The Daily Mail has Dimitar Berbatov as the 40th biggest transfer flop in the history of the Premier League, making him a bigger disaster than Reyes’ £17 million move to Arsenal in 2004, Wright-Phillips’ £21 million move to Chelsea, Pennant to Liverpool, Deco to Chelsea, and even David fucking Bellion!
I’d argue Berbatov isn’t a flop at all, let alone in the top 40 over the past, but then again, this is the paper that named our Bulgarian as one of the biggest traitors of all time for leaving Spurs for United
I think the man is quality and would argue if you don’t get Berbatov, then you don’t get football. But I suppose that is a completely subjective argument. So let me use my favourite word of the season, and looks at the FACTS.
1. Not a single player in the Premiership has assisted more goals than Berbatov.
2. He has a shooting accuracy of 56% attempts on target, which matches Ronaldo, beats Rooney’s 46% and Tevez’s 44%. He also beats Gerrard’s 43%, Torres’ 42%
3. Only Wayne Rooney has created more chances for United than Berbatov, with his 63 goalscoring opportunities provided beating Berb’s 58.
4. He is our joint top scorer in the Champions League, matching Rooney and Ronaldo’s 4 goals.
5. How many players in the Premiership can do this or this?
Premiership flop? Enjoy!
I’ve said it all season: Berba’s the business. Even my prediction has come true that we’d get to see him smile more when he’s settled in and feels he’s accepted in the dressing room by all the medal winners around him. Look at that moment when a grinning Rooney jumps on his back as they celebrate a goal. People underestimate how tough it must be to come to a club like United where there are players who have won the Premiership anything up to ten times, not to mention Champions Lge and FA Cup medals etc etc. You must have massive self-belief, or a certain type of strong-minded humility to enter that arena. If you look at the things Berba says, it’s often couched in terms of admiration for what his team-mates have won, and how he wants to emulate them and be a genuine part of United. For me, and I suspect for him, part of the appeal of sport is being part of something bigger than yourself and it’s clear he wants to be a genuine part of United. I imagine Berba takes more notice of what Giggs, Scholes, Rooney, Rio, Gary Neville and even John O’Shea think of him (not to mention Fergie), than the Daily Mail. Always bear in mind, The Mail was a huge admirer of Hitler in the 30s, you it’s maybe best not to trust their judgment ALL the time.
Berbatov’s moments of “sublime skill” are, indeed, sublime but, alas, they have been too few and far between. His game has lacked consistency and his positioning has been puzzling. But he has shined when Ronaldo plays as the spearhead of the attack and Rooney is played on the wing. THEN Berbatov really gets to control the game from “the hole”. It’s odd that it has taken SAF almost the entire season to see that this re-fit of the players gets the most out of all three.
OF course it’s not a flop, but we overpayed his price. He’s is quality, but not 32 million one. That’s my opinion, but I’m happy we got him, even I would prefer Benzema for that price and keep Tevez, for what it matters.
He’s obviously not a flop, but this is the Daily Mail we’re talking about, not even worth paying one iota of attention to.
Although this:
“I think the man is quality and would argue if you don’t get Berbatov, then you don’t get football.”
… is arguably even more awful than anything they print.
@ shimo, please post more often. thank you.
Wait a minute… all of you saying the most horrible things about the daily mail are completely wrong. The daily has one good use…To Wipe Your Arse With.hahah. Give Berbatov more time. And just because you love Tevez doesn’t mean you have to hate Berba and vice versa. For what its worth I think they meant to call him a “fop” because of his fancy hair and stylish clothing. And I must admit they boy does have style and flair…On The Pitch !
ChaosRed. Sums it up exactly. I honestly love to watch him play.
Why do you criticize Bera for not beeing more selfish in front of goal ? Why don’t you criticize Fergie for not giving indications to the player to play in that exact way ? he plays what Fergie wants him to play. end of.
Thats why i think no one can get the ball off him, he alters time…
And the silky passes¬!!! i just absolutely love the way he kicks the ball, and how it slides across the grass, Everything he does is art and beautiful
They just don’t get it. We didn’t buy him for goals, although the 32mil was abit desperate at the last minute, but he has done wonders with his link up plays and holding skill. Where would our goals come from without anybody stringing up our plays?
In words of a crazy ass lunatic, “Why are you reading this? The Daily Mail is a disgrace, a fucking disgrace!”
Yea, he didn’t score 42 goals. He’s a flop, definitely
Jokes aside, I think the biggest flop is that newspaper!
Piers Morgan writes about football for the daily mail….does any more need to be said?
Daily Mail a flop? Surely not, more of a plop.
Berbatov’s contribution has been poor this season, as have his performances. 4 goals in Europe, yea…against Celtic and Aalborg! If Fergie really trusted his man he would have started at least one of those semi final legs against Arsenal, and just look at the results without him in those 2 games.
Berba not starting in semis has nothing to do with trust but, goes back to option of how to approach the game tactically. Ferguson set us up to be a thorn in Arsenal’s singular style in the first leg, which Tevez provided and still had the pace to attack them. In the return leg we were setup for defending and counter-attacking. So in those two games the type of player Berba is, he didn’t fit in from the start. But, guess what had the game called for a change in approach, Fergie would have had that on the bench.
I am sure for 30 mil, we all want the player starting every game and fit into every game but, thats not why he was bought – he was to provide us a different facet from what we had the year before. The Rooney, Tevez, Ronaldo trio did very well then but, even still you could see how when we had sicknote Saha, a different type of player, how we were able to change up things and overcome teams. We overpaid for him but, Berba is class and fits into the team very well. If you want singular style of playing, then I propose one of the clubs that isn’t going to win a trophy this season.
Those options is why I hope we keep Tevez because it makes us that much stronger but, Tevez needs to understand that part. Every footballer wants to start every game but, if he wants to be a part of legendary team, then Tevez will have to sacrafice that need, tell his agent, sod all with the money and let me be at a club where I’ll make history for years to come.
Berbatov is a talent, he just needs some time to adapt, next year i think he will be in top form!
Berbatov is a Cantona-esque player. Surely the same sulky, arrogance and intelligence are instantly recognizable.
Man U have not seen a player like Berbatov since King Eric and hence the thoughts of a flop.
He is not a flop, Man U just need to surround him with players to win the ball, get in the box and Dimi will pick them out.
That balletic piroutte he executed against Portsmouth left me with my mouth opened!
Flawed, flawed logic.
Assists are so overrated. They should rename it ‘last person to pass the ball.’
And for all his accuracy rate and misleading shit like that, he has gone missing in too many games, missed crucial chances in too many big games, and in the Champions League hasn’t impressed at all.
Joint top scorer with Ronaldo and Rooney? Yeh, cos he scored from two piss-easy chances that were practically empty goals! And the other two were so unimportant and forgettable that I can’t even remember them.
Denying he’s been a flop this season is like saying that Veron was a huge success at United—they’re both delusional.
What’s important, though, is that things are looking up. Barbie put in a good performance yesterday against Wigan, and hopefully will become more integrated into the team by next season. No need to sell him yet.
In my opinion, Tevez is still more effective, more creative, and more inspirational than Barbie though.
Hez not a flop.. But watching him play makes you think hez on the pitch only not to lose the ball
Johnson
Spot on!
Flop?!? Ha-ha… If Berbatov is not a success, why SAF is still using him?!? Ask yourself
fur-gay-son is a bitch but berbatov is brilliant
the daily mail editor should flush his head in the commod