Like most United fans, I have become increasingly frustrated, as well as anxious, over the limited playing time Carlos Tevez has been afforded since the signing of Dimitar Berbatov.
We all knew that players were going to lose out on minutes on the pitch once the deal had gone through, but I don’t think anyone imagined it to be quite to the extent as it is with Tevez.
With the long term contract for the player yet to be finalised, should we be worrying that he’ll leave us for sunny Spain in the summer?
He played for 13 minutes against Arsenal as the third substitute to come on. He played for 26 minutes against Hull, after United had already gone 4-1 up and he wasn’t really needed. He played 90 minutes against West Ham. He played 12 minutes against Everton as the third substitute. He played 24 minutes against Blackburn. He played 71 minutes against Bolton. He played 90 minutes against Liverpool.
So in the past seven league games, he’s played for a full 90 minutes on just two occasions. In the remaining five games he has started just one, averaging less than half an hour playing time in each match. Surely this isn’t enough to keep him interested?
David Gill announced in the summer that the deal should be done before Christmas, which puzzled me. Why wait so long to formalise something which we all know has to happen? It just gives too much room for error, with Tevez hearing a few whispers he’d be better off joining Real Madrid and the like.
However, if the past 22 years have taught us anything, it is that Sir Alex Ferguson is no mug. There have been countless occasions where we have been up in arms over a decision from the manager, only to concede we were wrong a few months/weeks/days/minutes later that he knew what he was doing. Why sell Hughes, Kanchelskis and Ince all in one summer and replace them with kids? Why bring on John O’Shea for Wayne Rooney at Anfield? Why get rid of David Beckham and put some spotty, skinny Portuguese teenager in his place? The list goes on and on.
So far, all we’ve heard is the club, player and his representative insist that a permanent move will be organised. Of course the club is going to say that, but would there be any real reason for Kia Joorabchian to be so certain, considering Real Madrid or AC Milan can splash the cash much more generously than Manchester United?
We have to rely on the fact that our manager knows what he’s doing. Not because he’s flawless but because he wants to ensure we have the greatest team possible before he leaves, and that means keeping Tevez. He wants to beat Liverpool’s title record, he wants another European Cup to his name, and he knows he needs at least three quality strikers to do this.
It is important to remember that we don’t know the ins and outs of what goes on behind the scenes. Whilst Tevez was visibly disappointed to be subbed off against Celtic during the week, we should assume this is because he wanted to score before he made way, not because he is deciding enough is enough and he’s off. Ferguson has obviously spoken to the lad and told him what’s what. He has a future at the club but he has to be patient for now. We have to assume Ferguson has reminded Tevez of all the minutes he got on the pitch when he was a new signing, to allow him to adapt to our style of play and bond with his team mates. That is exactly the process Berbatov is going through now.
The games will be coming thick and fast over the next few months, with the benefit of three top class strikers really coming in to play. To compete for the league and FA Cup, as well as the Champions League, the rotation of these three forwards will be essential. Knowing that we can chop and change three well adjusted and competent players will make the second half of the season that bit easier. The faster Berbatov gels with the team, the sooner Tevez will get his starting place back, on more occasions.
Ronaldo may not be here next season, but Carlos Tevez certainly will be.
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We won CL and PL with Tevez and I hope he will stay becouse he is better player then Rooney and Berbatov
I friggin hope so, wouldn’t want him coming back to haunt us. The lad is world class, he’s just out of form.
Hope he stays..this guy gives his all for the team..and I’m sure Fergie will value his hardwork and patience by offering a permanent contract..
I think the main problem why we arent playing as fluidly as last season and why we aren’t imposing games aswe did before is due to the fact that Berba has come and disrupts the Roo-Tev partnership. I mean whenever Berba plays,he is never taken off…which amazes me as there are games he is piss poor (like against the gooners). I hope Fergie doesnt fuck this up like he did with Rossi and give Tevez some games. I would really love to see the Rooney/Tevez partnership in full gear and Berba coming off the bench…even if he moans,i really dont care. In my eyes me Berba is 2nd/3rd striker anyway.
@ above…totally agree
I dont agree. Fergie doesn’t really want Tevez in the team. It is his way of showing him that he better play elsewhere.
If we have to pay 30m for Tevez then he will have to be a regular starter. But that’s not going to happen.
Am I the only one thinking that Rooney is too predictable? He always cuts to his right and when he has his back to the opposition goal, he doesn’t have the option of cutting to his weaker left or the burst of speed to get past his marker.
I’d like to see Tevez play over Rooney at the moment because Tevez, whether playing well or badly, is always running with the ball trying to create plays and space.
“Maradona has come out on Argentina radio uno and said that he could see Tevez playing for Real Madrid next season, as there’s no reason to watch “inferior” players from the bench.”
This was reported on a Guardian blog; IF it’s true it’s not surprising, although I am not sure that Madrid is the most likely destination – he seems to be more of a Barcelona-type player.
In any event, it would seem that SAF’s focus on getting Berbatov has – so far, at least – bent the team out of shape. With Ronaldo a given in the team selection, it means that playing Berbatov gives two “passengers” in terms of defending-from-the-front.
Last year’s team – with the attacking trident of Rooney, Ronaldo and Tevez was much more “pesky”, as both ends of the pitch. Berbatov is, without doubt, a player of immense/languid skill and great vision but I am not sure that he has yet proved to be the best fit for this team. Indeed, it rather looks like subtraction-by-addition.
I have written on a number of occasions that what last year’s team needed was “an alternative”, the kind of big lunk (like Duncan Ferguson or Jan Koller) who could be stationed in the box in those situations when the opposition was defending a lead, packing the box, and yielding possession/territory; situations when UTD would play something akin to a 2-6-2, with the attacking fullbacks only nominally being considered defenders. This is what both Evra and Raphael provide but there is no one to target so that the attacking play often stops when the ball is crossed into the box. What concerns me most about Berbatov’s play is that he is not a lead-the-line type of player so that he does not provide a target in the box.
If the above-quotation is true then SAF’s pursuit and purchase of Berbatov – which always seemed kinda like a kid-in-a-candy-store – will result in a double subtraction: the team’s shape will be less effective and Tevez will walk away. That would be a terrible way for a team of double-winners to defend their titles.
Been saying this for ages, he won’t leave.
tevez will stay. the only problem is he looks short of matches after playing a full pre-season and then sitting on the bench as berbatov has gotten adjusted.
I hope that Tevez stays because he is a world class player and gives 100% everytime he is on the pitch.To be fair to him he is being sacrificed way too many times for berba and this has destabilized our team and affected results of certain matches(Arsenal) to great extent.As a result of this Tevez is getting frustrated and trying to play on his own.Tevez’s chemistry with the team’s and especially with ronnie and rooney is weakening as a result of this he is not getting enough opportunities to score.I love Tevez and want him to stay at old trafford ..He just needs time and games to return to his old self and we will need him against big teams because berba however good he is ,shows laziness and has a habit of drifting in and out of games(sometime for long periods) which affects us as a team.Whereas in Tevez we have a player who constantly makes his presence felt and he along with rooney and ronaldo is capable of destroying any team in the world on any given day..Some say that he is not a prolific striker which to some extent true but he is capable enough of turning the tables on opponents(ask roma,lyon).JUST HOPE THAT IN SETTLING BERBA we’ll not loose one of our key performers in TEVEZ.
As an argie fan, I’ve always been overwhelmed at the amount of adoration & care showed towards tevez by the mancunians.does the man from argentina deserves 2 be treated like an unwanted slave 4 bringing the 2nd most successful season? If carlito is hurt & gone bcoz of maltreatment, man u will lose a player who was also a fan of the club in heart.
I’ve always thought, and I’m glad some agree that the Tevez-Rooney partnership needed to continue and mature. Berva should have been introduced into the teams attacking style, not change the attacking style by bringing Berva on full time too early. Berva is a world class player, and world class players are able to adapt. Introducing him into a faster team might have forced him to run a little more. This is Tevez’s greatest contribution to the team, he makes everyone (Anderson) run a little more. I just hope Tevez doesn’t become another Jaap Stam for Fergie.
I’ve always thought, and I’m glad some agree that the Tevez-Rooney partnership needed to continue and mature. Berva should have been introduced into the teams attacking style, not change the attacking style by bringing Berva on full time too early. Berva is a world class player, and world class players are able to adapt. Introducing him into a faster team might have forced him to run a little more. This is Tevez’s greatest contribution to the team, he makes everyone (Anderson) run a little more. I just hope Tevez doesn’t become another Jaap Stam for Fergie. Denton Davey is spot on.