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How about that. The Berbabashers are wrong – yet again.
obviously the berba haters will brush aside these stats…
Have a funny feeling he will be top class this season. Hernandez being there means some of the pressure on him has been relieved and he dosent have to fill ‘Rooney’s position’ if wazza gets injured. Also he and Chicharito looked good together on Sunday. Can develop a good partnership.
Class!
In Berbatov we BELIEVE!
I am not convinced. He has failed so far to perform. Must show up in the big games and when we desperately need goals. Then I will be won over
I think its “Berbaric” how they treat Dimi… he will come good this year… no more Int’l football with Bulgaria, plus lots more service… personally would play him off 2 strikers as an attacking midfielder in an Eric type role…
United>England……. COME ON UNITED….
Berbatovs skill is undoubtly amazing and his composure is second to none
NO COMMENTS!!! ;0)
Sell Berbatov and buy N’Gog.
@Costas
stop that game. lol
the goals this guy scores are unbelievable..if ferguson could put in a word of `genius` on this guy, that speaks enough volume.
He’s blody good, it’s just too bad that lots of other fans can’t see it.
Imagine if we sell every players that the fans were not happy with..lol’s..that would be a nice sight on the strength of our squad.lol.
@AIG
I stopped it for a while, but now I caught the bug again, lol. I blame a Liverpool fan who said N’Gog was better than Hernandez.
yeh, been saying for ages he’s not an out and out goal scorer like certain people obviously are, but he plays a vital role in forward play, let’s be honest when people criticise him they display their own lack of understanding
Can I be the first to christen the Dimitar Berbatov and Javier Hernandez partnership – “Berbarito”?
Im copyrighting that
No doubt someone will make a cheap carbon Aldi/Lidl style version – “Chicatov”
haha costas. you had to start it.
@ AIG, Costas
Hello guys….how are you?
yeah….we better cash in on berbatov as he always looks promising in pre-season…sell him for 20 mn now and get the best young striker out there in NGOG!! I heard people from liverpool and some other fans of other clubs on here want berbatov on their team (jamie kanwar if i’m right).;;;;;sell him while we still can and get NGOG!!
I don’t know why people feel the need to justify Berbatov’s place at United. He’s obvously a class act and his stats are not as bad as people make out. Just because he doesn’t run around like a headless chicken for 90 mins, people assume he makes no effort. He will play a big part for us this season and i for one will support him whatever, because he’s red and he’s where he wants to be.
mark my words…NGOG will be the best striker in the world in a couple of years! Chicharito looks too expensive at 7 mn….we sold Rossi for only 5 mn remember……..what a waste of money……absolutely no value in transfer market guys…
So what if he creates 2.2 chances per 90 mins…..there is no one to finish them off after all……..Rooney cant finish all those chances by himself can he…….better of getting NGOG…….i even heard bellamy is available after the MASSIVE club get Balotelli…..game guys? it would be good value…besides he has a good record with the FA……he can punch guys and smash people’s faces and hit em with golf clubs and see no action taken against him…..would be a good asset to have in rough games such as bolton and blackburn away…kevin davies mugs evra and bellamy can return the favour with gary cahill etc
I’m a Berbafan but these stats don’t change the fact he doesn’t score enough, we blew the chance to get 4 titles in a row and the chance to overtake Liverpool in titles last season and for a striker like Berba to get 12 league goals in all of last season is no where near good enough. Especially as we got rid of Tevez who got near double his goal tally and overall 29 goals in 40 games. I know in his last season for us he didn’t score that many, but he didn’t play 90 minutes that often for us either, like he did the season before.
@Red Devil
Hi mate. I am well, thanks. How are you?
Mic – Rooney scored 26 goals. For a second striker to get as many as 12 is pretty good going. I say that judging him by the records set by second strikers at United since the Premiership began.
http://therepublikofmancunia.com/uniteds-top-two-scorers-how-does-berbatov-compare
I’m doing fine mate….just that work prevents me from doing much commenting nowadays, the company is in the process of major changes and restructuring…..i do read most of the posts though…….Scott does such a wonderful job….
We must start a petition to get NGOG to Old Trafford mate….
Lol, I know. We must do something. He could be the missing piece to our puzzle.
Hi fellas, avid reader of the blog but this is my first time posting. Quick question to Mic, how many starts did Berba get last season? Wasn’t he shunted to the periphery much in the same way your beloved Tevez was? Give the lad a break.
As someone put in another thread with regard to Ozil……buy NGOG and the ’19th is confirmed’
And yeah, our midfield is shit……
Carrick is past it…….
ando, gibson and cleverly will remain ‘too young’ forever until the Chinese invent an ageing pill which helps people grow and mature faster….if any other country manufactures it we wont be able to afford the pill coz we are skint…….
Hargreaves is good only for carrying drinks and such stuff now on wheelchairs…..
Obertan is a rich man’s Bellion….
Giggs, Scholesy and Edwin belong to old-age homes…..dont even get me started on the Neviller…….
Rooney is finished…people will boo him to oblivion and once his aura of invincibility is broken he will be found lying in a gutter with a packet of cigars mugged from berbatov…..
Fletcher will finally turn out to be the over-rated piece of shit he actually is….Like Roy keane, i cant understand why people in scotland and on ROM rave about him. His over-performance cannot last every year…..
Rio is crocked and will remain so till eternity….
Evra is going to be injured the entire year (remember he is too tired and was injury free completely last year….bad luck is just around the corner)
NGOG is our only hope….else it will finally be Liverpool’s year
hey just want to say tat there s a private league only for united fans on the fantasy premier league site….
the code for the league is 922667-218680…
so please join the league nd lets support our players by selecting them as much as possible……
nd hope we hve a year agn like 1998-99 nd 2007-08….
@ Singh
Man, will you cut that out…..you dont have to post it on every thread!
I’m hoping he’ll score more!! just score goals.. tap in, shoot from distance, head in.. just score goals !
@Moscow is my heaven
Hard to show up in the big games when he isn’t allowed to play. A half fit rooney was chosen over him against Bayern at home, sucks to be berba sometimes
But I taught he was shite and we should sell him????
sometimes i dont know what to believe any more
@Mic. How much do you actually follow United? Berba hardly had a look in last year, designated to the bench more often then not because of Fergie’s predilection for playing 4-5-1 in the bigger games in order to bolster the midfield with an extra man – making up in numbers what the engine room lacks in class, with Berba being the fall guy for the ineptitude of the likes of Carrick. How is the Bulgarian supposed to maintain fluidity and confidence in his game when he’s constantly being dropped to the bench for tactical reasons, particularly when his ‘demotion’ elicits howls of derision from the ignorant?
Comments like ‘Berbatov only scored 12 league goals last year’ tells you a lot about the mindset that’s in play with some people. It’s along the same lines as the misleading argument put forward regarding his goals to game ration last season, where people ‘forget’ to cite just how many games he actually started versus how many were played as a late substitute. Based on minutes played the Bulgarian brought in an admirable return.
None of that of course takes into account all the other aspects to his game. His assists, or the manner in which this supposedly lazy player can hold off two or three defenders by clever use of his body and superlative ball control until such a time as he can send through a penetrating pass or offload to an approaching team mate. There’s the unparalleled and exquisite touch on the ball that players like Rooney can only dream of, and the other rare quality that makes him the complete anti-Rooney, which is his ability to make his partners look and play so much better. Look what he did for Keane at Spurs, and what Keane has accomplished since he lost Berbatov’s services.
I personally enjoyed every minute of watching his partnership with Hernandez the other day, as he finally seemed to find joy in playing with a partner who complemented his gifts so well. In Chicharito he seems to have found a kindred spirit, another player of poise, intelligence, and skill who seems to instinctively understand what Berbatov has to offer in a way that Rooney and others on the team often don’t. What’s more Hernandez seemed to understand what Berbatov needed of him, and played some nice balls through to the breaking Bulgarian. Their partnership was head and shoulders above anything Rooney and Owen offered up in the first half.
Though it’s early days yet, my money is on Berbatov and Hernandez forming a telling partnership for United this year, one that could see Rooney dropped to the bench, pushed out wide, or used in a specialist role as the solo striker in 4-5-1 formations – even though I still think he has his limitations in that role against quality defenses. That notion may sound sacrilegious to those who think Roo walks on water, but I happen to be one of those who think Rooney is grossly overrated and that people mistake his pace, work rate and mongrel for class. For all the nice touches like the pass he laid on for a goal last Sunday there’s far too many occasions when he blows opportunities, blazes over goal with hurried shots, breaks down attacks with poor passing or decision making, often hands the ball back to the opposition in dangerous situations, and frequently becomes an anonymous and frustrated figure when he’s marked out of games by good center backs. Add all that to the fact that’s he’s a notoriously bad match up for practically every one he’s been paired to up front and you can see why I think Berba and Hernandez are looking like a better prospect as a pairing than anything Rooney could offer up with either of them. Rooney needs to be spoon fed by those around him – Hernandez and Berba have the class to do things for themselves and make others look and play better. That’s what makes a good pairing.
Hopefully the Chicharito’s arrival will inspire Berbatov to score more frequently.
Brilliant stat, it just made me laugh with glee. The message will get through eventually, perhaps even to Fergie. Last season he admitted he’d got it wrong with Rooney the season before (08/ 09), playing him out wide on the left too often rather than his favoured position through the middle. I wonder if he’ll come to admit this time that he under-used Berba ( and Owen). The arrival of Chicarito could well well alter the chemistry all round, with benefits for all the strikers.
By the way folks, while I was talking to one of my much-loved nieces last night her Ecuadorean husband was on the phone to Antonio Valencia, so I asked him to pass on the message that United fans love him and he should smile more, especially after scoring goals like the one on Sunday! He he does start smiling, you’ve got me to thank!!
Scott, you never cease to amaze me with regard to Berbatov.
Why do you feel the need to keep pushing the Berbatov stats on people all the time. It’s getting really boring now. It seems to me that you fail to remember that people like Mic, just like yourself, have an opinion. Just becasue if differs from yours, it shows a real lack of respect on your part to try and pick holes is their views. We all follow Utd and we all have our favourite players. We don’t all agree with each other but don’t they say that that’s one of the main reasons we all love the game, cos of the banter.
Mic has a very good point about Berbatov not stepping up to the plate last season when we could/should have won our 19th title. He wasn’t a second striker when Rooney got injured. The chance was there for him to become a Utd legend and he failed. Therefore, i think Mic’s point was valid.
You waited less than 5 mins before making a point about second strikers and records since the premier league started.
I have said this before, and every Utd fan who knows anything about footballl will testify that Berbatov is a class player. That has never been in question, in my view. But there have been plenty of class players that have failed to become “Great “players because they never rose to the occaision. Never controlled or made impacts in the big/important games. Remeber when it seemed like Sparky was always scoring in the big games down the years. That’s the kind of player people remember for years, not f**king stats. They remember important goals.
You can rattle off stats all day long but goals win games/titles/cups.
For f**k’s sake, even Fergie said Berbatov didn’t have a good season last time round.
You can’t keep saying the same thing over and over and expecting people that have disagreed with you to suddenly change their minds cos it’s the 3rd/4th/5th time you’ve said it.
Are we gonna get this arguement from you every time he scores a goal, this season?
You have to respect other people’s views, Scott. If you dish it out, then you have to learn to take it.
Looking from another angle, if he didn’t have a good season and could still manage what he did, then we all really should look forward to seeing him have a good season.
I don’t see where Scott forced it down anyone’s throat. He stated a fact, period.
Those who like seeing Berb in our kit and on the pitch will take delight in having another bullet to shoot off in arguments.
Those who are sitting on the fench may choose to be less critical when watching him and not slag him off when he doesn’t do what they have in mind while they sit on their cosy asses in their home or at the pub.
Those who dislike Berb will just diss it off as another mindless stat which has no bearing on his real worth to the team.
There’s no need to get critical or defensive or aggressive.
Any player deemed worthy of strutting his boots on the pitch by SAF, is worthy.
RH – Are you being serious? It shows a real lack of respect to other United fans because I post statistics in support of a Manchester United player?
All people are entitled to their own opinion. I’m not telling anyone what to think. I was simply sharing a fact with you. I find it fairly bizarre that when confronted with a stat that shows Berbatov as a better creator of chances than any other team’s striker that you would respond by being so negative. Am I missing the point?
Love him or hate him, I’d have thought Manchester United fans would be pleased to hear something positive about a Manchester United player. My mistake.
We need Carrick , anyone with half a brain knows how good he is …
Same goes for Berbs.
RH iv never heard any Utd player get the Shit what Berbatov gets on this site.
maybe if he scored 2 against the scousers he’l be an hero.
whoever wears the red shirt support them not castigate them.
Scott, please define “goal scoring opportunity” and provide the statistical evidence to back it up. You know, the one you got from Opta.
I’m assuming you mean Berbatov touched a ball that later ended up in the back of the net after a series of passes. What was his actual assist record for last season as that all important “2nd striker”, 5 assists in 33 EPL appearances wasn’t it? Yeah, he’s definately worth £32m.
Come on Scott, even other United fans are bored of the Berba-drum your banging. The guy has not lived up to his pricetag, last season the tea lady looked more energetic. I remember one game towards the end of the season which I watched with a United fan and he remarked “God, he’s not even on the pitch yet and already he looks like he can’t be arsed”, at the time Berb was waiting to come on as a sub.
Scott, of course i’m being serious. did you think i was taking the piss?
Did you actually read what i’d written? Seriously??
The point that i thought i made fairly clearly, is that people are entitled to their own opinion. Full stop. By snapping at Utd fans who dare to say a negative word about your favourite player, you show a lack of respect, in my opinion.
By you trying to imply that i think you show a lack of respect to united fans for any ohter reason is out of line. Don’t put words in my mouth. Read the text.
You post the stats and we’re all grateful to you for it but if you think that gives you the right to critisize fans for airing their views just becasue they differ from yours then you’re doing all this for the wrong reasons.
If you cannot accept that people will disagree with your opinion of Berbatov then why post stats that might divide opinion if you find it so bizarre. Makes no sense to me.
Tell me that Berbatov stepped up to the plate last season when Rooney was out and you kidding yourself.
Utd fans will always want to hear positive things about their players. What they don’t want to hear is mis-leading info, and yes i mean the stats, Scott.. It’s time we all forgot the stats. We didn’t win the title last year when we had a chane. End of story. No point being unrealistic about it. That’s not being negative. just realistic. We move on and it’s a new season.
For Christ’s sake Scott, some people have been negative about Berbatov, and with valid reasons. Get over it.
RH, I think you are the one reading it wrong.
Scott simply pointed out that Berba had a stat. That is like saying you have a leg to stand on, a fact.
Which part of his post did he force an opinion on people? Unlike yours, you make it like Scott said” Berbatov is the best 2nd striker in the EPL, those who disagree don’t understand football” Did Scott say anything like that? No. So RH, chill and read the post properly
for the some of the people criticising others for criticising berba we are not the only ones sir alex said the man is a genius and i dont think anyone disputes the fact that when on form he is an incredible player but sir alex also admitted that berb did not play to nis potential last year and no one can say he did , we paid 30 million on him and considering we are skint now that was our last big signing , he simply hasnt lived up to his price tag , another regret is that if we didnt buy berba tevez would most likely still be here and i know we all hate tevez now but remember singing for him to be bought towards the end of the 2008/9 season and although alot of you wont admit it but we would prefer tevez here over berba
Get the dipper out, the place stinks.
Hopefully he will bang in the goals this season.
Marq,
I don’t really know what you mean by a leg to stand on but i guess you’re making the point that Scott was only making us aware of a latest stat he saw. He’s made the Stats argument a few times, though, but i know the point you’re making. Fair enough, but i didn’t make out that those who disagree with me know nothing about football. Come on, mate, read my texts, in fairness.
I’m just so sick and tired of reading about last season and Berbatov. I know some people gave him shit and even boo-ed him at games – i personally did not, but he has to take the good with the bad.
I don’t see the point it saying everything was great with him last season when it clearly wasn’t. It’s no slight on him as a person but we have to be honest and realistic at the same time. If that’s seen as negative then so be it. It can’t always be rose.
I didn’t think we played that well overall last year and there’s nothing wrong with being disappointed and sharing your views – as long as you’re not abusive.
Scott posts a lot of great stuff on here but that doesn’t mean i’m always going to agree with him. I will only ever post something i feel strongly about and i see nothing wrong with that as long as the point i’m making is valid and i can back it up.
Anyway, at the end of the day a new season is starting and we could have another Ole on our hands, in Hernandez, which would solve a lot of problems. Little Mickey Owen might start banging them in, too, if he stays injury free and my pal Berbatov might have the confidence to make a bit impression this season and get us that 19th title.
Fingers crossed….
Berbatov is a wonderful player and always has been. The interview he gave after the Community Shield was very telling when he said he has always believed it doesn’t matter who scores as long as there are goals. Remember he also said the same thing after a game last season where he scored himself and setup Rooney for a tap in… he said he “preferred the Rooney assist to his goal”, that it was better for United for Rooney to get as many goals as possible.
All you have to do is even watch the 2009/2010 season review DVD to see how Berba consistently (when he was played and putting aside the time he spent out injured) was involved in goals. Some fans just don’t seem to understand that a lot more goes into a goal than a strikers foot or head. If Berba had been more greedy last season he might have scored a few more in the league but that would have undoubtedly meant Rooney would have scored less than he did. There are only so many builds ups that have real goal potential in football at the highest level.
@RH
speaking or “its getting boring”………
@Timbo Dont ever post on Rom you are not welcome.You type to much sense mate.Now fuck off. lol
I just dont get it honestly he is our player.Why would you want to shout him down.
I suppose I am to simple in thinking that is what a Supporter is.
Be under no illusion I am not a rah rah boy.I dont fully understand Anderson’s role as an example.
I think its two goals in fifty five games.still if I were at Old Trafford I could never shout against him.I mean lets help the opposing team bye doing this.Makes sense.
Great Stats as normal on ROM.
Get rid of Costas of the blog. Sign him up for Rom.lol
timbo @ 14:02: “my money is on Berbatov and Hernandez forming a telling partnership for United this year, one that could see Rooney dropped to the bench, pushed out wide, or used in a specialist role as the solo striker in 4-5-1 formations”
Good point. There’s also the sometimes-spoken chance that in the case of a Dimmy/Chicharito attack that WayneRooney could be used to partner Darren Fletcherinho (football genius) in an attacking midfield role. That would be interesting.
Rooney dropped to the Bench, pushed out wide. makes total sense.
Berbatov shud be deployed in a fee role as an attacking MF with Fletch and Carrick/Anderson behind him to do the dirty work..We will play thru the middle and score goals galore !!
IN BERBA WE TRUST !!
berba and chaicarito will be phenomenal together
berba can pretty much make any pass with perfection whereas hernandez can find or even make space, its a match made in heaven
Rooney in the Toti role for Roma in the 4-4-1-1 role?
Rooney and Steveie G for England hit the mojo stride when the would rotate and sometimes Rooney could run down the left side and get in the flow of the game.
Rooney has to be closer to goal he can produce goals, how much dirty work will you ask him to do? How much does the dirty work elevate his game. I see Rooney at 29 running the attacking midfield of the now 3 time CL medal holder!!!!!!!! Rooney has the 40-50 yard pass on the dime in him. And a little red mist gets him going. Just a little.
@gottahatetinytears
I don’t understand your last post.
the main reason why i want him gone is that he needs his teammates to perform in order for him to perform …. and it’s irrelevant to his teammates if he plays or not – he would not be missed … that’s why i think that he’s irrelevant to us…i mean if he’s not playing, no one would miss him, and that’s not class
it was perfectly visible in the matches against chelsea and blackburn, or the clashes against bayern or arsenal…against chelsea and blackburn everyone kept saying how he was a scapegoat because everyone else was poor..you don’t see people defending rooney when everyone else is poor – you expect of him to be the guy who sets the pace and the quality of the game…because he is class – berbatov is not,,,,classy players win big matches on their own – he can’t…
we were knocked out by bayern but we put one of the best performances of the season WITHOUT HIM…same against ARSENAL – the players don’t need him in the team in order to put a great performance, and he needs his team-mates to play good for him to perform…and that’s his problem no matter what the stats say..
the stats can say that he had the best season of all EPL strikers but the bottom line is that the stats are like bikini – they unveil a lot but they keep the best parts hidden
@ CROoney
Great last line re the bikini.
RedScot at 0:13
Brillant mate and bang on the money. I find the idea that Wayne might be left on the bench to accommodate Berba, or Chico bemusing, he’s one of our most important players as he showed last season. I’ve said before, some fans need to forget about wazza’s poor WC, and get behind the lad.
Fans are fickle Minded…
The White Pele will be back banging in the Goals starting on the 16th of August !!
Quick berb stat.. Tiptop