevez was scoring important goals before we signed him, THATS why we signed him.
So like I said I see your point about stupid fucking supports, alot of people didnt get behind the CLUB when we let Tevez go, I didnt like that at all. But at the same time I must admit I didnt want to see him leave either because I believed then like I do now that he was a far better player and better investment than Berbatov. Seeing his statistics this year only proved to me I was right. We’ve been in a real Battle this season, and unfortunately Berbatov doesnt suit our back against the wall “Kill or be Killed” style of play, even more unfortunate is the fact he cant adapt his game to give us what we need.
A STRIKER.
So spending 30 mil was a mistake we must ALL admit to, because we knew what type of player he was when we signed the cheque but we didnt stop to ask whether he would be effective if he had to play alone without Rooney – even Nani can hold the front better than Berbatov in a 4-5-1. Its Berbatovs fault, its Our Mistake. Simple as that.
As for Tevez? I think our season would have faired much better if we had him in our squad. I dont even have to prove he wouldve performed well playing alone against Chelsea or Blackburn, his goal record and big game performance history speaks volumes. Berbatov has had his support from me, unreservedly and unwaveringly, yet I cant be a blind fool forever. WIth Ronaldo and Rooney and Tevez YES Berbatov is a great player for us, we can bring him on to unlock stubborn defences, but when we DONT have Ronny or Rooney or Tevez, and when we DO have our backs against the wall with half our midfield and defence injured, would anybody SERIOUSLY chose Berbatov over Tevez ?
Finally, United Supporters shouldnt flatter themselves and think Tevez performance against us in the League Cup this year was “soley for us” – no, he played like that because he’s a great Striker, and thats what great Strikers do. His back heel past Rio was brilliance – a scrappy, phsyical but Brillant goal. I was SICK when I saw it fly in. But Berbatov ? He doesnt have the temperament to THROW himself BACKWARDS and LASH OUT BLINDLY at a 20/80 ball with his backheel. Tevez does, and thats why alot of Supporters didnt want to see him leave, me included.
But alas….
Bring on the Mexican and Roll on South Africa !!!! Lets see what he can offer us in August.
I never expected anything this Season so im genuinely grateful for our successful League Cup win, esp knowing how much City wanted to win it. We should also be grateful with our Club knocking out AC Milan so convincingly before being knocked out of Europe with Style against the Germans. Chin up lads!! Look forward to next Season. I dont give a fuck which RentBoy kisses our Cup, because chances are the Bastard is too old to play next season anyway!!
I wish we could go back to just before the final whistle at the Reebok and play these recent games all over again!
We’ll never die, MUFC
@DaveMack
I don’t think we’re too far part in our views so I’ll just let it lie. Saves us much work:)
Thanks MG. Some great posts by you today.
People are going to keep writing about mr berbatov. Doubt he`ll be here next year, hope not. On yer bike son.
Undoubtably Berbatov is talented, I mean a player that cost £30 MILLION POUNDS IS EXPECTED TO BE! However, what his main talent is……….is doing FUCK ALL for Man Utd! I say that this is his main talent becuase he manages to display this talent every game.
HAHAHAHAHA, you gotta laugh otherwise you’ll be Bitter.
If we needed proof that Berba is not Man Utd Material , today we got it. Most of us know that Berbatov has class but is a very lazy player, who does not fight for the ball .
But Berba issue aside, Sir Alex lost the plot today in his team selection. Yesterday we read that he wanted five star performances from now on, so I thought that he will select the best players available as if these were five finals. So :
1. Why Park did not start when he was rested last wednesday ?
2. Why did he opt to play Giggs and Scholes in midfield when we all know that these are not the players we know well anymore ?
3. Why Fletcher was left out ?
4. Evra was either rested the whole match or start . Well O`Shea was doing fine until he was substituted. After all he`s been missing for 6 months from competitive football.
In short we are an ordinary team without Rooney and we have only eleven players who are capable of beating anyone, The rest are below par. For the Last two seasons ,Were won two league titles, World Champion title, champions league title and finalist. All this because we had four strikers available with three of them world class, Ronaldo, Rooney and Tevez while this one we remained with Rooney only., who is injured because all the pressure was on him. The remaining strikers this season were either below par or liable to injuries but never near Tevez or Ronaldo.
man y r u only comparing their stats in the league…tevez scored more than berba did last season in all competition and he was a sub remember and if u r addin the mins, tevez played in the last 15 mins where it wont be enough for him to score than starting the game..and seriously if u wanna compare the two of them this year then u dont understand a thing about football cz tevez is 4 goals apart from rooney in the league and berba has scored 11 overall even the useless zamora and piqiounne has scored more…..jst face the fact berbatov is shitttttttt
jesmonta – I stopped reading after you said SAF has lost the plot, sorry.
@ MG, agree mate. Their hate – ruling out Utd to win the league for the past 3 seasons, writing shit about us- is what drives the players on. They can tip Chelsea or Arsenal to win it every season for all I care, if it means that we’ll either win the league or come so close to winning it. If Chelsea win it, they will say Utd are finished, Fergie has lost it, their reign is over etc.
They will completely ignore the fact that we have played much better football than last season, when we had The Then Best Player In The World. They will completely ignore the fact that we have scored more goals. They will completely ignore the fact that we have missed our whole defence for a long period of time through injuries. They will completely ignore the fact that our best player of the season has got injured at the most important stage of the season. They will completely ignore the fact that the FA have screwed throughout the season.
Fuck the cunts. They didn’t have the decency to give credit to us when it was due. Just like how they celebrated our CL final loss they will celebrate Chelsea being crowned champions (if the bastards do win it).
Berbatov would make a fantastic centre midfielder. However, he’s a shit striker. I don’t boo him from the stands but I think he’s crap and has had his chance. If the pressure is too much, then tough shit, he’s not a United player.
@Costas
No – thank you for coming back
It’s just been absolute mental around here – it’s been really depressing with the results – but more so with real fans walking away because of the actions of so called United fans right here on this blog and on places such as talk-sport – which is absolute bollocks and which is why I just do not bother – which has caused great sadness.
I guess it’s up to all of us to carry this team – we have to at least give it a shot – not give up just for the sake of giving up
We do have one chance – long shot it maybe – but a chance it is until it’s over – and then it will be for this season – because whatever happens – we’ll go again next.
willierednut – I did not say that SAF lost it completly, but today , I respect the manager a lot but why no one can critisize this man. So you think that he cose the right men for today`s match ???
truth is we have been spoiled for so long that now times are more difficult it is easier to turn inwards and look for scapegoats than to analyse the real reasons:
1. we shifted from 4-4-2 which failed the euro test time and time again, to 4-3-3; we have to just get over that – this is modern football.
2. 4-4-3 when 2 of the front three are wingers not strikers will fall to pieces when your one striker is out (it used to be van nistelrooy, now rooney). I agree with ronneythenewking above on this.
3. berbatov, owen struggle as sole strikers; when berbatov comes deep he needs another striker to take the space, or for one of the other three to move in, but as wingers neither nani or valencia do that very well, and when Park moves forward he lacks the menace of a true striker
4. our midfield are not contributing any longer to goal scoring; in part they lost the habit when their job became back up to ronaldo; in part because scholes and giggs are coming to the end of their united careers
5. strategic weaknesses can be covered by exceptional players, and especially by exceptional players having exceptional seasons (ronaldo, rooney), but this can’t happen all the time
Our strategic weaknesses are:
finding replacements for giggs, scholes, VTS, ferdinand and neville (i hope not vidic)
BUT we are financially fucked by the glazer asset-strippers
so we HAVE to buy younger players, who HAVE to develop fast because once we lose momentum the financial consequences could rapidly spiral downwards, very fast.
and all those who booed berbatov have contributed to that – thanks guys!
His failure today was a symptom of the deeper malaise of our club; and to deal with that we have to do so together
finally:
tevez didn’t want to stay – he and his pimps wanted the blue money, so all that comparison stuff is simply irrelevant
Great retort to jesmonta williererdnut!!!
I’m done with the Berba debate (again!) Those who don’t like him will never change their view. Many seem caught up in what we paid for him and expect 25 goals a season whatever system we play. (plus of course -lots of running around!!)
I think the vast majority of us are dead against booing him (or any United player) no matter whether we think he’s good for or squad or not.
Sad day – bad couple of weeks – Good night all!
Just Back from the Match, A thousand mile round trip courtesy of Easy Jet.
Ohhhh Come all you faithfull/faithless.
And no, like everybody else I am shattered, kicked in the gut, but not broken.
Before I explain my take on this Sunday and the eight days we have witnessed/endured.I will not accept on any occasion under any circumstance that Sir Alex Ferguson be dismissed or called an idiot.That is totally taboo and will not consider this blaspheme in my opinion and totally of the agenda.
We are so close to having a EPL winning team and the capability and resources to get to a CL final.The various things officials decisions, injuries, financial discontent have contrived to make a miserable cocktail of obstacles in our UNITED path.My greatest worry at present other getting another bottle of Whisky to drown my sorrows lol, is our attacking prowess in midfield.
I have banged on the drum on several columns we have a great midfield to break up play and destroy attacks, we simply do not have that elusive player play to to pick that intricate pass through a crowded penalty box, we are going to face this more often.
As we witnessed in the Chelsea/Bayern/Blackburn games.Its more tolerable but not less palatable against Chelsea/Bayern. Against Blackburn not acceptable.In fairness at home none of the top 4 have won or will win there this season, and I believe Allardyce has only lost twice at Ewood since taking over the reins.
The type of midfielder I am suggesting is a Mikel Arteta type midfielder, but probably not one as old as 28.Cesc Fabregas would fit us perfectly, before anybody kicks that into touch he will NOT be returning to Barcelona to warm a comfortable seat on the sidelines.This is what we require that visionary type player that can see the big picture and can find the telling pass in a crowded box.
Dimiatar showed that once on Sunday and slid the ball beautifully with correct weight and guile to Valencia
sadly we no what happened next.Looking at the team overall, I think we have great players some fine tuning and one or two additions to make this a fantastic side.
I personally will never ever DIS our icons while performing for UNITED,there is a two edged sword here for them to perform for the team and develop our youngsters at the club and maintain the ethos of the UNITED way.
Without being a smug git areshole, look at Liverpool and acknowlege when you despatch your togetherness to the past, and ignore your history of being UNITED.
There is no and I mean zero need for major surgery in the team the club.The lads have delivered for us a diet of fabulous achievements entertainment and silverware repeatedly stick bye them.
The match on Sunday was slow almost pedestrian we bossed the game the statistics confirm this other than the key goals for against.The UNITED support was fantastic and we sung our hearts out throughout the match for the lads, fucking brilliant top support.
The refereee flunked a big decision yet again! but he was clearly looking through a ruck of players with the foul on Paul to earn us the Penalty and yes it is sour grapes.
Anotonio clearly as we all are aware had the golden chance and Dimitar had 2 good opportunities to win the match for US.Overall just not sufficent created in the final 3rd.
I never felt they threatened our magnicent defence, only likely chances would be from deadball or from pedersens throw ins.
ANYHOW its still not over, although realistically we will need the help of Harry Houdini or a lot of rubbing of the lamp to raise the Genie.Arsenal are now back in the equation and thats a fear I am still of the belief on the 1st of May Liverpool will knock Chelsea of there mission.
So on the end of this post keep the passion Lads ,all is not done you gotta be UNITED or your divided.
Believe just fuckin Believe On On On
The players on the pitch you can blame, but not the manager. Once the players go over that white line, it’s up to them to perform. Yes, of course he’s made mistakes, but do you not think he’s allowed too now and again?
Im guessing that the uproar on here I missed was due to people saying Alec should go.
NEWSFLASH
the media are ALWAYS suggesting that Alec should go, are they not? I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve read some cunt write him off over the decades, only to see us RISE again stronger then ever. Look recently at what was being said before we won the last 3 Titles?
So if anyboy left the website because of that they should grow a set PRONTO.
And anybody saying Alec has lost the plot should ask CHELSEA OR CITY what having multiple managers feels like. You Dumb Cunt, all it takes is ONE dodgy manager to change the way we play for the next 10 years. When Alec steps down it should be accompanied with a 30 minute Red Devils Fly Over and Pyrotechnic Fireworks as a show opener. We should allow Alec to have the final say on his replacement anything less is TREASON. Alec won’t stay past his due date, the man has CLASS, unlike anybody suggesting we should get rid of our Manager after only one season WE WOULD HAVE WON HAD WE NOT HAD ALL THOSE INJURIES EARLY ON.
fuckin hell, Alec isnt beyond criticism but fuck me, NOBODY can question his place at UTD.
Its been a pleasure to witness him re-build the Club in my lifetime, I just hope he has the opportunity to bless his successor and play a major role in the background running of our Club.
One last comment. Well said perkythered!
It’s a team game and we win together and lose together.
Lets not make Berbatov or any other single a scapgoat.
berbatov has always admitted that he felt the pressure of his price tag. and now people throwing abuse at him. i hope he is strong mentally. i never had a problem with him. i actually always saw him as a creative forward than a finisher. One solution which i would like to try is to put him on the left wing with fabio/evra linking up with him. ok i am no coach but i have always thought that nani will be effective as a support striker so in rooneys absence we could try this maybe:
macheda
berbatov nani valencia
fletcher carrick
evra rafael
i think with this lineup we will have more space in the middle and on the right. so valencia can get his crosses in and berbatov could even score a few ghosting in from the left.
@MG
I agree. It’s sad especially to see guys like King Eric having enough if it. He’s one of those posters that can rally the rest of us. At the end of the day, you can’t fight stupidity. It’s unbeatable. You just have to accept it.
I sure hope we don’t give up and win all of our remaining fixtures. Chelsea might slip up big time and they might not. But if they do, we will be kicking ourselves if we don’t make the most of it. Today’s result wasn’t actually too shocking. Our record after European games this season is pretty bad. It just came at the worst possible time. But bad timing has been the theme of the season as you alluded to earlier.
@Paul Parker
Hear hear !
@Dave Mack
Exactly mate. Opinions on the Berba matter were made long ago.
Generally I would agree with this article entirely But Mr. Berbatov is not a united player. End of story! £30 mill. Absolutely shockin. Hes slow and wasteful.
its not just berba anymore, there are too many moderate players at the club and Fergie needs to get rid and let go and build for next season.
@Fze123
Mate that is so correct – and thats why its absolutely incredible when so called United fans join in the madness – not having a fit enough mental capacity to understand that we have been up against so many odds this year – yet here we are with technically one last chance – all be it a long shot one
@Costas
I totally agree – I just hope that we can learn from this this year – either way
I also hope we can have our true United fans back – this blog has descended into madness – we just lost a few games – the team is okay – the manager is okay – the club is fine – all be it we still have the Glazer’s in charge.
We are blessed and instead of being rightfully thankful of that blessing – it’s gone into utter stupidity.
All those fans that call themselves fans that do not stand behind there team are no fans of Manchester United – and yes I said it – you should be ashamed of yourselves for giving the non believers more ammo to fire at us
As mentioned before – your hate makes us stronger
This shirt is a symbol of defiance – we defy those that do not believe
Totally agree Scott.
Trouble today was we got more than our usual 3,000 allocation more like 7,000. So half of the fans were on the piss drinking while watching and shouting abuse to Berbatov and whoever would touch the ball. They spent more time shouting abuse to some dwarf at the Blackburn section than watching the game and supporting United. It made me feel sorry for them stupid cunts.
United attracts all sorts and today the problem was the fans could not lift the piss poor performance of the team. Just like the Goodison game.
good point actually yet another game after european tie that we dont win.
i dont think its over. COME ON CHELSEA WILL SURELY GET THEIR BAD LUCK AS WELL. I mean look at against birmingham city and aston villa away we would probably have won but for sending offs.
I believe that this season sir alex will still be giving an interview to geoff shreeves and saying number 20 will come in due time.
Wow!! It’s getting pretty hot in here fellas! I really do feel like people are so frustrated with how things have gone this season (if you compare with the last 3) that they just need a scapegoat and it’s not really fair that berbatov has to take all the blame. Since this game was massive for us it’s understandable that people are angry/disappointed but dear God it wasn’t just berbatovs fault.
I for one seem to remember a certain through ball for Valencia at the end of the first half, a chance that was won and created by berbatov himself. Valencia has been brilliant this season and I’m a big fan of his but fu*k me he should have done better on that occasion.
Berbatov doesn’t thrive as an alone striker like rooney, but he is good when playing with rooney. We have seen this many times this season. I just loathe the thought of United fans booing him or any United player for that matter. Enough with all the IFs and BUTs, he is a United player (whether you like it or not) so just support him.
WELL PUT!
Too many moderate players, more like too many glory hunting fans.
LOL @ willrednut – V True. Start of the season if we’re honest with ourselves we thought it was more than likely going to be a transitional period for us. If we had Rio or Vidic fit all season we would have walked this league.
Did Berba ever fight for the ball and run around at tottenham? We knew what where getting when he was bought, we havent played him in a system that spurs did, now it seems to me if you pay 30 mill for someone you might want to try that.
His confidence is destroyed and you could see it today, was this the same player that dominated at Bolton.
As a man you have to feel for him, as highly paid professional I would have expected more and so he should move on.
We all have the right to criticise but why on earth would you choose to do it in a must win game, fantastic.
Chelsea could well do the double and today I think some of fans helped them on thier way.
Look at all of you slating Berba when in reality you should be praying that Giggs (especially), Scholes and Neville reitre at the end of the season. By playing 3 players way into their 30’s from the start you won’t win football matches the sooner they hang up their legendary boots the better because then our youngsters can be blooded into to become future stars like a certain portugeezer.
Giggs is absolutely atrocious nowadays and i cant believe people slate class players like Berbatov but not even question the performances of Giggs.
very poor season coming off at the hinges, some players need to think about their futures (Carrick/ Park), players who aren’t good enough to play for United. With little transfer funds to improve the squad it might get worse next year. Also I dont get the green and gold campaign little chanting in the last couple of televised games where there was the perfect opportunity to publicize it, and people wearing scarfs and still going to games, giving Glazer money and wearing AIG tops.
Losing Rio and Vida was just one of the many injury problems. I will go as far as to say that if Michael Owen was fit right now, things would’t have been as bad.
I never expected us to win the league after we lost Ronny and saf decided against splashing out on a top striker. Then on top of that, all the injuries we’ve had to put up with, it’s only saf genius that had us in with a chance of winning the league.
NotoriousRedDevil says:
LOL @ willrednut – V True. Start of the season if we’re honest with ourselves we thought it was more than likely going to be a transitional period for us. If we had Rio or Vidic fit all season we would have walked this league.
EXACTLY.
This was always a transitional period, and if Chelsea Liverpool and Arsenal were all on fire this season I was even prepared to finish 4th while we sorted out our Squad/Young Players.
we’ve done amazingly to still be second.
Also, everybody saying that UNITED need an overhaul and raves about Barcelona being amazing – they forget that Barcelona’s 7 most influential players today all came through their YOUTH SYSTEM. When Madrid where buying everybody and winning La Liga a couple years ago, Barcelona were quietly plotting with young stars. Personally, Id rather have a Barcelona set up than a Real Madrid one. So lets support our youth and dig up some Diamonds. I dont want to see 5 new 28 year olds appear next season, thats not the United Way….. LETS SUPPORT THE KIDS !!!
Pass me my TACO you Gringo Bastard !!!!
Abs – Thats probaly something to do with Giggsy being a legend mate, that he doesn’t get slated.
As a 70`s baby growing up around dublin was really tough with the scouse scum dominating both red and blue, united we`re an average team for many years winning the odd fa cup i just find it so annoying many fans loosing the head n saying we`re shit now.. fucking hell i even have to give my 18 year old son a dose of reality sometimes about it.. its almost like its turned into greed for us n we have to win it all the time otherwise we`re shit..i watched the game today n listened to our amazing away fans outsing the home crowd wit ease as per the norm in these 20k+ stadiums…what shocked me was the booing of berba i thought it was the home crowd i really cant understand how his head has been put on the chopping block IS IT HIS FAULT HE`S THE ONLY FIT STRIKER, is it his fault the midfield haven`t scored enough,is it his fault we we`re missing our back 4 for a month,in the days when we had gary birtles peter davenport brought in solely to score goals every week in a different era and flopped that was so different its so much more a squad game now n to have a go and boo berba is disgusting its touching on bin dipper mentality
we`ll never die
I’m an Fc fan and find it shocking to see that when the team isnt winning all the prawn sandwich brigade moan. When our lads are going through a bad spell we stick by them and cheer them off the pitch every week. Ill prefer some punk football any day of the week.
243 odd comments. Can’t go through all of ‘em.
My two cents:
Ok, we might have just blown up our title defence, though I still fancy our outside of chance of making it, if Tottenham, the Scousers, and our old friends Wigan can upset the Chelskea blokes.
The target should still be to win all our remaining games, something we can still do. Obviously an inform Citeh team isn’t going to be easy to overcome, but with our best players back, we can still do it. We are still pretty impressive team, and like Willierednut said, with our defence intact from the very start we would have walked this. Chelsea and Arsenal have been SHIT this season, and Liverpool have imploded to say the least. At least us and Arsenal have an excuse of injuries. Chelsea have really gone backwards, and if Sir Alex is not as unlucky next season, we will do them.
Lastly, let Berbs be. He has had an injury plagued season, and he has still been quite grand for parts of this season. I still have faith in him.
Nice article Scott. You are doing a fine job defending Berbatov. The use of stats is also commendable. Wish those stats also had a footnote that he usually doesn’t play the big games, so the comparisons (especially the minutes/goals ratio) are apples and oranges. But then why get into another useless debate. While I certainly do not condone the behavior of the section of fans who chose to vent their frustrations, you have used the issue to completely sidestep the real issue. As I had posted some time back, there are infinite permutations and combinations that must be fulfilled to correctly evaluate a Berbatov performance in a United jersey. So its safe to say that we can never get down to discussing that. As for the drama of him going down injured, even the rest of the team did not put the ball out when they had the chance. So I don’t know what you are talking about him requiring medical attention. Keep up the good work and the blind faith.
And Costas, I changed my mind about Berbatov 2-3 months back. So I am not one of those who had a pre-conceived notion that you keep on claiming people who oppose him do. It seems you are steadfastly clinging on to a forlorn hope.
@arijc
Not clinging to any hope. My life doesn’t depend on whether Berbatov succeeds at United or not. But, and as is the case with every United player(from Kleberson to Giggs) I will defend and support him until the day he stops wearing our shirt. Pity not every United fan can do that.
If you changed your opinion and proved my theory wrong, good for you. Correction: MOST opinions on the Berba matter were made long ago.
This is me for the last time I think on this blog, I am a 18 passionate love my club and have a nutty sense of humour, i travel and burst a gut to get to THE matches and the harmony of financial aspects with my GF and there fore no sex because of the cost. Burds they will never understand , United, Beers, Dog , Sex.
End off, I cant bare to witness the cutting up of the club because of a shit 8 days.
I am not bye far means the most intellegent poster on here or most knowledgable, what i cant read is the destructive words that are written. and YOU may well say pass it bye, I just dont do negativity.
Bye lads lassies.
Just believe, we are not dead, BELIEVE On On On
willierednut, exactly and its not on. Giggs is one of my all time favourites and scored the greatest goal ever in the greatest game ever. But that still does not mean he shouldn’t be criticised and the sooner people get out of nostalgia mode and stop drooling over these past it legends the better for our club because the old guard simply cannot hack it anymore.
P.S. I’m a stretford ender and have been for some time.
you put up a good case for berby there .but theres no getting away from the fact hes the laziest player ever to wear a man u shirt…and as much as i dislike saying this teves his work rate would out strip berbatovs anyday of the week .
@redscot
Come on mate. Not now that I am back! It’s ok. Unfortunately, negativity goes with the territory. I’ve gone back and forth about ignoring it, but in the end, it’s not worth worrying about.
Great article Scott, and I totally agree. I only wished I could be on the stadium to cheer the team on. And imo, even if he couldn’t score shit, that’d be his level, not a thoughtful decision to play halfassedly because he wants, for example, to get a new contract. The truth is he loves the club, and has showed he’s a great guy. If he had been flirting with Shitty or any other team full of mercenaries I’d get it, but this is a guy who didn’t even flinch when he had to choose his colours. That alone means he deserves to be cheered on. Plus, wtf do thos guys are hoping to achieve? Do they think that the players will think to themselves ‘mmm, the fans are angry at me although I’m doing all I can do right now, let’s hit this magic button that makes us score 3 goals in a row’? Venting their frustration on the players will only bring more frustration. If the fans don’t have their backs, who will?
The post is quite incoherent, but I’m angry and tired. I don’t feel like rereading it… A final word people. Although we’ll probably end the season without anything other than the carling, no other team would’ve gotten so far if they had gone through all we did this season (and let’s forget the refs for now). Sooo… BELIEVE people! There are 3 games to go, and our players need to cheer for them stronger than ever. Not because there’s a chance to win the league, but because they need to know that we know they worked their asses off for the team, and, even though the results may suggest otherwise, they deserve that much.
Moral of the story is if you boo a player you are not a true united suppporter and i don’t want to be sitting next to you either at home or away.
@Costas
You’re back!!!!!
Nice to see you here, the club has had a disappointing week or so but its all good really we’ll keep fighting.The berbatov issue has become too difficult to talk about so i,m not even gonna try. Like someone said we should support the badge on the front not booing the name at the back. Good to have you back mate
What i cant understand is why does fans aways cheer when Berbatov scores and when he doesn’t they call him names and yell at him. All those are complete idiots, mrusni idioti. HE is only a human everyone makes mistakes why dont the fans go and do better then him. well they cant because they are not pros. SO STOP CALLING NAMES AND FELL ASHAMED FANS. I cant belive the fans had to boo poor Berbo. Isted of supporting him they booed him and nothig good came out so there you go fans. I just wish that at least somone apologizes. . THATS THE TRUTH AND IF SOMEONE GOES AND PLAYS IN A DIFFERENT COUNTRY THEY WILL FEEL UNCOMFARTABLE> THERE IS MORE PLAYERS FROM ENGLAND AND I BELIVE THAT SINCE HE IS ALONE AND NOT FROM ENGLAND ITS NOT FAIR TO JUDGE HIM. IF ROONEY GOES TO A BULGARIAN TEAM HE WOULD NOT FEEL GOOD EATHER. BERBO HAS BEEN IN UNITED 2 YEARS ROONEY MORE THAN THAT. SO STOP FANS AND FELL ASHAMED
Well, I think the reason to why people like(d) Tevez more is because he seems like the winner type of player, a player that never gives up and scores important goals (he had a few of those).
I have yet to feel any “love” for Berbatov, but I would never boo him. If I feel that he has played a bad match, I think, “ok, I’ll give him another chance to prove himself”. But my patience is almost gone now. I just feel that Berbatov doesn’t fit in with our style, although he does alot of good stuff, I just feel that he slows us down. He tries hard, but im not convinced. I wouldn’t be care if we sold him this summer, but I don’t think it will happen.
And even if you like Berbatov really really much, you have to admit that he hasn’t proved us that he was worth 30 mill.
That was really nice to read, thanks man!
Does anyone actually read all these comments?
Scott your a hypocrite. Can you tell me the difference between the vent you had here at Rafeal during the week and the fans venting at Berbatov today?
Anyway, It must have been very demoralising for Berbatov having Rooney picked ahead of him for Bayern, and lots of players would have probably walked out of the staduim, but he has put up and shut up and got on with it and got back into the team today. I like that and thats the quality needed for Utd.
However, hes had two seasons now and its not that he’s still learning his trade. Your really good with the stats and stuff but at the end of the day he just aint delievering enough up front and his contribution overall for 31 mill is average.
Ferguson in the 90’s would have shot him like a bad horse by now, but he doesn’t break men like that anymore, so ill be very suprised if he does get the bullet in the summer transfer window
The talent is their for all to see but his head is not right. I’m willing to give him another season, he has had problems with injuries remember, but after that its off to Newcastle…
I can understand the frustration fans feel at the title slipping away, but for the life of me i dont get why this campaign to get Berba out is emanating from the fans. Lets look at a few issues that i feel are the reason for the the disappointing 10-14 days.
1 Lets start with the game today at blackburn: Berbatov was put into a 4-4-2 formation with macheda upfront, the two wingers on either side of the attack were Nani and valencia. Berba acted as the link between the midfield and attack that comprise of the players mentioned above and the fact is he did the job very well, with the kind of close control and neat touches and passing that is required of our midfielders. He started the move that put valencia in for the first chance,he put him through again with a disguised pass and on both occasions failed to find the back of the net. There arent too many strikers with his ability on the ball in the EPL, okay maybe torres but the difference is he isnt asked to link midfield and attack.
2 Against bayern 10 men down it was always going to be an almost impossible task and when we lost Rafa, the look on the face of every player was trepidation putting the blame squarely on him is a bit OTT.
What am i trying to say with this long rant, i’ll try to explain. SAF must have realized that sooner or later we are going to have to adopt a more deliberate passing game, playing on the counter and running at full speed when we need to NOT as a permanent game plan, its a shame some fans here don’t understand that. Lets look at memorable losses to our European counterparts over the past year or so. Barcelona didn’t beat us with pace, neither did Bayern , in fact neither did Chelsea.
We’re all clamoring for good sleek football, if we cant give players with the technical ability of berbatov then we are obviously wasting our time, as fr as i’m concerned the only work that needs to be done is the midfield. Who know what the SAF want done there, new signings, new game plan i dont know. One thing i do know is that he realized that midfield wasn’t up to scratch hence the decision to play rooney in the lone striker role. Fans may have a short memory but we started the season with two on top, Rooney and Berbatov. Of course when that didn’t work he made the decision to drop berba and play rooney.
The fact is our midfield and midfielders need to improve drastically to enjoy the kind of football SAF wants to play, getting a new striker won’t solve the problem. correcting the deficiency of our midfield will
Costas – WB mate glad you came back I always found it dumb for PPL to leave because some idiots say some dumb things I find it can be melodramatic from some. I still don’t understand why king Eric and co left the posters on here are no different from redcafe.net redrants.com etc you will get negative posts some justified some well OTT. I have been laughing my ass off at south park taking the piss out of facebook. Even though I have it does anyone else agree like Stan marsh sums it up facebook sucks
Paul Parker – hey if you do have the time to respond if you checked my post I said about the CF position which is a nightmare. I will sum up our other strikers beyond Wayne Rooney they are tactical nightmares that berbatov Owen macheda diouf etc are 442 strikers. and thats why united are fucked when the main striker is out we don’t have anyone else to lead the line in a 433 system.
An the league aint over yet bitches. Its out of our hands but 5 games is still a lot to play for chelsea. Their dressing room aint right and I don’t recall a team with less the 100% tream spirit winning anything…Terry looks like he is going to have a melt down.
Arsenal dont have the balls required.
@rooney the new king says
HAHAHA thought that was the best south park episode ever, My girlfriends is a Facebook addict and she got pissed cos i made her watch it. There’s actually a petition for me to join Facebook and its been going on for months now, personally i think its a joke
i lost faith in Berba but as long as he wears our shirt i’ll defend him nd never hurt his confidence
Since Berbatov is so good at holding up the ball and bringing others into play, might be a good idea to play him in an advanced midfield role for a few games. I mean a midfield trio of Hargreaves, Berbatov and Fletcher or even Carrick, Berbatov and Fletcher may not be such a bad idea. He would get a run of games, he would influence things a lot more and it might do his confidence some good. I just think he’s too good a player to let go because he seems to slow us down. Barca could make the same argument for Ibrahimovic.
They’ve been somewhat slower this term than last, and they paid £60 million for him and traded away a proven scorer in Eto’o. Like us, they don’t start with him in crucial games, Arsenal was the exception. Eventhough he scored both goals for them in that game, it did take much longer to break Arsenal down than the second time around when he wasn’t there. Of course we can say they’re winning nonetheless, but so were we in Berbatov’s first season. If we can’t get a creative midfielder to go with our enforcer (Fletcher), I’d say Berbatov could do a job there.
Thank you this has been the most readable article on here for a long time!
After a bit of thought I think this season has gone quite well considering that many of us thought it was going to be a transition season – with a bit of luck things could have been very different at home and in europe…
rather than go crazy lets wait and see what the summer brings – whatever the case, we have been in far worse situations in recent history
Now. I forone would never condone booing a member of our team but when the man in question projects his frustration at every oportunity to a team mate you can’t help but scream at the guy. He has far from proved his worth at united When werein need of some creativity to step into the next gear, he just doesn’t do it for me personally. It’s likeputting a holding midfielder or a defender on the field when we need to push on.
Remember how we all had a laugh at gallas a couple of years back and people questioned his mentality and his psychological effect on the team? Well while gallas has recovered ithink berbas recovery will be in another team. A mediocre team where he doesn’t feel the weight of the world is on his shoulders
he doesn’t enjoy playing for us and for the most part I don’t enjoy watching him.
To sum it up. He’s a skillful player but he’s not in uniteds class
redscot Don’t leave! Your nutty sense of humour makes me laugh, and you make many a valid point. Fuck eloquance this is ROM not BBC 606!!!
Slim – so you are the stan marsh of this world believe me do not join facebook sucks donkey balls it sucks so much I put in retarded status updates because thats how low I see of facebook. well they have been on a drougt trey and matt alot of mediocre episodes for the past 2 seasons, their last episode they were back on fire, but I do prefure the hillybilly hick style of south park back in the late 90s when they were backward hicks, because south park these days I am sick of doing to much celebrity episodes I loved the days of the cpw days cartmans a dirty slut and chamber of farts does not beat those days.
Well Scott, unfortunately this is a life lesson for you. Deep down most people are dickheads.
The majority are like sheep, one makes a noise and another follows.
By your stand in defence of a United player you have proven you are not one of the flock. Ignore them, let them bleat!
rooney the new king – man u wont see me there, unless someone is giving out free United Tickets or something
. Yeah the celebrity thing kinda sucks but i’m all for watching stuff that goes against the perceived “norm”
I think the problem with Berbatov is summed up in his reply to the question ‘What’s the best thing about being a Man Utd player?’
He thinks he’s ‘made it’ because he earned a move to the biggest club in the world. Well, I’m afraid you have to perform when you are there or else you will be out again pretty quickly. He is far too inconsistent for a supposed top-class player.
I think the most notable thing is that we never start him in the big games when Rooney is fit. You don’t spend £30m on a player then put him on the bench in the European Cup final, as we did last year.
Unbelievable that Terry did not get a red….love the o’neill quotes about how can he do that to an england team mate? Hello, Martin, did you net get the memo about Bridge?
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2010/apr/11/martin-oneill-john-terry-howard-webb
Today was a very uninspired performance, but I’d like to say a few things and I suppose I will number them.
1. Man U fans are greedy fucks. Let’s face it, we are, three premier league titles in a row and we’re still (just) in contention for a fourth, we’re spoilt rotten.
2. If we were any other club we’d be happy with one title win every few decades, Fergie has graced us with so many trophies the mind boggles at our success.
3. We’re here this year and we’ll be there again next year. So no need to be disheartened.
4. Berbatov is a great player, sometimes it’s as though he’s on a completely different wavelength to our other players, he tends to go for the sublime rather than the simple and yes he fucks it up often, but I’m still fine by it.
5. I believe that a lot of this anti-berba sentiment is produced by the commentators and the newspapers who constantly compare him to players he just isn’t like in terms of play and style.
6. If anyone proved that there isn’t a point in chasing down people constantly it’s Tevez, yes the man is a machine and yes it works sometimes. But he’s like a dog chasing a ball and against a great defense it’s pathetic, lest we forget his performance in the Barcelona final. Good defenses have no problem dealing with people who run after the ball like him.
7. If anyone is to blame this season it’s our central midfield who have been largely uninspiring. Not that they aren’t good players we’re just missing someone with that consistent creativity that great central midfielders provide day-in day-out. They have fantastic distribution of the ball, but fuck me can they not provide that “killer through ball”. If anything Rooney has proved this by the numerous times this season that he’s had to come deep to fetch the ball and create a goal through the center. He’ll make an excellent midfielder when his speed is no longer there.
8. Scholes, Giggs and Neville aren’t quite past it yet, but there should only be one on the field at any one time. They are a source of inspiration to the team, but they need to be played sparingly now and their experience should be one part in an arsenal *choke* (that word) of weapons that the team provides, not all of it.
9. We need someone for our midfield to carve open defenses from the center, when we’re dominating and the other team battens down the hatches we never seem to get a ball through the center. Maybe it’s the type of forwards we have who like sitting deep and therefore make it difficult to play a pass through to, but I think we need a David Silva, *spit* Xabi Alonso or someone similar to provide some more creativity through the center.
10. We need our Fletchers, our Carricks, our Parks and our Scholes(es?!) to provide our industry and our possession to keep calm and hold that ball and distribute, but not all of them them at once, it just doesn’t work well enough. Anderson was meant to be one of those creative midfielders but he’s been pretty ineffectual, we’ll just all have to wait and see.
Sorry for the crappy rant and I’m sure what I’ve just said is a load of shit, but let’s look on the bright side, half of the press didn’t give us a chance last summer and quite a few expected Liverpool to lift the league trophy. Here’s to all the Utd fans who will never boo one of our own and never lose the faith!
I still like to say a good player brings confidence to the team and fans. I don’t like petulance to team mate, that itself brings me to remember Gallas and Ronaldo. It disrupt the team spirit and team work on the pitch. No one has the right to constantly slate all the players except the manager. As much as i like Berbatov flick and passes, he is a step over the line. It’s not about he can’t deliver to the team or the style compare to tevez, it’s about the attitude, the never say die drive and the support for his team mates. It’s surprising after yesterday match, some fans still support him after he moan at all his team mate from VDS to Macheda.
Sound Scott,top article mate
To be honest, this is a problem that has been really worrying me for a while. My dad always tried to show me the difference between other fans and United fans, and the class that united fans had over these. We embrace attacking football and always support the team through thick and thin.We’ve been so lucky over the past 20 years that there is a serious amount of spoilt,ignorant twats amongst our support. I originally thought that this was only a minority, but it is getting worse and worse and is pissing me off no end. I went to milan away a couple of years ago and a united fan had a chunk of his ear bitten off by another red.
This sums up some of the problems we have been having, and since I came back from that trip with my dad, he has vowed never to watch united in europe again. There are too many JCL ignorant twats in out support and it does not help the team. The worst thing is, it is not just supporters who come from anywhere and everywhere and just turn up, it is born and bred mancunians who should know what supporting united is all about. I have no problem with fans from outside of Manchester supporting united, as long as they show that united class that has been a major part of our fanbase for years.
Onto Berbatov, I’ve always liked him. I wasnt there today, but can imagine what the atmosphere was like, I have seen it countless times for united players over the last few years. Giggs has got it very badly in the past, for example. I was watching the game at the pub, and I actually felt really sorry for Berbatov. The media have heaped pressure on him since Rooneys injury, and you could see him looking more and more down with himself as the game went on. Despite what the players say about not hearing the fans on the pitch, I get the feeling Berbatov would have heard and felt the agression and abuse from the United end, and he steadily seemed to get more and more upset.
This is not what supporting united is about, and we are gradually losing that class that distinguished us from other fans. I desparetely want Berbatov to succeed, and the so called united who heckled the poor bloke today, who I get the feeling is a sensitive kind(which makes it even worse)should realise that we had another enigmatic hero who we call the king,who had a very similar playing style to berbatov, but simply had the confidence and arrogance throughout the big games.
Show berba some support,its what he really needs to succeed at united.
Slim – I still watch it but late 90s south park takes me back to the great days of united playing great football and also the treble.
on united I just feel with berbatov like I said a phew times berbatovs lack of drive and the ability to go box to box and get the ball turn and twist and drive at defences makes his easy to play against for defenders, he is insanely gifted but he is not effective. that is what has made united successful players who are effective in what they do and unfortunate for berbatov he is not effective enough and that is why many have complained, is this me bashing no it is me saying what is going on the pitch I am not going to bullshit myself.
Slim I know this is a stupid comparisment but berbatov also reminds of The south park episode the Tale of Scrotie McBoogerballs where many fans are exaggerating what berbatov is offering and doing for the team when he is not doing what some fans are sayong what he is doing, that is why PPL have got to put into perspective yes he is damn talented and he maybe one of europes most gifted players but you need more than that to make it at united.
look at darren monstermunch fletcher nicky butt the neville brothers and jung park they are not is not has gifted or teqnically brilliant, but what they offer the team merrits the boss to keep them for years and that is why they have long careers at united and stay in the starting 11 of the team.
@Scott the red
I beg to differ on many points and stats in this article. The more you tried to justify berbatov is good player, by comparing him with tevez, the more i come to know how poor a player he is. You said berbatov never complained for being benched for big games. well that is because he knows his performance in these games while tevez hit form for big games with both United and city(against chelsea, us). This seasone tevez scored more than berbatov and he is city’s very important player Scott, i agree with you on tevez’s off the peach behaviou but on the field he is incomparable with this failed player. yes it is wrong to boo his while on our shirt but that won’t change my assessment of him as a player and his service to us. Scott, you can bring other stats to justify his importance to the team but never do it by comparing him with tevez because that comparison makes berbatove even very very poor.
Thank you Scott, i must admit, for the last 20 minutes infront of the TV, I was really fustrated, especially at Berbatov. Not because he was terrible, was because I could see flashes of the whole season slipping away. Unfortunately for Berbatov, he is like the scapegoat, the one that the bully always look at first to insult. He is a majestic, incredible player, but i’m afraid the pressure from the fans, the low on patience of staff for Berbatov to finally kick in and recreate his form with Spurs. This could get him out of Old Trafford, no matter how much the others who do appreciate football feel.
“Get up you lazy twat!” followed by “Fuck off back to Spurs, Berbatov you cunt!” and “What a fucking waste of money, you fucking cunt, Fergie get that twat off the pitch!” I can’t imagine how anyone, even the toughest people out there could endure thousands of people screaming this at you. No wonder how you can’t perform, you’ve got other bullshit like this to listen to, have fans thought about maybe it’s them that are causing Berbatov to be in such a situation. So let’s all get it together, and give our players the final push! We haven’t had any luck from the start of the season, maybe it’s time for some miracles now. BELIEVE!
Agree with Bashy. I don’t thing stats really tell the true story because Berba rarely starts in the big games.
The reason I’m annoyed with Berba is that before his arrival, the Rooney-Tevez pair looked devastating. Ever since he came, we haven’t been able to name our strongest 11 at any point of time. Since then, I have fast fallen out of love with Tevez and I was really happy to see him leave, but given a choice, I’d still have Rooney-Tevez upfront than Rooney-Berba.
I think the reason so many of us are annoyed with berba is due to the alternatives. For the price we paid for him, we could just as well have bought Villa that season or Torres the season before that. For that price, you expect players to be match-winners- the sort that can win games all by themselves. I can’t think of too many occasions when Berba has done that for us.
That said, I still think booing one of our own players is an utter disgrace.
suhayl- Mate I am one of them teenagers you were talking about!
Everyone knows how much I like Berba, so I’m not going into that.
I’m more annoyed about the constant insulting between our own fans( I do doubt that some of them are fans). Why the fuck should we swear at our fans when we can swear at Gerrard and the FSW?
Just needed to get that off my chest lol.
I think Scott the red is responsible for anti berbatov comment here because of his comparison with tevez. Why you bring tevez in this blog/article? top it man. You can praise berbatove for his qualities without getting in to tevez comparison. If you make the comparison with santacruz, well may be could buy your argument.
look the fact of the matter is that he isnt good enough – he rarely looks like he’s ever going to score………..his body language is awful and so is his mentality-he always looks as if the world is against him and i dont think ive ever seen him look like he is actually enjoying himself…….compare it to someone like cantona and its plain to see……….and when u have idiot ‘fans’ getting on his back it is only going to compound the problem……..whats been apparent to me over the last couple of weeks is that when u take rooney out of the team we seriously lack goal threat………..and unlike the past we have nothing from the bench to come on and help us out and its costing us big time…..we dont have a solskjaer or sheringham to call on and its a big problem………..
rooney the new king says-Tale of Scrotie McBoogerballs that was funny. Look RVN didn’t have a turn of pace. i know he set up shop in the 18 but he did his fair share of set up play. My gripe is SAF obviously wnat to mix deliberate play with a fast counter hece the reason he’s stuck with him and also because he see something in the guy much the same way he’s seen something in fletcher and the other players you mentioned.
I’m yet to see us play to his strength, someone here once questioned why he scored and played better when he was as spurs and i mildly suggested their midfield was better than ours. long story short i accepted my argument that their was better than our was wrong but i believe their midfield plays the way we should be playing.
Using the wingers for deadly counters and our midfielders when we need to carve open a stubborn defense like the one against Blackburn today. We cant always play at a 100 MPH because not all teams play the same way
I cannot believe there are still people supporting Tevez here… enough said
Fergie out!!
Fergie, Fergie, sign him up!
Fuck off back to Spurs, ya cunt!
What else?
enough with tevez…he is gone..ronaldo too..but we have berbatov,nani rooney valencia and others. we got deal with what we got guys..accepted it
as for the season MAYBE we only settle with carling cup but hey,liverpool got nothing and maybe madrid too..while citeh bragged about getting to CL, got news for them,we in it for ages..and competing for the prize..about chelsea if they do win the title its not because we better than us it just because we in this transition period so enjoy it while you can because this maybe your last chance before man utd get the team together next season..thats all i want to say..just to get it off my chest..lol
Anti-Berbatov fans ignore everything he brings to United’s game and don’t give him any benefit of the doubt when he under-performs. Fergie had Rooney playing on his own so much that Berba was struggling to get a full game for a long time,. and then people wonder why he seems to tire more easily now. He’s probably not match fit. Before he had a month long injury this season he was doing very well, and he broke into top ten in league too recently.
Additionally, did anti-Berba pratts even care to take into account where he was playing today? He was WAY back down the field for a lot of the game and I didn’t see anyone telling him to go forward, which means he’s doing WHAT HE’S TOLD. He gets no credit whatsoever for anything good he does from some sections of United fans.
You know, for the longest time I dismissed other teams talking crap about United fans being glory hunters but now I’m beginning to revise my stance. I’m 23, have been a United fan since I can remember knowing anything about football, so I’m not as old as some of you but the “golden oldies” now are my United heroes, I didn’t arrive too late. I’m wondering how many of the people booing were fans even that long?
Probably not many… want to glory hunt then go to some club owned by a billionaire oil tycoon and you can chant to get rid of all the players you want then and watch the anti-football owners simply sell them and buy up someone else you can boo later… but as a United fan, I would NEVER boo a player. I might shout at a screen if I know a player can do better, and have done with Berbatov many times (and Rooney, and Carrick, and Fletch, and Scholes and so on) but I would never show up and be so disrespectful as to boo someone in a United shirt.
Bottom line is Ferguson sees something in him and so do many people. All the haters see is what they perceive as “too few goals”, not caring that he has setup countless goals and been part of countless build-ups. Booing him and then wondering why his form drops throughout the game. Bunch of idiots, thats all that can be said. Go to City, they’ll take you and you can boo Berbatov with them. Otherwise, get a brain, shut up and let the man do what he’s paid to do.
What do you hope to achieve anyway? Do you think Ferguson _cares_ what you assholes think about Berbatov? He didn’t give a crap when United fans had a love affair with Tevez, it’s HIS team, HE is the boss and Berba is one of his men, and whether you like it or not is irrelevant. Don’t like that, tough. Booers == Glory Hunters… just looking for one single person to blame for United being in a bad patch. Must not have been around long were you????? Go back to whatever failing club you idiots came from in the first place…. the rest of us will get behind our team, rain or shine. Trophies or not. LOVE UNITED!
WELL SAID, SCOTT, FUCKING AWESOME! Everything is spot on! I’ve always defended Berbatov and sometimes the things he does on the field, I go wow. How could someone have pulled of that, is he human?
BUT this mate of mine came to me the other day, and we had a long arguement about Berbatov. He said ‘”he’s very much worth, 30 Million, He’s as skillfull as hell, He’s a very creative player, Good Goal scorer. Theres nothing much wrong with him. The only problem is, he doesnt suit United’s playing style, United Play fast, and very quick. He likes taking his time. He’s not a United type player, just doesnt suit our playing style. Besides that, he’s very much worth 30 Million. and the things he’d done such as ditch City”….
I thought he was wrong.
I hadn’t seen the match, but more than the disappointing result its the fact that our fans are behaving like glory hunters thats upsetting me now. Its not that we have to win every match in the universe. ITS just that we need to lover and cheer our team when they need the most..
You know what was depressing after the match? Seeing this lark here on RoM slagging Berbatov to bits.
I am a huge fan of his, and I saw that today’s match did not play to his strengths at all. But what was to be expected? Having to hold the ball from the halfway line, needing to deal with boos, going down with an injury and game’s still on. By god he wants to score but he is missing. His frustration will naturally boil over. Tell me, if your most trusted people turn against you, will you not be frustrated?
Ferguson said that the tactical insistence of playing 4-3-3 made playing a lone striker a necessity. So when was the time for Berbatov to develop the chemistry with Rooney for that much clamored strike partnership? When was the time for Berbatov to play with his teammates on a regular basis?
Note that I am not saying Ferguson was wrong, far from it. Hindsight for us fans is 20/20 after all, and Ferguson must have done what he felt was right at the time. The decisions made with Foster, Nani and Berbatov, I will support them.
Remember in this very season, we got injury hell, we got atrocious decisions against us. Any other team would have folded if even their backup defence went to pieces. We managed to chase the rentboys to this stage of the game. And people are asking for Ferguson’s head?
I have been labeled as a Glory Hunter when I started supporting Man Utd at the period I did, but fuck, do I know just how bad a Glory Hunter is. You guys make me sick. it’s no wonder there was the mass exodus. I support the players to the hilt, no matter what.
He is class no doubt bout that. But you have to understand Scott. In this position, we need strikers that can step up to get the job done. To score goals when the rest of the players are playin shite. Someone who can turn games around [it's not just about goals and assists, it's how he can influence the team], well you think that is too much to ask for? Just remember the price tag.
I’ve been backing Berbatov for quite some time now. But I’ve come to the point that I just don’t think that he fits us. His style of play doesn’t suit us that much. Say what you want, and come out with whatever stats you like [I don't give a shite bout the comparison with Tevez, I've never rated Tevez even before this], but for a 30 mil pound forward, I expect more from him.
I don’t blame him though, it’s just maybe the style of play. I love you Berba, but I need to see more from you.
But whatever it is, a big FUCK to the booing supporters, you lot don’t deserve to even take a peek into Old Trafford. Cunts.
Wise comments indeed Scott, I would never agree that verbally abusing one of our own is the way forward, you are obviously also right in the stats that say Berbatov has technically given us more than Tevez, there is one area though which cannot be accurately measured by stats but we saw it in full against Blackburn yesterday.
Tevez may not have achieved as much but his effort and visible workrate is infectious and not only keeps defenders on their guard but also lifts teammates, for all his efforts yesterday most of Berbatov’s were in our half or so far down the pitch he was never a threat and the Blackburn defenders were for the most part, comfortable.
There is no equation to accurately measure the impact of a player’s “effort” on fans, other players and how it lifts the team generally towards higher efforts, one of the things I have seen missing from us on too many occasions this year is real fight and this was never the united way, in other seasons with 15-20 to go yesterday we would have been really on top of Blackburn and going for it in a positive way, our current approach which players like Berbatov and Carrick (my own personal favourite) have created simply doesn’t do enough on occasions like this and it has clearly cost us this season.
I would never blame one player and certainly not Berbatov, especially as he didn’t write his own fee, but the clear truth is that in a mediocre season in the premiership where other teams have been nowhere near their best we have lost 7 matches when it was there for the taking. Defensive injuries aside our midfield and link to attack simply hasn’t been up to it and there are too many players in this squad who. let’s face it, are simply not up to it at our level.
I fear for the summer as a good 3-4 changes are needed even without the potential of losing Vidic and you can be sure that the other teams will strengthen significantly.
I remain positive and the league isnt lost yet but anyone thinking we don’t need to do something, especially with midfield is somewhat deluded.
sack fergie, sell berbie
i’m against the public abuse of our players but seriosuly – is there any idiot left that still believes that berba is better than tevez ?!
haha – you must be havin’ a lugh – the touch of class, the holding the ball up ability…i told you all so , you just wouldn’t listen…
@Slim
Thanks man. It’s good to be back and with a better perspective on things now.
@RTNK
LIkewise. Can’t speak for King Eric, but personally I reached my breaking point after a while. These 10 days have been bad enough. Arguing with people about the same stuff for the past 8 months added to that. And I think it was probably was for King Eric because apart from these comments, he was also getting fed up with pessimistic fans. Like me.
Anyway, I really hope he comes back.
THat South Park episode was brilliant. It wasn’t funny as others, but it wasn’t silly either. I was thinking about creating a facebook account, but I changed my mind after watching it!
scott, i used to like your blog, but mate you have become pathetic in making berbatov look better,,,he hasn’t scored a single goal in the CL this season and he is yet to score against a team who is above 8th on the table – have some stats about that…he is a joke and you’re a joke if you think he was better for us than tevez…
its Bollocks to call the fans criticizing Berbatov Glory Hunters, so to prove we are not glory hunters we should go around smiling when we lose/fail to win a must-win game.or when a striker you’ve tried to back cannot give you any reason to do so? Its called passion people, some hide their feelngs better than others, simple. And before the defendes jump on my back please note I have nowhere condoned booing a player ON the pitch, off it is entirely a different matter. Churn out all the stats you want, berba hasnt done the business for us. Yeah yeah, blame it on the midfield, is it not the same midfield that has supplied wayne rooney with 34 goals this season? Other players like Giggs and co do not get slated as much as berbatov because they have proved themselves time and time again and dont throw tantrums at teammates when they give him a pass that is five inches off!
People say some fans hate just berba, why would any reasonable fan hate a player for no reason? do i know him from anywhere else, did he steal my girlfriend?? its simply because he hasnt been up to scratch for us and we are disappointed in him.
The end
RedDevilzAdvocate
that’s very simple and accurate…i don’t know why the rest who work their asses off to show how he’s been a big hit for us are that retarded that they can’t see what we’re talking about
flip flop
i hate when people jerk off on a very simple pass he makes…what is he supposed to do – that’s al tealst what he could do…
If we put the Berbatov/Tevez comparisations to the side for one bit here, I think Berbatov is a good, quality player who does a great job in a 4-4-2 system in a lesser team (no offence Tottenham). He simply isnt good enough for United, whatever the stats. Nor does he fit in with the United way of playing. He slows the play down and he keep missing chances when we really need him to score. Big-game bottler…. But its never OK to abuse any of our own players!
NicoGarcia
you’re right, he’s good,,,but not great…
you know who else is good ? darren bent, kenwyne jones, dirk kuyt ( in fact he’s world class compared to berbatov ), forlan, rossi,zamora,yakubu,gilardino…all those are good players but they’re not great….same goes for riquelme who was excactly the same case as berbatov…he was flashy but never a winner…good for the smaller teams and his national team with which he failed to achieve anything significiant
“Maybe the issue is to do with goalscoring. Berbatov has played 1851 minutes of football in the league this season and has scored 12 goals, the equivalent of 1 goal per 154 minutes (2 hours 34 minutes) on the park. Last season, Tevez played 1856 minutes of football in the league, scored 5 goals, the equivalent of 1 goal per 371 minutes (6 hours 11 minutes) on the park. But Tevez was still adored whilst Berbatov is booed. Can anyone explain that?”
i will . because unlike berbatov , tevez had shown the previous season that he can be absolutely crucial and he didn’t score goals only against the mickey mouse clubs that fight for the 11th and 137th spot…why don’t you compare tevez’ first season with berbatov’s either first or second , you choose..because it’s fair to compare the players when they were on their best – so compare berab’s THIS season and tevez’ first because those were their best seasons !
pathetic !
Cut Scott some slack. All he is doing is making a case for one of our players. The comparisions with tevez dont have to start everyime. He is gone so the tevez lovers need to get over it and get on with supporting our players. No point saying what if we had signed tevez. No one knew he would play out of his skin this season.
Its so easy to start picking out scapegoats when things arent all rosy.This is the time when we have to show our support, not when things are going well.
mhihrh
“No one knew he would play out of his skin this season. ”
erm, yes I did…he always does and he’s class…i’m actually surprised by the number of idiots who last season were claiming that berbatov could offer us more…. if we had tevez we wouldn’t have lost half of the matches we did this season, and no stats is gonna show you that
@CROoney
Oh ok so what happened to him last season. 15 goals in 51 games. most of them in the carling cup. why was that. Last season there wasnt much difference between the 2. both offer something different. Who offers more i dont know. Whether we would have lost had tevez been there, maybe not but he isnt at United so why should we even talk about it??.
CROoney: If you think Scott’s being pathetic I suggest you just go off right now. Who forced you to read this?
I will say this, games are not decided by one man. Yet when we fail to score the blame lies squarely with Dimitar Berbatov. When we win, somehow the rest of the team are the ones and Berbatov gets no credit.
Sad that we have such glory hunters in the mix who still think Tevez should be signed. Sure, sign that cunt of a player who pisses us in exchange for money. Think about it real hard, would you want someone to piss you for money? Because that’s what Tevez did, goals or not. Berbatov is genuinely frustrated for he is not scoring for us.
CROoney: Well, and if Tevez is again left out of the big games and not starting matches and start moaning? Because this season there are just too many games where we played with 1 striker, whether you like it or not. It’s not an indictment IMO, it’s a system Ferguson feels can work.
I have to agree that the booing was uncalled for and I must say when Berbatov wants to, he can play brilliantly. However during yesterdays game I became really frustrated with him. In the first half he played like a midfielder which wasnt where we needed him. Giggs and Scholesy were in complete control of the midfield in the first half and what does Berbatov do? He drops back and does the easy work on playing short passes around the halfway line and leaves poor young Macheda alone up front to try and beat 2-3 defenders. Yes Blackburn defended well and were a tight unit at the back which gives berbatov all the more reason to play up right against the backline. However I do think the game would have changed if Valencia would have scored that golden opportunity, Berbatovs confidence would have gone up greatly as he considers as assist just as important as a goal.
I also thought that Rafael should have started instead of Nevile as he offers more up front and it would help him to get his confidence back. It must have been a tough week for the lad.
I just want to address your point about the one striker, do you feel that a good enough player can warrrant a manager changing his system to suit him? assuming your answer is yes, then we need not say any more on the berbatov thing. For instance last season we player 4-3-3 no? wasnt that because of the type of forwards we had, ie Ronaldo who is a winger but could be played up top. Similarly, Rooney is not a left winger, but he is so good the fergie could just not leave him out of the starting line up, so he was shunted to the left. In my opinion, if berba was as great as some people are making him out to be, then he would force the manager to play him regularly, not just when we’ve got no strikers left. If he was that great we could actually play 4-4-2 against some of the stronger teams because his contribution would be worth it. I must not big up Berbatov simply because he is a manchester United player, I’ll support him when he’s on the pitch and I’m at the ground, but I’m sorry you cant ask me to keep on going “berbatov is class” so i dont look like a glory hunter. i’m entitled to my opinion and I shouldnt have anyone else’s opinion shoved down my throat just as I wouldnt impose my opinion on anyone.
I think sme people are confusing love of united with actual contribution. Yes its very laudable that he loves united and fucked off city to join us, but that doesn’t cover the fact that he has not delivered when it matters. Like someone said yesterday I probably love united more than Berbatov, that doesnt mean I should be out there playing for united.
*when I’m at the ground
@CROoney: “….dirk kuyt ( in fact he’s world class compared to berbatov )”
I think this is called pissing in your own chips mate.
You should tell that to Fergie, in the Bayern game he opted to play a half fit Rooney who ended up not really doing much than a 100% fit £30.5mill striker in Berbatov.
That to me spoke volumes and I think this season Berbatov will be let go. Like 95 there will a exodus of players and new blood is desperatly needed by this club will be bought in.
The premiership was there for the taking as well as a third final in Madrid and its all gone to pot.
berba is getin the blame for our shit midfield.a midfield who can only seem to pass the ball sideways and when they do pass it forward its never to feet rooney can bully his way onto the ball when passes go astray thats why he looks better.we are the only side in the top 4 without a world class midfield player scholes WAS giggs WAS carrick NEVER WILL BE fletsher JUST SHORT hargreves I HOPE HE MAKES IT BACK WE NEED HIM.when you have to play 4-5-1 against the so called big teams just to get a result is a joke……………………………….WE NEED A WORLD CLASS MIDFIELDER TO GO WITH OUR WORLD CLASS STRIKERS.
Dimitar Berbatov is King
we wouln’t have played most of the big matches 4-5-1 as we didn’t when we had tevez,,,and even if we did then surely you would at least have someone on the bench capable of changing the game when introduced, unlike with berbatov who you just can’t count on in those matches…it’s like having an option less on the bench…
btw , tevez was moaning as for the same reason i would be moaning – he was a subb for the laughable flop who’s not fit to lace his shoes ffs !
Berba and Macheda together – that is what we all wanted to see. It didn’t work so that is that. We have to keep supporting the team vocally when they are out on the pitch for the 90 mins.
I do worry though that we are so reliant an Wayne – nobody to back him up during injuries etc. We need to find a good strike partner who can play the role or fill the boots. Unfortunately Berba doesn’t seem to come up to the standard required. It is down to SAF to call the shots and for us all to back the team. If he had sneaked the winner in the 86th minute I bet all those who had been slagging him off would be jumping up and down and singing his name – pricks
shit midfield doesn’t seem to mind rooney ! when are you people going to realise that there are no more excuses….i bet that spurs midfield wasn’t any better when he was there – small player with a small mentality
Worst days since 2005, feeling like shite….BUT we will fight on, AND NEVER DIE!
He’s a fucking useless bastard. I’d never boo my own players at the game, I don’t condone that sort of behaviour from the fans. End of the day, we look shit with Berbatov in the team, he stands around waving his arms at the other players in disgust when he falls over for no reason.
Personally, I don’t think anyone in the dressing room likes him, and his attitude towards his team mates is poor. Ronaldo could get away with shouting at the players as he scored 42 goals in a season and won the league for Utd 3 times – what has Berbatov done for us? FUCK ALL.
He’s a useless mother fucker, the standard of football we have played since his arrival has simply been in decline. Not saying he’s the reason, but he’s a major contributor. Not good enough, get the fuck out.
Wonderful post Scott. Really is. Exactly my thoughts.
I don’t understand why some fans dish out so much abuse to our own players. In the heat of the moment a Fuck off is understandable. But the sort of comments people make is just poor.
Carrick has had an average season when compared to the standard he set and they want him to be sold.
Berba has never had a bad thing to say about our club. The look on his face at the final whistle told a story. He looked gutted. Yes he could have done better without a doubt. But maybe mentally he wasn’t able to cope with the price tag.
Tevez’s attitude at the end was pretty poor. He is an emotional player who constantly needs reassuring. He whined and whined.
Another thing I don’t get is people who want Ronaldo or Tevez back. They left. Done. I don’t really care anymore what they do.
Unless we get a good deal for him the next season or two we may even end up playing him in the play maker’s role! Can’t waste talent like that even if he doesn’t seem to fit up front.
Scott
What a fantastic read mate, and normally I would absolutely agree with you but on this occasion I cant. As much as I disagree with sections on fans booing our own which is a disgrace but Berba did not help himself today.
I have backed him till I am blue in the face to all that have slated him! Yesterday I hit a new low watching his petulant and childish body language sulking at every move. He comes deep and picks it beautufully and then just stands there and admires rather than join in attack.
I have never seen a player milk so much attention thinking it is about himself rather than the team pushing for a win in a massive game! I lost a lot of faith in him yesterday as he behaved in the same way Ronnie always did. I was glad to see Ronnie move on as it is ok saying in the media you love playing for Manchester United but it is attitude that dictates that rather than words.
God forbid he should actually leave in the summer, because then who gets the shit? Nani? Carrick? Rio? Some people aren’t happy unless they’re having a go at someone – i’ve sat next to enough of the fuckers in my time, through good and bad.
How about shutting the fuck up and getting behind him? He’s a united player for fucks sake. Save your vitriol for fucking Torres or Adebayor. Does he look like the kind of player who performs best when everyone’s on his back?? It’s a self-fulfilling prophecy – the more you get at him, the worse he’s likely to play, so you get at him more. Why not show the guy some fucking support? What’s to be gained by slagging him off and getting on his back?
We’re all fucking quick to jump on our high horses when England fans boo a player, or Arsenal fans boo Eboue… i thought we were different, i thought we were better. It just goes to show a fucking idiot is an idiot, no matter what colour shirt they’re wearing.
giggs11gerrard0
brilliant nickname and a brilliant post !
Berbatov ran his heart out yesterday in all parts of the field
I agree we should not boo any player while he is representing us, Berbatov turned down City for us and has always tried his best when on the pitch. He has never moaned when being dropped and scored some important goals for us at the beginning of the season.
However, his arrival has coincided with the decline in our team. Though I know this is not totally due to him, it explains the frustrations fan feel.
I do not agree with your criticism of Tevez while he was at our club. Fergie could have made him a permanent signing but he went out and signed Berbatov. For that reason Tevez felt betrayed by Fergie which is the real reason he left us, especially after the season he had in 07/08.
I am a big defender of Barbatov and do not believe he used properly, however he will go down as Fergie’s most expensive transfer mistake.
we now have some of those idiotic fucking “fans” making groups on facebook to get rid of berba , wankers
Hi Sarah,
I am sorry but I would have to disagree for every moment of world class ability we also see the reason why he causes this divide.
He dropped everytime in a fashion that was world class and Balckburn didnt know how to handle him but then just stood and admired.
My point being look at Rooney against Arsenal, picked the ball up in our half, played Nani in then busted a gut getting there for a chance!
Berba yesterday never made one run across the front of the centre halfs? Great comining deep but you dont win titles doing that and unfortunately for him he dis cost 30 million so wil get this attention.
Our fans should never boo our own players but saying that berba doesnt seem to inspire confidence in anybody. He himself seems to be demoralised. Personally I feel the pricetag is weighing too heavily on his shoulders. I love the fact that he wants to play for us but truth be told he doesn’t make the cut at united. He slows the game down, when he can make a simple pass he will try for the killer ball that often doesn’t come off. He misses sitters and normally cant keep his balance. The lad was quality when he had keane runnin around for him like a headless chicken at spurs but for united i dun think he is good enough cos of the style of football we play ( counter attacking). All this said yet we shouldn’t be booing our own players. I seriously hope Fergie does something about him in the summer.
not arrogant just better.lol you thick idiots.next season city will be better than you.infact they probably already are.im a gooner and we are shit but still look in better shape than the morons.not arrogant just better………i love humour.
“Leeave Britney Alooone!!!”
Is what you sound like Scott.
Seriously though, Berbatov is a great player, and has been one of our most influential players this season whether that’s a good thing or not. Berbatov may not be a popular character on the pitch for obvious reasons: moaning, lack of effort (eg. to get on the end of that beautiful Giggs cross yesterday), general playing style. But he has something about him that he shares with Giggs and Scholes – a patience and a determination to find the optimum pass.
The trouble is, Giggs and Scholes aren’t strikers.
Let me start by saying I wasn’t there but I would have supported him like I support all United players at games. I just wouldn’t boo our own players and never have done and I probably never will.
HOWEVER, if anyone did boo him then that is their choice. End of the day, they are spending their money to go to the match and if they don’t think a player is pulling their weight, they have the right to express that they think so. I don’t agree with it because I think you should support your players in the stadium but it is up to them.
My understanding from people that went to the game was that it really started when he was lying on the floor clutching his face for ages and the other players were passing it round trying to get an attack going but of course they couldn’t whilst he was lying on the floor. Also, people aren’t happy with him berating his team mates when he himself hasn’t exactly proven himself to be a United great.
i was watching the game on tv yesterday didnt hear any boo’s towards berba, and just last week this site ripped carrick and rafael to shreads over the munich loss.
berba is excellent, but 30million for a couple of back flicks doesnt do it, some people say give him time, but how much more time? he just doesnt seem to be doing it, if owen (if fit) or kiko were given the same amount of time, how would the stats be for them?
anyways his still a utd player and will never be boo’d by me, but maybe his just not utd quality…we’ll have to wait and see because i dont think his going anywhere
Fans that have followed United in the 70’s and 80’s( the dark days) are grateful for the success we have achieved in recent times. We don’t have a divine right to win trophies every season, and the fact that our manager and players have challenged strongly again this season,( and don’t forget that it still ain’t over) means that they should be lauded for a sterling effort under trying circumstances. These imbeciles that abuse our own players have obviously not watched Davenport,Birtles,Brazil,Crookes,Gibson(both Terry and Colin) wearing the shirt. It could be worse , we could be Scouse!
@Micheldu9
Thank you for your wise wisdom and fantastic grammer you have graced us with. I agree with you that you look in better shape than us? Infact me and my old man were saying this as we tore you to shreds in your own backyard, I think it was 3-1 for the again wasnt it?
Not arrogant just better opitmises us for when we knocked you out in the semi’s lasy year in your own manor sunshine!
If you are better then please share us with the facts that no one else seems to know? Like when your magnificent team last won a trophy?
I know I’m a little late on this, but the questioning of where the dislike of Berba comes from is essentially to do with the English game. Even United fans, who have been blessed with some fantastically talented players, still think what makes a player is running around like a headless chicken. The same cunts that shout at Berba and think he’s crap are the same Dads who berate their own kids and their kids’ teammates for trying a bit of skill instead of hoofing it up field toward the big fast lad to run on to.
If Berba played in Spain or Italy he’d be loved not only by his own fans but by neutrals following the game too. Here we’ve still got that mentality that skill and vision are nothing compared with a tough tackle and a boot up the field. It’s why players like Gazza and Rooney appear once a generation in England instead of three or four a generation like the other top international teams.
Yesterday he had a bad game but there weren’t too many good performances out there. Plus the only chance we did have was created by Berba. Hopefully SAF will ignore the fans just as he did with Tevez and keep Berba this summer.
I’m sick to fu*king death of these United fans defending Berbatov week in week out. It seems to me that these fans think by defending him, it somehow makes them bigger/better United fans. It’s as if they feel that is they don’t say anything negative about any of the players, and Berbatov in particular, then it makes them better fans than the lads who actually speak their mind. I don’t believe in name-calling or shouting abuse at players during a match. Absolutely nothing can be gained by it. But there is nothing wrong with criticising your team/players when they haven’t performed or given their all, which should be the minimum requirement every game.
No sane person doubts Berbatov’s skill. Technically, he’s a brilliant player. However, I personally had doubts about him fitting into our system and if he would slow the tempo of our play down, like Ronaldinho did at Barca. When we bought him he was the finished article in terms of his age and maturity. The price tag had nothing to do with him. The bottom line is that he has not played in the big games cos he doesn’t put the ball in the net enough. Especially in the big fixtures. He’s had a few chances to make a name for himself when we’ve needed him and he simply hasn’t delivered. There is nothing wrong with being honest and saying that. It’s all about putting the ball in the net when you play in his position. Cantona was technically brilliant but in the big games, he also scored. He delivered.
What i was annoyed about yesterday was his body language and the way he treated his teenage strike partner, berating him over and over again. When he was at Spurs, his body language was a fuc*king disgrace and had i been one of his team-mates i’d have told him where to go in no un-certain terms. When things weren’t going his way he’d have a go at anyone and everyone in their team. I wondered how this would go down at United. It’s no surprise to me that he had a go at Federico. Had he picked a more senior player, he might have been told where to go.
The whole Berbatov thing has nothing to do with Tevez so there’s no point in going on about him. He’s left the club. End of story. Stop comparing the two. Veron was a great player but didn’t suit our system/style of play. If United fans are really honest, i doubt that over the past 2 seasons they can say, with hand on heart, that Berbatov has been a success. It’s got nothing to do with a lazy laid back attitude, the miles he does or doesn’t cover or other such debates about him. It’s about goals and winning games at the end of the day, great player or not. they say judge players at the end of the season.
“Even United fans, who have been blessed with some fantastically talented players, still think what makes a player is running around like a headless chicken.” said Triggs.
Look at Barcelona. In possession they are brilliant. But when they lose possession, it’s like watching ten Tevezs.
idiots booing there own players. and whats with all this tevez loving. If you are a manc or you are a wanna be manc and you want to support a player whod pick money over playing for manchester united lying to his fans and selling out Sir Alex Ferguson all so he could join MANCHESTER FUCKIN CITY over supporting a world class amazing player like Berbatov who wears manchester united colors turned down citys money and you boo him. its easy to fix that. on your lunch today head down to your nearest sports store fuck your red jersey in the bin outside and buy a sky blue on with sellout 32 on the back. Rooney gets injuried and all you fucking twats said on this was berbas time to shine lets get behind the lads we need 5 out of 5 come on united . then you either boo the player You tell me to get behind at the game or come on here tell Scott he’s wrong and start the fucking tevez love fest again. no wonder top posters are leaving this site . Its amazingly wrote by scott like the above post but when you get past it underneat is 8 out of 10 dumbshit comments.
IF YOU BOO BERBATOV OR SUPPORT TEVEZ>BERBATOV YOUR A FUCKIN DISGRACE
I was frustrated with Berbatov on Saturday, but I was just as frustrated with the rest of the lads. Dont want to hear that type of abuse coming from United fans at any player.
Theres 3 types of fans on here at the moment, Berba bashers who abuse the man personally and question his ability – I dont agree with that, there are Berba lovers who think the odd flick in a game against Bolton can justify him playing and being worth 30million to us – I dont agree, and there are many that are just unsure if he fits into the way we play or if our style suits him, and are wishing him the best but just arent convinced yet – thats me.
As for your las comment Scott “To quote a very wise man: “On you go. He’s a fucking great player. You are all fucking idiots.”, will you do me a favour, say that to Sir Alex the next time you see him – because he is the one that consistantly does not play Berbatov in big games, games that bog players are bought to play in. I dont like Tevez, dont think he was worth anywhere near the 25million, and hated what he said all through last year to the press, but that wont cloud my judgement on Berbatov – check what teams he scores against, what teams he assists against, and what games Fergie trusts him in. So when you imply we’re all idiots to question his ability, just realise that you question Fergie aswell.
And just cause I question if Berbatov is the right man to be playing week in week out doesnt mean Im ‘Berba bashing’. As for the main item of your story, I dont blame Berbatov for the draw, he wasnt the worst, and I certainly dont agree with abuse being thrown at him or any other United player. But you’re out of order to imply that anyone who doesnt think Berbatov is real quality FOR US is an idiot.
I remember Ryan Giggs being booed in 94/95 season very distinctly. He was awful that season due to off the field activities with a certain Dani Behr (can’t blame him) and ultimately cost us the championship.
He got his head together eventually and was the player we all knew he was in the next season. Don’t think that this booing is new because it has happened before to our legends.
What has really upset most of us is that we were so so close to that 19, something that would really have put one over the Scousers. And I’m sorry but Berbatov has not been the player he was supposed to be or his transfer fee commanded. It’s as simple as that.
Great post by Zunaid Ally.
idiots booing there own players. and whats with all this tevez loving. If you are a manc or you are a wanna be manc and you want to support a player whod pick money over playing for manchester united lying to his fans and selling out Sir Alex Ferguson all so he could join MANCHESTER FUCKIN CITY over supporting a world class amazing player like Berbatov who wears manchester united colors turned down citys money and you boo him. its easy to fix that. on your lunch today head down to your nearest sports store fuck your red jersey in the bin outside and buy a sky blue on with sellout 32 on the back. Rooney gets injuried and all you fucking twats said on this was berbas time to shine lets get behind the lads we need 5 out of 5 come on united . then you either boo the player You tell me to get behind at the game or come on here tell Scott he’s wrong and start the fucking tevez love fest again. no wonder top posters are leaving this site . Its amazingly wrote by scott like the above post but when you get past it underneat is 8 out of 10 dumbshit comments.
IF YOU BOO BERBATOV OR SUPPORT TEVEZ>BERBATOV YOUR A FUCKIN DISGRACE
Squeaky bum time sometimes helps you separate the sheeps from the goats.
I am done with argument on Berba. You can’t single out any player from yesterdays game but Berba wasn’t by far the worst player on the pitch. He created the chance for Tony that unfortunately wasn’t converted. I can’t call his attitude towards other players moaning. He badly wants to be understood but he ain’t getting it from his team mates. I don’t know what is the case. Fergie knows it better.
You can just look through the game again and see how often Giggsy or Scholesy play through him. You can’t say that about Nani (i mean he has no understanding with Berba). He has changed since the new year. He started to run a lot. Maybe he understood that this season might be crucial in terms of his chances to stay with us. In every interview he has spoken about he thinks that supporters have every right to critisize him and he will try his best to improve some parts of his game. I don’t know how you can get on the back of your fucking player when you don’t have anyone else at this very important part of the season.
Unfortunately life is not fair. In this case the player will go one day and leave only negative memories for many of our supporters. He has done NOTHING in order to be treated like this. End of.
BERBA TOV TOV TOV
HE TOLD CITY TO FUCK OFF
BERBA TOV TOV TOV
HE SHOWS SPURS HE WAS THE BOSS
30 MILL WE DONT MIND
HES NOW WEARING NUMBER NINE
BERBATOV TOV TOV
HE TOLD CITY TO FUCK OFFFFF
@OneUnited
Yes the MIDFIELD does, but the important thing is once they’ve got it, they don’t give it back. English teams and most notably, England FC, consistently give the ball away. Just look at Bayern as soon as they scored on Wed, they just kept the ball for about 20 mins.
i can’t post in here Scott.what’s wrong ????
Also very valid arguments from Triggs and North Stand Tier 3. Good stuff.
Just cause Berbatov told City to fuck off, and cause he said being a Manchester United player is great doesnt justifying him playing for us. The Tevez comments do not concern me, I dont compare the two lads, they were chalk and cheese, and Tevez is clearly a prick. But anyone here saying Berbatov is the class act that we all hoped he would be, have to ask yourselves why does Fergie not pick him for the big games? are ye seeing something in his cameo sub appearances or full games against lesser teams that Fergie cant in two seasons of playing, and training every day? Alot of ye abuse some of us for simply questioning Berbatov, while ye go one step further and question Sir Alex – albeit indirectly?
Scott, you’re like the pied piper at times, you whistle and alot of bloggers repeat what you say regardless – the rest of us get abused for being anti United.
@Triggs, Bayern were only able to keep the ball from us because they had an extra player on the pitch, a huge advantage at this level. That game proves nothing. If Rafael had stayed on, we’d have gone through.
red til im dead – I’m a hypocrite? You can’t see the difference between the internet and real life?
Venting my frustration about Rafael on a football blog has no direct influence on a United performance, scoreline or player.
People venting their frustration at Berbatov at the game had a direct influence on a United performance, scoreline and player. How the fuck is Berbatov supposed to feel when his every touch is jeered and every mistake booed? Is that going to inspire him to do better? Or is going to make him not want to go near the ball? How is it going to make the rest of the players feel when they know we are desperate for a win yet the fans can’t even unite behind the whole team?
The differences are ridiculously obvious. At no point have I said to anyone that they shouldn’t slag off Berbatov, but if you’re at the game, you support all the players, whether you like them or not.
Paul Parker.
Couldn’t agree more mate .you summed it up quite right.I was not expecting miracles this season,as we are clearly in a transitional period.Surely after losing the best player in the world and a very good striker (class one if you ask me ,though he’s cunt) and replacing him with Owen, we should not expect another treble ,should we??????
regarding Berbatov, i was a big fan of him,when playing for Spurs but maybe i was mistaken,maybe his style of play will never suit Manchester United. Tevez alongside Rooney offer a lot more than Beba and Rooney,and i think SAF shares this thought with me..I mean,if he didn’t,he would have played them together more often.
LUHG
@NST3BR – absolutely spot-on in your comments regarding Berbatov, Sir Alex and Scott the Red. Bravo, sir.
@North Stand,Tier 3,Back Row
I do agree with you to some extent about Berba not playing the big games. However, I think this is partly to do with SAF lack of faith not only in Berba but also the midfield. That is, the central midfield is not good enough in terms of ball retention, closing down and general energy levels to play against a team like Chelsea, Ars, Liv or any top European team who either pack the midfield or keep the ball for long periods. Plus Rooney has really developed his game with regard to the lone striker role this year.
If we had a box to box player like say De Rossi, Essien or Keano in his pomp alongside Fletch, I think we’d see United play 442 a lot more. But I do agree that SAF dosent seem to trust him and I think the selection of Roo ahead of him for the Bayern game must have been a real kick in the teeth for Berba.
We need a good right back. Gary out pleaseeeee. We also need a playmaker and a striker!
the problem with berbatov is that when the team plays bad, he plays bad too…he NEEDS the team to support him and if they don’t, then he fades away…unlike rooney or tevez – they don’t NEED the team to be good in order for them to shine as they improve the team, lift the team with their pace, energy and winning mentality …
berbatov needs the team more than the team needs him…we could do without him
and that’s the diffeeence between the good players and the great ones…because the great players will win you some big games on their own moment of magic/luck/brilliance…
i’m sick and tired of all the claims how the team let him down, how they were disappointing and all–
because when the team is disappointing , he is expected to rise above and drag us to victory..at least we all hoped that we got that with his purchase …rooney does that – he doesn’t need the great midfield to support him, he doesn’t need turning around when he’s one on one with the keeper like berbatov when he was one on one with cech
he doesn’t need the team to play well, because he is one of the players that is expected to perform when everyone else fails..why should berbatov avoid criticism for failing to provide just that..he’s not ji sung park, he shouldn’t need the team to provide him with some great passes in order for him to shine – that’s what we expect from park and what we have come to expect from berbatov..say it all really
we,ll support u ever more, we,ll support u ever more…………………….this isnt about berbatov its about the realization that we are not going to win the league and sadly people will find a scapegoat. if we look at the season and last summer in fact, its not been a good one. firstly the sale of ronaldo and the players brought in……….for god sake we have or had 80 million quid to spend and what did the club do………brought in valencia, orbatan, and owen………..bet that scared the shit out of our rivals………..fergie said he wouldnt pay inflated prices, but yet sold one at a world record fee……….he should of spent that money on 3 world class players. as for the actual season………should we be losing games against the likes of burnley, villa and everton? weve lost 6 games this season and gone out in the fa cup to a 2nd division team at home. fuck me do you see chelsea doing that. then add the situation with debt to the pot and really if we finnish 2nd that will be unbeliveable. as for berby…… the guy is class and i hope he gets the winner against shitty……then all u wankers that boo him will be saying i knew he was class. manchester united its in the blood.
At some point the Berba debate has to end and we need to start focusing on what REALLY went wrong this season. Fans can like him or dislike him, but lets not lose track of our weaknesses this season.
Whether he stays or goes this summer, it won’t solve our problems.
TBH Scott while I agree with the sentiment, is it any surprise he was booed? Football fans are fickle – an sadly he’s an easy scapegoat.
Berba’s not the sort of player to lead the line – he always works better when Rooney is around, as opposed to when he’s either playing on his own or with another player.
The whole team looks tired in all honesty. There was little tempo or desire the whole game.
Little inspiration either.
United fans expect an attitude of blood, guts & glory from the players – even when they don’t win we can except defeat if an honest and spirited attempt was made. I felt Berbatov’s performance here was the kind of gutless, whingy, defeatist horror show that would have any red blooded fan raging – the man might well have ended his United career with that performance. It’s not the United way and he just doesn’t fit!
@Costas
Spot on mate!
he has been one of the weaknasess
@giggs11gerrard0
Cheers mate. Our injury and squad problems aside, this was a season of transition. Another fan posted this in another topic:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/leagues/premierleague/manutd/7579057/Manchester-United-are-in-transition-and-their-problems-are-nowhere-near-terminal.html?
I think it sums up our season quite well. And the last paragraph in particular is spot on. Needless to say, but this summer will be a very crucial one in terms of where United go from here.
I actually feel really upset that my fellow United fans would be so classless. You’re not going to get anywhere by knocking players down, some positive thinking is what’s needed.
Costas – well said. In some ways we’ve punched above our weights after being written off after Ronaldo left.
That being said though there are plenty of areas we need some investment in. Well all areas realistically.
Even as squad players, Nev, Giggsy and Scholes have limited time left. We need a creative midfielder at least to fill the gaps, hopefully Hargo can find his way back to fitness as well.
New striker would come in handy.
FUCK BERBA.
@Vidic15
I am also wondering how we handle the old guard from now on. There were times this season when Scholes and Giggs were our difference makers. Giggs’ best form came in autumn while Scholes was immense in the first months of 2010. I think their presence in the locker room is still vital and it will be next year too. What Fergie maybe has to do is use them less sporadically. They are useful as squad players when we need to rotate, but Scholes-Giggs coming in for Carrick-Fletcher just can’t work in 2010. Next season, all 3 of them will probably still be at the club, but that shouldn’t stop us from looking to the future.
Carrick is another concern for me. He’s not had the best of seasons, but more worryingly, he disappears in big games.
Agreed about their dressing room influence, but if it fails to translate into on field results, we’ll its a concern naturally.
i have lost friends defending dimitar berbatov, yesterday he deserved all the shit he got. I was at the game and i was booing that cunt and for good reason. 5 games left, 5 wins needed to even have a chance of winning the league, from the 1st minute berba was arguing with our players, complaining about every little ball that didnt find his feet without him moving and i lost count of the mini strops he threw. 2nd half edwin threw the ball to him on the half way line and he just stood their waiting for it to come to him and a defender just walked in front of him and picked up the ball and that just summed him up. The injury point you made was embarrassing, win at all costs, u get a knock in the face u get up and carry on fucking chasing the ball, u dont lie their like a fucking whinging girl. he cant be good for morale in the team, his contribution was absoluetely fuck all. I can deal with people having a bad game (park is average at best but he has a good go) berbatov attitude yesterday was a disgrace, and the fact that you are saying we should support this cunt is laughable. what have we come to if we have to accept we have shit players who dont give a fuck about the club but we should get right behind them, playing for man utd is an honour and one that dimitar berbatov does not deserve and should not get the chance to do so again. scott your way of the mark on this one mate and i hope i dont ever have to pay to watch that cunt again.
Sell Berba buy Carew.
Fos – who? – Thanks for that great insight, it’s up there with MLK and JFK.
CROoney – You’ve never liked Berba mate, so i don’t expect any different from you. I posed the question a few weeks ago about Berba not starting the big games and i never really got a satisfactory answer. The manager has a decision to make in the summer, does he persist with him, or does he get rid of him.
@willierednut
Don’t give anyone ideas, lol.
Sell the first 11 that started yesterday and buy Tottenham’s.
@Costas says:
At some point the Berba debate has to end and we need to start focusing on what REALLY went wrong this season. Fans can like him or dislike him, but lets not lose track of our weaknesses this season.
Where do you think our weakness lies? There’s a poster here,Triggs, who has said what I’ve been trying to get across to anyone who cares to listen. What do you think?
Once again its good to see you back mate, really good and please don’t join Facebook
It will be interesting to see how Berbatov reacts to this. Will he act like Ibrahimovic did when the inter fans were booing him against Lazio last season and score a beautiful goal and then tell the fans to shush. (by the way Ibrahimovic did more for Inter than Berbatov has ever done for us). you can see the whole thing from 2:20 onwards here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C47KpWxp5ko
or will he sulk?
by the way i am not saying berbatov should tell the fans to shush (i just used that as an example cause thats what ibra did) but i mean will he basically make them eat their words
Scott your a fucking legend!
Spot on with everything u said!
Berba is a class act
Triggs – All due respect pal, were the fuck do you get another Keano because looking around Europe i don’t see that type of midfielder anymore. I’ve been banging on about Makoun from Lyon, who would do a good job just sitting in midfield, allowing Fletch to get up and support Rooney.
“It will be interesting to see how Berbatov reacts to this. Will he act like Ibrahimovic did when the inter fans were booing him against Lazio last season and score a beautiful goal and then tell the fans to shush
or will he sulk?”
Gee, that’ a difficult one…
The rumours doing the rounds at the minute is Harry wants him back at Spurs for around 15 million. Hope he takes Carrick too, only joking Costas lol.
No Berbatov tatoo forfeit for me!
@Willie – file those rumours in the “too good to be true” category
I can picture it now… This Satuday, Eastlands… Berba goes on a mazy run, dancing around City’s defenders like they were plastic cones, does a Zidane-like pirouette around Shay Given before stopping the ball on the goal line and taking in the adulation of the same fans who were calling him a useless cunt just six days earlier. Then he’ll look the United fans dead in the eyes and say
“You fans doesn’t deserve to me. I’m a fucking great player. You are all fucking idiots.”
He then stuns the capacity crowd by calmy passing the ball back to Given and heading straight down the tunnel with his head held high, receiving a respectful standing ovation from City and United fans alike. A chant of “Dimitar! Dimitar!” is sustained as the noble warrior strolls off into the sunset. A lone voice in the United end turns to survey his fellow supporters and poignantly asks “what have we become?”
Yes Fred, thats a pretty picture you’ve painted. My old man says Berba’s a busted flush, hrad to disagree after yesterdays game.
Where is the stat that shows how many meaningless goals Berbatov has scored/assisted at the end of comfortable wins? Where is the stat that shows most of Tevez’s minutes last season came from off the bench or games where he was subbed off? Where is the stat that shows Tevez scored countless crucial goals for us, while Berbatov hasn’t scored against top 10 opposition this season?
“He ran around a lot” wow way to trivialize things, he was a rich man’s Olic, with him we could defend from the front. His build and aggression struck fear into many an opponent’s heart, it also allowed him to hold up the ball very well. He chased seemingly lost causes and turned them into something meaningful. Berbatov is the complete opposite.
I don’t agree with fans booing Berba but please don’t tell me he is even comparable with Tevez, as much of a cunt he was.
Brilliant post.
The only reason united fans boo him is because his body lanugage when he loses the ball he blames other player which is very selfish of him also berbaflop always misses sitter especailly agianst chelsea why do u think fergie chosed to play with a injured rooney vs bayern then berbatov fergie has lost faith in him and when a manger loses faith what can happen I never said I condoned booing him, but I definatley understand where their coming from. Lets get down to basics here and im not talking about statistics or assists or any of the rubbish people talk about when they try to defend Berba, we paid 30 million for a striker to strengthen our attack and get goals… instead we have a 30 million dollar squad player that consistently underperforms has a mediocre scoring record and is a shell what he was at Spurs.
He hasnt progressed one bit and in fact has regressed to the point that SAF wont even bring him on to replace an injured Wayne Rooney in a Champions league quarter-final… that in itself speaks volumes. Tbh if he hasnt settled in yet than its not going to happen at all.
And Carrick… lol what can I say about Carrick?? Well for one his scoring record is poor, his tackling is poor and he provides us with very little creativity in the midfield. Theres a reason that he rarely gets an England call up and when he does hes fourth choice behind Lampard, Gerrard and Barry.
@Anonymous – you’re right. There is a lot of revisionism about how crap Tevez supposedly was for us.
I think we all probably agree that the Berbatov experiment has failed dismally, even if some of us are unwilling to admit it publicly.
Yet another misuse of stats on this blog. He scores in comfortable wins, dissapears when we badly need him, like yesterday, he kept dropping deeper as the game wore on, shirking his responsibilities as the lone striker. He’s constantly berating the younger players if they don’t make whatever brilliant run he is anticipating, or don’t pass the ball just right for him, yet he doesn’t deliver himself. I’ve never been in any pro or anti Berba-camp, but I’ve had enough of his attitude, and ineptitude. He is a fantastic talent that just doesn’t fit at United, period. 29 year old professionals don’t need two seasons to gel with their new team, this experiment has run it’s course, and it failed.
Fred – Tevez was crap last season though.
1. Liverpool (Berbatov assist). We lost 2-1.
2. Stoke (Berbatov assist). We won 1-0.
3. West Brom. We won 5-0.
4. City. We won 2-0.
5. Wigan. We won 2-1.
That is worth £25m and chanting over the top of our managers end of season speech.
Being in the top ten scorers in the league, the only second striker from any team in the country to feature in the top ten, is worth booing.
MY 1st post , it relates to the spurs boyz
berbatov _ so frustrating he gets the ball does he lay it off 1st time ? does he fuk he holds it till all our players are marked and the defence is in a good position no pace whatsoever to beat aa player wayward shooting terrible at heading yes he can show class but TOO rarely , were fked cos he cost 30 mil and wed be lucky to recoup half that for him doesnt shoot enough prone to falling over ,i will give him 1 more chance but i dont expect him to take it ,
CARRICK – no pace tackle shy plays too defensively as hes aware he could be exposed for pace , has a decent enough shot but doesnt shoot enough . at fault for letting a dwarf knock him to the floor vs bayern ,
INSTEAD of these 2 we should have bought lennon and defoe (Anderson when given a chance is better than carrick ) _
I LOVE UNITED BUT HATE PLAYERS ABUSING THEIR OPPORTUNITIES IN OUR RED SHIRT .
I’d rather have Dimitar Berbatov than David N’Gog | I’d rather have Dimitar Berbatov than Saloman Kalou | I’d rather have Dimitar Berbatov than John Carew | I’d rather have Dimitar Berbatov than Aiyegbeni Yakubu | I’d rather have Dimitar Berbatov than Nicklas Bendtner | I’d rather have Dimitar Berbatov than Andriy Voro…nin | I’D RATHER SUPPORT MY PLAYERS IN BAD TIMES THAN CHEER FOR THEM IN GOOD TIMES!
I thought Berba was exceptional first half — real quality, best player on the pitch by a mile. It was interesting also that he was very withdrawn, almost like the furthest forward of a midfield three. Could this be the place to get the best out of him? Forget him being a replacement for Wazza and make him an attacking midfielder? Alleviate the need for goals, get him doing what he does best and linking play. For instance, could he line up in a midfield three with Fletcher and Hargreaves next year with a brief to link and create? Yes, he’s been doing a bit of that this year, but the confusion over his role has led to all sorts of calls for his head because people are expecting goals, goals, goals.
I’m not saying it’s the solution but it’s a thought.
Costas – good choice not setting up a facebook account, what stan marsh says is right its complete rubbish. I will post from time to time but not has often has I used since it does seem our season if peatering out inexpectedly. this weeks episode of south park has been awesome but it soes not beat the retarded back hick south park style of the late 90s add the fact it was a time of the attitude era and united playing fantasy football as uniteed won the treble good times
Let’s not split hairs. That back-heeled equaliser away to Wigan was worth more than anything Berbatov did all last season or has done since.
It was also noted by Ferguson, Rooney and others that Tevez’s substitution was the decisive factor in overturning a 0-2 deficit and winning 5-2 against Tottenham in another crucial game last season. But I don’t want to get into this debate again.
@Giggsy’s right foot – you’ve summed it up perfectly.
Thanks Oscar Red and Fred.
To Scott the Red, last season:
Premier League:
Tevez: 5 goals 3 assists from 18 starts (many of these games he was subbed off)
Berba: 9 goals 9 assists from 29 starts
In all competitions:
Tevez: 15 goals 6 assists from 34 starts
Berba: 14 goals 9 assists from 39 starts
07/08 Premier League:
Tevez: 14 goals 7 assists from 31 starts
Berba: 15 goals 11 assists from 33 starts (for Tottenham)
In all competitions:
Tevez: 19 and 8 from 39 starts
Berba: 22 and 13 from 42 starts
And I don’t think we need a comparison for this season..
I agree with North Stand.
Scott, I find it interesting that you keep comparing Berba’s current season with Tevez’ last season. Even ignoring the amazing season Tevez is currently having, wouldn’t the better comparison be between Tevez’ first season (when Berba wasn’t at the club) and Berba’s current season (now Tevez isn’t here)?
Don’t take this as a personal slight, but of course, no Berba fan in their right mind would do that, because the argument is entirely in Tevez’ favour, however much of a prick we all think Tevez is.
Think about it; their goalscoring ratio is practically identical (in the league), but you get the benefits of counter-attacking football with Tevez. Then there’s the defensive aspect. You’re right, Tevez had a poor first touch, but on the occasions he lost possession, he did his damnedest to get the ball back until we did, rather than throw his hands in the air or put them on his hips. I can only recall a couple of games in the two seasons Berba’s been here when he’s been praised for his defensive work, most notably WHU away last season.
Of course I admire a player with great technical ability (Scholesy wouldn’t be my all-time United favourite otherwise, let’s be honest!), and the behaviour of the so-called ‘fans’ yesterday is absolutely inexcusable, but there are times when you just have to admit that a player, as gifted as he may be be (like Veron, as the SAF quote at the end alludes to), just isn’t right for the club.
To use the few idiots that behave like that as a justification for your argument being superior just smacks of putting the blinders on.
@Anonymous – Yep. Another way of comparing them is to compare each player’s debut season at United. Tevez’s stats for 07/08 put Berbatov’s for 08/09 in the shade as well.
As for comparing Tevez and Berbatov THIS season – I think it’s for the best that we not even go there…
@Giggys right foot
Summed up perfectly mate! You dont have to be in either one of the camps of which is pro Berba and anti Berba to see how petulant he was yesterday.
Scott, fantastic post. Lets hope it hits home to some of these numpties. Like you said it shouldn’t be our fans that are bitter, lets leave that for the fans of the boys in blue across town. This berba-bashing and general negativity towards our club is why I rarely post on this blog. I’ve got better things to do than read some idiot saying our players aren’t good enough.. like fucking really? .. So the last 3 years, which include 3 premiership titles, 2 champs league finals (1 win), 2 league cups, and a club world cup, was a fucking fluke?? Fuck off. Forget the players.. some supporters need to have a look in the mirror and ask whether they’re worthy of supporting Utd.. it’s an embarrassment to our club and needs to be stamped out.
Personally I would have liked to keep Tevez – but not at any price. Anyway, it was clear that Tevez and his master wanted City’s millions. Tevez’s excuses about feeling unloved were pure bullshit.
Anyway, the hideous little troll is not a United player any more so let’s stop wasting our time talking about him.
Anfailed away 1-0 07/08 Tevez winner
Chelsea home 2-0 07/08 Tevez gave us the lead
Spurs away 1-1 07/08 Tevez last gasp equaliser
Lyon away 1-1 07/08 Tevez last gasp equaliser
Roma home 1-0 07/08 Tevez winner and esnures safe passage to semi’s
Blackburn away 1-1 Tevez last gasp equaliser
Moscow European cup final scores crucial first penalty
Now Carlos Tevez maybe a cunt above cunts but what he did for United should never be written off.
These are contributions impacted on our season best season for 9 years and put us a long way to winning trophies. I put it to the most staunch Berbatov fan to name more than 2 games when his goals have really mattered that either rescued us or put us through .
I think Berbatovs time is coming to an end, but the adulation Tevez gets is very strange. I can understand it with Ole and the Kin