I have made no secret of my admiration for Dimitar Berbatov in his three seasons at the club. He’s a classy player who is a joy to watch on the ball. After spending the first two seasons not scoring as many goals as a £30m striker should, he was awarded with the Premier League golden boot this season and, according to Opta, scored more winning goals than any player in the league.
Whilst Wayne Rooney, the player who carried us the season before, was handing in a transfer request and not scoring, Berbatov was the player pushing us on, along with Nani. At the end of January, Berbatov had scored more hattricks for United than Rooney had goals. Without his contribution, we would not have lifted than 19th title last weekend.
Over the last few months of the season, Berba lost his place in the starting line-up to Chicharito. Rooney turned his season around and our new Mexican striker scored too regularly to leave out. Still, come the end of the season, after lifting the trophy, the Bulgarian spoke exactly like you would like a United player to.
“I will go nowhere,” he said. “Now I am part of United’s 19th title and I want to be part of the 20th, that’s my plan. I am the happiest man in the team because I’m a champion and top goalscorer in the league. To win 19 titles is a fantastic achievement.”
Ruud van Nistelrooy and Carlos Tevez wouldn’t sit on our bench, but here we have a player, the top scorer in the league no less, who claims he is the happiest man in the team, despite losing his place in the first XI, because United have won the league and he has contributed to that.
Ahead of last night’s Champions League final, we all knew that if Ferguson was going to play two strikers from the start, Berbatov wasn’t going to be one of them. He would start on the bench and the question was whether Michael Owen would join him or not. There won’t have been any United fans who had even considered that Berba would not make the bench.
I can’t imagine his shock and devastation upon learning that, if United were to win the European Cup, he would not be picking up a medal. He has played almost three times as many games as Owen this season, massively contributing to our 19th title, yet the manager showed no appreciation of that last night. My loyalty will always be with the manager over any player, including Giggs, Scholes or anyone else. However, I can’t ignore how cruel Ferguson was last night and how disrespectful he was towards a player who helped him knock Liverpool off their perch.
Some fans have criticised Berbatov for not joining the likes of John O’Shea in the stands to watch the game. I partially agree with this. You like to see the players putting on a United front and supporting each other, regardless of what has happened to them. However, I can’t entirely agree with that stance in this situation. We can’t possibly imagine how Berba felt when the manager told him he wouldn’t be on the bench and with next to no time to adjust to this shock, it’s not a massive surprise he didn’t come out of the dressing room.
“Some players even cry now in the dressing room – Bryan Robson never used to cry,” Ferguson said earlier this season. Was Berbatov sat in the dressing room crying, even just initially? I wouldn’t bet again it. This was probably his last opportunity to play in European Cup final and his manager didn’t even fancy him enough to put him on the bench.
After the game, the manager confessed that it caused him “heartache” to leave Berba out but insisted the player hadn’t stormed off, but was in the dressing room.
“For Berbatov it was a difficult decision,” said Ferguson. “Picking my team I found easy, but picking my subs I found very difficult. I tended to overload the midfield positions because I thought that was the position that was most important. I gambled with just one defender to allow me to get as many options in midfield and wide positions. It was a choice between Michael Owen and Dimitar Berbatov and if you are looking for someone to nick a goal in the last few minutes you want Owen’s experience.”
Now, had Owen been brought on for the final ten minutes, with United 3-1 down and in desperate need of a goal, I still wouldn’t agree with the manager’s decision, but would have to respect it. The fact that Owen didn’t get brought on, despite United only making two substitutions, beggars belief. What was the point? Why cause our top scorer so much hurt and disappointment for the sake of Owen being an unused sub?
Berba did not return with the team to Manchester today, so we’ll learn more about his future tomorrow when the players parade the league trophy. You imagine that if he hasn’t made his own way back up to Manchester by then, there’s a very strong possibility he is off. Given that he is 30 and in the last year of his contract, we wouldn’t be able recoup a great deal on the £30m we spent on him, even as the league’s top scorer, but now a club could get him for next to nothing.
I’d love for him to stay at the club because he’s an incredibly talented player and he has a fantastic attitude. He had the opportunity to double his money at City, but he didn’t even meet with them, knowing that a meeting alone would put pressure on United to offer him more money. He wants to play for this football club, he wants to play his part in our success, and when the game is inundated with mercenaries, it’s refreshing to see someone whose sole motivation isn’t money.
However, I wouldn’t begrudge him wanting to leave now. The manager has let him know exactly how little he values him, so what choice does he have? Can he really play for a club where he doesn’t even get in the squad for a final when he’s the club and league’s top scorer?
With money tight and more pressing replacements needed, it’s probably reasonable to assume that if Berbatov leaves, Ferguson will use Danny Welbeck as his replacement. Is that the kind of move other top clubs around Europe would make?
Desperately disappointed for Berbatov but I’m more concerned about the consequences this may have for the club. Rooney and Chicharito have been more or less injury free this season, luckily, but we have no guarantees of that next season, and then what?
This is an incredibly and confusing frustrating situation. I can’t help but think Berba has to leave now, as much it pains me to say it. But, as always, in the manager we trust.
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I believe he will stay for at least one more season
Really want him to stay. we won 19th because of his efforts in the early part of the season (plus Nani’s)
He has been class. If it wasn’t for him, we wouldn’t win our 19th. That’s it. Gutted for him though.
@Warwick Definitely mate. His effort and Nani’s drove us all the way when Rooney decided to ditch us early this season. These two had to carry us forward.
Spot on STR, i too was left shocked at Berba’s abscence… i love Dimi, but i have too agree, i wouldn’t blame him for wanting to leave…sad
Its hardly a surpirse or frustrating position. Most his goals come at home. He hasnt scored a goal in the CL for 2 years. He cant play as a lone striker. He just doesnt fit into Uniteds system, simple as that. Also, he isnt top goalscorer, hes joint top, he failed to take his chances against Blackpool whereas Owen needed 1 sniff.
I really want him to stay, more than any other player. The way he had waited, contributed, pledged loyalty and worked hard for this club is more than most other players. I say we need more Berba, and even though it sucks a little to say it, less Rooney. Berba deserves his spot more than Rooney, fact. And lets be honest, his pairing with Chicharito was awesome. I respect our manager, and I rarely am annoyed with him and go against what he choses, but last night I did get annoyed with him. But what can you do?
I think he’s been treated badly in my opnion.He desreved a place on the bench at least ahead of Owen.who has scored 1 league goal all season.
I hope he stays.
I can’t believe all this. Berbatov has shown nothing but respect an loyalty towards United since day 1. He might not have had the brightest of starts for United following his goddamn price tag, but he surely turned that around this season with all his brilliant performances. And still those (so called) united supporters among us treat him like shit. What the fuck!?
He failed to put on a performance against City in the FA cup.. a single fucking game. Now I ask myself how the fucking hell can a player of such class be judged on that ONE game, when he was scoring hat tricks and breaking records. I’d be surprised if SAF based his decision on this, because as we all know, he know way better than that.
I’d be seriously gutted if Berbatov left United, especially after it was the brilliant Bulgarian who made me crazy about United again.
I’d like to see him see out his contract. United don’t deserve anything for him after the way he’s been treated in the latter part of the season. He’s a class act, and loyalty might see him want to see out his last year then move on. However his pride may overpower his loyalty and he’ll look for a new club as soon as he can. Can’t begrudge him if he makes that decision…
Scott,i disagree with you.berbatov has not done anything worthwhile for us in europe and like the manager said,if i need a goal in the dying minutes of a game,i’ll go with owen over berbatov.fletcher didnt make the team for moscow either
SAF made a big mistake yesterday by not including him. He made a bigger mistake in the last final by not starting Tevez. Fergie should have packed the midfield yesterday, we got run ragged at the emirates and anfield with that 4 man midfield, yesterday we came up against real quality so how were the 4 in the middle ever going to cope. Hopefully we don’t meet them again for a while now because we just ain’t good enough.
Berbatov played in a champion league final for leverkusen in 2005..he holds the ball best in united team and gets left out in a game against barca..real sad
Excellent article. In their stupidity, Fox sports in the US chose not to show us the subs bench before the kick-off, so I was left to pick it up from the commentary. i was staggered beyond belief to hear that The Berb didn’t even make the bench. And then to finish the match without even using all our subs, including the one who was preferred ahead of the league’s top scorer, was just a total kick in the nuts. What that boils down to is: “I would have rather use no-one, than use you.” Like all true United fans, I bow down to SAF in every matter — no-one can ever express our gratitude for what he has done for this club. But I really don’t get this one.
About last night’s match,
I’m still thinking, how did we managed to get the better of Barcelona in ’08. They had Xavi, Iniesta, Deco, Yaya Toure, Messi, & Eto’o as their front 6 back then. We were without Vidic, and Hargo was in the RB. We drew at Nou Camp, and beat them at OT. They were pretty playable back then. hmm. What makes them extraordinary, that’s the question.
Could we at least beat them if we use the same tactics as in ’08 ?
One final thing, patrice Evra better step his game up next season because he has been absolutely shit for the whole campaign. There’s something I thought I would never say.
i hope tosee rooney berba chicharito and welbeck has our 4 strikers next year
if berba goes we are in trouble
Words like ‘cruel’ and ‘disrespectful’ are far too strong. Ji-sung Park played a key role in getting us to the final in ’08, but was left out of the final. These things happen. Big decisions need to be made. Park reacted with far more dignity and grace.
I appreciate you like Berbatov a lot, but on the whole, for a £30m striker he hasn’t produced the goods. Joint top scorer in the PL, based largely on a 5-goal haul against an awful Blackburn side, isn’t redemption enough for two very poor seasons and some continually inept performances in big games.
@ando08
Berbatov has not scored in Europe for that long, because he havent even play that much. And a point to ponder. Against Barca, where we couldn’t keep the ball for 1min, would Berbatov have made a difference? Sir Alex brought on Scholes just to gain some control and slow things down, and it is something Berbatov could also offer, composure, a trait that nobody in the team had yesterday.
Our midfield was always going to be our weakest link, and against the best in the world (and maybe even one of the best of all time) it showed. Time for some self reflection on how we can improve. The point I feel Scott is trying to make is, ditching Berbatov is not going to improve us, because he offers something no many players in the world can offer. Composure and loyalty
I must say I’m completely bemused by Ferguson’s decision to put Owen on the bench ahead of Berbatov. My confusion is only compounded further by the fact that we didn’t even bring Owen on when we were looking for a goal. Hernandez wasn’t in the game at all and when Villa scored there was still twenty minutes to go. I love Chicharito but surely it was time to try bringing on another striker to try to change the game whether that be Owen or Berbatov if he got the nod instead. I really can’t figure this one out how we just let the game fizzle out like that. It’s completely bizzare to me and I can’t ever really remember a game in which we were losing to only make two substitutions. Not that I think it would have made any difference to the result but surely you still have to try.
Anyways it’s still been a great season and when that feeling like I’ve been kicked in the nads by ten thousand scousers finally goes away, I’ll enjoy sitting down with a nice cup of coffee and watching the DVD of our 19th winning title season. I was there for Rooney’s overhead kick and I don’t think I’ll ever forget it as long as I live.
Is it just me or does your love for this great club grow even further after days like yesterday. UNITED!!!!
3/without/killing/anyone*
I think it’s because they got rid of some of the dead weight and negative influences like Deco and Ronaldinho and also Rikaard was supposed to have lost control of the dressing room and training wasn’t done properly and no one really respected him. Then Pep Guardiola came in and changed the atmosphere in the dressing room… and I know he has some quality he has at his disposal is immense but the job he has done is even better.
I’d easily take Pep Guardiola over Jose Mourinho any day as next MUFC boss
I wouldn’t be surprised if he goes back to Spurs. They love him down there.
I have to say I am not Dimitar’s biggest fan, and although I’ve defended him in the past two seasons, I actually have had enough of him now. When he first came I never thought he looked like a United player – every player in our team is a hard working player who shows passion and dedication every time they wear the shirt. Players like Rooney, Fletcher, Vidic, Rafael (the list goes on…) all show that tenacity and commitment that makes us love these players so much. That is what Manchester United is about: the players showing how much they love this club in every game, which is surely how every fan feels and how every fan would hope the players feel too. So with Berbatov’s laid-back style of playing he was never really going to fit in. And he didn’t, in my opinion. Obviously he is a class player, but he’s not a United player for me. Hernández has shown terrific form this season and I would actually hope we sell Berbatov. Owen is still good to come off the bench (though I would accept it if we let him go too) and with promising talents such as Wellbeck, Macheda, King (admittedly off to Germany for a year now) and Diouf, we have some promising young strikers who could have an impact next season to supplement our two world-class attackers. With a creative midfielder added to the squad (Modric, Pastore or Sanchez – PLEASE not Ashley Young!) we will bolster our squad in the perfect way, which, if the worst comes to worst and we get injuries to either Rooney or Hernández AND Wellbeck/Diouf/Macheda prove not to be good enough, we will at least be able to adapt to a 4-51/4-3-3 formation that will enable us to come through such a situation.
To sum up,I do like Dimitar Berbatov, but I just don’t think it’s right for the club – he’s clearly lacking confidence again now, and his performances have dipped as has his composure in front of goal (see Blackpool etc), and playing as a third striker next year which he will inevitably do is not going to be good for either party.
so who do we sign to make the midfield stronger? I keep hearing stories linking ashley young to united.
I really do not want to see young at ot. how can he improve us?
Fergie has to spend big & be bold
It’s not even about respect and loyalty. It’s about “options”. About having a Plan B, in case Plan A doesn’t work. All year long, we’ve been a team that always had another approach, if the current one didn’t work. But yesterday we didn’t.
There are several ways to use subs. One is to replace players who aren’t doing what they’re supposed to do, or not well enough. Your plan is OK, it’s just not being executed properly. Another way to use subs is when the players get tired. Again, your plan is OK, it just needs fresh legs. We covered ourselves against both those possibilities yesterday, as well as we could. But when you decide not to bother with your subs, that indicates a different issue: it means the plan itself isn’t working. And that’s when you want the ability to use subs for a different purpose: to use a different plan. By leaving out The Berb, that’s what we denied ourselves, and that’s what I don’t get.
Now some will say it wouldn’t haven’t made a difference. Maybe not. But forging ahead with Plan A didn’t make any difference either, did it? It was rapidly going nowhere. And the fact that we didn’t use all subs indicates to me that by that time, the boss himself knew that Plan A was fucked.
Scot the Red well said and heart felt. Berba is a true talent that has been a professional at every turn. And I must say a fact based reflection on Rooney’s year. I have been critical of your Rooney views in the past. SAF had mentioned 5 or 6 weeks ago about real hard personnel decisions that must be made for the good of the player and the squad. Like letting a great team player move on as in Phil Neville and Butt. Then I new more then Brown would move on. Wazza fucked up in listening to bad advice in contract negotiations. He has been world class since Feb. And the Lil Pea has to be part of his plan for the next CL winning team in part to secure him long term and keep Real at bay and far far away.
Park missed out on a winners medal when he was such a big part for winning in Moscow. Tough tough choices every were for a gaffer.
And thanks for your great site Red the Scot it means so much to so many. Thank You Sir.
Pep will be the next United manager when SAF retires.He said wants to move to England to improve his already excellent English
Sorry Scott, but if I would be the manager of United and needed a impact player to get me a goal I would choose Owen over Berba any day of the week. Owen not coming on during the game doesnt change that. And I also think that the reason Owen didnt get brought on was because Sir Alex would have had to remove a midfield player and then we would have lost the game 6-1. He was saving our honour pretty much.
I like Berbatov as a person but he will never be more than a bench player for United, if he doesnt want to do it then someone else will do the job. The most important thing is that the team wins, while all players are on multi million pound contracts then everything else like “feelings” go out of the window. Thats the cold reality in my opinion. Have you already forgotten how incredibly poor Berbatov was in the 2 seasons before this one? 1 in 3 is not that good in my opinion. Not for Manchester United at least. I dont care who comes in for him, just as long as he does the job. Be it from the academy or transfer market.
How can Young improve us?
First he’s versatile and used to play on the left wing which was definitly our problem through out the season.
Nani isn’t himself on the left and park a more defensive winger.
Our death ball situations have been shite. Ashley young can kick rly good freekicks.
He knows the PL and doesn’t need any time to adapt the english way of playing football.
I’m disappointed at the situation and i feel he deserved a place on the bench. Fergie didn’t get it right in my mind, but who am i to doubt?
At the end of the day, we’re not here to make friends and Berba is a great player, but like many before, sometimes they just don’t fit into the team you are build or have built. Berba is one of them players. He isn’t consistantly dangerous enough, he lacks pace and can slow the play down too much. With him and Rooney the opposition squeeze the play and play higher up the pitch. We need pace up front, so it’s either Rooney or Berba and it seems Fergie thinks Rooney is the better option. I think Berba is the better person, but that doesn’t count for anything on a pitch.
Commented on another thread before I saw this. People have been banging on about playing all 3 of Hernandez, Rooney and Berbatov. Which is stupid, what if one or both get injured? When Rooney was injured/off form Berbatov stepped up like you expect a quality forward to do. What if Hernandez is shit next season? It can happen, Hernandez needs service to score every time, Berbatov does not. I think its curtains for him. I think last nights decision for not putting Berbatov on the bench is the worst decision Fergies made at the club since selling Jaap Stam. Thank you Berbatov it was a privilege to see you score 2 out of those 3 hat tricks, that sublime skill vs Bobby Moore Fc to set up Ronaldo and the winner vs Bolton which I will NEVER forget.
Enter bashers, the domain is yours for 3 months and 3 months only. Till August.
@willie
mate i think fergie will only sell berba to spurs if they are willing to give modric
as fergie loves modric
i dont think he will leave i hope to see a smiling berba tomorow in parade
surely the manager cant be that cruel to berba and sell him
@lawman10
mate we will get young and de gea
I love Berbatov, I always did, like you I always stand behind the Manager but I must say that I wasn’t pleased that Teves was allowed to catch up to Berba’s goals.
Chicha has been great but I would have played Berbatov more than Rooney. Maybe because he is my favourite player or maybe because he is loyal to United.
I hope Berbatov always has a place in our team. He is pure class.
Forever United!
lawman10 – I don’t think it’ll be anyone obvious like a Sneijder or that lad that plays for Roma (his name escapes me right now). Maybe Pastore would be a good shout. someone who’ll develop even further at the club. De Gea, Young, and Pastore, I’d be happy with that.
hope he stays but won’t be suprised if he didn’t.
berba wont leave
ando08 – If he can’t fit into United’s system, why did Fergie pay 30 million for him? Fergie wanted him for a few years, before we eventually signed him. Not the actions of a man, who thought he couldn’t fit him into our system/formation.
Spot on. Feel for Berba. Wonder about the decision making.
In Fergie we trust.
Definitely agree with this post. Given the rash of injuries this year, there is no guarantee that Rooney & Chicharito make it through next year unscathed. We definitely need a legitimate 3rd striker. Walbeck may help but kind of scared thinking of going with him as #3, esp given the sheer volume of games that United have to play.
Agreed on everything Scott… Except the part about the bench yesterday. Team-picking-wise, it was the right move. How he handled it by not bringing Owen on, is on the other hand a whole different thing… But yes, hypothetically if we were 2-1 down with say 15 minutes to go, I would have brought on Owen and not Berba.. So I understand SAF:s thinking there…
However, you are totally right about this being a sad state of affairs… Berbatov deserves better…
ahem, the way i see it the boss has huge decisions to make, he could make them and leave a lot of people shell socked because lets face it our opponents last night have set the bench mark or decide the risk is too much.
The midfield issue for me requires a drastic solution, one that SAF’s probably not prepared to go into. Transfers won’t solve the problem, it’ll go a long way but others will need to step up their game.In order to beat this Barcelona side you have to be the best at what you do, unequivocally the best, there can be no dispute, then you have a chance, then its 50/50.
I dnt wanna see Berba go.
Fergie has his own reason for dropping him. All hail the great SAF!
I was mystified that Berbatov never even made it to the bench. Hernandez showed a lot of naivety last night and showed that he is still learning the game albeit he is still a breathtaking talent. What would have happened if Rooney had pulled a hamstring after 5 minutes.Hernandez is far to inexperienced to play point man on his own against Barca. Berbatov is immensely strong and when he has the ball is almost impossible to dispossess. That would have been an option.
I think Berbatov is a fantastic player and would be gutted to see him leave but I fear that Sir Alex is showing a cruel and ruthless streak knowing Dimitar’s previous pledges of loyalty to the club and the circumstances surrounding his signing and the way he turned down the last minute approach from City. He has a genuine passion for the club and I feel the Manager is orchestrating a good reason to get rid of him as a part ex for Modric. I would love to see Modric at the club but don’t like to see our top scorer’s nose pushed so far out of joint that he finds it impossible to stay and can be described as a problem child to justify the 20million hit we will have to take on him if he is sold.
@Ryandunny
Yehh, agreed. And Messi has improved dramatically, but lets talk about the midfield. Could we get some joy had we pack our MF and not playing with wingers ? Fletcher, Anderson, Carrick, Rooney, Berba, & Chico as our front 6, with Rooney playing in the hole. Could that work ?
Ive been slagged of for the last 3 season when ive said Berba is a great player but he just doesn’t fit our system of play and SAF just confirmed that with his selection last night. I’m not fooled by his goal scoring stats this season either. I feel bad for him him as a person that he didn’t make the bench but no more so then the other squad players who didn’t get selected. I think its time to cut our losses and ship him out as his value is only going to decrease from here on, just my opinion!!
3/without/killing/anyone
We may have got some joy but playing without wingers is very un-united and I would hate to see it. We tried it in the Cup against Southampton and it was horrible to watch. And I still think Barca would have won the way they played yesterday.
We need new blood in CM… and the youngsters deserve a chance.
we will be enlightened tomorrow
Thank you berba.. The man stood tall this season and for some reason the manager has taken the view of unappreciative fans. It’s a travesty to be treated so. What more could he have done…. 19..
Regardless of what you think about Berbatov not making the bench his subsequent dissapearing act was baffling. I think back to Moscow and how Park Ji Sung having run his backside off to help us escape with a 1-0 over Barcelona at Old Trafford never made it onto the bench in spite of inviting his parents to come watch etc. showed his support for the team and was there with the guys regardless. Why couldn’t Berbatov do the same? Of course he would’ve been hurt but do you think Park was any less hurt after what he gave in 2008? Park is 30 too so he also knew in 08 that it might be his last chance (at the time nobody knew there’d be 2 other finals in the next 3 years) but he was there for the lads. I really dont understand this thing of Berba not sitting with the team and not going back to Manchester with the squad.
United till I Die … well, even if you’re right, that’s a criticism of Sir Alex, not Berbatov. It’s not like he was an unknown and we didn’t know what we were getting. And it’s not like he suddenly changed his style when he came to us. Sir Alex knew perfectly well what he was buying, and it was Sir Alex who agreed to pay the fee that Spurs (not Berbatov) demanded, and it was Spurs (not Berbatov) who benefitted from that fee.
Just for the record: at Spurs, Berbatov scored 27 goals in 69 games, a goals-per-game av of 0.39. At United, he has scored 41 goals in 96 games, an average of 0.43 per game. So in Sir Alex’s eyes, he was worth 30 million based on what he did at Spurs; and now, he has done better here than there.
@Ryandunny
It’s a one game thing, no joy with wingers v Barca in Rome, as well as last night. we could’ve play without wingers even if it look very un-united, just to win this competition. Sounds like a “glory hunting bastard” eh ?
Looks like we’re gonna need 2 Modrics and a fit Hargo if we were to compete with this Barca side. Got to give the youngsters exposure. Morrison, Pogba & Tunnicliffe definitely deserves a chance.
Well said Scott. This is the part that annoyed me the most about last night:
“The fact that Owen didn’t get brought on, despite United only making two substitutions, beggars belief. What was the point? Why cause our top scorer so much hurt and disappointment for the sake of Owen being an unused sub?”
Personally, that seems like taking the piss against Berb more than anything. Anyway. I feel he is off. No doubt that he wants to stay, but in my opinion, the club’s stance doesn’t indicate that he is wanted. Yesterday’s decision was bad enough, but the way they spat on him in the player of the year awards was equally bad.
United will persevere no matter what. However, and since I’ve grown fond of Berb as a person, he is better off elsewhere where he will be more appreciated.
3/without/killing/anyone*
Ya but what you have to take into account is none of our players would be used to playing like that. We need a Modric type and Hargo type player in summer if we really want to take on Barcelona. Otherwise if we come up against him we’d have to hope they have an off day.
I feel very puzzled by Fergie’s handling of team selection and use of subs. For once he seemed like a rabbit in the headlights in the face of Barca’s growing domination of the match. The subs came on too late to change much and didn’t amount to a real tactical adjustment. Like Scott I would generally back the manager against any player but here I think he got things seriously wrong. Berba has been mis-handled in the run-in period of the last two seasons, when it has been obvious that Fergie doesn’t trust him and doesn’t play him for ‘big’ matches, unless forced to by injuries and suspensions. To a certain extent the same has been true of Nani. As I’ve argued on another thread, Berba is the only central striker who can hold the ball up, which gives the team time and relief from pressure, desperately needed yesterday. His movement is totally different from Chicho, who became isolated and increasingly ineffective last night. Yes, as has been pointed out, he got no service, but he was offside five times without ever learning his lesson and anyway he can offer little when United don’t have the ball, whereas Berba does.
Valencia got frustrated and did at least battle (and foul) till the end, but looked off form throughout. If Scholes had come on earlier and put some order into mid-field we might have had a chance, with Nani a ready target for his passes, making space on the wings and holding the ball up too. If Berba had only been picked he would have thrived on the Nani/ Scholes service, as he did in the first half of the season. It was that trio who built the platform for United’s title challenge, more than anything else. The weaknesses at that point in the season were defensive errors (eg Fulham, Everton), not the attacking side. What Nani and Berba gave to the team when playing together was space all across the front line, with Berba foraging deeper than Chicho, enabling Nani to pop up literally left, right and centre. It’s a lateral line of attack, unlike the front on, darting through the middle of a Hernandez/ Owen, which really didn’t work against Barca.
Yes it’s true that Rooney and Chicho made a terrific partnership in the last couple of months and deserved their chance from the start against Barca alongside the returning Valencia, but the way Fergie then handled Nani & Berba slowly drained them of confidence. I suspect the players sensed that in Nani’s case which is why they voted for him as Player of the Year to give him a boost, knowing how devastating he can be at his best. Sadly he’d become a shadow of his autumn self by the end of the season, with the result that when he did come on he tried too hard, trying to win things all on his own. The deadly partnership with Berba was gone.
I hope next season Berba stays and does a Park, set out to prove the manager wrong. Berba and Nani offer something completely different from Rooney & Chicho, and it’s a tactical option we should not throw away, and needed last night.
One other point, I’m sorry Rafael wasn’t on the bench either. The Twins are so close it will have been difficult for them both to be separated in that way and that may create a loosening of the ties of loyalty to United in the coming months. The problem will have been lessened as United lost, but they would have given terrific spirit together. As it was Fabio was one of the few successes on the night. Pity he wasn’t at left back with Rafa on the right. Yes, both can be rash, but they have such energy and guts and would have revved the team up a bit, unlike the passive shadows who gave Barca a succession of ‘after you, Claud’ openings.
None of this should be taken to mean I don’t think Barca thoroughly deserved their victory. They are the best team in the world at present and we should applaud them for the way they play football. But they are human, they are fallible, they are beatable. And United could have done better.
A final thought for Van der Star. What a sad end to a brilliant career. One of the finest goalkeepers United have ever had. A giant of a man in every way. How sad it should end with one of his worst performances for years. Like too many players on the night.
A final, final thought. Fergie looked very tired and stressed for at least a week before the final. His face looked livid, his eyes glassy, his speech was slow as though his mind was struggling with what to say. He’s talked about losing sleep at night, and I think he did. And I think his nerves and tension transmitted themselves to almost all the players. He usually finds a way to stop that happening, but not this time. I think he knew he was beaten, which is a very rare experience for him.
Move on. Yesterday is history.
@StatesideAussie
I’m not really criticizing either Berba or SAF. Dimitar Berbatov isn’t the first big money player it hasn’t worked out for at old trafford for whatever reason and im sure he wont be the last. Again not saying hes shit but I personally wouldn’t say we have got value for the money we paid.
Also if Rooney had been dropped like that and didn’t sit with the team for the game he would be crucified and rightly so, Berba shouldn’t be any different as far as im concerned.
I was dissappointed 4 sure..
I guess Berba will go to Arsenal this summer
It was Fergie’s call and he made it with the best of intentions and with United in his heart. Berba will accept the decision and the right of Fergie to make it, so should we.
@lawman10 16:56 is spot on spend big for a world class CAM. and a ball winner a world class keeper and more. Sounds crazy with such a great team. When Chelsea raised the bar to win the BEPL that made SAF change his team to win and that brought on the CL win and after beating Barca in the semis of 2007 1-0 it was a world class CAM that made the difference a 3 year younger Scholes. Man Utd for 3 years now have not had that world class CAM with the age of Scholes.
Time to spend big and move on.
Ge Gea. Cool
Young wont beat Barca.
Sniedjer, Sanchez and Modric 2 of 3 of theses type of player and De Rossi. Varne young French CB and more. It is 2011 and with Billionaire playground has been a real for some time now, even with a great youth program when you buy 3 players for 12 to 15 and then develop them ? Maybe 0 or 3 world class players. Sanchez is on now for 30 million buy him. Time to spend 100 million to keep making an extra 50 million for making the CL finals. Time to pend big. Rooney is one of the best on the planet and he is 25 make it so.
Great player against smaller teams at Old Trafford. At Wembley against Barcelona?
Correct not to start with him. Should he have been on the bench? Is he the kind of guy who comes off the bench and wants to prove a point? He came off the bench in Rome and had one or two chances to play people into good positions but mishit the passes quite badly. I think he should have been on the bench. Feel sorry for him as he’s started from the bench in three Champions League finals and lost them all but this stage isn’t really for him. Never has been. Four Champions League goals in three years, none in the last two.
To contininue the early godfather link, the phrase ‘it was business not personal’ comes to mind. Business is saying that we have to trim the wage bill if we intend to bring in some big guys in the Summer; Berbatov is too expensive as a third striker and we need to move him out. My guess is that conversation has already started and Berba’s message [quoted above] is a response.
“I’m going nowhere” sounds less like a reassurance to the fans than a negotiation stance to the management – whats my cut from the transfer fee? Another year and I can walk into a fat sign-on fee as a bosman. Cough up, Gill
I love the player, I love his style and his sublime skills but he isn’t a fit. Nor is he an affordable specialist player. He does need to go. Sad but it’s business.
The talk of him going to Spurs sticks in my throat. Their guy Levy screws the very last penny out of us in the transfer market – we overpaid for Berba and Carrick, and we’ll get screwed again is we try to part exchange them for Modric. I’d rather he went abroad.
How many times does it need to be said: Berba had gone 15 hours without scoring in the champions league. It was a mathematical, logical choice on SAF’s part and it’d be stupid for Berba to take it so personally as to leave the biggest club in the world over it. jfc.
It’s all very well to say without Berba we wouldn’t have won the league, but that’s also true of about 15 other players – this year more than any other i’d say, has been a squad effort.
United Till I Die … in the recent history of this club, under SAF, I can’t offhand think of any player who has treated us as badly as Rooney did last October, nor can I think of any player that SAF has ever cut so much slack for.
if ever there was a better advert needed for possession football it was yesterday. we just didn’t have the midfield to hold possession and frustrate barca.
also, with the final game and all i know one isn’t supposed to criticize vds but how many times did he kick the ball nowhere. why not just play to rio and pass it around some time and slow the game down. its for this reason i think we need someone like modric to help us control the game. i can’t help but think berba is going to be bait in some deal.
i remember the day he signed for us. by the time the news came through it was 4.30am in india. confirmation came around 7.00am. i remember not sleeping all night waiting for the news and was mighty excited when it happened. just a damn shame that we couldn’t integrate him properly.
Hope Berba stays, on issue of Hernandez being offside 5 times, I think We should take it easy on Him, Inzaghi at 36+ still gets offside more than 5 times in a game yet still prolific, Hernandez will improve but We should note too that all Great strikers had their flaws. On the Whole Berba should be on the bench, I just pray that He’ll be strong enough to endure this period of His time at United. On the bright side, You never know, this might just strengthen His resolve more.
I can’t help but think all of this support for Berba comes from the fact Owen played for Liverpool. It is high time you accepted him. Owen had a very rough time at Liverpool simply because of a stupid fan obsession with Fowler. Yet you are showing yourselves to be no better than the idiotic scousers. Owen has behaved with the utmost professionalism and loyalty to the club. For example he has been left out of the squad several times this season yet has never complained or refused to travel back with team as Berba has done. Yet most of you think this behaviour right and proper. May I remind you football is a team game do some of you even know the meaning of the word?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0XpxiwIjjYg
one defeat and the never ending consequences, just like the earthquakes ha?
some people should come back to reality
neither sneijder nor modric would have made a difference in our game.
and why should we buy sneijder and modric?
sometimes I think people have no clue about football.
No excuse for not watching the game.. Scott your a berba apologist.. It’s embarrassing
Owen playing for Liverpool has nothing to do with it. Don’t try to read behind people’s posts. There was plenty of room for both Owen and Berba on that bench. Berbatov was disrespected, not for the first time I might add, by the club. End of.
Giles … great post, excellent analysis. Yes, Berbatov and Nani were superb in the first half of the season, not only individually, but together. I guess it’s a chemistry thing. But Nani has been playing a lateral style, where he cuts inside and runs across the face of the defense, and that seems to work well with Berbatov. As I recall, Berbatov had a similar synergy with Ronaldo at times, when CR was also mobile across the park.
Whereas TonyV is more traditional — he tends to run wide and arrow toward the corner, then angle a cross in, and that seems to work better with players who run straight on, like Hernandez and Rooney.
How nice it would have been, yesterday, to have had both approaches available.
Oh and maybe an indication why Owen was left out of the squad for big parts of this season:
http://www.physioroom.com/news/english_premier_league/players/1500/michael_owen_injury.html
@Denise Williams please stop talking dribble,you got a inside track to what went on?how do you know berba threw his dummy out and refused to travel with the team.?stop going on about owen and fowler please,has no relevance to this situation whatsoever.
here’s a scenario sir alex pulled berba aside and told him he’d been transfered because as far as i can see berba not being in the squad puts a big 4 sale sign on his head.
unless you know the details stop making things up that protray berba as a bad guy,he’s never shown nothing but class,so again please just shut up with your dribble.
I really hope Dimi stays, Hes a Star
Who would we replace him with:
Welbeck :S
Macheda Hell No, Not yet
Forlan (?) would he return ?
Aguero ( Madness Hell No )
Biram Diouf
Would anybody else consider Guieseppi Rossi ?
If Dimi & Mickey Left
No denying that Berba is a class player. Unfortunately, with all his skill, he can sometimes miss easy chances. Hed be a legend in Italy for example, but in the premier league, you just dont get enough chances to do that. Personally, I think we should sell. Better for all parties.
@Zelh if your happy with the BEPL title and falling short of the CL then don’t invest in a CAM. Last winners of the CL had Inesta, Sneidjer, Kaka, and Stevie G. then there is Ze Zu and so on and on and on at CAM. just saying IMHO a world class CAM would help win the CL.
@Clint-IamYourPapii
Rossi has agreed with Barcelona from what I hear. Sadly. I wanted to see more of him at OT.
I’ve been a big fan of Kiko, but doesn’t look like he has improved a lot since that goal against Villa.
@wayne
Well said mate, but I think the rumor about Berbatov not watching the game from the stands might be true. Honestly, I wouldn’t blame him for that. If Rooney has the right to leave for an entire week to go to the US just to clear his head, then Berbatov has the right to avoid sitting on the stands for one game.
Didn’t Fergie say, he didn’t storm off? Why people keep mentioning that, I don’t know. Again, no problem with Owen. It’s just my opinion the Berb should of been on the bench.
“Berbatov has not scored in Europe for two years…”
Wayne Rooney after his debut against Fenerbahce went two years with out scoring in the Champions League. He started 11 games in that time and failed to score. Berbatov’s barren run in Europe has seen him start barely half a dozen games. Only Berbatov’s lean spell ever gets a mention because of some inexplicable bias (and partly because most of you Berba-bashers hadn’t started following United then..) I do not want Rooney slated of the same nor am I saying that Berbatov has been outstanding in Europe but that he needs to be given his due (seemingly now more than ever).. He hasn’t been any worse than strikers we have.
Scot on this blog does a good enough job presenting stats on Berbatov but obviously the argument here isn’t based on reason.. It is kind of like the wolf and the lamb story.. No matter what Berbatov does, he will always be at fault. No matter how beautifully well he plays or how many goals he scores, will just not be good enough. Some people will never have fortune of understanding his game, tough luck to them. To rephrase, if you don’t get Berbatov you don’t get football..!
As for the omission in favor of Owen last night, it was unjust, unfair and even beyond reason. But like we say, “in Fergie we trust”, so trust we must. However even our supreme manager isn’t immune to getting things wrong. And I have a sickening feeling that this time he really got it wrong..
Feelings have no place when choosing 18 players when there are 22 or so who are deserving.
I don’t think Berba support comes from the fact that Owen comes from liverpool, that’s absolute nonsense. Owen’s our player, and even if he plays no more, he’s made a mark at United and that’s a fact. What in the world has this got to do with highlighting Berba’s agony?
Berba is our top striker, and while i could understand the fact that he has been relegated to the bench for most of the 2nd half of the season, really, he should have been on the bench at least. I’m not the one to criticize Sir Alex, and still I’m not. I’m just cringing at this whole situation.
I’m really sorry, but i feel that anybody criticising Berba of not being an impact player, should be ashamed of themselves for being this ungrateful. Were you saying this when he scored the hattrick against liverpool? I reckon not, cos all i remembered on this forum post of that match was “I’m sorry for doubting Berba” or words to that effect.
I hate to do this, I’ve forgotten the Rooney incident already, but yes i can’t help but rake this up now. Rooney treated us like dirt in October. We loved him to the bits more than anyone can imagine. But we gave him a new deal, danced to his tunes. Berba has shown us loyalty more than anything for the past 3 years that he’s been here. But I feel we’re treating him like dirt.
If Berba wants to leave, I don’t blame him. He’s over 30 now. His head probably says he should go if he wants to play regular football, and that is logical. But his heart, from all the words that he’s been saying thus far, says he never had the thought of leaving. It’s not wrong to chose either, but if he goes with the latter, he’ll be one of the loyal ones we’ve ever had.
On an unrelated note: If they find that Fifa officials were corrupt, [which is unlikely as Fifa are the ones doing the investigation], then will they re-do the WC bids? Again, probably not as Fifa are the ones to make that decision. Whataworld.
wow stats don’t win games players do.
This is just SHOCKING.
Zibbie – I didn’t say I’m happy with losing against barca in the final. But to shout for names without any clue is just stupid.
sneijder and modric doesn’t make any sense at all and is beyond me how that should work.
a sanchez is way to expansive.
I’m saying we need a worldclass CM and someone to replace hargo, but it’s something else for calling big names cause we lost a final.
Overrated footballer who has never delivered for manchester united yet some on here have made it their mission to celebrate his life and come up with silly nicknames like `berbagod`. I think his omission from the squad in the biggest game of all says all you need to know about what the manger now thinks of his talents. Time to go back to spurs where you can get away with 1 good game in 3. Bye.
@Costas i agree mate wouldn’t blame berba in the slightest,i’m still in shock about it,just don’t understand the decision at all,it seems berba has pissed sir alex off in some way because last few months of the season berba didn’t get a look in and it certainly had nothing to do with his play.
all i know berba got treated badly and if he does leave it’ll be a sad day because the man was quaility.
Come to think of it, I give up. I think we United fans are going to be divided about this forever. There is ALWAYS going to be the clash of the Berba Haters and the Berba Appreciators.
I agree with every sentiment of Scott’s post. I love Berba. He’s a joy to watch I want him to stay but if he left I wouldn’t blame him.
My view is that we mustn’t read too much into Fergie’s choice for this game. Owen is not senior in the pecking order ….its just he would have been a better sub for Hernadez in this game given Fergie’s desired formatation.
Yeah never delivered. Just the first hat trick from a UNited player against Liverpool in 64 years.
wow little girls here with hurt feelings and can say that shit when Rooney played like a Man and a Man Utd legend yesterday. wow what the fuck, you want the Glazers to pocket the money. He listened to bad advise negotiating for millions of dollars in the entertainment business. As Rio said by signing Rooney got them 19 and a CL Final, say they went out in the quarter finals making 30 million less. They the Glazers wanted to under pay a player by 50,000 a week so you can all get over it of fuck off.
ROONEY, ROONEY, ROONEY IS THE MAN !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
@wayne
I have to agree with you there-maybe Berba annoyed Sir Alex somewhere along the line.
Because i remember Berba being Sir Alex’s utmost favorite since recently.
@Zehl then a world class CAM will do, who then? What would you do if you were SAF with 100 million to spend and Rooney at 25?
No one’s undermining Rooney here. He’s a class act. That’s definite, he changes games. He gave us hope with the equaliser. He gave us the believe through half time.
But the fact is that he did treat us like dirt in October. I love the player, but I can’t forget the embarrassment he inflicted on us.
@MAY 29, 2011 AT 18:35
KingOfStretfordEnd says:
@wayne
I have to agree with you there-maybe Berba annoyed Sir Alex somewhere along the line.
Because i remember Berba being Sir Alex’s utmost favorite since recently????????????
He laughed at him on the bench with Phelen yes he pissed him off.
Well if SAF puts the scouse medal thief on the bench ahead of you I think that tells you its time to move on, he’ll be off.
@statesideAussie
Regardless if its Rooney, oshea, park or that idiot Obertan there is no excuse in my book for NOT sitting with the rest of the team. SAF might have disrespected Berba by not picking him but as far as im concerned Berbatov disrespected his team mates and the club by not joining them in the stands to support them in the biggest match of the year, to me this is 1000 times worse than SAF not picking him.
@wayne
In my opinion, the writing is on the wall mate. We’ve been there before. With Beckham, with Stam and with Ruud. I can’t see a way back. It’s just a matter of how long Berbatov holds on before he makes the decision himself. I don’t know if he pissed off Fergie in any way. Hard to imagine him doing that to be honest since off the field he is a decent lad. I just feel that with Chicha’s emergence was the perfect opportunity for Fergie to play in a way that suits him better. Plus, now would be the perfect opportunity to get some o that 30 million back imo.
@Zibbie
When i meant recently, I meant for major parts of the 2nd half of the season.
And i didn’t know videos had subtitles. Lend me the link please!
I can’t help but think that the general consensus about letting Berbatov leave is a cheap cop out. We saw first hand the value of possession when you want to impose your game. The game our opponents last night play shows this, the possession isn’t for fun or just for the hell of it. It serves a purpose. Berbatov is a student of that school of thought and he should be lauded, integrated into the team a bit more. Fast direct play is all well and good but if the engine can’t generate enough power the weapon simply won’t fire. Having him in the team makes us look at alternatives to improving our game. United will probably always play with wingers but to better this Barcelona midfield dynamo has got to be a monster of a unit. Said it before, be the best at what you do and you have a chance
Lets look at it this way, if Owen had been left out despite His professionalism and no complaints attitude, would We be talking about it today too? Also bringing up His injury record is unfair on the Guy, no one loves being injured . I expected Owen and Berba on the bench yesterday(not one replacing the other) but didn’t happen, Berba deserves better, its all in the past now, I hope He Stays. We move on.
Berba deserved a place on the bench.
Strategically he should have had a place on the bench.
Why even have Owen on the bench if you dont put him on for at least 10 minutes ?
Berba would have allowed a complete change of approach – 5 in the middle and him up front.
The manager got it wrong this time.
@Zibbie
Why don’t you try backing Rooney every now and then?
i dont know what the fuck berb has to do to convince all of us
i think he will stay
if he goes and ends up at say arsenal as they are looking for a striker then watch out
that will bite us in the ass
i agree rooney and hernadez will be first choice next season
but fergie said hernadez will be rested for the start of the season
so who will we play is it welbeck well hei s talented bu scoring for sunderland and us are 2 different things
berbagos has to be kept wat if hernandez gets injured remember he didnt get injured all season
Anyway the reason why he hasn’t score in Europe in a long time, is cos we’ve utilised him wrongly in Europe. It’s either him alone up front, or him not playing.
Zibbie – Go for Modric or Sneijder but both is just lunatic. I personally would go for Modric, cause he knows the game of the PL, is younger and can play a more defensively role. Dunno if Sneijder is capable of that.
Then replace Hargo.
Hard to tell what Ferguson should do exactly but that’s why he’s the manager and not me. Even if we have all that money doesn’t mean that fergie will spend it all on players.
King yes agreed in October move on please for all that is good in this world, anger hate and resentment for a business move wow move on.
Every person here will know what I’m typing here. You just meet someone and they seem nice and they talk of a relationship gone bad and you feel for them and it seems fresh this wound of the heart so you listen empathetically then you find out it was 5 years ago and think this person is a fucking crazy ass stalker now. LAST OCTOBER !!!! THIS IS ALMOST JUNE AND HE WAS THE ENGINE THAT PUSHED FOR 19 !!!!!
I have been a staunch Berbalover since before his days with us and will be extremely sad if he does choose to leave. Firstly and honestly, I don’t think Berbatov is the kind of person who would make that kind of a choice. Secondly, I don’t think Sir Alex is the kind of person to make such a decision which he knows will have deep psychological effects without informing the person and thinking about it first.
Now, I know this was a baffling decision by any standards and unless Sir Alex has some sort of mental condition that he has been hiding from us, I think it is safe to say that he made the decision with sanity of mind and with some general reasoning.
Not all of us is going to agree with the decision or the reasoning behind it (if we ever get to know what that is) but then that is the beauty of it. We don’t have to all agree whether it was the right call or not but we do have to support the person who makes the call. Honestly, if we knew about half of the really though management decisions Sir Alex makes in his day-to-day life, we would begin to respect the role of man-management in a football manager’s life even more.
For pity’s sake the fact that Berba refused to travel back with rest of the team was widely reported on Sky Sports News also it is considered unlikely that he will be on the parade tomorrow. Also you talk about Berba being very unfairly and unjustly treated yet you claim to trust SAF. Well clearly you don’t as is obvious by all this nonsense. Also if this is not an attack on Owen why do you proceed to rubbish him on every occasion. One other thing Owen’s injuries should not come into this as other players have had injuries too look at Rio yet I would never abuse him because of that. No player gets injured deliberately. So clearly this is another attack on Owen. Is Owen really our player? Well you wouldn’t think so. May I point out Owen did not pick himself in the squad yesterday SAF did so blame him if you have to don’t snipe at Owen.
Its in the middle of the park where some players may have to be shown the exit. I’m not rooting for anyone to be sent packing, so please don’t jump down my throat BUT clearly we’re lacking in that area and saying goodbye to a couple of players maybe more. Its drastic, risky but its what it is. Our wingers and strikers are just fine, Defenders are top notch, even Evra this season considering his form dropped somewhat to previous seasons. The midfield is the place. A bit surprised we say there’s nothing to learn form the game last night. I respectfully disagree. There’s a lot. If you want to play with your own unique style, impose yourself your midfield NEEDS to be able to power your attack.and protect your defense. Our midfield in its current state can’t do either. Thats why our midfielders looks lost and our wingers frustrated
How does Rooney bashing make Berbas case? Bera has lost SAF confidence Rooney has not simple as that.
Sad to say but I think this was in the post and got delivered to poor old Berba last night
think its Obvious that despite his form of this year SAF doesnt trust or for want of a better phrase think Berbs can have a impact in the big games i read this stat in the gaurdian today that sums it up
Berbatov has started 25 out of United’s 55 “big” games in his three seasons at the club – “big” meaning finals and semi‑finals, Champions League knockout ties, plus the Club World Cup and league matches against Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City and Spurs.
thought it was harsh last nite he didnt even get a place on the bench but after 3 years a lot of lads i go 2 matches with are divided on Berba
lazy sublime genius doesnt do it in big games
sadly I cant see a way back for him after this can only see the exit signs
@Zehl thanks for your thoughts.
@Dandivine7
I brought up his injury record because it was mentioned that Owen hasn’t complained even though he has been left out of the squad for most of the season. And my point was that he was left out because he was injured for a big chunk of it. It had very little to do with Fergie disrespecting him.
For God’s sake, no one is rubbishing Owen!
We’re just talking about Berba now. Not Owen.
@Denise
Who’s rubbishing Owen ffs? By mentioning that Berbatov should have been on the bench ahead of him? It’s called an opinion.
@slim
You’re very right there. We need a midfield makeover, that’s it.
@Denise Williams
i haven’t read all the posts here, most of them i have but i don’t think anyone’s taking a swipe at mickey. If he’s picked he’s not gonna not show up or complain about it would he? However if you’re looking to take a swipe at SAF then thats another matter. Go right ahead, whatever was planned yesterday didn’t come to fruition not even in the least. Which in itself is very worrying, no one knows the players more than the manager and i’m surprised he got it wrong on the night
There’s seems to be a few people on here commenting on whether you’re for or against Berbatov but I don’t think that’s really the issue here. The fact is that we have a world class striker who has never caused a fuss (until yesterday) when not being selected. We are absolutely blessed to be in this position and I really hope leaving him out of the squad yesterday doesn’t ruin this relationship. I hate to question any decision that Sir Alex makes but I can’t help the way I feel and I must say that I think Berbatov deserved his place on the bench yesterday after all he has done for us this season. If the manager wanted to be able to call on Owen at some stage then he should have left out either Anderson or Fletcher. I just can’t see how having 3 CM’s on the bench could have greatly affected proceedings. That said Berbatov should still have stuck around in the same way that Park did in Moscow, and who knows maybe in hindsight he’ll regret it.
We don’t want to end up in the situation where we are calling on the likes of a Bendtner or a Kalou off the bench. Rooney Hernandez Berbatov Owen is up there with Yorke Cole Sheringham Solskjaer. Where are we ever going to get such an outstanding 3rd (well maybe 4th now) choice striker?
Denise Williams –
“I can’t help but think all of this support for Berba comes from the fact Owen played for Liverpool”, are you drunk?
either way owen has to leave if fergie is planning with welbeck for the new season.
so nobody is having a stick at owen.
we are just saying that berba was treated like shit by SAF while he saved our asses against the Liverpool and provited since rooney was doing fuck all, but questioning our ambition.
@Zehl I believe it is time to spend a little crazy, It is time Man Utd have the money and they nedd just a couple of pieces to march to CL Glory.
@byron1970
You put it really well there, mate.
SSN, the great bastion of good news! By the way, Fergie might have given Berbatov permission to leave the squad. Don’t presume something, if you’re not in possession of the full facts. Just saying like.
Mattbw7 You are an idiot and clearly know nothing of FA rules. Owen did not steal any medals he earned by making ten appearances which is what is require under FA rules. Also you have proved my point about this being a personal attack on Owen because of who he played for. Just grow up and get on someone elses boards as you clearly do not support United.
I recall being a lot more gutted when we lost the 1976 FA cup final to Southampton… You see, winning a trophy those days was a rare thing. We did however make it to the final the following year and guess who we beat?
I am more than proud of number 19, that meant the world to me, I have waited for over 35 years to finally overhaul Liverpool… Yesterday would have been a fantastic bonus but hats off to Barca, they were superior…..
As I said on another thread, if you support United because they win things then you are not a genuine supporter…. United is a love affair and is a life style…..
Even with all the money in the world and all players available it would be hard to create a midfield that could match with xavi and iniesta.
give me a keano and two paul scholes.
@King sorry I do not have the link but my sister reads lips.
@KingOfStretfordEnd
are you being sarcastic. lol . gotta ask cos its not a popular topic – thats is what to actually do to get our midfield pumping again. We all know what the problem is and dare i say we’ve been saying it for a number of years now but the solution, very difficult to achieve. Got some ideas but hey i’m just a fan, there are people who get paid to do these things, i’ll leave it to them to figure out
@CedarsDevil
Spot, spot on with the last 2 lines.
I’m tired of all this Berba talk. We’re United, but we’re divided when it comes to this.
@Zelh so so true xavi and iniesta wow what a match and they both play for spian as well fuckers are so good. so we hope for Pep to move on and Injury?
@CedarsDevil
well said mate, well said. Enjoying my 19th very much
@slim
lol, no! i was not being sarcastic at all. We must have a midfield makeover, but my feelings are the same. I’m not desperate or shouting out for axing of current midfielders. We have a hardworking midfield, but it would be great to add more talent in there.
Lol, my short post may have seem sarcastic, apologies!
Zibbie – No, if we beat Barca I don’t wanna hear “ah xavi, iniesta or messi was injured.” neither that pep wasn’t there anymore.
Just sort out our midfield, a worldclass cm and new bloow by tunnicliffe and pogba on a few occasions.
Oh then Giggsy staring at Berba on the bench for a full 40 seconds before awkwardly turning away must have meant that Giggsy had a thing for Berbatov.
I’m sorry for being lame, but i’m just exasperated with all the mindless Berba bashing.
@CedarsDevil
ha ha someone older then me im a 80′s child i remember loseing the milk cup to the scouse 9years old fucking heartbreaking!!
i remember when a title bid always petered out and we rolled in 3/4 while the scouse pulled away even further
last night hurts but nothing like my lowest point anfield 92 shattered!! them fuckers loving it and i remember staggering away thinking will we ever win a fucking league
like you mate 19 was a fucking amazing bask in that gentleman
make it 20
Always been a fan of Berbatov, and the manner this was done has to be heartbreaking for him. I feel incredibly sorry for him! I think he could have done well in last nights game, especially when we started lumping the ball forward at every chance. Just to have a player who could hold the ball up there and allow our team to move up would have helped I feel. Still, I agree with you Scott, we should support our manager. That doesn’t mean we have to agree with the treatment Berba got. Almost cruel, especially when we still had unused subs.
@Zelh – I agree wholeheartedly.
We need a World class CM – a fresh face but with experience.
same goes for Pogba, Morrison and Tunnicliffe – Time is right for them to step up.
If not now – when ? Being young is an advantage so long as you are good enough in the first place.
Pogba looked more than ready in the Youth Cup final and Tunnicliffe and Morrison are ready now too.
We were defeated, not disgraced.
Cheers to a great season, we’ll be back stronger.
i dont think there is a breakdown in relation between fergie and berba
when rooney and berba played tevez was on the bench and that gradually led to breakdown between tevez and fergie
with the emergence of hernandez fegie preffered him and rooney as rooney plays better with him
rooney wont be dropped because he is our best player
i think fergie felt owen could score late on so he did that it was just a gut feeling i think
this is not like the becks or rvn saga
@Kings your always a gentleman no sorry’s from you please. wow Berba is awesome and has done great by the team sometime changes and choices are made and done. Hand writing on the wall a great Team a great Club and a love affair for me of only 7 1/2 years now. Respect to all even when I go on attack feelings and opinions are had by all. Rooney has payed his dues imo and he did wrong his wife teammates and gaffer have all move on and so have I. For all of ROM-DOM all the best and I have your back against all others.
GLORY GLORY MAN UTD !!!!
THANKS FOR MY LOCAL CABLE COMPANY FOR ADDING FOX SOCCER CHANEL IN 2002 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AND FOR ROM ITS SELF !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sir Shaggsy – I agree it’s time for the 3 to step up and get a chance in the first team. don’t see any problem with that. Tunni and Pogba have the physical strenght to play in the centre and Morrison all the talent you need to play in our offense.
we could lose scholes hargo is gone giggs shouldnot play CM wen we play the big teams next season i think it should be anderson and we need to sign an experienced midfielder de rossi
Well said and Spot on at the end. It was always that type of signing with Berb, we haven’t built the team around him so he’s a quality plan B. Even last season Rooney alone was our plan A and I agreed with it. So as much as it was a ruthless decision to make, it was truthful of not anything else. Clearly Alex had something planned IF the game was still 2-1 late on. And he fancied Owen to nick that one chance. So would I to be honest. Eitherway like Scot said, it just showed how unimportant Alex thought Berb was for this particular game. Is it anything personal? Course not, but he’s the boss so its his choice. It has to be cos he’s the one responsible for everything.
Its a damn shame, but Alex thought it was gonna be closer, so he fancied Owen on the bench to nick it ahead of Berbatov. Would you really want our manager NOT making that decision JUST so one player is treated with kid gloves? If Alex thought Owen HAD to be on the bench just in case the game was closer, then fair play to the Gaffa. Some players win you the league others the cup. Swings and round abouts. Spot on at the end Scott.
I think we can all agree that Berba is a classy player and a classy guy and he’s been key in us getting #19 this season. But let’s also get real
1) With regards to yesterday, I’ve said it in another thread…..I actually called Owen getting in ahead of Berba if we were only gonna have one striker on the bench. Simple fact, we’d only bring on a forward if we were chasing, and you’d rather have Owen for that situation than Berba- all day, every day. Nothing to do with who’s made more of an impact this season (or Park would’ve made the bench in 08)- Owen is a far better bet for a late goal. I know he didn’t come on in the end, and that was bemusing (as was Carrick getting subbed)- but you can see why he made the call in the first place.
2) As talented as Bervatov is- we have to look at this from a logical point of view. Yes he offers something different- but he is, without question, a back up striker now. Has been since March, and will be next season. I don’t know about you- but we ain’t Real Madrid/Man City…..can you really afford to be paying wages that high to a 30 year old who’s a benchman? I’d much rather have Wellbeck, Owen and one out of Macheda/Diouf as our back up strikers next year. 5 forwards should be enough. Owen seems more than happy to play a limited role, his wages are cheaper and he’s more of a big game player. Which brings me onto my next point
3) Generally speaking, in the 3 years he’s been here….when the heat’s really been on, Berba hasn’t shown up. To all those complaining about him not making the bench yesterday- are you forgetting he hasn’t scored a European goal in 2 and a half years? And he’s never scored a European goal in the knock out rounds for us. Go back to last season- when Rooney did his ankle in, we needed berba to step up in that title decider vs Chelsea- he didn’t. Fergie even gambled with a 50% Rooney in the Bayern second leg. Then 4 days later, we played Blackburn without Rooney. The League was all we had left to play for, it was a must win game- again, Berba didn’t step up. And then the Cup semi vs City this season, was probably the final straw for Fergie. Not just the missed chances, but the fact that once he missed, his head went down and he disappeared. Mentally he’s not enough to be a Utd player.
People say he’s lazy and doesn’t care- it’s probably the opposite- he cares too much and it restricts him. I was glad he got the hat-trick vs Liverpool….coz until then, he didn’t have a”landmark game/moment”, a game people will remember him for. Even Owen, who’s played less games, has landmark moments- winner vs City, hat-trick in Europe, Cup final equaliser. Even Macheda has that winner vs Aston Villa that we’ll remember.
At the end of the day- immensely talented, and immensely likeable- but you can see why Fergie would sell him.
Never been Berba’s biggest fan when it comes to big games, but I’d rather have him on the bench than Owen who seems to contribute very little!
I think it could be the end of Berbatov and even if he stayed, I can’t imagine how low his confidence would be.
Gotta trust Fergie though, I questioned his decision to let Van Nistelrooy go and look how that turned out!
scan74
Hahaha…. I guess I am one of the slightly older contributors here but the ultimate award in that sense goes to my dear friend Sir Giles…. God bless him
Sir Shaggs spot on a CAM !!!! and more.
Please stay Berba. We are blessed with a player of this skill and attitude. He had the desire not only to play football for a big club but the desire to play for the biggest and regardless of the sacrafices. If we talk abou the worth of players i believe that kind of commitment is worth 10 million in it’s self. Love the guy I do.
Cedars a wealth of wisdom though a life lived well.
De Rossi would be excellent. Has only a year left in his contract but who knows. played a rubbish season to his standarts.
Ferguson should find a role for anderson in our midfield.
shall he be a creative midfielder or another engine for our midfield?
Berba love for the hedero male. written by many here__________________
Also if Berbatov goes or stays I’ll respect him and acknowledge his time with us, but I hope he doesn’t have a strop and devalue the 19th title this Season should be remembered for. Thats all I wanted in August to be completely honest. Gutted to lose to the rent boys but Berbatov has played the biggest role bringing it back, so it would be petty if he doesn’t come out and lead the celebrations. Thats a big acheivement for any footballer to be proud of FSS.
But I’ve got faith Berbatov will be there, he doesn’t strike me as a curl up and cry Poof.
Fair play for not wanting to stand on camera for the news story. Obvously he was fucked right off when e found out his head was gone. so do what you want mate. But I expect him to be there to led the way, this one’s his Glory as well as United’s.
I love Berbs, but only Ryan Giggs could ever turn me gay.
CedarsDevil
im pretty new to the site mate will have to look a few older heads up
is this fella rattling on about tales of billy meredith flying down the wing ha ha!!
I would go with thinking that Berbatov’s days are numbered at United, and even if he’s not sold he’s going to be a peripheral figure next season by the looks of it. It is clear SAF does not think he’s reliable in the big games, and even the moderately tough games. My only hope is (and I have no reason to doubt that) that last night’s treatment of Berbatov was a pure reflection of SAFs belief that Owen truly offered the better option on the bench, and not a way of embarrasing Berba out of the club, which like it or not we SAF has a tendency of doing…
Costas
Lay off them ‘kebabs’ mate
@Cedars
Too late for that.
Costas LOL !!!!!!! man love !!!!!!!!!!!!!
@Zelh
Don’t really think we need a De Rossi style player. Fletcher and Anderson are quality ball winners- Anderson I think has the makings of a top box-to-box player….next season has to be the one for him. Hopefully with a proper pre season (first time in 3 years), he’ll come on leaps and bounds. We’ve also got a couple of dominating midfielders coming through the Reserves.
We just need a bit of creativity, simple as.
Costas – It’s too late for Cedars though lol. Only joking Cedars!
Last night was surely the end for Berba. Yes he has been great in getting so many goals for us this season but he rarely featured in the big games, SAF has lost all faith in him when it matters. Love him but think it might be best for him & us if he is sold this summer.
PS. Fergie has some serious moobs in the above picture!
Hasan says:
“Wayne Rooney after his debut against Fenerbahce went two years with out scoring in the Champions League. He started 11 games in that time and failed to score. Berbatov’s barren run in Europe has seen him start barely half a dozen games. Only Berbatov’s lean spell ever gets a mention because of some inexplicable bias (and partly because most of you Berba-bashers hadn’t started following United then..)”
Probably because Rooney was a boy. He must have been a a teenager at that time, or very close. Rooney was finding his feet back then and United were definitely in a period of transition. Over the past few years we’ve been second only to Barca in Europe. The different levels of expectation are understandable imho.
“Some people will never have fortune of understanding his game, tough luck to them. To rephrase, if you don’t get Berbatov you don’t get football..!”
He’s as divisive as Zlatan but don’t be so quick to dismiss people as philistines because they don’t appreciate one player. People want and expect different things from the game.
Sparkz – I think we miss a Hargo type player. Maybe it’s caused cause Fletcherinho had a bad season and carrick isn’t known for his tackling and breaking down attacks.
Imo we miss someone like hargo or keano.
Dunno what Ando’s role is atm. Great runs with the ball, but isn’t a playmaker and has to work on his shots from outside. big physical strenght, but isn’t a holding midfielder.
we’ll see but we definitly miss creativity when scholes isn’t playing and giggs can’t be a solution.
Willie & Costas
A pair of red nuts making fun of this old fool! Buggers the both of you! hahaha
Sneijder is going nowhere. If you take his word for it.
Very gifted player, never enjoying the universal adoration from the OT faithful some believe he deserved. Time for a change of personnel across a number of positions. A very different looking United come August. I’m looking forward to it.
And I want Barca over 2 legs next year please! Different story at OT – don’t care who you are. Anyone else in the final – no problem.
Or am I being overly optimistic?
@Cedars
Hey hey now. Me and willie are old fools too. I am 28 and I think willie is already suffering from Alzheimer’s.
willierednut – what’s worth a footballers word in today’s game?
According to the Guardian, Spanish newspaper El Mundo Deportivo is reporting that Hernandez’s has said Hernandez “would study an offer to move to Real Madrid”. Probably just scuttlebutt. Or a blatant attempt by his agent to get a better contract (which he deserves and will probably get anyway). Anyhow, just thought I’d throw it out there.
scan74
The fella in question is Giles Oakley, to me he is Sir Giles… He often posts articles here which are both insightful and full of inspiration…. He was around during the time of Sir Bobby and George Best…
If like you say you are new here then I urge you to look up some of his articles my friend
Sparkz – That’s an excellent post, I was at that title deciding game against Chelsea and I’ll never forget how upset and mad I was with Berbatov after witnessing the quite frankly shocking shift he put in that day.
But that said I must say I still think he’s good enough to be a United player. I’m of the opinion that he gives us something different and we have seen him perform quite often in a United jersey. I accept your point about him not performing when the heat is on but he did finish this season as the league’s top goal scorer so he must have contributed something to our historic title win. Like I said in an earlier post where in the world are we we going to find such a talented 3rd or 4th choice striker?
@Sparks, I agreed till you got to point 3, Berbatov has already earned more credit then that mate. Some players you use for the league others you use for the cup. Berbatov has dominated the league, more points won than anyone, so personally I couldn’t give a monkeys who he scored them against. Points are Points. A landmark game in Europe would be nice, but in May I would of happily taken a fucking LIVERPOOL hat trick in the 19th Title Winning Season any fucking day. I hope he’s bang at the front of the bus with a BIG smile on his face. Berba’s a Gangsta FFS
I wanna see HIM, Nani, Chico, Rooney (West Ham You Beauty), Giggs, RedNev and the rest of the Gang holding up the Title. Europe can wait.
am a big berba fan but he is not to bail us out in tight situations. Apart frm a two goals against chelsea n d hattrick against liverpool dis yr, dont tink he has scored against d top four teams in d league for united..sel him n buy hulk of porto..
Costas
I know you are 28 buddy, not sure about Willie though! Care for a make out session? I am much better looking than Giggsy! hahahahahahaha
Bloody love this site!
@ hasan
Rooney went 11 games without scoring in Europe when a) He was 18-20 and still learning his trade. b)Was playing out wide a fair bit. and c) Was part of a Utd side which was in transition and wasn’t very successful in Europe (or England) in that period- knocked out in the 2nd round in 05 and group stages in 06
His record since 07 has been nothing short of magnificent (25 I think), and he’s consistently scored in the knockout rounds. Scored in the quarters 5 years running, scored in a couple of semis as well.
Time to cook for 12, BBQ baby back pork ribs with grilled portable mushrooms baby red potato’s and asparagus grilled as well. For desert full pineapple cleaned sliced thick grilled as well with a brown sugar with butter and vanilla and Cinnamon melted in to a Carmel sauce for the grilled pineapple.
GLORY GLORY MAN UTD !!!!!!!
@Cedard
I think willie is 70 or something.
I apreciate the offer, but I am holding myself for Bill Knob. I love that twat.
thanks cedars will keep a beady out for him
i will love pieces like that
nice one
fergie fucked up everything yesterday including berbatov handling, fucking hell so pathetic, 2 man midfield, and this owen instead berbatov, the argument fergie put was such a nonsensical – why bring on owen then similar player – chicharito was on the pitch(ineffective)?? fergie screwed yesterday i’am afraid
Costas
Ah yes, I do not feel let down mind you…. What better than a sponge for a first experience?
Willie only 70? Blimey never took him for one that young…. He comes across as a bit senile…hahaha
I’m an older fuck at 49.
is anyone else curious if Berbatov did something that we haven’t learned about that pissed SAF off? It seems very unlike him to treat a player this way who works so hard and loves the club so much. More than any other manager he seems to reward effort and recognize contributions by all players, but with berba he just continually insulted him by dropping him and rarely even paid him lip service. Also hope Nani missing out doesn’t mean he gets upset and leaves. Had the ref not been so kind to Valencia we might have regretted choosing him ahead of Nani. Nani provides that little bit of extra brilliance in attack needed against barca, even if he doesn’t play his part on defense. They scored 3 anyway, maybe Nani could have helped us get a second goal to be in position at the end of the game.
Zelh – Good point, but I still don’t think we’ll sign Sneijder.
Costas – I feel like 70 after last night lol.
Cedars – You’re an old flirt!
@ Sparkz
You quote the Blackburn game from last season, why don’t you have a look at it again.. If we lost the championship in that game then it was because of Valencia and not Berbatov. Watch how Berbatov single-handedly opened the Blackburn defense and put the ball on a platter for Valencia.. He missed, we failed to score..rest is history..!
You talk about a striker missing a chance and being the cause of defeat (Berbatov versus City).. Then you’d also want to have a look at the first half against Bayern Munich last year (away tie). Rooney missed 3 gilt edged chances.. As it turned out we lost the game and eventually went out on away goals.. So why not judge Rooney with the same yardstick?!? For the daft creatures on here I am not berating Rooney or Valencia but only highlighting the double standards of some of the supporters.
Even last night for instance.. Hernandez is our next hero but how reckless and ineffective was he. Repeatedly being caught offside when he clearly knew the role he had. He is the best finisher at the club but off all the forwards we have (Joshua included), Hernandez is the worst with the ball outside the penalty area.. You see arguments can easily be made for and against anyone. So singling an individual for all the criticism isn’t right. True Berbatov should have scored against City but that’s what strikers do, they score some they miss some but Berbatov alone gets all the heat..
@ Byron- I see what you’re saying mate, but I just can’t see the benefits of paying those wages to a back up striker. Without doubt he offers a totally different dimension to our game, but you’ve also gotta remember that Fergie will wanna give Wellbeck and possibly Macheda/Diouf chances next season. So we could have a situation where Wellbeck is next in line after Rooney and Hernandez. Berba then becomes 4th choice and he will not be happy at that (and neither will the Glazers, who’ll probz see it as a waste of big wages). Owen on the other hand seems more than happy to play a limited role….also think he could be a good influence on the training ground for Chicho and Macheda.
@WHAT- agreed with what he’s done in the league this season, and kudos to him for that. But I’m sorry- that one amazing afternoon vs Liverpool is probably the only “landmark moment” he has, the only time where you can say he’s really won a big game for us, be it in England or in Europe- and across 3 seasons that’s not enough
For any new readers here, NO this is not a gay dating site…. Just us United supporters have ‘special’ feelings for each other !
Fuck, the next 6 weeks are going to kill me… AGAIN!
@Cedars, Zibbie
Likle I said last week my friends, we are all actually 19 again.
WHAT??? – I’d like to see Fergie build the team around the likes of Nani and Anderson. Give these players more responsibility and just maybe they’ll produce the goods. There’s a change coming at United. Fergie has always said, you can’t let a team grow old together. This summer will be the most interesting in a long time. Really looking forward to seeing United’s team next season.
@Hasan- looking back at that Blackburn game, you’re right, Valencia did miss a good chance. As did Berbatov about 3 times. But you’re misunderstanding what I’m saying- I’m not just looking at chances missed. It’s everything else.
I already mentioned how he went missing after he fluffed his chances vs Man City. Similar thing happened vs Blackburn last season- I’m not criticising him for the missed chances, but his body language, attitude and demeanour throughout that game. Same in the Chelsea game the week before that. I understand he’s a confidence player, but at Utd you need a certain level of mental strength.
As for the Bayern game- I can’t actually remember Rooney missing 3 gilt edged chances. I remember him playing a big part on 2 of our 3 goals, and then hobbling around for the rest of the half. But for all the missed chances in big games you can throw and Rooney or Chicharito- you can name about 5 big games where they have done the business, at a crucial time. How many can you name for Berba?
@ Willerednut
Agreed, but the one thing Fergie is great at (Wenger take note) is that he doesn’t stick a whole load of young players in together. Even when Becks, Scholesy, the Nevilles etc were introduced to the first team…..they had Bruce, Keane, Cantona, Irwin etc with them. Even Giggsy had been at the club for 5 or 6 years, he was an senior player despite his young age (like Rooney is now)
Same when Ronaldo, Rooney, Fletcher were introduced into the first team. Giggs, Scholes, RVN, Keano etc were all there with them.
I think we’ll see the same with the next crop e.g the Da Silvas, Smalling, Evans, Anderson, Hernandez, Wellbeck, Morrison etc. They’ll be in there with the likes of Rooney, Vidic, Fletcher, Carrick, Evra etc- still have that core of senior players.
19 again how cool they do make me feel that way.
6 long weeks
willie a great summer ahead and I love Man Utd personnel approach in the past they have spent big every 3 to 5 years or so. The time has come again. What was big money 10 years ago is small now I hope they spend 75-90 million this time.
Sparkz – I hate to make the same point twice but I think that Berbatov’s wages have been well earned this season given that he ended up as the league’s top goal scorer. If he gives us anywhere near the same number of goals next season he’ll have justified his salary again. Even if he’s not the 1st or 2nd choice there’s still more than enough games and competitions in a season for him to chip in effectively. As for Welbeck Macheda and Diouf, I wouldn’t worry about them, if they are good enough they will find their way into the United side. The same goes for Cleverly next season, no matter who goes or who stays or who we sign if they are good enough it will be impossible to ignore them, just like it was with Hernandez.
@Sparks, he’s been used sparingly thats why he hasn’t set the world on fire. If we built the team around him it would be a different story but Alex fully backs his boy Rooney. A big part of Wayne’s game is he starts every game, thats important for form and strategy, and there was never any question of Berbatov being that player unless he did a Hernandez and forced the question, which he didn’t. But for what he has done since he arrived, and the goals he’s scored with or without Rooney, I don’t think he has anything to be ashamed of especially after this season. He’s been class since he arrived, just hasn’t worked out not being number one, because he IS good enough to build a team around, Jesus, he shows his class by still being here.
But next Season is a different matter, if he stays or goes, eitherway I think he’s def worth that 30 odd million for his 3 seasons so far. Top Class.
must cook now.
Zibbie
A true RED you are buddy
@ Sparks..
You reason Rooney was a teenager, United in transition etc etc.. I am not disagreeing with any of it but the fact still remains that even someone haloed like Rooney went on such a long spell without a goal in Europe. Likewise I can come up with a handful of reasons explaining the lack of goals on Berbatov’s part.. But you see it is not reason through which a conclusion is reached about Berbatov. It is that people have the conclusion on him and then find reasons to justify it. That is highly unfair to the Bulgarian.
I admired his statesman like behavior in spite of repeatedly (often surprisingly) being omitted from the starting up but I’m afraid the bridge was burnt last night. It is clear more than ever that Berbatov is not trusted by Sir Alex so I highly doubt Berbatov will remain at the club for long.
“He had the opportunity to double his money at City, but he didn’t even meet with them, knowing that a meeting alone would put pressure on United to offer him more money.”
Ha ha ha ha ha! Hiii-larious.
Imagine if you were dropped for every single big game. I’m sure your confidence would drop aswell. That’s what happened to berba during this season. An example: After his 5 goals against blackburn dropped for the Arsenal match. How do you even know he isn’t good in “big” games when he isn’t given a go? At tottenham he certainly produced good matches against the top 4.
And if it is soooo easy to score against shittier teams why haven’t anyone else done that? Top scorer and amazing performances, I for one thank you, Dimitar.
@KingOfStretfordEnd
no worries mate. The focus should be how can we be the best at what we do? The answer to beat a team like Barcelona can only be answered on the pitch
@Jon Phillips
You know you wanted him.
Byron- the thing is, he only really got “ousted” from the team by Hernandez in early March. From August until march he was a regular- hence the wages were justified, plus he was scoring goals. Next season, we’ll most likely be starting with Rooney & Hernandez from the outset, so the amount of games Berba plays over the season will be much less. It’ll be nigh on impossible for him to get anywhere near the amount of goals he did this year.
So economically, having him as a back up isn’t really viable. And I doubt Wellbeck is gonna wanna be 4th choice, having come from a season of regular football at Sunderland. He’ll want guarantees that he’ll play a decent amount of games, and I think SAF will give him that.
Costas
Best way to handle a bitter is to ignore them… That is how they were raised up
I was at last nights match and iam telling everyone on here our midfield was clueless buf if you watch the barca goals they came down our flanks which is a surprise . They dont play with an out &out centre forward .We need berba because if he goes then hernandes owen and wellbeck are the same type of player .We are nowhere near barca you will not get anywhere near them with players like wellbeck .We were totally outclassed and berba is one of the few world class players we have.
WHAT- I agree about his class, but I could never see us building our team around him. His style of play is in contrast with our style i.e quick movement. He’s an excellent Plan B to have, but not someone for us to build our team around.
Also, I think in his first 2 seasons, SAF tried him in the playmaker role and it never worked out for some reason. This season, from the beginning, he was much higher up the pitch. He scored a bucketload of goals early in the season because he was playing much more in and around the penalty box, and Rooney was doing the fetching and carrying (despite his poor form, he still set up quite a few goals.) It’s no coincidence that when Rooney was injured, Berba’s form and goal tally dropped. Why?
Because he was now paired with Hernandez. Hernandez was now in the poacher role, and Berba went back to being the playmaker. The moment Rooney came back (think of the 7-1 vs Blackburn)….Berba moves up the pitch again and starts scoring.
Aaaah i feel too depressed right now to read all the 100 + comments racked up. Been eating all day
how are all you guys doing? If Berba leaves it’ll be terrible, we need enough positions to cover as it is, and when given a chance this man blossomed only to be snubbed so cruelly.
As we all agree, we trust Fergie completely, but at some point you have to ask yourself, why is this man constantly being left out? Being the club and league’s top scorer he deserves better than that. As for Nani not starting, in hindsight, maybe was foolish. But we all unanimously thought Tony V would be more of a threat. Then as Giles mentioned in his earlier comment, why wasn’t Scholesly brought on earlier? Fergie looked defeated as well yesterday, along with our team. aaaah…..oh well, onwards we move. We’ve always risen to challenges. Barca got even with us in 09, now they’re 1 up.
I’ve just written Berba a card telling him Thank You. Thank you for Nineteen, thank you for respecting the shirt and the club, and thank you for acting with such dignity and grace.
I feel like an idiot but I don’t care, because I don’t know if enough people tell him Thank You.
@Costas – eh?
Point being, does anyone seriously believe the quote from the article I cut and pasted? I suppose all players that kiss their badges love their clubs etc? IT’S A JOB for 99% of them.
Berb did not deserve this..
@Jon Phillips
Thought you were a City fan. My apologies if you are not.
The quote is true actually. Berbatov had an offer from City on that day but didn’t even bother even though it was probably more than what we were offering.
So, how is your media avoidance going? ROM is about the only place one can be right now… Anyway, I have done some thinking and during the early morning hours I asked myself how does SAF motivate the players after what happened and after having said that they are the best side in the world? Clearly Barcelona has set the bar to new hights but how do we top that? Does the gaffer go on a spending spree now or will he patiently wait for the youngsters to come through? IMO it is probably the hardest thing for a manager to motivate his players after a big loss and make them want to try again next year.
Sir Shaggsy says:
Berba deserved a place on the bench.
Strategically he should have had a place on the bench.
Why even have Owen on the bench if you dont put him on for at least 10 minutes ?
Berba would have allowed a complete change of approach – 5 in the middle and him up front.
The manager got it wrong this time.
We need a World class CM – a fresh face but with experience.
same goes for Pogba, Morrison and Tunnicliffe – Time is right for them to step up.
If not now – when ? Being young is an advantage so long as you are good enough in the first place.
Pogba looked more than ready in the Youth Cup final and Tunnicliffe and Morrison are ready now too.
KNOWALL PLASTIC SHAGGSY
Berba was not on the bench probably as SAF recognised we needed a stronger midfield against Barcelona….. who the fuck are you to think you know better
Pogba, Morrison and Tunnicliffe….if they step up they will get bullied to fuck by stronger midfields….SAF has got it right bringing them on slowly…..
one thing you have got right though is that we need a stronger CM,
OH and by the way I am 6’4″ not 5’4″ AND A TRUE RED ….UNLIKE YOU
You could say we played into Barcelona’s hands, but I’m telling everyone now, It wouldn’t of mattered who went with, or what formation we started out with. That team played football from heaven. They would’ve outplayed anyone in Europe last night. It’s a compliment to United, that they’ve showed us their best game on two occasions now. Though, last night was even a few notches up from two years ago.
Now I don’t want to convince anyone that Berba fits in the system that we play in or that he is the best striker in the world but his numbers are not really that bad in fact they are almost as good as Rooney…
Berbatov
Season————Games———Goals——-Assists——Team—–
2010/2011——–32 (8)———–21————4——— United
2009/2010——–33 (9)———-12————-7———United
2008/2009——–31 (2)———–9————-10——– United
2007/2008 ——–36 (3)———-15————11———Spurs
2006/2007 ——–33 (3)———-12————11———Spurs
Average———–33 (5)———-13.8———-8.6——————-
Rooney
Season————Games———Goals——-Assists——Team—–
2010/2011——–28 (3)———–11————11———United
2009/2010 ——–32 (0)———-26————-5———United
2008/2009——–30 (5)———-12————-10——–United
2007/2008 ——–27 (3)———-12————11———United
2006/2007 ——–35 (2)———-14————11———United
Average———–30 (0)———-15————9.6——————-
I want Berba to stay but if he leaves we should get a better striker to improve our team that’s all
19 and thanks for that. Hope we all just continue to show our unbridled joy at these lads for
pulling 19 out of what looked a magic hat. CL is done and we can be sad about not winning that as well. But in the end, the team didn’t have the answers and there was nothing for it. Barca were the class of the litter, but we were defonately the most deserving oppossion out there. The class of the rest. I predicted 3-1 to us, but only if we scored first. Not upset, bit down, but I am not going to beat myself up. For me. Just very pleased about 19. Looking forward to a very big welcome mat for some new signings. We just won number 19! I’ll be so proud of that. Winning the league will sustain me. The pain of losing the CL will pass very quickly. United United On on on!
Don’t take this the wrong way, but United are to Barcelona what Newcastle are to us. Just like Newcastle’s style always allows us to play our free flowing football and score plenty against them, the fact that we don’t sit back works to Barcelona’s benefit. The only one who took them to the limit this year was Mourinho, but I am not sure if I’d like to see us play like that.
Sir Shaggsy says:
Having read @TONYBEES posts for a while now I can conclude that he is a sneering arrogant prick who, (I am doing a Sherelock Holmes here) I would fucking bet is one of those annoying fucking 5 feet 4 inch tall blokes with a fucking big mouth and an anti-social demeanour to anybody taller than him.
In fact, Sherlock would probably profile him as a fucking rapist who doesnt violate for the sex but to make himself feel like a taller man who is liked by his family.
Go and fuck off you little dickhead.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH
WHAT A COMPLETE PRUNE
SHERELOCK PLASTIC KNOW-ALL SHAGGSY
xxxxxx
@willierednut, – Anderson, well you know my feelings already mate Lol but him with Carrick I think that would work wonders in midfield. Carrick sitting deep with options either flank in Valencia and Nani, and with Anderson playing further up and off their midfield. He’s got ability to hold the ball up and bring everybody into play, or turn and pick someone out. Him and Carrick can pass the ball backwards and forwards all day “barca style” before they ping it where they want. Haven’t given up on Nani on the Left either, cos with a stronger midfield more able to mix it up, he can come off the wing more often and have Ando or Evra go wide, which they both can do. Imagine the line up next season. Nani, Carrick, Anderson and Valencia in a 4-4-2 with Rooney and Welbeck up top. I like the dimension and option Hernandez gives us, but I can’t wait to see Welbeck alongside Rooney with delivery from Nani and Tony, plus Ando in the middle, and Carrick reading the whole thing at the back. Alongside Gyan and Bent Danny looked brilliant at times, especially against chelsea. So I’d like to see Local Lad get a chance up top playing off Rooney and THAT midfield with Anderson in the middle. Like you I cannot wait to see our new look team next season mate.
yeah but mourinho managed to beat barca with inter
there is only one way to defeat barca:catenaccio and u have to play very very ugly
Cedars ……Still down from yesterday…..fucks sake cheer me up will ya……
When is that CL final again?
MG …..WISH IT WAS NEXT WEEK…….
TonyBee – If he’s Sherlock Holmes, does that make you Watson?
haha yeah that right …….. Tonybee Watson …gotta sort of ring to it…..
As for our own Dimitar Berbatov. He will be one of 2 choice back ups and should stay. As with 1999, we had 4 top class strikers and used them all. Could see both Chicho and Berba competing for the golden boot, but not sure that is in the cards for berba year in and out.
2011 20
2010 12
2009 9
2008 15 w Spurs (first choice)
2007 12 w Spurs (first choice)
Just saying. Berbatov was used perfectly this year and rightly deserved the scoing crown. But may realize this was a one off.
Also don’t think 1st choice is required for Berba, what he wants is to be appreciated (WE LOVE YOU DIMITAR!), medals and trophies (YOU DESERVE THE LOT!) .
Personal:
Golden boot with United (1) with United
(couple of other lesser awards like Barclay player of the month with United
Club:
Premier league Winners medal (2) with United
Football League Cup (1) with United
FA Community Shield (1) with United
FIFA Club World Cup (1) with United
Stay with us Dimi. You will continue to be a winner. Go to Spurs, you will win little or nothing.
My hope and wish is that he will stay.
stateside aussie hit the nail on the head at 16:57. Our plan B was to beat a dead horse with plan A.
Stpercival … perhaps I did, but I didn’t say it as well as that!
Wrote this earlier to post on somewhere. Which overlaps with a lot of what’s been sais about the CL final plus adds a little bit more. Sorry it’s so long.
Sir Alex Ferguson said dropping Berbatov was a very difficult decision but I’m not sure that I believe that. In fact I was keenly awaiting the team news because all week I had what I hoped was just a crazy idea that he would pick Michael Owen and drop Berbatov.
I’ve long suspected that things aren’t great between SAF and Berba… (SAF can barely bring himself to mention his name even when things are going well for Dimi). The timimg of Berba’s statement saying he intended to stay at United and see out his contract I suspect annoyed Fergie and the old Trafford hierarchy. After all there’s little or no financial benefits to the club if Berba leaves on a free whereas if they can get rid of him now he’s sure to fetch £10 million or so.
So dropping him from the CL final was in my opinion solely to put Berbatov in his place and send him the firm message. “You are not wanted here”.
But surely it was tactical you say. Fergie said he felt if Utd were a goal down Owen was more likely than Berbatov to come on and nick one. Not sure the Owen of today is good enough to be honest but let’s take SAF at his word: United were not one but two goals down so what the fuck happened? Because as far as I saw Owen didn’t even start to warm up. Which makes a mockery of what SAF said.
Picking your only substitute forward solely on the basis Fergie did suggests that he really is a poor tactician. What happens if you need to change your game plan long before you find yourself a goal or two down in the closing minutes. What if you need to put someone on who can hold up the ball slow down the play and link up with team-mates. What if you need someone tall with good aerial abilities to give you the option of playing more direct. Where indeed was the plan B or surprise tactics, I’m sure Guardiola knew for sometime what the United starting 11 and tactics would be.
Evidence of poor tactics were also evident at the last big Wembley occasion. Can someone explain to me why you would play a five-man midfield against a prosaic Man City and a four-man midfield against the genius of Xavi and Iniesta etc. Barcelona could play keep ball in an area 5 metre square let alone the vast expanses of the Wembley pitch, whereas City are so conservative that they were there to be got at.
I believe it was spiteful to drop Berbatov for Owen and if it wasn’t then it further demonstrates what a very poor tactician SAF is.
I’ll tell you why I think Owen was on the bench. SAF clearly believed the football Gods were going to deliver him this victory, thus allowing him to bring on Michael Owen (sentimentally) for the last two minutes, thus Owen gets to play in a CL final gets his winners medal and so shutting-up the Scousers that sing “Where were you in Istanbul”. And at a stroke giving Owen the perfect send-off and delivering the ultimate fuck-off to Berbatov.
Fuck sentiment, Owen (and Scholes) were not good enough to be on that bench, and the team should always come first Sir Alex, even if it means having to pick Dimitar Berbatov.
Ps. Don’t be surprised if Berbatov retires from professional football.
Whiteside says:
It was Fergie’s call and he made it with the best of intentions and with United in his heart. Berba will accept the decision and the right of Fergie to make it, so should we.
- – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – -
The truth, in a nutshell. Thank you Whiteside.
StatesideAussie. I know, I know. I guess im just frustrated. My fience actually told me to go out with the boys tonight.lol
minimal is a flaccid cunt.
A fucking cock-sucking pig-fucking cunt of a syphilitic mother-fucking cunt!
minimal is a cunt.
Think Berbatov’s chances he missed against Blackpool made Fergie’s mind up, but to not even use Owen in that last 10 mins, berbatov should have been there, even if he wasn’t going to use him
Berbatov will continue to win things with us. There was no malice from Fergie and his strategy only got shown up by a barca side that would have shown up anything except devine intervention. My plan A included Macherano being sent off. So that shows how wanting my approach turned out to be.
Berbatov has won more with us than he could have ever dreamed with Spurs or City. His winning the golden boot could not have been anticipated, as must be viewed as a crowning acheivement that also would never happen at any other club. The Golden boot was icing on the cake, but has got to be viewed as a one off with very little likelyhood of a repeat.
Just looked again at the previous winners of the golden boot. There are very few other years where 20 goals would have won the Golden boot, 2 years ago, he would have been in 6 the place in the year Drogba scored 29. This years Golden boot was well deserved, make no mistake, but any right minded soul would admit that it was an unexpected bonus for him. He should stay and continue to work for league championships as a solid contributing player:
Dimi’s league goals compared with the eventual Golden boot winner.
2011 20 =Golden boot (van Persie 18 and Drogba 11, injured most of the year)
2010 12 (Drogba got the boot w 29 4 others scored more than 22)
2009 9 (Anelka got the boot w 19)
2008 15 w Spurs (first choice) (Ronaldo got the boot w 31)
2007 12 w Spurs (first choice) (Drogba got the boot w 20)
2006 21 w Bayer Leverkusen (first choice) (Henry got the PL boot w 27)
i was totally shattered for berba. i would have thought his ball control and composure would have been exactly what was needed against barca but alas, in fergie we trust.
berba is an exceptional player and an exceptional person and i truly hope he stays.
Thank you mattos
Your valued opinion so well expressed at 22:27 is also a lesson in decorum.
The thing that pisses me off is we have to do it all again next season. But on the bright side we have a better chance because history shows Barca will not retain it.
TonyBee
MG Holmes TonyBee Watson
On the case of the beat the Barca tactic trail
SAF needs to sort this squad out once and for all. Bebe, obertan, Gibson, kuzcack, diouf, Owen, all need to be taken out. None of them are good enough to play for us For fuck sake just stop beating around the bush and taking risks with these young foreign players and get some quality proven players. Value in the market or not, prices of players are increasing all the time with man city around so its not going to get any better. Also, Giggs’ had his final push, he had a great year but no way is he going to be as good next year, he is going to have a similar.role as scholes. If we don’t get any quality honestly I don’t see us winning anything, and if Berbatov goes as well we might just scrape top four.
Regardless of what happened, or happens in the future, Berba has been a class act for us through and through. Helped us win the league, and was joint top scorer. Has been loyal to united, and if he lives, will always leave fond memories. Whatever my feelings, I am just a fan, and Sir Alex knows more than anyone else, and if you cannot trust in him you are not truly United. 19 is enough, there is no shame in losing to Barca. Would love is he stayed. As for midfield, it would be nice to see Pogba, Tuncliffe, and Morrison given a run of games next season. Since Sir Matt United have been a club that likes to develop their own, so why not give them a shot? If the Ginger Prince signs on for another year, he and Giggsy can provide invaluable support and insight to the youngsters. If Anderson can get a good run of games, he has the promise to be a great asset, seeing as he is only 22. Even if we went out and bought a “world class midfielder”, would it be enough to stop the Barca machine..probably not. For us to truly challenge them, it seems we need to not only have class players, but ones who bleed United red. As for strikers, it would be a dream to have Rooney, Berba, Hernandez, Owen, and Macheda/Diouf/King at the gaffers disposal. Just my thoughts, but feel free to disagree. Going to be a miserable six weeks full of transfer rubbish.
Hi CedarsDevil,
Thanks for the nice comment. I remember one of the pieces I wrote after the 2009 Barca defeat, called ’50 Years of Disappointment’, or something like that. It’s in the RoM Arhive under my name. I heven’t read it since it was posted, but I think one of the points I was trying to make was the same as you made to Scan 74, that supporting United isn’t just about winning, it’s a philosophy, not just of football but of life, it’s about values and principles which may apply to sport but also apply to the way we conduct ourselves. Of course none of us can live up to these high ideals all the time but that doesn’t mean they’re worthless. So, what might those ideals include? Respect for creativity, the value placed on individualism within a collective ethos, team spirit, taking risks , playing fairly and not cheating, respect for opponents, playing with absolute passion and honesty of endeavour, trying always to lift the spirits of others, entertainment, all-for-one, one-for-all, and so on. In the 53 years I’ve been following United I’d say they’ve done more to live by those high ideals than any other club in Britain, even when struggling for success. That’s why the crowds have always been high, even when we went down to Division 2. People want to see United, they talk about United, they’re jealous of United, they wish United to fail, but deep down they know that United stand for something, for how to play the game. It’s up to supporters like us to make sure United continue to reach for the skies of sporting idealism – attacking play that leaves memories that last a lifetime. Yes United failed yesterday, and Fergie got many things wrong, but by God, didn’t Rooney’s goal lift the spirits? That’s what United are all about.
United Will Never Die.
Rat bastard.
http://www.dailystar.co.uk/news/view/193456/Steven-Gerrard-s-joy-at-Manchester-United-s-Euro-defeat/?
Giles, Well said sir. Was completely lost when barca scored the first. Rooney’s goal did it all for me. That and the shift that many of the lads put in fighting to the last whistle. We lost this in the midfield, not through want of effort. Very proud to be a red. It is part of my philosophy!
It’s really upsetting, and you have to feel for him. Scoring all those goals, winning all those games for us and gets treated like that. A final he would have dreamed to play in, he doesn’t even make the bench against a player who has barely featured this season. It seems like fergie and the coaches had already made their mind up about him when rooney was playing like shit and kept playing him with chica over berba (not disagreeing as rooneys form improved because of it, and we won the league). It must be disheartening to contribute so much in the first half of the season and effectively be shunned like this. I really hope he stays and contributes towards the next title! He wants 20.
i’m as bigger supporter as anyone,on this one i don’t have blind obedience,for whatever reason what sir alex did to berba was spiteful and from the outside looking in i don’t know why,anyone can say whatever, a world class striker and club top scorer being left out of the squad after helping the club win 19 is absoultley fucking wrong.
A wonderfully true comment by Giles Oakley at 23:05. Well said sir!
How many titles has Steven Gerrard won?
0
wayne
Someone who is motivated by a desire to get even might be described as vindictive, a word that suggests harboring grudges for perceived wrongs (: a vindictive person who had alienated friends and neighbors alike).
Spiteful is a stronger term, implying a bitter or vicious vindictiveness (: a spiteful child who broke the toy she had been forced to share).
How can you brand Sir Alex ‘spiteful’ while admitting ‘i don’t know why”
Why ‘spite’?
Gerrard is unentitled. He is without title. Not with title, but without. Twat.
@MG
I am sure that once Gerrard got over his sangria hangover, he realized what a moron he was. If I was Liverpool club captain during the time United knocked me off my perch, I’d hide my head in shame. Since when did he become a Barca supporter anyway?
Wayne, I’m just as cut-up as you, about Berba’s omission yesterday. But I honestly do not believe it was “spiteful”. Nor do I believe it was “disrespectful” or “disloyal”, as some have said. I simply believe it was wrong — in a footballing sense. Now, before anyone jumps on me, I will add that neither I nor anyone else can say that having Berb on the bench, and using him, would have won us the match. No-one can say that. But I think it was wrong, because it denied us the option of using a different approach late in the game, when the first option clearly wasn’t working. All season long, we have been a team that was able to take different approaches. Of all the teams I saw this year, ours was the one that not only had a Plan A, but plans B, C, D and counting. And it served us well.
Yesterday, however, by excluding Berbatov from the bench, we effectively locked ourselves into having only a Plan A. I can’t say that Plan B would have worked — but I can say that given the way things went, I would have liked to see it tried, and I can also say that this was a foreseeable situation. For 15-25 minutes, I would like to have seen Scholes and Nani on (which did happen), with Nani under instructions to run laterally across the box, and with Berbatov on (in place of Hernandez) to combine with Nani, something those two did very well in the first half of the season. The fact that we didn’t even use our full allowance of subs, is a tacit admission by the boss (God bless him for all he’s done) that not only was Plan A not working, it actually had no hope of working at that point in the match.
A crying shame, then, that we did not have Plan Berbatov at our disposal. But “spiteful”, and other terms like “disrespectful” and “disloyal”, are either going too far, or are frankly irrelevant.
Our team was beaten by a better side and I hear people calling for gibson’s head. what the fuck is wrong with some people here? He wasn’t even on the bench and people are calling for his head. I guess some just don’t want to realise that our biggest advantage is the debth of our squad.
Yeah let’s sell them all and we look like fuckin rentboyz, who played shit for month cause we can’t give them a rest.
we can buy who we want. on a day like that no team can compete with them.
@smartalex this decision has upset me a great deal because i can’t make any sense of it and don’t buy the reasons for leaving berba out given the fact utd were losing and owen wasn’t used.
i’m not sure what more you could do to someone to embarrass or degrade them after someone declares love and devotion,never complains,turned down more money to play for utd,has had his best season,top scorer, happy although didn’t deserve the bench and don’t get me wrong i love hernandez but ability wise berba is in a different league.then to leave him out of the squad when he’d have given the team a different option if things didn’t work out or a injury occurred,it is the most bizarre decision i can remember that makes no sense whatsoever so it has to be something personnel.
sir alex has a dark side to him i don’t agree with the way he’s treated wes brown and in any way agree with the way he treated berba.i’m not a religous man but my faith is being tested right now and i’m not sure why that decision would be made unless the intention was to hurt someone
@Zelh
Mate. I am amazed it took some people over 12 hours to call for Gibson’s head!
Costas – Can’t stand this bullshit. Gibson’s not the best and I agree with that, but you need players who are alright with sitting on the bench and playing when they need to.
Otherwise we can look at the bitters what happens if your squad is full of morons.
We need to sort out our midfield and strenghten it and maybe it’s the time for gibson to go on, but that’s not a reason to give him a stick.
I cant agree with some of you that you think that Sir Alexs decissision of having Owen and not Berbatov on the bench is spiteful because Owen wasnt used.
When the decission was made to pick the team the game hadn’t started. When the game was drawing to a close we were 3-1 down. Totally different situations and the same logic cant be applied. Sir Alex may have thought that should we be down and need a quick goal that Owen was more likely to have a sudden impact than Berbatov. In my opinion I totally agree with this. However during the match it was obvious that Owen would have been no use anyway as the ball very rarely even went up near the Barca penalty box. What we needed was something more to counteract the weight of Barcas midfield.
I would have put Berba on the bench at the expense of Fletcher, solely because he hadnt proved fitness or form before the match, but again thats just my opinion.
All top CEO’S have a dark side. SAF has a style he explains his choices to the ones left out. Agree with him or not many never do that.
I bet if it were Liverpool yesterday they would have won six –
Ah well they can try next year
Wait: They can’t
if you leave every other aspect of it out,what berba has done for the team and the way he’s conducted himself should be picked over owen 10/10.to me it was a bad decision tactitically and just from a loyalty,reward point of view to say thanks,i’m guessing most of the team would have been as shocked as the fans.ffs i like owen but he’s a bit player berba is the clubs top scorer.
anyway whatever i think it stinks simple as that.
@Zelh top squad players make the difference at Man Utd O’Shea and Fletcher have been great for years and both have started in the past. SAF has awarded them with 80,000 a week now.
As Brown has been a great squad player over time and his time to move on has come. Thanks Wes.
Scousers maths lessons for 2011
123456789101112131415161718 Next number doesn’t exist 20
Steven Gerrard can have his 5 we have that number they can’t count
Good luck to Barca see them soon
@wayne
I agree with you in most part. I would have had both on the bench. I certainly agree that to leave Berba out only goes to humiliate the player after the season hes had. It was a lack of foresight and I would have put him on the bench even at the possible cost of winning the final. Because a loss now we see, Will fergie dump Wayne now his form is up and in revenge for last summer and get the best possible price for a rebuild. Will Chico start oooing and aaarghing because Real Madrid are interested. Has owen even got the legs for next year and is Wellbecks knee going to be ok or will he get problems during the off season that has happened before. So really Berba may be one of a few strikers at the club next year of experience and understanding of the way United play. Surely he wont be now. I mean you just dont make decissions like this that could should things not go your way jeopardise the future.
Time to buy one extra player this summer then one to few.
Every 3 to 5 years Man Utd spends big. It is time again to do so.
Spending big has gone up since the BEPL has become billionaire boyz club.
75-100 million please. Create competition at every position. The twins and Smalling still wont count towards the 25 because they are still young enough. Over buy now trim it back next year.
Goat … right, there’s no doubt that, as you say, Owen was on the bench because we might have needed a quick goal. SAF has said that himself since the match, so there’s no doubt about that at all. There’s also no doubt that by late in the match, the situation had changed dramatically, and that by then, there was no point in trying to nick a quick goal. For mine, the “mistake” was not in selecting Owen over The Berb, it was in deciding to stack the bench with midfield replacements, so that there was only room for one sub striker, and then not using the full allowance of subs anyway.
Given all that he has done for us, it is very difficult for someone like me to be critical of Sir Alex. I have followed United for more than 45 years — from a distance, true, but still, I have followed them, and only them. And, of course, it is always easy to be wise with hindsight — to play “Monday morning quarterback”, as they say here in the States. But still, I believe that in this case, Sir Alex did not give enough consideration to the possibility that his plan simply would not work, and that he might therefore like to try something different (and desperate) late in the game. He stacked the subs bench to deal with the possibility of Plan A not working because of poor execution, or tiredness, or injury. But it appears he did not consider that it simply wouldn’t work. Late in the match, of course, this must have been obvious to him — because ultimately, he chose not to use all the subs that he gone to some lengths to have available.
The funny thing is that before the match, I was convinced that the strength and depth of our subs bench might actually make the difference — for a variety of reasons, but one of them being that all season, we have had the ability to use subs to change our tactical approach. But then yesterday, we didn’t.
I think our perfect “X Factor” for our midfield could be Eden Hazard from Lille. He is only 19 so still falls under the youth policy, plays on the wings and through the middle and looks like Messi. He is without question the next big thing in world football and lets fork out the 30-40 for him. You dont win the champions league without the absolute best and that is why i love the De Gea signing because we are building for now and for the future!
wayne
It seems that you are at a total loss as to why Berbatov was not selected, and are suggesting that spite is the only feasible explanation to you.
I believe that you are wrong.
I am surprised and saddened by your accusation, especially as it remains baseless.
“anyway whatever i think it [also] stinks simple as that!”
2 big proven players please, they might not work out, the effort buy the owner and gaffer are just as important as the effort by the players.
I think its a clear humiliation for Berba and he took it that way. It’s a message the manager does not rate him to get a goal when the pressure is on, at the highest level. Delivered loud and clear. It must hurt, it must frustrate, the man has his pride, he will need to think about whether this is set to continue and it looks like it is.
RE BARCA – no worries
UNITED WILL KNOCK BARCA OFF THEIR FUCKING PERCH AND THEN HEAD STRAIGHT FOR REAL MADRID
ONE PERCH DOWN – ONE TO GO – IT BEGINS HERE – BARCA LOOK AT LIVERPOOL AND WEEP, WE ARE COMING RIGHT AT YOU AND WE WILL NAIL YOU TO THE WALL. BELIEVE.
@smartalex for many reasons berba should have been in the squad for no reason should have been left out,if you don’t see it that way fair enough.its just the way i am i’m a fair and loyal person and don’t see that in berba’s exclusion.
Re Berba not on the bench – I don’t think this was about him, but about the way United were set up to play, he is still a talent but the system SAF is using has moved on from him and the other players are not the type – Rooney and Giggs aside – who can really bring the best out in him in these kinds of matches.
SAF needed Rooney to also defend in the hole, Berba is not a lead striker and if Rooney moved up then Berba does not have his defensive work rate.
Berba not playing was I believe more about needing Rooney to work in a defensive role high up the pitch.
If Rooney is in the hole we need a striker to get on the shoulder of defenders and run in with pace – only Pea and Owen do this and Pea had an off game getting caught offside to often – I would have switched him with Owen second half.
So basically this was not about goals it was about needing Rooney in the hole to do the defensive work that Berba does not do. It makes sense I think against a team like Barcelona when the strategy was to defend high up the pitch.
@wayne, very well said at 1:11. It is heartbreaking that Berbatov wasn’t selected. I also cannot see loyalty to Dimi, or fairness in his non-selection. A sad story of a truly loved, respected and admired servant of the club seemingly not receiving his just reward.
More respect to the hard decisions taken by Sir Alex.
Whiteside said it best at 18:01:
It was Fergie’s call and he made it with the best of intentions and with United in his heart. Berba will accept the decision and the right of Fergie to make it, so should we.
night lads time to go to bed 3.30 here. knackered been a long weekend, gutted, deflated.
Keep your peckers up lads all will be well as soon as the season starts a fresh. I hate these summer breaks, im totally lost without united.
oh and happy pancake day lads
From the Guardian:
Asked about reports that Berbatov had left Wembley early, the striker’s agent, Emil Danchev, said: “It’s nonsense. Mitko [Berbatov] was at Wembley and watched the game. There is nothing to say. Let us take a few days.”
The same article (by Daniel Taylor) quotes “one of (Sir Alex’s) closest allies in the game”, says Sir Alex plans to stay for at least another three years, with the express intention of “dismantling Barcelona’s European dynasty”. Among other things, it says the Glazers have approved a major spending spree and that up to 10 players are on their way out, including Tomasz Kuszczak, Wes Brown, Gabriel Obertan, Bébé and Darron Gibson, and it says Nani is “open-minded” about the possibility of leaving.
It says United like Sneijder but are doubtful a deal can be done. Other targets include Ashley Young, Luka Modric and Jack Rodwell, but United are also encouraged by the development of their youth players — and that Scholes might be in charge of them if decides to hang up his boots.
One other thought: next year’s CL final is in … Munich. What an occasion would that be, if we can make it. What destiny, what karma…
I don’t actually think Berba would work as a Plan B, not against Barca. If you mean Plan B should be to play long balls from back to front, it actually doesn’t work with Berba. Far too often, for a guy of his height, he doesn’t win the ball in the air. I don’t think we’ve got any striker atm who does that.
As for his hold up play, yes he does do that quite well. But under pressure from defenders nibbling at him from behind- not so sure. More often than not, he gets forced away from the opposition goal. I look at the first leg vs Chelsea, when he came on for the last 15 mins as lone striker. John Terry effectively became a centre mid, as he was able to push that high up the pitch vs Berba (part of the reason we came under some pressure in those closing stages). The ball would go to Berba and under pressure, he’d get pushed further back towards the halfway line and for a guy with his nifty footwork, he rarely looks to turn and run the other way.
He’s best against sides who park the bus, and he can use his intelligence and guile to get an opening through a packed defence. The big sides don’t normally do this, hence his below par performances in these games. Barca certainly don’t do this, so SAF decided not to pick him. It’s a horses for courses approach.
Could be the most important summer in years.
with up to 10 players leaving. and if nani is among them reinvest that money into sanchez or hazard.
both are gonna be worldbeater.
If there’s a club who can surpass Barca it’s us.
United we stand!
@Sparkz … Plan B wasn’t to hoik the ball long and hope that Berbatov could hang on to it long enough for someone to catch up to him. I was thinking more about having Nani ran across the pitch (as in fact, he tried to do), and have some interplay with Berbatov on the way. Those two did that quite a bit early in the season.
And another good example of what the Berb might have been able to do, was actually provided by Giggs for Rooney’s goal: that one-two they played, where Rooney put the ball forward to Giggs, who then one-touched it back at a different angle, was pure Berbatov — he does that sort of thing all the time.
But the major point isn’t that Plan B would have worked, because no-one can say that. It’s that we could, and should, have had a Plan B available.
As an aside, I watched a brilliant youtube vid which showed all our goals in the CL road to Barcelona in 1998 and 1999. What struck me as the difference between that side and our current one was the hunger to get forward on the break – we must have had at least 9 different scorers during the campaign too. Fergie was able to pick from Yorke/Cole and Sheringham/Ole – both pairings were world class in themselves. Now I’m not talking down our current squad in the slightest as they have played their hearts out and deserved to get to where they have done. I just feel we need a couple more marquee signings to tip the balance again. Our defence is tip top and one more midfielder and attacker should do the trick
@Zelh spot on mate reinvest the CR7 money, and more look for the best and Sanchez is Keep Nani let them fight it out and buy more. Last year said his dream club is Man Utd. De Gea is the best young keeper in 5 years. Yes shit like that!!!! A CDM in the last part of career to help Pogba and Tunni a ball winner different from Fletch and Carrick . Sell Berba and if not Benzema then a striker as well that fits with the new look.
i really love this article!!!It 100% shows how I felt!I was truly sad when I noticed berba was not even on the bench for the final. I really can’t understand how can a new boy despite a talented one be put in the big game for 90 minutes? I really think that that Mexican boy was inexperienced in big game, we should have experienced players in the final. I was really frustrated at some of my friends who are supporters of MU but changed their fav from dimi to chicha after chicha performed well for this season. How can they forget the talent dimi has? I really don’t see how this new boy can replace berba’s place in the United! As most of you said, I really hope berba can stay in the United, but I don’t want him to stay in a team where noone will appreciate his talent! I don’t want his talent is just wasted in a team we all love!!! I really look forward for a detailed explanation from ferguson! Please explain to me, plz!
Some one will step up next year and grab more time, a Gibson, Evans, Andro, Kiko, Wellback, Cleverly or someone not mentioned. Competition at all spots is important. Buy heavy and let them fight it out loan some out sell in January or let them go next year when the twins and Smalling count on the 25.
Pogba, Tunni and Ravel all so young 3 years before they count on the 25. Making Man Utd team 28 deep. 3 young ones under 21 every years contributing to Glory. The FC Tweenty South American work permit pipe line will help with that.
Oh the young 18 year old French CB Varnan wont count for 3 years as well thats cool.
@Zibbie
I think a priority has to be not only a midfield playmaker but a player who is actually in the Scholes(prime), Xavi, Iniesta or Pirlo (prime) bracket. The only 2 who come to mind are Sneijder and Modric. Not sure about the ability of either. We got a lot more of the ball in the last 15 minutes when Scholesy came on. What we also saw were some simple yet very effective passes from him, while Giggs and Carrick were trying to make very complicated or difficult passes.
I very distinctly remember that when Tevez came to us, after the 1st month he said in an interview that the future of Manchester United would hang in the balance the day Paul chose to retire. I really hope that we get somebody world class or we give an extended chance to a youth player who we think has the talent.
On the whole, still feeling down. Can’t focus on my studies for CFA either….
Unless some miracle happens, Berbatov staying is not going to happen, its not about if he will leave or not, its more of he should leave this summer. Its apparent he will not be adored by the fans no matter what he does or achieves here… Call me a glory hunter if you must, but he is just too classy to be wasted like this, its clear that he doesn’t fit the “United Style” of playing but truth is that our highest paid player is a forward and this entitles him to get played even when he plays shite… Oh how i wish it was a midfielder who was best paid. One of the best things i boast to my friends about this club is how we never spoil any players’ career cause if anyone doesnt fit our style we immediately let him move on to a more suited place for him and effort is taken to actually accomplish this… Not like the clubs where any kind of bid is accepted… There comes a time when a player so loyal is treated badly and in such a case it’ll be better off if he leaves us… In truth we wont know the gem we have unless we dont have it anymore…
thelaughingman – top post mate. dunno why you should be a gloryhunter.
There’s no more loyalty in the world today. Even if the players have it, fans don’t.
Anyway, we’ve all been saying we need a world-class signing for the midfield. But who? And even if there is one we end up signing, time’s need to integrate him. So being on the same level as Barca, isn’t going to happen with just new signings, time’s needed as well. They took time to create such a team, and likewise, we will too. We’ll have to strengthen the midfield, and adapt our current lads around that. Our midfield has to have names that will be a force to compete with. We’ve been run over many a times, even in the league, especially when we’re not at our best. I’ve said it before, we have a fantastically hardworking midfield, but not the most talented one. And that’s why, when its not out day, when we’re complacent, we suffer bad. Imagine a midfield of the old Fletch and Hargo. That’ll be brilliant. We still have Fletch and if he get’s a good pre-season and bulks up, which he will, he’s a driving force in the midfield. Unfortunately, imo, though we did manage to buy a big midfield name in Hargo, we all know what happened with him. I’m really excited for pre-season, I really hope we get a few top signings and get them started asap. We can test them out against Barca again on 30 July can’t
we!
@Stateside
I can’t see this summer being as eventful as the Guardian says. We know about PIG, Wes and probably Scholes and Berba leaving. But I feel that the likes of Owen, Gibson, Obertan and Bebe will still be around. And I don’t see us signing more than 2 players and De Gea.
Speaking of Scholes, the Express believes that he is officially retired: http://www.express.co.uk/football/view/249696/Paul-Scholes-is-packing-his-bags?
@Zelh
Thanks mate, I said that cause its rather shallow to support a single player ahead of the club. Either way its nice that i wasn’t misunderstood.
It does seem likely Scholes might retire soon but not just yet… he’ll give it a shot next year and if he cant last, he’ll retire in a similar fashion to Neville… Its just wishful thinking but, i hope its not his last match as he really deserves a better sending off present
The final few minutes he came on this Saturday was the only time we kept possession the entire second half…
Sir Giles
What a top post at 23:05…… Hit every nail on its head, as usual may I add
Like you and a few others here I suffered the agony of the dry years where a good run in the FA cup would have been considered a good season…. Always watching in envy as the likes of Liverpool, Everton, Aston Villa and even bloody Nottingham Forest won titles…..
All that has now of course changed, we have become the bench mark of success, we in fact have been spoiled by it as supporters. To me United is a success and is not about success (Not sure if that makes sense) The best feeling in the world is match day, at the times when I was in Manchester making my way to Old Trafford on the Saturday, paying 2.50 at the turnstiles and then singing my heart out at the Stretty was the best feeling I could ever go through… Win, lose or draw it never mattered….
United is my life
United will never die
Good morning all…
lol, but he’s a genuine lad ! a classy person, he never moans , blah blah blah – get rid, bring someone who can actually be useful in the big matches…he went through a good period in the early season , thanks for everything and move on
he doesn’t have the united spirit…he was brought for europe, to give us “other dimension2 and he scored against mickey mouse teams in europe, he can’t play against the quick sides like arsenal and barca, he rarely performs in the big matches, plus he’s too expensive for that…i would leave him as a back up, but i would reduce his contract and play him against stoke, west ham, blackburn, against the teams of his callibre
and before you all come and attack me with some stupid, pointless stats, here are some stats for you !
BEBE – the genius !
.” In 7 appearances for Manchester United, 3 of which were starts, Bebe has scored 2 goals this season. That is a strike rate of around 29% for the player. This stat is definitely highlighted more when you consider Nani, the Manchester United Player’s Player of the Year 2011, has a strike rate which only stands at 17.5%.
In addition to this, the transfer price of £7.5million is seen as a complete bargain if compared to Fernando Torres, the £50million hitman who has made 17 appearances for Chelsea yielding only 1 solitary goal. I would be so bold as to say that Bebe is probably Manchester United’s best buy since the signing of Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez. The Homeless World Cup’s player of the tournament has also scored a goal in the most prestigious tournament in Europe, the Champions League, helping Manchester United set up a meeting with Barcelona at Wembley.
Touted as a star of the future, his star has definitely been shining in Europe’s premier competition where he has outscored both Fernando Torres and fellow Manchester United teammate Michael Owen having made only 1 substitute appearance for a meagre half an hour in the tournament.
I do feel that Sir Alex Ferguson has a big decision on his hands soon with the Blackpool game coming up. However tempted he may be to play Bebe on Sunday afternoon, I feel he will be hard pressed to rest him for the final of the Champions League. Such an occasion could surely only bring out the best in Bebe… and Obertan and Gibson. He was only just pipped to the finishing line for Manchester United’s reserve player of the year award by the promising Oliver Gill. ”
LMFAO!
What about Landon Donovan, his loan at Everton was a success During this period, he played in thirteen games in all competitions, scored two goals, and was named the club’s Player of the Month for his performances in January and he can play an attacking midfield role, He had a good world cup and is a hard worker.
Haters gonna hate.
Sell Berba and bring back the troll.
Sell Berbatov buy Mido!!
Morning Costas
Pity things did not work out between us… Ah well
CROoney
Yes Bebe may be a flop, just make sure you do not pop a vain as you LMFAO yourself… Sir Alex has no clue with signings does he, I mean look at the list of these flops…..
The Great Dane
Ole
Roy Keane
Ince
Pallister
Cantona
RVN
Cole
Yorke
Rooney
The Twins
Vidic
Rio
Hernandez
I could really go on and on…. terrible really
Yeah, lets have a laugh at United players. That’s what makes a proper fan nowdays.
@Cedars
Lol, you never know mate. As our noisy neighbours say, in the future…
I agree with SAF in choosing Owen instead for obvious reason. Berba has been very ineffective lately and you can blame it for not having to play many matches. I know you have a sympathy for Berba, Scott, but as SAF did he put the team first. SAF knew his own tactics and I’m sure he, you and everyone was well aware that we would not have much chance against Barca, and no one in our team had better ratio of converting those chances into a goal than Chicharito and Owen. To be honest, I was a little bit surprised when the commentator mentioned there was no Berba on the bench, not because of what you have said above but because the manager was courage enough to not put him in that bench (because I know SAF himself has sympathy for Berba too)
I respect the old man for all that he’s done, but this was a move made by a moron! And I stand by my words!
He ignored the player able to hold the ball, distribute it smoothly and not allow Barca to play their game as much as they did over the Mexican’t.
Even worse, Owen instead of Berba?!?! Nice…
I still can’t believe it.
CROoney. Ha ha. Yeah isn’t that just fucking hilarious eh lad. Hhmm. Some shitty abu piss tyake article now gets you laughing.
Only just read this thread hence my comment but itsasafe to say some you fucking disgust me. It cost me and my old man best part of eight hundred fucking sheets between us for this weekend but do you hear me fucking moaning? No. As I know once again fergie will have the last laugh.
Oh and eden fucking hazard. Who is this cunt? Some fucking french flash in the pan. But heh. Let’s spend forty million on him like some suggest. Unbelievable. See you in august.
@CROoney
Bebe isnt a flop yet though! It is not easy coming for Portuguese 2nd division to the Premier league let alone to the champions… His technique is extremely raw owing to his previous club… But he is probably more grateful for this opportunity and is trying hard in training to improve his technical skills… Next season we’ll him in the first team for at least 15 games… SAF buys players who want to play for this great team…. He doesnt care if you are diego fucking maradona, if you dont want to play for us, “too bad for you”. Cause thats the truth…
Taek
A move made by a moron? I believe you are referring to Sir Alex….
I doubt that you would have the courage to say that to his face…… Fuck off you ignorant cunt
Berba has been inconsistent this season.thats not the kind of player you want on your bench in a cup final.remember its not about players,its team first
i think some of you must have taken me wrong…i’m not laughing at bebe nor saying that saf fucked it up with him..i’m laughing at all those who use stats to justify berbatov…he’s an okay player but nothing special…a back up striker, a squad player…overpriced…and i’m laughing at those who overrate him and who use the stats to make him look great…
Is there any other place to watch the Victory Parade besides MUTV?
Or better still, Scott, please upload it after that! haha.
I told you all. Sir Alex has some sort of mental condition affecting him. Why else would he make such a decision? It is not as if he thought it out, spent weeks pondering over it, then talked to the player regarding his choice or anything like that. It is pretty clear to me that Sir Alex is a moron.
Those of you who are going to watch the victory parade, I fucking hate you guys. Here I am stuck in office with nothing better to do but these idiots still block everything. I hate Google for inventing Websense.
30 million for one half of the season ? yeah, true class
Balaji
Hahahahaha nice one buddy! Pity you are not from Manchester though, otherwise you would have been a ‘real’ fan!
Morning my friend
Yeah, top scorer this season. First player to score a hat trick against Liverpool in 64 years. Horrible stats. I am sure some bile written at Blue Moon will give a more accurate account of Berbatov.
@CROoney
Yeah sure, he is overpriced… And kaka, lady boy, andy carroll, milner, heck even suarez ( i can go on the entire day) are bargain buys… Hell i’d still say he was a bargain cause its not his price tag that should be looked at caused he had little part to be played in that, but rather his salary, despite being our record buy he was what 3 or 4 highest paid at our club… All this has actually made me realize that i’m happy that SAF didnt rate Zidane high at Bordeaux. If he had… it would have been a crash and burn for him…
In the modern game, Berba is probably the closest thing to Zidane and is well worth the dough!!!!
CROoney
Lay off the sarcasm, leave that to rival fans
The critisism often used against Berbatov is “not good enough for United”. I’ve been on this blog for 2 and a half years and I think that the actual problem is that some United fans were not good enough for Berbatov. Sell Berba and buy Erik Nevland
To all those slating Berbatov, again I say you have no idea how our squad has worked in the past 3 years he has been at the club. If you actually pondered over it, instead of being typically biased against a player, you would clearly see the reason.
2008 – 09 – We were still a team that revolved too much around Ronaldo. Our main threat was still in the form of Ronaldo with Rooney and Tevez supporting him. Berbatov did not get too many chances to shine in terms of actual goals but his assists were always appreciated and his skills (as in the Ronaldo goal against West Ham which he set up) were off the park.
2009 – 10 – After the sale of Ronaldo, Sir Alex did the logical thing by trying to build his next team around Rooney. It only seems practical since Rooney was going to playing for a longer period of time than Berbatov and Rooney’s dynamism offered Sir Alex to build the team that nicely complemented his strengths. Again, Berbatov was played off-position for a lot of time and did not get to do what he loves to best.
He likes to come off the striker, hold on to the ball and pick out passes to players ahead of him before moving in to score the goal if the opportunity presents. This is what he did wonderfully well at Spurs. He was played out of his best position for most of the season because Rooney’s goalscoring exploits were amazing.
2010 – 11 – Obviously, with Rooney out of form, out of touch with reality and out of touch with Manchester United, we HAD to play to Berbatov’s strengths and all our attacks had to go through him and his effectiveness had to be exploited if we had to have any chance of being in the title race in the early part of the season.
And that is exactly what we did, we used him and he responded by being our most effective player during the first half of the season. He got a lot of goal, set up a lot of chances and was a confident, happy player.
Once Rooney came back, Sir Alex had to go back to the old formation because our future depends on how well our team plays around Rooney. Rooney is now our talismanic player, whether you like it or not. Again, Berbatov was pushed to roles he did not like, lost his confidence and eventually made way for Hernandez who complemented Rooney much better.
MORAL OF THE FUCKING STORY: Think about how he has been used over the past 3 years before branding him as a failure. We have not used him properly, we have not played to his strengths and we have never given him the confidence and support he requires. The only time we ever did that – during the first half of this season – he was the Berbatov we know and love. So, STFU!
Too much Berbatov whining on this forum. He’s not the only one left out and we have Mancunians and several long time Manchester United servants in our squad who didn’t see the field – but no one talking about them.
@Cedars, Good morning my friend. I am good as always. I was feeling slightly disappointed (as we all were) yesterday but felt completely rejuvenated after reading your’s and Sir Giles’ posts from the past two threads. Made me proud to be a United supporter.
You know, I never really found out the answer to that troll’s question though. It will remain one of the greatest unsolved mysteries of my life.
Costas – Well said my friend
Balaji – Top post buddy
thelaughingman – berba’s poor man’s zidane-at-the-end-of-his-career …
i agree that he has his tehnique and calmness, a solid vision, but he uses it rarely and lacks the zidane’s mentality…and mentality is 70% of a player…look at fletcher – isn’t half as talented as berbatov but his mentality brought him here
@Vilhelm28
Sorry but whom are you talking about exactly?
I think we need to ditch Berba, Giggs, Scholes, Anderson, Carrick, Gibson etc, they are not good enough. We were totally humiliated against Barca. We need to spend big but the Glazers are so in debt, will we get the cash?, look at the strength of the squad?, It’s weak. Maybe it’s time for SAF to leave and a fresh manager brought in????
Tgan
How about we start by ditching you? Seems fair to me…..
Them bitters across the road have money to spend, piss off and support them you fickle cunt
@CROoney
I”ll have to disagree with you my friend… I’d like you to read balaji’s post at 7:14… That is the truth about a player not of which you speak of but rather a committed person who wants to contribute to the success of this team… You are right about fletch but calling berba a poor man’s zidane is just wrong let alone comparing him to the zidane at the end of his career is probably even more derogatory… What you must understand is he isnt playing in some shitty league where you can probably grit through only about 4 or 5 matches an entire season…
Where do these disgusting fucks come from? Ditch XYZ, buy ABC…I mean what the fuck? Are you fuckers completely blind, watched football for the first time on Saturday or what? Fucking what? Dont you understand that:
1. You are being complete kneekerk assholes – a few weeks ago you were wanking off to Giggsy and begging for an opportunity suck Anderson’s balls.
2. Second, selling and buying are not the solution. The fact is that this barca team plays the game unlike anybody else, and there is no simple solution. from what I saw, United players didn’t play very badly, it’s simply that they have never encountered a beast like this and they, and the world at the moment, don’t have a consistent formula for beating them. This barca team presents a very different challenge, and beating them will take a very different response. The answers lies in a combination of tactics, players, physical fitness, training and the footballing culture of a country. My biggest worry is about the last one – because the chances of building a team to win the PL and trying to get the same team to beat Barca consistently are frankly speaking, not entirely encouraging. 2 totally different styles. It’s not an easy one, and it;s going to take some time.
Anyway, back to the original point of my rant, you lot are a bunch of mange scales on a leper’s cock – that’s about the sum and substance of your fickle existence. Idiots…you don’t deserve to be fans of ANY football club, let alone United. FUCK YOU and FUCK YOUR STUPIDITY.
Jeet
First of all, good morning, second of all hats off!
Cedars – good morning mate. Still in a very bad mood (sorry, I am not a good loser) and that post just fucking did it…dont expect a lot of posts from me for some time, I need some angry brood time…
Berba for Modric according to SSN and the Mirror. Don’t go, Berba
@Tgan You’re a dipper ? or a bitter blue ? hmm
- NURSE
- Yes boss
- Where the fuck is my injection?
- But boss you said you did not anymore…
- When the fuck did I say that?
- Err, just 2 hours ago boss
- Fuck that, just hit me with one them ones that calm me down…
- Why are you angry boss?
- Having to deal with idiots on a blog
- Coming right up boss, can I replace an injection with a pill?
- Just do as you are told…… stupid bitch
Jeet Cedars Devil
speak your mind gentleman ha ha no jabbing with you boys straight off with the fucking uppercuts!!
we need new players granted but gents ffs a complete overhaul please everyone needs to improve you stand still you get caught
even Guardiola cant stroke his balls for too long Barca are already looking at adding Rossi cos next year all the big guns will be chasing em down
same gos for us in the prem remember we fell short in euorpe to a fantastic side we have a lot of top players and great qualities
we may not have sparkled this year but we still got the job done
id rather have our challenges then say the problems of Arsenal whos arseholes go at the sight of a finishing line or chelsea who are run by a trigger happy twat who sacks any fucker who doesnt win a quadruple
we need to improve and strengthen but theres no better man at doing the business then SAF
We are blessed gentleman enjoy today
19
thelaughingman – zidane-at-the-end-of-his career led france to the WC final, don’t forget that…and being a poor man’s zidane is actually a compliment considering he’s not as good as zidane..
if the reports of him being pissed and angry, insulted or whatever are true then i understand that people who praised him for his attitude,devotion etc can’t look theirselves in the mirror and i understand where all the anger is coming from
3/without/killing/anyone
I think he might be a mixture of both…. What a disgusting creature that would be hey? lol
@king eric,eden hazard is the best young player in france..by the way who the fuck was bebe? Yet fergie still paid 7 million pounds for him
scan74
Top post buddy….. And yes most of us here like to ‘sort’ of speak our minds! hahahaha
19
Come to think of it, only Arsenal could beat the outstanding Barca in UCL this season and they did it with two stunning goals from RVP and Arshavin! Lesson to be learned: what Arsenal did at Emirates Stadium could be used as a reference on how to beat Barcelona: tight defense and devastating counter attack. Man United didn’t do any of the above so, they deserved to lose.
No one is bigger than the club and that includes SAF. He ballsed up big time on Saturday by leaving Berba off the bench i.e. no Plan B and by failing to learn the lessons of our previous final defeat to Barca. SAF has a great record but on Saturday the bar was raised a level and it was his tactics, not the efforts of the players, that were found wanting. Man for man, Messi aside, how many of Barca’s players would you swap for our own? Not many. Barca have fashioned a unique style of play based on discipline and pressing but best side ever my arse. Regardless it was the SAF’s job to set up a system to either nullify this or play to our strengths. Unfortunately SAF did neither. Victory cannot be guaranteed at any time but the way SAF set up the side meant defeat with a whimper instead of a band. Call me old fashioned but SAF’s indulgence of Rooney earlier in the season, when Rooney was not playing well yet holding the club to ransom, was simply wrong. Meanwhile, Nani and Berba were carrying the fight to the enemy. I agree with an earlier poster who remarked that on Saturday SAF had the appearance of a rabbit in the headlights as events unfolded -never seen that before. This may seen harsh but second best isn’t good enough for United. Time for some serious succession planning at OT.
Tgan- Fuck off
I said we needed to wind our necks in after the 19th title, as we were heading for a fall. I was proved right again as our squad was horribly exposed, the bitters, scousers and cockneys will spend big, what about us????. Come on lads look at it objectively rather than get annoyed, we need real money but we won’t have a big net spend at all, who will give us top cash for Berba????
people calling for SAF’s head should seriously fuck off.
@Mr C, This may seen harsh but second best isn’t good enough for United.
Someone is really clever, aren’t they?
Trust me when I say this, you wouldn’t even see United being tenth-best, fifteenth-best if it weren’t for Sir Alex “motherfucking” Ferguson. You would probably see United scrapping for relegation. Ask Cedars and Sir Giles if you don’t believe me.
Sir Alex is GOD. He can and will do whatever he wants. He is greater than United because HE is Manchester United. Neither you, nor I, nor anybody has any fucking right to question him.
Yes, he did do many things wrong in Saturday but who doesn’t. He will learn from them and he will take us forward. That doesn’t give anybody the right to question him, maybe his tactics, but never HIM.
@cedarsdevil
good morning mate
cant beleive someone said fergie should go
all sorts of rumours of berba
i dont think fergie will sell him unless spurs are ready to give modric
as i much as i want modric pls dont sell berba
@balaji
great post mate
its hard for berba
i think fergie just had a gut feeling owen could score thats why he picked him
@CROoney
I think i’m explaining myself to death here… You have your views and mine differ thats all, I’d still say he is widely talented and still be better of elsewhere… But degrading him wont work… As for his reactions…. We wont know the truth as of yet will we… Even if it is true… Cant actually blame him for that, considering he wasnt given time to come to terms with the decision SAF made (since he was still in the dressing room during the match)… In comparing to zidane i didnt mean on a skill by skill basis… If that be the case no two players can ever be the same… Still ask yourself this…. Was Zidane ever during his career had any restriction upon him… He was the star of his team, everything revolved around him… Maybe our own berba would be better off being the star of some team rather than a nobody to so many people…
CedarsDevil
Oh, I would! And go call your mummy a cunt, you f*ck…
Happy Pancake day everybody.
Whats the gossip then, I see Cedars has upset someone, lol.
Don’t worry CROoney. Even if Berbatov did refuse to watch the game from the stands with the rest, he still can’t hold a candle to Tevass and the bullshit he pulled on his final season. The guy is class. On and off the field.
@Balaji and thelaughingman
Great posts lads.
Mr C
Sir Alex IS Manchester United just like Sir Matt before him….. Do not ever dare and bemoan the great man himself….
I said it before and I will say it again, I can tolerate anything except criticism directed at the great man…. If you knew the club’s history then you may just get an idea of what this great man has brought to our club
@Tgan: we need 2-3 top players – nobody is denying that, but you are going overboard with that line. And as I said, that’s not the solution to the Barca problem – at best, it’s only part of the solution. Look at Madrid – they just can’t get even close and they are a very expensive, very good team.
@Mr.C: Spot on re: tactics – as much as it sickens me to say this, Saturday was like watching Utd. vs le Arse. Same old, same old (marginally better, I’ll give you this). We come out like bats from hell, they sit and absorb the pressure for ten minutes and then they subtly rape us for the rest of match. I didn’t have much against the starting line-up but at half time it was clear that things needed to change and change dramatically. Much as I worship the gaffer, he has to raise his hand for this one IMO, though there is no guarantee that it would have been much better.
thelaughingman – ask yourself this – why was zidane the star of the team ? because he was so damn good. ruud was star of every team he played in in his prime, the tactics was based to suit him ? why you’re asking ? why isn’t berba the star and the main man of the team ?
is that anyone elses’ fault ? he’s had plenty of opportunities to cement his place in the team…
CedarsDevil
thanks for putting me on to the giles pieces mate had a moment to read through a couple
great stuff will have to drop him a line
cheers mate
People questioning Alex Ferguson?! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. WOW. WOW!! If Fergie left United tomorrow do you lot have any idea how happy Liverpool, City, Chelsea etc. would be? Maybe you haven’t slept since we lost on Saturday and are now suffering the effects of sleep deprivation cos any United fan who says they want Fergie out must be mad.
Goat
How are you buddy? Having to deal with pathetic idiots all on my own today! lol
“Time for SAF to leave…” ??? Every ‘United fan’ dreads the day that happens, and we actually have people in here suggesting it happens NOW! Dumbfucks!
Second best is not good enough for United. SAF got his tactics wrong, he needs to leave – If a wrong decision is enough for a club to change their manager, then you must surely be a rentboy. And on top of that suggesting we replace SAF!! He is the one who made United into one of the best in the world! And we are still winning! We just got no.19, overtook the dippers, reached the champions league final with the team that everyone had written off at the start of the season! The most successful club in English history, and what do we do – oh yeah! Lets get rid of SAF! Wow!
United will be back next year stronger, better and am sure the gaffer knows exactly what needs to be added/removed from the squad! In Sir Alex We Trust! And its not simply for no apparent reason that we trust him! Being the greatest manager of all time is more than enough reason to trust in him. Winning 12 titles out of 19 premier league seasons with 5 FA Cups, 4 League Cups, 2 Champions league titles and numerous other titles is more than enough of a reason to trust him.
If there is one thing that is very obvious about Sir Alex, it is this that he never backs away from a challenge. Now that United are no.1 in England, am sure he is aiming for Europe now! As MG always says – United is a symbol of defiance. We will never give in.
United will never die.
ohh,ohh – I didn’t read that par about “succession planning” in Mr. C’s post. You Mr. C have just become an elite member of the “Phallic Mange Club”…now try learning the meaning of a word called “perspective”…
scan74
Pleasure mate, told you the guy is a United legend…. Enjoy his articles
Taek
You called Sir Alex a moron, in my books that makes you an insect…. And worry not, I will tell my mummy you stupid fuck
Ok fella’s let’s all pretend everything is fine and dandy?. If you all think we are fine you are not real reds for me!!!!. Fergie is a legend of course but for God’s sake be honest here?, what did he learn from 2009???, nothing at all. He has too much loyalty to the players who are past it, look at Wazza he treated us with contempt by talking to the bitters and then we ended up begging him not to leave, that cost us £200,000 a week, It’s a joke!!!!…………………..I won’t back down here because im right about this, wake up and smell the coffee!!!!
allright Cedars mate. I have popped on once or twice since the final and posted a few comments but its been inundated with fucking morons on here and doom sayers. Im like the rest and welcome new fans on here but some of the numptys that have come on here come from the Play Station school of football.
Fucking unbelievable comments by some.
Saying Sir Alex should step aside is fucking stupid.
Saying Mourinho could do a better job is a joke and proven to be wrong – Semi finals.
Throughing cash at the team on ready made superstars is also not the solution – look at Madrid, Benzema, Ronaldo, Di Maria, Kaka doesnt make a blind bit of difference.
Great football teams have a great footballing ethos and style of play bred into an individual and it is only some big stars that would actually fit in that style. So its no good for us to just splurt out the latest 30 million pound hot shot as the answer to our woes.
I remember the doom sayers last year saying were fucked because City have Dzeko, I recall calling him a beetroot munching donkey who self fornicates by stuffing his cock up into his own arse because he has no bollox in the way. I was called a racist cunt if I remember right.
Don’t worry Cedars they’ll soon get bored and fuck off back to play station.
All is good Berbatov is on the Bus, Smiles on his face
As for Berba, I was shocked that he was not on the subs bench. And I am sure that the gaffer had his reasons and he will have explained them to berba. For SAF, United comes first! No way in hell will he intentionally leave out someone unless he thought they didn’t fit into the plan. Maybe he over estimated his own team or he underestimated Barca [ like me
] . Nobody knows. I am not going to complain and I don’t think Berba was disrespected by SAF. But, like many before me have suggested, I wish he did play. Sir Alex always does what is best for the club – never question the great man.
Jeet
Glad you came to your senses mate, you had me worried for a minute there !
berba sitting at the back of the bus with fletcher
Tgan,Fuck off you cunt!Ungrateful fans like you piss me off!Even if we fell from now we still owe SAF a debt of gratitude.We will not fall btw because the foundations are set for fergie’s successor already!Pls go support city!
Berba is there? That’s what you get for not having Joorabchian as your pimp… I mean agent. Petulant flop.
Tgan – tell me which manager would you have replace Ferguson? I would love to know who you rate above him tactically!
RedManWalking – I guess it’s the Whinger
And by the, anyway I can watch the parade live? Any streams?
Let’s face it guys,if berba was snubbed last season in the final,no one would have cared.If he played he will take a lot of stick like he did after the City game.
@Costas
LOL
Cheers Goat (as always) cracked me up and lifted my spirits
@Zelh – Ah yes! His tactics have been spot on for the last 6-7 years!!
@Cedars
No man is bigger than the club. That goes for SAF too. As such no one can be above scrutiny in the aftermath of a serious defeat. SAF ballsed up tactically on Saturday. The lessons of the first final defeat to Barca were not learned. End of. I’ll leave those of religious persuasion who believe in SAF divinity to argue otherwise.
As for the history of the club, I’ve been following United since the late 60s. When you’ve paid to watch United in the fallow years, including playing in the old second division, then you can start lecturing me about the history of the club. And on that history, United’s decline in the early seventies started when the Sir Matt, our greatest manager, over- indulged the genius that was George Best – the best player ever to put a pair of boots on – to the detriment of team morale. I repeat – no man is bigger than the club.
RedManWalking – He reinvented the selfdestruction-button in football!
Tgan
Don’t be such a cunt mate there is no need. “What did Sir Alex learn from 2009″ Cunt. If you remember we were building a team around a certain Mr Ronaldo – our very own Messi. That game Ronaldo and Rooney were still very unexperienced and like Rooney at the beginning of this season Ronaldo didnt have belief in the squad. Of course we won the champions league the season before but in all sense of purposes that was a premier league clash (and thankfully without premier league referees).
To say Fergusson doesnt know what hes doing is fucking rediculous and if I was you I’d crawl back up into your mother because there were a few processes during gestation that never took place. You must have all your wisdom in your yet undeveloped pubic hair and if I was you I would read the history books and see what this great man has done for our club and then I’d look around and try and see who would be better for the job. You have to realise that just because someone else can have success somewhere else it doesn’t mean he can come in and be a success here. To rock the boat as it were has its dangers, it might destroy everything, or atleast you could fall over board and as your trying to scramble back on board a foot out of nowhere plunges your head back under the water – daydreaming.
Can you please fuck off and be a Bitter,you sound baby blue.
ok got it! we can watch it on mutv online!
To all those who claim that fergie hasn’t learnt remember that mourinho only got it right in his 3rd attempt last season against barca.Its not as easy as you think.Sitting back or putting 3 CMs would not have guaranteed success.The players will also have to give their all which they didn’t on saturday.
SAF knows a helluva lot more about football then the lot of us…I’ve been proven wrong time and time again over two decades. This knee-jerk reaction to a painfull defeat is understandable. We love this club after all. The challenge is there for the whole of Europe not just us. And my gosh SAF is more than capable of facing it head-on.
@Cedars: yeah, I know…the thing is I can be as objective as the next guy, I believe in acknowledging there’s a problem when I see, one, in acknowledging when we were played off the park as we were on Saturday, and I don’t see any sin in thinking that SAF got it wrong on occasion. But I believe in perspective, always. No “sell ten players, buy eleven (there, we have an improved squad)”. Analyze the problem, be prepared for a hard look in the mirror, but keep past, present and future in mind. And what gets me furious is the abuse, the name calling of legends like SAF – arteries thatcarry our RED blood to our hearts should not have to go through that – as I say, only from mange scales on lepers’ cocks is it possible.
@Goat: Why were you called a rascist pig for calling Djeko what you did? The other occasions I undnerstand
, but this time you were spot on. Do bosnians eat a lot of beetroots?
Is Berba on the parade?
Goat on Tgan ……. Ouch, that must have hurt
I rememeber I was on the dzeko bandwagon but SAF proved I don’t know much past football manager as always!
Mr C
I will refrain from calling you Mr Cunt as I actually liked one or two of your comments. Just because you have followed United since the 60′s doesn’t mean all that much because you could still be as thick as pig shit. I mean for fuck sake you have enjoyed the drug revolution and the arse stabbers revolution so you could be full of holes and pricks as we speak.
Yes Sir Matt was in charge when things went astray with our very best friend George but there was a manager between his two stints that seriously fucked things up and left an unfixable problem even for Sir Matt. I assume your trying to hint as Rooney being in the Best category and that Sir Alex is repeating history. Set an example my good friend and don’t repeat history yourself and come back with some unintelligent and ill thought out responses to peoples deserved criticism of the bile you come out with. Shame on you following United from the 60′s, one ticket wasted it seems.
Bebe on the mic LOL
Bebe is becoming this team’s David May, lol.
Bloody hell. goat is on fire and I for one am loving it!
Bezema?
Pls god no.
Let Whinger go for Benzema
Mr C If and as you claim you have been a ‘fan’ since the 60′s (highly unlikely though) then you would show a lot more appreciation for Sir Alex……….. Seems to me like a fake actually
@Jeet
Im always called a racist because I say what alot of people want to say but dare not. You see Im bi polar and by that I mean Im a fucking head case with a serious case of the black dog NOT a white bear with identity problems not knowing whether he likes it up the arse or not. Incidentally Ive tried wanking with a finger up my arse and all I managed to do was scream a few tiles lose from the roof. This mental condition and my depression means Im often on the edge and have suicidal tendencies. So I can say shit like Mohammed takes it up the shitter whilst Allah does fuck all to save his son because he himself is in a cage with 70 virgin teenage shemales angels and like teenagers are, they wont let him out. Because I myself don’t give a rosey shite (due to fingering my own arse – I’m determined to enjoy it) if Im threatened or not, come and kill me.
Does this make me a racist I think not, I’d fuck a muzza, hell I’d fuck a goat pig, donkey so why not a muzza. Im a dirty boy.
Yes Bosnians eat Beetroot all those russian lovers do except when Vidic is with him, in which case Dzeko has his mouth full, biatch.
Happy pancake day by the way.
@Goat: you shock me!!!
It is absolutly not fair to treat Berba this way, but it is a problem that can be solved. Put Rooney in midfield, then we don´t need Sneijder and let Berba and the Pea devaste enemy defensive lines for the next season, if Fergie can repair the heart of Berba after this.
I have no right to question Sir Alex decisions, but sometimes he surprises me, the stubborn old immortal.
bebe is a one-man-party.
berba is in the parade
@Jeet
Don’t worry mate, you can eat pancake anyday of the year. Gerrards missus does.
Such a shame the Goat wasn’t around when Bill Knob was here.
berba looks quite happy though.
Well, if someone from the club wants to see Berba leave, he is not making it easy for them.
someone called pique not good enough for the PL.
oh boy.
Bill Knob – nice name.
morning all…. 5′ 4″ Tonybee Watson here……..
Goat versus Tgan ….ding ding…… round one………TKO……
Cedars versus Taek….ding ….. ding ….round one…… TKO….
leave some for me …….
I have never doubted that Berbatov is a class act, which he has proved this season. My biggest gripe about berbatov is that he is not direct enough and slows down our attacking play too often!
If i was looking for a goal i would choose Owen and Hernandez any day to nick one! Berbatov doesnt seem clinical enough at times, however odd that sounds when he has just won the golden boot!
One factor in all this is the fact he is playing with Rooney, Rooney and him like to do similar things on the pitch and come deep. We certainly are more potent with Hernandez on the pitch and look to be more dangerous!
It also surprises me how critical some of our fans are of Fergie, the tactics and players. Real Madrid spent a fortune on a team, they faced Barca and Failed! However they did beat them in the final of the Cup. No matter what money you invest there is no way you would get a team as gifted and as unified as that Barca Team!
They are something special! Really Special!
Personaly i think our best bet us to get Barca in the Semi or Quarters next year! I think we could do them in a 2 legged game!
@Tony Bee
Your most welcome pal there are some right planks on here today. They only ever seem to pop up when weve either lost a cup or won a cup. Plastic people with their plastic shaved twonks, pisses me right off. Goat online to reclaim the web.
Racist Goat…….. funny as fuck ….fingering me hole ….lol hahahahah
you daft cunt …you made me spew me brew all over the fucking place……
cant wait for the reaction of the ‘politicly correct police’
daft as a fucking brush……..
but probably want is needed on here at the moment with so many dickhead know-all fuckers spouting utter bollocks
What is Evra saying???
Briljant coverage by MUTV and what a great turnout especially with this godless weather!
UNITED ! NE-NE-NE-NNINETEEN !
Taek is a lying cunt.
He “respects the old man … but this was a move made by a moron! And I stand by my words!”
You claim to respect Sir Alex, then call him a ‘moron’
Taek is a lying cunt who disrespects Sir Alex.
Taek – you say that you stand by your words. For that to be true you must fall by them too.
Fuck off you ungrateful cunt.
TEVEZ WAS ALSO CELEBRATING WITH THE TEAM WHEN HE WAS HERE, RIGHT ?
@Tony Bee
Oh let them come, the fekkin bean flickers. They can’t do anything to me anyway Im vegetarian. I decided from an early age that I will not eat animal meat untill theyve had a solid portion of mine. Its only fair.
Transfer Dealings this summer??? I would love the following
In
Young
Modric
Diarra – from Real (DMC)
Out
Berbatov – Part exchange for Modric
Owen
Scholes (would like him to do one more year but i dont think he will.)
De Gea or the french keeper Hugo ?
Carrick
Carrick – Give him time on the ball he is great, Limit hit time he gives away possession too often. Diarra is the closest thing i have seen to maculele . Keeps it simple and provides stability.
Berbatov – Next season we need to bring on Wellbeck. He has proven he can do it from his experience. Admit it would be a bit of a gamble in youth!
Starting 11
Degea
Fabio – Rio – Vidic – Evra
Valenicia – Modric – Diarra – Nani / Young
Rooney – Hernandez
P EVRA on the mic, ripping iiit ! EPIC STUFF!
morning SmartAlex
rumours that spurs want 50 million for modric.
Aaargh, My eyes, What the fuck did I just read from Goat there? I think I may lose my senses if I read a couple more posts like that. Not to say Jeet’s mention of a leper’s cock. We’re not exactly short of opinions are we.
Thank God I came to my senses and controlled my splurt of laughter to just a very big smile which I was able to cover with my hands. Otherwise, I would’ve made a fool of myself in office not to say getting into trouble for being on ROM in the first place.
Berba being on the parade is definitely good news. Although reading too much into it is also not the wise thing to do but, at least, he is happy which is all I care for at the moment. Futures can be decided later at an apporopriate place and time. This is the time for celebrations.
19 anyone.
Do you know something lads. Im not saying I didnt want the champions league, of course I did. But I would remember the season most for getting No19 rather than for getting No4. No19 means so fucking much to me its unreal. All the players, coaches, manager and owners I love you, Thankyou for making my pitiful fucking existance something enjoyable. Have a good summer lads, party, bang a whore and lets return next year and carry on with the trophies.
Cheers to all the fans out there, even the retards – for yee shall grow up and realise the ways of the world. Your lucky uncles.
Trevor….. young and Modric…..two lightweights…… we need steel in our midfield
Thats a bit steep for Modric! If its that much id go for Schneider but modric is proven!
If scholes decided to play another year, could you imagine the beauty of watching him and Modric work their magic in an 3 man midfield behind rooney! Would be like watching an English Version of Barca!
Not sure about the Bosnians and beetroot parallel, but as far as Dzeko goes, you can all fuck off. If Shitty’s “game plan” suggested to you that he’ll be a hit, then you don’t seem to know much about football.
Not that I want Shitty to win anything, but one has to stand up for his compatriot. Other than that, feel free to fire
P.S. I understand that the Berb is on the parade and smiling around, right?
we should have de rossi on our list.
one year left and not in contract negotiations.
had a poor season, but is pure quality and could be available for less than 20 mio pounds.
@ Tony,
Diarra = Steel
If nani was on the right id have park on the left.
I appreciate that ‘Goats’ aren’t known for their foresight so I’ll accord your barely intelligible foul mouthed ramblings the respect they deserve. None.
Cedars, you don’t know me but as you clearly have loved United for some time I’ll let that pass. Anyone who suffered and stuck withthe team through the wilderness years deserves that respect.
Back to the point. I believe United are capable of beating Barca. Barca are not the ‘best side ever’ as the media nuts would have us believe. Man for man, with the exception of Messi, there are not many on their side that I would swap for a United player. What Barca do is play a in well-disciplined and unique style that suits the players (midgets) at their disposal. SAF faced this in our first final meeting with Barca and our tactics came up embarrassingly short. On Saturday we employed essentially the same tactics and got stuffed again, despite most of the players putting in a decent shift. And this time we did not have a plan B as Berbatov wasn’t even on the bench. So where were the lessons learnt?
SAF is a great manager. But he got it wrong on Saturday . He’s human not divine as some of folks on here think he is. But no one is bigger than the club, including SAF and so if criticism is deserved it should be made, provided that criticism is constructive and takes into account his distinguished track record with the club. What concerns me on this score is that in dealing with Rooney’s ransom earlier SAF broke one of the foundations of his success – no player takes the piss out of United and gets away with it regardless of who it is.
As for succession planning, SAF is 69. I’m certainly not calling for his removal (he’s the best manager in the premiership) but not to plan for the future is madness. Unless you believe in divinity and immortality that is.
To all the fucking idiots on here: FUCK OFF
To all those disrespecting Sir Alex: Who the fuck do you think you are? FUCK OFF
This is how a parade is done Man Shitty cunts
Gotta love the guy who sent this pic earlier: http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRRqN0DdIR4NHbBL_2PitC_xs4ayxYdgsl9v8-4mezgXDaiNkR_&t=1
19 – Manchester is RED
oh… i forgot about de rossi!
Diarra or De Rossi… Either would do me in midfield!
Or better still imagine both!….
We need to keep Berbatov.
Chica will be playing at the Copa America during the summer so he’ll come back to United tired.
Should Mexico get to the final they will be playing for pretty much the whole of July, their group games are as follows:
Chile 04/07/2011
Peru 08/07/2011
Uruguay 12/07/2011
who the fuck said manchester is blue,must be the biggest joke since chelsea bought ladyboy
Good morning TonyBee!
I’m keeping a lovely gorilla warm for you. Get here as soon as you can!
She’ll be all over you, like a cheap gorilla suit
@Trevor
I thought the same when the draw for the round of 16 came on. I felt that this Barca team were not beatable in a one off game. I felt we had a chance over two legs where we could actually bring them to OT and blitz them the way we did Bayern yesterday. Fergie next season will definitely want to hurt them.
De Gea is done. Young seems likely from what I have been reading. To challenge in Europe, we really need a replacement for Scholes who starts performing at that level from day 1. Modric seems a genuine candidate. However, if you ask me the best possible replacement I have seen for Scholes is actually Wayne when he plays in midfield. We also need a strong holding player like Hatgo who can protect the back four. Whether we buy one or promote from youth, we will need top class players to compete with Barca.
Tgan is a stupid fucking cock of an imbecile, and only comments as a wind-up.
His words are hardly cold, and he shouts that he won’t back down.
How brave. Tgan attacks Sir Alex over the internet, and ‘won’t back down’
Wow, what a tough guy. Cunt.
Tgan is a cunt!
Is De Gea deal really done?? Didn’t he publicly reject it??
*yesterday*
meant last year!!!
@urval87
I agree to an extent with regards to Rooney in midfield, i dont think its going to happen though. However id like to see it as an experiment.
Modric is tried and tested and his work rate is what we need. I went to Spurs v Stoke this year as my mates a spurs fan, Modric didn’t stop running and oozed quality all game! He has all the attributes necessary to be a phenomenal player for us.
We also have Anderson in the Ranks, i think he is going to improve next year if he can stay fit!… Same with the Desilva twins, them boys spend far too long on the treatment Table! maybe its because they are all young and their bodies are still developing i dont know.
I know one thing for sure, In fergie i trust!
RdManWalking – Can’t imagine Ferguson taking that out of the blue and the atletico chairman said he doesn’t believe that De Gea is staying in spain.
Mr C unt
Indeed goats do not have much foresight, struck down with you eloquent rebuff, how will I ever recover, I walked straight in to that one.
You sir are a taint. Your the taint of a young girl who hasn’t learned to wipe front to back.
You say that Barca haven’t got players that are all that hot and you go on to suck off Messi like your reminising of days past when you used to have to suck of the milkman to get a red top. Have you forgotten the midfield of Busquets Xavi and Iniesta – Spains midfield. Have you forgotten David Villa. Have you forgotten that brazillian chappy at RB and Abidol at LB. Have you forgotten argie Mascherano, love him or hate him he actually is usefull. And have you forgotten Pique who was deemed good enough for United.
I think you need to get out more, dust of the brolly and experience more than whats come to you via match of the day because if you dont rate, Xavi, Villa, Iniesta, Busquets, Abidal, their keeper etc etc your a fucking has been. Your probably a horder. You probably havent washed in years and you have fold cheese.
SAF has never been a tactician so you are talking rubbish, that has always been his weakness as eveyone know’s, he is a motivator and manager but no tactician!. If he was we would not have been abject on Saturday night, to say that is his strength shows you don’t know what you are talking about!. I say now is the right time for the great man to go, bring in a younger tactical coach like Andre Villas Boas, If we stick with SAF we will slide………….no doubts about it!!!!
Well lads, im off lunch at the in laws is calling!
TGAN – FUCK OFF BACK TO YOUR SMALL CLUB YOU BITTER CUNT
Dear Goat. Please seek professional help. I understand it’s free on the national health.
@ Trevor
I definitely rate our young players but the I think that Paul Scholes is unique.
We are on a different class when Scholes in on the pitch. Even in the final, we got control of the ball only after he came on. In fact, the only thing the boss got wrong on the night according to me was to not get Scholes on after half time.
Scholes gave a schooling to Xavi and Iniesta after he came on for the last 15 mins.
We need one player, maybe Modric, maybe somebody else who will come in and do the job from the first game. I am a fan of Modric but I think Sneijder is more in the Scholes mould and has more top level experience.
Sorry mate there is nothing they can do. Your neither desease nor virus but I’ll find a way to get rid of you. Your starting to stink out the room.
YEAH, BUT TEVEZ WAS ACTINGT LIKE A BRAT ALL SEASON BITCHING AND MOANING. IMAGINE IF HE WAS THE CLUB’S LEADING GOALSCORER AND DIDN’T EVEN MAKE THE BENCH FOT THE CH.LEAGUE FINAL.
On that note. Berba’s left testicle > Tevez
sneijder said he will stay at inter,dont see a chance to get him
Oooooh Goat … fancy picking on an Intylecktual….you no …..those fuckers that dont swear and use long words…….
Mr C unt seems to fink us wankers on here need to kowtow to inbreds like him….
Go GET HIM Goat…
Smartalex …..Gorrilla suit….like a bit of hair…… but that might be pushing it……….
I hope we have videos of the parade!
SAF is not a tactician?? Were you living under a rock for the past 2 decades? Man, I can’t stop laughing now lol !
TEVEZ HAS MENTAL PROBLEMS WE ALL KNOW THAT
Mr C – I don’t get your argument. Sir Alex is keeping us competitive and we’ve just won our 19th title. Of course, the club will be looking to replace him one day. I’m sure they’ve someone in mind already. No individual figure is bigger than the club, true. I don’t think SAF has ever claimed he is bigger than United. Instead of looking at negatives and talking about replacing the great man, lets enjoy him being the boss, while he’s still at the helm. As for some others talking about Fergie getting his tactics wrong, that’s bollox. We came up against a top side in their prime no less. This will get the manager going again. He’ll try and figure Barcelona out, as will the rest Europe. 19!
@rat1p
That was always a longshot mate. If we are going to sign a midfielder, it’s probably Modric and that will only happen if Berbatov is part of the deal I feel.
TGAN – Piss off you ungrateful cunt Sir Alex will re-build this team again…no matter what tactics were played sat night it wouldnt have stopped barca.
Ah, Berba is there. Smiling and wrapped the United scarf around himself. And Nani being lame and blowing into the mike.
I’m going take on supporting Berba as a personal vengeance against all the Berba haters.
Whatever the reasons for Ferguson excluding Berbatov from the squad, it shouldn’t degenerate into a debate about whether Fergie blew it or not. I am with willie when he says that there was little he could do on the day. The Rome final, maybe. The Wembley one was too tall of a mountain for us to climb.
@Costas
but the current situation at tottenham indicates that we wont get modric maybe if we pay 30+ and i dont think he is worth that money.
and for berba i honestly believe he will stay.
” if we stick with Sir Alex we will slide”
If that means another dozen of titles, come on lets go down the slide!
Idiots.
how deluded do you have to be to say Manchester is blue?
fuckin hell.
@KingOfStretfordEnd
Welcome to the cult.
@Costas
Bring it on!
We’re living in a world full of idiots.
@rat1p
You mean how Tottenham do business with us? That could be an issue, unless we use someone like Berbatov as part of the deal I feel. Mind you, it’s not what I want to see happen. But if Fergie is going to invest on a midfielder, it’s either him or Sneidjer. Personally, I think we need a defensive midfielder more than an attacking one.
I hope all the pundits are choking their words.
what happens if we have a competitive tema instead of the shite one?
@KingOfStretfordEnd
Haha, no doubt. Earlier today I was revisiting the threads about Berbatov following his hat trick against the scousers. Funny how many of his current bashers were nowhere to be seen at the time. Hmm…
I’m was always sure Berba will stay, just that this whole thing at Wembley and all the speculation drowned me in too. But nope. The man will stay, and I hope he proves his detractors wrong. No body can fault Sir Alex, he’s in tight situation. We have no reason to question him, all that we can do is to cringe at the whole thing. Now I hope it blows over, but of course it wouldn’t with all the ABU press, but heck them. Berba will have a splendid pre-season, no country duties, so it’s looking good.
I’m shocked at myself. The way I’m writing, it feels like as if I’m talking about a player who’s scored only a goal all season, and not the league’s TOP scorer(no penalties ahem ahem). Damn you Berba bashers.
@Costats
dont think harry houdini wants to sell players and levy will put a big price tag on modric
agree with you i think we should strengthen our DFM.
but what i learned from SAF he is never short for surprises so we will see how the transfer period will develop
I was disappointed form the moment he dint start against Blackburn. I was like “Seriously?”. At that point, all we needed was a draw but I wanted another hat trick from Berbatov this season and I knew Blackpool and Blackburn were the chance.
In the CL final, it was painful to hear that not only was he not in the bench, but not even in the stands? Dimtar is awesome, I respect him and I cannot wait to watch his class next season. Im just hopeful that it’l be in a United shirt.
this site and the inane comments frustrate me. Do any of you actually support united or just talk about it?
Ok…Evra has lost it
Evra we fucking love you
@Costas
Tell me about it. It was all ” I’m sorry I doubted Berba” or words to that effect. Hypocrites.
Top scorer, on the bench, and is very happy to be with us. And oh i forgot, more importantly, he NEVER whined did he? If it was a certain Argentine ape, hell would have broken loose.
evra has lost it
@rat1p
Yep, we’ll see mate. Looks like Ashley Young is the one closest to United at the moment. I am a bit puzzled by that one, because if Nani and Tony V are fit, Young will have a tough task starting games.
@RedManWalking
What did he do, lol?
Evra is freaking mad. Love him. Interrupting Chicharito with all his songs. But “Money, Money, Money”? Haha.
And Chicharito’s lost his voice. Haha. He’s like a schoolboy, I’ll work harder after the holidays.
http://tribalfootball.com/articles/man-utd-shocked-lack-public-champions-league-support-own-fa-1664081
Great comment by Gill on Bernstein and the ABU FA. Really worth having a glance at.
Mind you, he said this at an official UEFA function in front of all the dignitaries.
Okay. Now he’s singing directly to the camera.
Not commented since before the game, gutted we lost it was the same old result. We started well and got completly crushed, we tried our best but xavi iniesta and messi were the difference. 3 finals in 4 years and winning the league is still a fantastic season
My Bulgarian God is a class act.
@costas
i dont think we will get luka and sneijder
dont forget de rossi and diarra
i think we will get diarra de rossi young de gea and varane
@Costas
the guys been on the mic for the past 1-2 hours or something!
and whatever KingOfStretfordEnd said 
@portugueseprincess
That’s an understatement!
FITB – Messi is a genius, but Xavi and Iniesta were the two, that we couldn’t get to grips with. No shame losing to that lot. 19!
Haha he’s been singing “Bobby, Bobby, Bobby” in the tunes of “Money, Money, Money” while cheekily getting the camera to be pointed at the back of Sir Bobby who’s silently looking out of the bus.
we have to keep berba he is fantastic nobody in the prem will have 4 strikers like rooney berba hernandez and welbeck next season
just strengthen the midfield
diarra can stay where he is but de rossi is quality.
Has anyone seen Berba,Scholes ,Giggs on the bus?
Scholes gave an interview and berba was on the bus and looked quite happy.
Just on the transfer speculation I remember a while back there was some reports that Pastore was destined to sign for us. All the talk about this lad seems to be that he’s the real deal. Not sure about the Argies though they always seem to get the hump after a few years. Anyone seen the guy play or know much about him?
Just saw that little montage on MUTV to United’s success. Emotional stuff
@Dave Malaysia
Berba’s there for sure. But couldn’t see Giggs and Scholes. There should be there, they’re all wearing caps and jackets of similar colour, difficult to spot a few.
Arigato Zelh and Kings
berba was there giggs and scholes were interviewed
Saw Scholes’ interview. Did anyone catch a glimpe of Giggsy?
Giggs and Scholes were there. Scholes gave an interview saying that the goal is always about winning the next league. Sums up the mentality of club we’re already thinking about number 20. He didn’t give any indication though whether or not he’ll be around next season. Hope he gives us one more year.
Pastore is a fine midfielder, however I think His bosses are trying to trigger an auction for Him. No doubt about Him. Recent experiences with Argies might keep SAF Away From Him. Also From Look Of Things SAF Likes Modric, I’ll Prefer Sneijder, Lets Wait And See…
Is the bus picking up Modric, Young and De Gea?
Pastore is very good player. He’ll end up in Spain though.
We have to buy some quality players without a doubt but that won’t guarentee us to beat barca.See barca were shit 7 or 8 yeaRS ago.They had just won 1 european trophy then but they built a team.Xavi,iniesta were still there but no one talked about them but now they have become a monstrous player for their club as well as for their country.So we have to be patient.
No doubt we have to buy 2 quality midfielders but we should give chance to youngsters like cleverley,welbeck,ando etc.
I am eagerly waiting to see cleverley play for us.Lets wait who knows he may become our iniesta or like pirlo.
I have full faith in our club and i am sure its matter of time when we overtake liverfools 5 european trophy.
BELIEVE
You cant doubt and judge Sir Alex. He is United. I will scold and blame him sometimes due to wrong tactics and wrong move. However, i always regret doing that. He is united, he is legend.
I agree that Sir Alex is cruel, however what he did is for this club, he wants to win and he choose the right move. However, i agree that Sir Alex should put Owen in when we are losing. I dont know why he didnt try anything just like 2 years ago. He should not give up so easily.
I can understand Berbatov reaction, i can understand everything he goes through, i still think he should not do with not appearing with the team in the stand. He must respect the club, even though he feeling sad and self shock. We get scolding from our boss but for the sack of our loves one, we keep going to company and work.
I know its different from Berbatov point of view because he is not depending on our money, but he say he is the happiest person. Is that just saying and not real?
Still Sir Alex is cruel to leave him out. I thought he had injuries.
Pastore is a great prospect, but plays right behind the striker and that’s not what we need.
we need a creative player with defensive qualities.
like many said modric would fit.
willierednut – I dont want us trying to play like them, loads always say when we lose we got to play like barca, united can develope their own game and then set the standards in our own way. Any team that has xavi iniesta and messi is going to be hard to stop, playing like them is not gonna change a difference. just build on what we have already got. I thought we could do it, but in reality what ever formation we were gonna play was always gonna be difficult, our squad for 10% of the squad has come to an end of a cycle. I def can see BEBE which I had high hopes for, obertan brown kuszszec berbatov owen scholes joining neville VDS hargreaves and scholes leaving the club now, which is a shame but players have to leave for others to grow and the club growing
Must have missed those interviews, MUTV’s signal’s getting bad.
Berbatov enjoying the fans at the Manchester United Parade
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aeFhvoZ1Q4k&feature=player_embedded
OOPS said scholes name twice lol
Live if you want to live
United vibration yeah! Positive
I and I vibration yeah! Positive
I a man iration yeah! Irie ites
United vibration yeah! Positive
If you get down and quarrel everyday
You’re against the Red Devils, I say
Why not help one another on the way
Make it much easier
Say you just can’t live that negative way
You know what I mean
Make way for the positive day
Cause it’s a new day
New time, new feeling yeah!
Say it’s a new sign
Oh what a new day
Picking up,
Are you picking up now
Our love for United protect us [repeat]
To be honest I don’t know anything about Pastore but I like what I see from Modric. I think he would blend into the United side like he’s been there for years as we already know that he’s used to the Premiership. Might be the right time then to start introducing Pogba into the frame. I don’t really see the point of siging Rodwell as from what I’ve seen from him and our own players we’ve just as good prospects coming through the ranks. All that said, I have faith in whatever the manager decides to do.
Alright Fellas
You might remember me before as the persona : Ars-seen
Everybody links us with these big names But I wouldn’t be surprised if SAF Signed a bunch of Young Un’s to make a new Golden Generation or to try emumate them.
Twins = Neville Bros
de gea = Schemeichel
rio + vida + smallings = 90′s CB pairings
rooney + chico + wellbeck = cole + york + solskjaer
valencia + Young = Beckham
Nani = Giggs
Fletcher = Keano
He might also bring in young guns like Rodwell, Henderson, chamberlain, Tunniclife, Pogba(?) to Build a Core English Root.
Berba is indeed a great player but maybe he has just failed to persuade SAF he fits into the systems he wants to adopt. It happens and although I would like him to stay I think you have to look at the bigger picture, he is 30 and maybe SAF is thinking about Welbeck coming more into the first team picture and feels that he can cash in on Berba now rather than get nothing for him.
Also even though he is the top scorer in the league this season he hasnt exactly scored in loads of games when you consider 11 of his goals came in just 3 matches, that means 10 goals came in the other 35 matches, that isnt massively impressive when you look at it like that. As a player I think Berba is in the same bracket SKILL wise as Zidane and King Eric, he does some amazing things and makes your jaw drop but he has to be consistant throughout the season and I feel after the Semi against Shitty SAF made his decision about his future, which, I think, unfortunatley isnt the one Berba would prefer.
Its a massive shame coz he loves the club but SAF IS the club and he has never given me reason to doubt him, if he feels its time for Berba to move on then so be it.
WILL NEVER DIE!!
finally thank fuck we had a victory parade, how we never had one in 2007 that beffles me
Oh Crap, I woke up late and Missed The parade, Half my Mates left Without me
Anything Funny Happen? Saw Chico + Berb Full of Joy
& Rio going Bonkers But Missed everything else on MUTV.
FITB – Yeah mate, there will be comings and goings in the summer, that’s inevitable. If one thing we learned from Saturday, it’s that having high energy players isn’t enough these days. We need players who are comfortable on the ball and not nervous in possession. Just reading Sir Alex on United’s website talking about coaching in England. That side of it needs to better in all honesty. He says that Barcelona are ahead of everyone in that sense. They coach their young kids, at an early age, to be comfortable on ball and put more thought on first touch. I don’t think you can replicate Barcelona’s style, but we must start producing players who are comfortable in possession. If you look at someone like Paul Scholes, he’s the closest to Xavi, I can’t really think of anyone else.
All This Transfer Talk is gonna go spiralling into stupid rumors linking us to Jesus
Navas
Then Probably when the madness dies Down Moses
Victor Moses
I would Love it if we got Noah aswell
Oh I meant Neuer
C’mon Fergie keep Dimi-Star for at Least one more year, He will always get us 14+ goals plus Loyalty.
UNITED TILL I DIE
berbatov has to stay for ever
he will score 20 goals next year as well
we could have 3 players above 20 rooney berba and hernandez
plus only thing i have to say though is that anderson has to start all the big games like scholes used to do
anderson should star most games like vidic
i think he can become great
just think scholes and giggs should not start the big games
To be honest I don’t know anything about Pastore but I like what I see from Modric. I think he would blend into the United side like he’s been there for years as we already know that he’s used to the Premiership. Might be the right time then to start introducing Pogba into the frame. I don’t really see the point of siging Rodwell as from what I’ve seen from him and our own players we’ve just as good prospects coming through the ranks. All that said, I have faith in whatever the manager decides to do.
willierednut – It’s about being confident on the ball and I think that’s what has been done with our U18-team that won the FA Youth Cup. You have a worker like Tunnicliffe, but he has also the technical level to play fast football. same goes with pogba and of course morrison.
But I think Wilshere is a good example for the new english way of football. they contain the physical game, but they also train them in being confident on the ball.
@Goat at 10:36, rant about “Mr C unt”, that is fucking hilarious.
@KingOfStretfordEnd … “I’m going take on supporting Berba as a personal vengeance against all the Berba haters.” Me too, brother!
Did me a lot of good on a chilly Californian holiday Monday morning to wake up at 10 to 6 and see those comments, plus the news that The Berb is at the parade and looks happy.
willierednut – I think we do have the guile which is underestimated. In nani rooney berbatov carrick and giggs there is the teqnical qualitys. But 2 of the 5 I do not think are of a high level to play against barca, giggs because of his age, and carrick has never been the same since barca 09. I do think we need to find the carrick replacement, but we do it in 2 or 3 years time, sign a midfielder who ever that is and then look to replace carrick with someone from the youth system, and we look 2 have 2 or 3 candidates. We cannot change how we play straight away, keep the same formula, but the engine room has to be sorted in the summer. Midfield 2006 – 2011 us at an end of a cycle, its done everything but their time is up, and we look for a new look in the next 2 to 3 years
Also we look at the first 11 at present.
De Gea
rafeal ferdinand vidic evra
valancia carrick ?? nani
rooney hernandez
not a bad side, but liek we say willierednut the central area has been our achiles heel for years
I think De Rossi would be exactly what we need.
top class holding midfielder and always good for a goal.
not sure exactly how to feel on the blog these days. My take is a lot of hurt Reds are out there. I never thought i’d see the day where Jack Wilshire is said to be an example of what we should produce from our youth system. Not taking the piss on you Zelh, i’m just amused at that there has been a quick change of thought when talking about skill vs strength in the English game. I fear teams in Europe, hopefully excluding United will think that to better Barcelona you have to play like them. Hilarious.
Its not possible to play like them,time wasted in an effort that yields nothing.We can only better the team that has set this bench mark we all want to overcome by being the best at your style. I hope the club focuses on fast tracking a couple of the younger players, ahem tunnicliffe,pogba,morrison. Young players with no fear, these are the future of the Club. The bitter pill to swallow if you ask me are the exits that are inevitable,especially in the middle of the park, whether Scholes stays or not shouldn’t factor into the equation. He’s a luxury we have to call on , other players have got to get a whole lot more responsibility,same with Giggs if i might add.For me a couple of signings, three would be awesome. A defensive minded midfielder – not a hack and kick player mind you an offensive midfielder and hopefully a LW, promotion of some youth players and the inevitable exits. The last part is painful but its gonna have to happen, maybe not not because the boss may be uncomfortable making them changes immediately but a redesign of that area is in order,we’ve got to get the scalpels,clamps and drills out, get in there and fix it
And a lot of hard work from the other players too. Crazy as it may sound, Rooney needs to improve, hernandez, Valencia, Nani, Evra,the twins. And for the record i thought Carrick did okay against Barcelona and i have a feeling he’s taking it all on board
Slim – I never said we should produce a wilshere. just wanted to illustrate something. looks like it didn’t work the way I wanted it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZzkresBOxnQ&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL
UNITED RULE!!!
fuck all ABUs
enough said…
@fergie is the boss
bang on mate. The engine room. Although i’m a bit miffed by a point you made. Sorting the engine room changes the way we play, we will always play with our wingers. A midfield that matches Barcelona and betters them will not be made to stop them – well from United perspective anyway. With the way we play it’ll be about being able to attack them and inflict damage. Said it before and i’ll say it again be the best you can possibly be and you can beat the anyone. Be it defensive outfit, offensive whatever. You just need to be playing the best of what you believe is your modus operandi
@Zelh
no no it did, got your message, just thought i’d point out the fact, we’d sometimes scorn at players in that mould, but i get it,especially when their your rival and saying shit like its their year or named MVP. There’s a serious misconception around today,especailly held by the radio 5, talkshite, redknapp and other uefalona lovers that England should adopt their ways. Waste of time i say, build on what you have,get better at it, thats what Barcelona did. They’ve always played this way, just not as good as they are now. I remember when they got Ronaldinho and at first it wasn’t really working out and they paired him along with Edgar Davids in midfield, that season they moved from bottom half of the table to 3rd i think. They were playing some absolutely eye catching stuff but was far away from bringing them the title. Bit by bit , year after year and you have what you see now
Slim – Good. I agree that we should not adopt their style of play, because we’ve been always successful with our style of playing and that’s what we are all about. But I also agree with the fact willie mentioned.
Workers in midfield aren’t enough anymore. They have to be confident on the ball.
slim – I am not going OTT and say we need this and that, but the engine room is at an end of a cycle, it is pretty obvious scholes will leave along hargreaves, anderson still his fitness levels and consistancy worries me week in week out. I still have never been convinced anderson and carrick can dove tail. fergie tends to build the team around rooney and hernandez, and to do that united have to look to really get the engine room sorted this summer.Time to end the small buys, and get a fab CM to partner carrick week in week out. All the other pieces are put into place, GK looks to be sorted, we have the defence, upfront its exciting, one CM and it could put it all together.
But I will say it, what the hell could the players have done saterday, 442, 451, 433, united could not stop them. Sometimes you face a side that is just brilliant in their prime, they are a tactical machine that’s best defence is keeping the ball for 20 mins sometimes. This barca side are not even has good has 2 years ago, but what has never changed is, barca have the fantastic trilogy, xavi iniesta and messi who were the difference between the 2 teams, and when you have those 3 you have players like alves pedro villa with pace that were attacking us from all angles. United have a fab side, but barca are a monster
No ones saying we should copy Barcelona’s style! I said that in my post, read carefully next time lol. We should though, try and bring through players who are comfortable on the ball. Players who can pass the blinking ball and not treat it like a hot potato. Of course the midfield needs freshening, I’ve been saying that for a long time now. Barcelona have beat the best of what Europe has to offer. We can try and change or continue to get our backsides spanked. I’d be loathed to go down the route of Mourinho’s anti – football tactics. Sure, It works, but United have to be at the forefront of trying and I stress trying, to take the fight to Barcelona. This might sound naive, but It’s how I’m feeling. We need to keep the ethos of SMB vision at United.
willierednut – how do united get to another level, do united continue with a 442, or change. Maybe united should have 2 plans. I think our 2008 CL final team is the kind of blueprint fergie should look at, and try and build the side that way. But the problem is we could not get the ball off them, no clue how to solve it, who ever played I doubt it would change, even the virus 500 million spending spree has made no difference in spain or in europe. Barca just have 3 outstanding players they have built the team around, and like united at their best, it is hard to stop. We just got to keep doing what we have doing, this united side can beat most sides, but barca are different. But we do not go crazy over 1 defeat
So really the CL final 2008 11 could be the perfect blueprint to try and go forward, a mix of energy and genius.
@willierednut
naive? no in the least. I also believe you have to take the fight to them.
@fergie is the boss
Thats the issue isn’t it. SAF may have to go OTT to get this midfield and whole squad meshing together pefectly. Like i said our opponents on saturday say to all and sundry, “Look we’ve got space in behind us, attack us if you dare” well thats the challenge, become the best at what you do and you can overcome them or any other side. With regards to Us i’ve been championing for players who i like to call ball players, bring them in, i along with countless others have suggested this in the past only to be put down with “United don’t play with attacking midfielders” . That is totally besides the point, you need the ball to play the way we want to play.You need players who welcome the ball, always want to receive it and more importantly know what to do with it.
I suggested Fabregas the other day as the kind of route we should go and i got laughed at, true he’s an Arsenal player and the Barcelona link is there but the fact is Barcelona are not going to mess with their tried and trusted winning ways, any player who goes into their midfield is going to have to be content with a place on the bench. Anyways i just hope this is a challenge SAF takes head on and makes the difficult decisions that come along with it
To all the nitwits banging on about Berba’s lack of goals in the champions league over recent years – do you actually have any idea how many starts or playing time he’s been given, or is it simply convenient to be disingenuous with the facts in order to propagate a misleading line of thought? Same again for the argument about his lack of contributions in ‘major’ games – how often does he get given the opportunity, given Fergie’s tendency to play Rooney up front on his own against quality teams. .
Funny how people slag off the contribution against a ‘horrendous’ Blackpool, but forget to mention the sublime hat trick against the old enemy, Liverpool. For Bulgaria, for whom he’s been the standout player, he’s had no problems at all scoring regularly against all comers, even though he’s played in front of a fairly weak team. How does that compare against Rooney, who’s played up front for a European powerhouse like England, yet has proven an embarrassment repeatedly in recent years? Time and time again, it is Rooney who invariable goes missing in big games for United, but oddly enough one never hears of the fan base screaming abuse at him or questioning his consistency, even though he’s notorious for his hot and cold streaks, far more so than the Bulgarian.
Recall Fergie’s rationalisation a few months ago that Berba had been supplanted in the pecking order because of Chicharito’s form, the sole bench mark he claimed to use when determining what was best for United? What kind of hypocrisy underlay than comment, when one casts an eye back over the first half of the season and recalls Rooney getting an automatic selection to the team regardless of his abysmal form on the field and his abysmal behaviour off it, both in his personal life and via his petulant demands to be allowed to leave? If form were the criteria for selection, as Fergie claimed, then Berba and Hernandez should have been given every opportunity to build on a partnership that showed such promise in the early stages of the season, with Rooney’s bum warning the benches, where it belonged.
Make no mistake. Just as Fergie’s tactical naivety was yet again exposed on the European stage via the game against Barcelona, so too is his blind loyalty to worker bees like Rooney, who fit the Scots’ notion of a team-orientated work ethic, detrimental to the team overall in terms of the demoralising effect it has on others who suffer for the double standards he employs. Players like Nani, Anderson, Berbatov, etc have talent to burn that over-hyped mileage-eaters individuals like Rooney, Park, and Fletcher can only dream of. But it requires the kind of commitment, patience, nurturing and thoughtfulness that an individual that a footballing pragmatist like Fergie doesn’t possess. It’s his greatest failing as a manager, and one of the key reasons he has such a dismal record in Europe. The three players mentioned would be flourishing and hailed as amongst Europe’s best were they plying their trade with teams like Real Madrid, Barcelona, or one of the elite Italian teams, where true talent is appreciated nurtured. At United they’re marginalised, sapped of their confidence, and thrown in at the deep end via ad hoc appearances when the kind of touch and skill they possess requires constant honing via regular play.
Much as I admire Berbatov’s exquisite talents, I cannot emphasise how much more I have grown to admire the man himself over recent months by the impeccable and classy ways he’s handled the manner in which he’s been shafted by a manager who continues to play by different rules where Rooney is concerned – only at United could a player score five goals yet get dumped in the very next game for a woefully out of form player. Can anyone on this forum even conceive of Rooney handling himself in the same manner if he had been treated in the same manner? Of course not! Given the little turd’s well known demeanour, he would have raged in indignation, thrown the biggest dummy spit of all time, and doubtless have demanded to be traded away to City.
The biggest anchor around United’s neck is Wayne Rooney, and always will be. His severe limitations as a single striker will always hamper the team against top flight opposition (he doesn’t possess the stature or strength to work effectively in the role) just as his need for a partner will always be a hindrance against teams like Barcelona because it guts the team of the extra man it needs in midfield to combat the likes of Xavi and Iniesta – trundling out a converted old winger like Giggs, together with a player like Carrick who’d already been well and truly embarrassed by the same players only a couple of years ago, was virtually suicidal thinking on the part of Fergie. Chicharito put in an awful performance, which compounded the fact that his presence robbed the team of the extra body it desperately needed in the engine room. Yet why was he there? One word, or name – Rooney.
Money talks, and through the years Fergie has had plenty of it to spend. That, the squad depth, the youth system,, the never-say-die manner he brings to the team and the fierce loyalty he shows towards those who give him the commitment he demands, has and will continue to bring results on the domestic front. But any team in which the likes of Rooney, Fletcher, Carrick, Park, etc are championed are always going to have severe limitations, especially in Europe, and especially given how Fergie continues to concede control of the midfield by sticking with players who are either past their best, or lack the kind of creativity and talent to make any kind of substantial impact on a game. Let’s face it, even the paltry two major European trophies Fergie has picked up with United were ugly affairs, with the first against Bayern a Houdini act against the run of play, while the second required an embarrassing slip from the Chelsea skipper to hand us the trophy. Hardly superlative stuff to stand beside the proud efforts of Barcelona’s recent achievements.
Finally, talking of money, the Glazers should give Fergie a ‘please explain’ not regarding the record purchase of Berbatov, because he’s never shown the player a smidgen of commitment to match the outlay made. No one could have had any doubt of Berbatov’s qualities, what he brought to the table, and that he was essentially a finished product entering his best years at age 27. Yet he threw the player into a totally unfamiliar role and system catering to Ronaldo in his first season, then forced him to play second banana to a Rooney-based system second time around. This year could have been his, and was shaping up as such when he was the form striker in the first half of the EPL, with Rooney playing dismally. A United team playing to Berbatov’s talents could have achieved great things this year, and would have faired much better against Barcelona had it been given its head and time to bed down through the season. Instead he was treated like shit by a manager blindly loyal to a woefully out of forrn and technically and physically deficient player, and United suffered for it on the biggest stage. The question therefore is – why did Fergie work so hard to bring the Bulgarian to Old Trafford in the first place, especially given the price tag and the circumstances? He knew exactly what he was getting, yet never committed to all that Berbatov had to bring.
I hope Berba does move on, and i wish him all the best wherever he ends up. It’s been a privilege watching him play, because to a true aficionado of the game it’s obvious that what he brings to the table is very rare indeed. Forget Rooney’s fluky miscue off his shin against City. The goal of the season was Berbatov’s effort against Liverpool – there was nothing fluky about it – simply pure genius. Thanks for the memories as a player Berba, and thanks for the grace with which you’ve handled yourself so well in light of the way you’ve been treated.
FITB – Sir Alex will have those answers mate. I would like to see younger players brought into the team next season. As I’ve said, you can’t replicate Barcelona’s style, but that doesn’t mean you can’t bring through players who are comfortable on the ball. I don’t see many teams living with Barca in current form. The manager will try though. I do believe if we’d of played any other team in Europe in those two champions league finals, we would be level with Liverpool. Just our luck, we faced them on their best days.
@fergie is the boss
“how do united get to another level,” It really doesn’t matter what we play, 4-4-42. 4-3-3, whatever. we just need to raise our game to the best Manchester Untied have produced. Undeniably, unequivocally the best. Sort of the way people compare Ronaldo and Messi, more often than not the arguments ends with both are great players but this one trumps the other in this and that or it depends on what your cup of tea is. We have to be arguable the best.
On getting the ball of them, well in some ways thats the easy part, doing what you want with the ball is the hard part and of course when you fail the easy part, the hard well becomes impossible. Hence hernandez not touching the ball for long periods, Valencia not getting a sniff, Giggs unable to find team-mates etc. Playing against Barcelona from a traditional United perspective, you need to contest with them in the middle of the park. If you’re not panicking when in possession and finding your team mates from tight positions ,they WILL fall back into a more defensive mode simply because they will have to take measures so you don’t rip into them. And thats exactly what they do to their opponents, their added bonus is even when you do fall back they can still hurt you. If we can’t compete at any level in the middle of the park then forget it,
slim – Fabregas is a class player mate, but I don’t think it’ll ever happen. Like your thinking though.
slim – I do not think an overhaul is needed or a good idea. I have always said this now, no matter who played it would have made no difference saterday, when you are facing xavi iniesta and messi no mater how many players are comfy on the ball it impossible to stop, they play a game that is so horrible to mark what can you do. I agree with willier we need players comfy on the ball, but there has got to be a balance. Over the past phew seasons since 2006 at our best, our best play has been the combo of carrick scholes and ronaldo in the engine room who keep control destroy defences, now we have lost the quality over form age and a new challenge the side is still in transition.
But you look at the midfield options at the moment
carrick fletcher anderson gibson valencia nani park giggs
It is not a bad set of options is it, for me carrick valencia and nani are first 11 players, anderson fletcher gibson park and giggs are more of your squad players, so really we got 3 of the 4 players who are stone on first team players for 70% of matches. It is getting another 1 more in the CM, it wont be OTT he wil buy and build right, not a quick fix
willierednut – We have never played a barca style of play, but if united had xavi iniesta and messi would barca be looking at us. Lets look at the 2 sides that played saterday
Valdes
alves pique mascherano abidel
busquetes
xavi iniesta
villa messi pedro
VDS
fabio ferdinand vidic evra
carrick giggs
valencia rooney park
hernandez
Out of those 2 sides, how many would we choose only the 3 I mentioned. The 2 starting 11′s would be
VDS
fabio ferdinand vidic evra
messi xavi iniesta park
rooney hernandez
That shows for me, we are not that much worser off than barca, we have a overall better and deeper squad than barca, but barca have a brilliant first team esp that midfield, which was the difference on saterday
@timbo
i respect everyone’s opinion on here as i respect yours but i think you’re being way too harsh. “paltry” European trophies? Come on. I don’t know you but i think you’ve been heavily swayed by Barcelona. No shame in that they do what the do very well indeed. To compare all and sundry to them is unfair and i’m sorry but in my book pretty stupid. The English league is very different to others, players need to be strong and a manager has to use his whole squad. Arsenal have tried to buck the trend to no good effect. The problem is taking that success on the domestic front to the champions league, very very difficult. I guess the La liga is tailored to the UCL as their is an emphasis on patient, deliberate play. On Berbs i too feel bad for him and its been said here that he wasn’t treated fairly, it was a shit way to be honest and SAF got it majorly wrong on the night
A United team playing to Berbatov’s talents could have achieved great things this year, and would have faired much better against Barcelona had it been given its head and time to bed down through the season.
I used to feel the same when Berbatov came to United, unfortunately it hasn’t quite happened and you can’t blame SAF for opting for the partnership we have now, it took us the better part of 2 seasons to finally “get” Dimitar Berbatov, and at a crucial time in the season when we need a sure thing, you can’t be surprised or disappointed when SAF decided to go for Rooney and Hernandez, it happened to quickly and was to successful to ignore. I’d like him to stay if SAF realizes that some work needs to be done to elevate this squad, his talent and skill will be hugely significant
@fergie is the boss
An overhaul in thinking or midset of the players is required and that is why maybe a change of personnel is required. Massive changes is never a good idea not matter where you are be it looking for promotion, breaking into championship places, contesting for league titles etc. but when you want to the the absolute best at what you do, a lot of ugly decisions need to be made. SAF’s done it before, it may not look drastic by todays standard but thats exactly what he did with becks,nevilles,scholes.. The challenge is a difficult one make no mistake but i firmly believe it can be done, i believe we can do it as well
timbo – who scored the goal saterday enough said. LOL at the time ronaldo had helped the club win a league and CL double, so what the fuck are you talking about, do not blame guys like rooney and ronaldo if berbatov cannot step up to the plate, crerand says good players play better with better players. Players like rooney and ronaldo have been a huge part of our league and european cup success so shut the hell up. United have given berbatov enough chances, but he is just inconsistant. So what if he has so much teqnical gifts, if he is not doing it week in week out which fergie has questioned with his team selections, that he has not done enough. Rooney and hernandez have been sensational in our rise to title no 19. Carrick park and fletcher have been crucial in our title success between 2007 to 2011, you know better why are you not manager, you questioning a boss is like questioning an engineer how to do his job, you just look a complete muppet
wow 200 = post to go through.
slim – it is a bit by bit process. CL has no guarentee. You cannot throw 3 midfielders or more and hope we become the best like that and hope it works, the virus bought kaka ronaldo benzema etc etc etc and they still cannot win a league or CL, shitty spend fortunes and they still cannot win a league title. They have won has much has the virus since 2009, united run chelsea’s legs off this season, we were unstoppable at OT. There is not much wrong with the side, but its gonna take time for united to rebuild, that is what rebuilding is about not a virus or shitty quick fix
I have said for months 5 to 10 players out and a surprise on the rise from a wow to a WHAT THE FUCK !!!!!!
If you think of Berbatov (or anyone else) as a striker, it limits both his duties and the criteria of success, whereas he does stuff other strikers don’t (can’t) do, and I suppose he does possibly miss chances as well. He doesn’t seem to have the almost telepathic understanding some players have, but I love to watch him play, and I hope he plays for us for some time; he’s only 30.
But the manager doesn’t create teams to be lovely to watch.
And by the way, I agree Ando is due a big season — and he’s a year younger than Nani.
You know when we won the championsleague in 2008 I thought we could easilly win more european trophies in next 5-7 years but because of ronaldo and stupid tevez and the injury to hargo we had to start from scratch For this reason only I hate ronaldo.I still love him but he could have easily become our number 1 legend if he didn’t have the stupid dream of joining real madrid.
You know in one aspect barca are really lucky,None of their star players wants to join other club.Be it messi or xavi or iniesta.Ronaldo has become a shadow to barca and messi at la liga.
I again say barca were nowhere 7 byear back.They had just won 1 european trophy.They have built a agreat team and can easily dominate the europe for next 5 odd years but i am confident we can beat them if we play with more positive mind frame.
david gill said he is going to be doing player stuff in the first few weeks of june and then go for holiday and then return for usa tour
i think the signings whoeverthey are going to be wrapped up pretty quickly
Man Utd buy big every 3 to 5 years and compared to 10 years ago since the BEPL became a Billionaire BOYZ club 60 to 100 million means big. There is no need to gut the club. There will be surgical removal and inspired purchases. This will create enough change and competition at all spots. As I posted 200 post ago, spend big and sort it out latter. Error on the side of excess this year.
Barca will drop 40 million on Rossi and more. Last year beat Man Utd out on David V. I do not think or want Man Utd to be Real and spend big and stupid. Just big and well every 3 years.
@fergie is the boss
i hear you mate, but i’ve gotta stress i’m not calling for massive changes to the squad, just significant changes in the midfield to put us on the path. We’re winners, we have the right attitude and mentality, i think we can handle changes to certain areas. Again not calling for massive changes in there but nevertheless significant steps have to be taken. Some one said we’re not far off from Barcelona, others will scorn at that and say their usual “i’m in love with diva-lona” bullshit but i tend to agree. We have a style and we stick to it we just have to make it so so much better or more flexible to be able to adapt to the European stage
Ronaldo and Tevez wouldn’t have a made a blind bit of difference on Saturday. I know, you’re not saying that Ash, but I’m just making the point. Central midfield is where It was lost. If you think Giggs and Carrick played against Barcelona in 2009, why did we all think, it would work this time? I was banking on them not being as good, as two years ago, but I got that horribly wrong.
I can’t understand this rossi hype.First of all we don’t need any striker even if berba or owen goes because we have good strikers in youth department .
Second Rossi? Ok he may have scored 20 odd goals this seaosn but he isnt that great.We should develop macheda.He would be better than rossi.
@ash
great point about ronaldo
i cant blame him for that dream because he had it since childhood
if he had stayed he could have become our greatest ever
fletch will make a diff next season
hernandez is a great signing so we are not missing tevez
if we can get a big signing all teams will be scared maybe sneijder or sanchez
our forwards and defenders and wingers are fantastic
it is the centre of midfield were there is a problem and ando needs to start every game for me if we dont make a big signing giggs starting in big ones has to stop
good tosee about de gea he is one of the best around
Ash he got over 30+ goals this year and 20+ for like 4 straight years.
@Ash he also plays great against Barca.
@Willie
Yeah I didn’t mean that those two would have made that much difference but Hargo could have.
We defenitely need a fit fletcher back next season.Fletcher of last 2 season is definitely a better choice than carrick.I think its time where fergie drops carrick and gives ando some continuous games.Carrick should be at united but as a squad player.He is no way the carrick that was 2 or 3 years ago.
2 midfielders are needed for our squad to be a threat in europe.
We played ronaldo and tevez in 2009 and we still lost. The engine room boys is why we came up short, not ronaldo and tevez
@Zibbie
He may have 30+ goals but whats the use when you don’t have trophies to show.What I meant was he could have easily won another european trophy with united.More than we are missing him he is the one who is missing us more.
But I am happy with our current squad .2 or 3 quality players needed and then with our promising youth players we could rule the europe.
Ash – hargreaves was injury prone before he came to united, in his first season he was getting injured 3 times a season;. He missed agust and september, managed to stay fit from october to december, returned in late jan and was picking up little knocks, he managed to stay fit in periods in the final 2 months but hargreaves was never a reliable asset, so I do not know why you are still going on saying hargreaves could have. It is like saying we could have done with keane.
Again fletcher and carrick, carrick is a better overall player, fletcher is an effective player, but it still does not mean fletcher is better than carrick
Looks like Swansea are in the PL. Oh The long Trips to Wales Will be a Nightmare for the fans.
Repeating what i said in the other thread….
Theory put foward by my local crack dealer, Its difficult to deny the accuracy + validity of the statement:
“Bebe’s the modern day Charlie & the chocolate factory mixed with Alan Sugar story. He found a wrapper that had a Golden Ticket to Old Trafford, Begged to stay, Became one of the most competent Ball Boy’s in training and Won the Boss over With His displays to promote him to Event Organiser of all Party Celebrations. Despite losing focus during celebrations & being under the influence for Majority of the Fiscal year, David Gill Has Offered Him a Apprenticeship & has taken him under his wing In hope of Turning Bebe Into The next Chief Executive of Manchester United FC.”
Everything we do is to satisfy Rooney, and why is that?? Valencia is a fan and team favourite bcos he ‘supposedly’ brings the best out of Rooney. are some fans that blind not to see Young’s tremendous upsides over Valencia?? smarter, audacious, leader, set-piece specialist, creative… Does that mean i dont support our players? Its the fact!! Young will be a welcomed addition. De Rossi next i hope.
Fitb
If hargo was not injury prone he could have done a better job than carrick.And I can;t understand on what basis are you saying carrick is better overall player than fletch.
Fletch bar this season in last 3 season has been better player than carrick.Carrick is no longer the same player he was 3 seasons ago.Its no shame accepting that.I loved carrick and to be frank he was the player I admired most when we won the double in 08 so dont think I hate carrick.My point is carrick has now become a squad player for us.I don’t want him to leave as we need someone with experience but if you believe he should still be our main central midfield player for coming season then you should think again.
@Ash wow what did you get out of those facts I wrote? You said what is all the fuss like he was an average player. And you get snarky with me mate chill a little.
@Zibbie
Lol.Nope I wasnt shouting at you mate.I just said he hasnt won trophies at madrid which he could have won at manchester united.
@Ash my bad all this ROM on ROM violence has made me to sensitive, my bad I reread it and thought what was I thinking.
Guys vote for Vida as the best defender, he is currently training behind Thiago Silva
http://www.thehardtackle.com/index.php/thehardtackle-awards-3-defender-of-the-season/
Cmon you Reds, Vida has to win!
@fergie is the boss. If there was anything particularly coherent or intelligent about your garbled response it might be worth responding to. But clearly you’re an illiterate idiot who can barely muster the requisite IQ to spell ‘fuck’. Go back to sleep.
Wow. I can’t read 560 posts. Scott is a star !
Will try to tun through some of them.
timbo – your simply an idiot who comes on here trollLng, you are the typical troll NOW PISS OFF AND SUPPRT SHITTY. Oh and by the way your comment was so long you bored me to death
timbo – You are a joke. Oh I am sorry if my spelling does not go up to your idiot standards, your comments show you are just and idiot trolling, your a shitty fan trolling on here. JUST PISS OFF
You do make me laugh though, you needed to post more words to make a point longer than scott does when he makes a new topic. You were just found out has the complete TWAT that you are, you know more than the boss almost, fergie answers to no one you trolling CUNT
Much as I love Berba and now dislike Wazza for his antics, the truth remains that on the pitch Berba didn’t deliver the goods when the gaffer needed it the most. Yes he’s been brilliant in the league, but the City semi-final was the game that he should’ve risen to the occasion. It was a knock-out game and as a United striker called upon to do the needful, he should’ve showed up. What that eventually translated into was us having to remove that banner after so many years. What I’d really love is for Berba to stay and win that starting spot for next season’s CL final.
willierednut says:
“Central midfield is where It was lost. If you think Giggs and Carrick played against Barcelona in 2009, why did we all think, it would work this time? I was banking on them not being as good, as two years ago, but I got that horribly wrong.”
This is why it still hurts, we were promised better this time and I still think we could have done better. Barcelona are much better this season but they have been beaten a few times and we should have managed more than one shot on target.
Sometimes Carrick gets too much critisism and sometimes too much praise but I’ll have to defend him for saturday. He was surrounded by the top three in the fifa world player of the year awards! We were losing the midfled battle and he put Park in there in the second half. Now, Park is a decent player but why did he put Anderson, Scholes and Fletcher on the bench ahead of Berbatov if he wasn’t going to use them?? He must have known the midfield would get swamped, it was so familiar from Rome. Carrick is meant to spread the ball around as well as protect the defence but got no help – Busquets is there for Xavi, Gattuso was there for Pirlo but who was there for Carrick? Wingers.
But Madrid packed the midfield with good players and got overran so who knows? Still a bit disappointed tho.
“but why did he put Anderson, Scholes and Fletcher on the bench ahead of Berbatov if he wasn’t going to use them??”
simple. Fergie was lost and defeated. it’shard to imagine and even harder to endure but im afraid it was the case.
I’ve said it many times since Saturday, and I’ll say it again- Carrick was our only midfielder to do himself any justice. The guys around him, particularly Giggsy, were having a mare. Considering he had Xavi, Iniesta and Messi swarming triangles around him, he did the best he could. Tackles, interceptions and started most of our moves. Him being hooked for Scholesy was a strange decision.
As for berba, people have varying opinions. But in terms of tactics, and who’s more likely to get a goal, Owen was the correct choice on the bench (just bemusing he never got on).
I wouldn’t blame Berba for wanting to move on….and by the same token, I wouldn’t blame SAF for wanting to sell him. IMO, as talented as he is, he comes up short in terms of being a Utd player. And it doesn’t make sense having him as a back up striker when you consider his wages (those wages could be spent on a MIDFIELDER who’ll be a first teamer next year)
—————–De Gea—————–
Rafael—-Rio——-Vida———Evra (step ya game up mate and you’ll be alright)
————–Fletcher——————-
Nani—–Sneijder/Modric—–Ando
——-Rooney—THE BERB!1——
Berba is a better player than Hernandez. He’s shown that he is capable of scoring lotsof (important) goals by having scored most game winning goals in the PL. Hernandez isn’t capable of holding the ball (as was shown last Saturday), he’s a prolific goal scorer but in terms of technique and vision inferior to the Berb.
Ando needs more playing time. Really, you can’t expect this lad to hop of the bench from time to time and always perform. Almost everytime he’s been starting this season he was briljant.
Corea … “Fergie was lost and defeated.” I wouldn’t say it quite that way. “Defeated” has some ugly connotations. But in essence, you’re right. I would have said that sometime between Barca’s 2nd and 3rd goals (certainly, after the third) he understood there was nothing he could do to turn the match around. In case of exhaustion, injury or poor execution, he had planned to restock the midfield, to the extent that he could have only one sub striker. He had thought the match would be tight, which would raise the prospect of needing a late goal, and had therefore decided to put Owen on the bench instead of The Berb. But the one thing he didn’t plan for was that we would simply be outplayed. And when it became apparent that was happening, what was the point of bringing on more subs?
I am desperately disappointed that we denied ourselves the opportunity to try something different, by bringing on The Berb.
That said, it is still difficult to fault SAF’s decisions. He must have been extremely confident. And let’s face it, if the match had been close late on — not just on the scoreboard, but in general play — so that a pair of fresh pair of legs, and an experienced poacher like Owen, could make a difference, and if those options hadn’t been available because The Berb was on the bench, he’d have looked pretty silly.
There’s also a lot of merit to the argument that a late tactical change, involving Scholes, Nani and The Berb, wouldn’t have worked anyway. We’ll never know, but given the way the match went, it would certainly have been a last, desperate roll of the dice.
In the end, they were just better.
@ RedManWalking . If you’re laughing at an average of one European triumph per decade against Europe’s elite, with the squad Fergie’s had, you have severe mental problems. Especially when one casts an eye back over the numerous minnows who’ve been responsible for embarrassingly knocking United out of contention in early stages of the competition. Go do some homework.
@ Mr. C – you got it dead to rights as far as Best is concerned, and history is repeating again with Fergie and Rooney, to the detriment of the team.
@ Slim. – No offence, it’s actually interesting to see your response.
I’m not being harsh, simply a realist who has been watching United play since the latter years of the Busby era, when players like Best, Charlton, and Law ruled the roost. It’s one thing to be a rabid supporter totally blind to everything except winning, losing, and hating Liverpool to death. One gets the impressions that football has nothing to do with sport in the eyes of many supporters. It’s an outlet for tribalism, a craving for identity to fill in the vacuum of hum drum existences.
It’s another thing altogether to actually love and appreciate the best that football has to offer, to sit in wonder on the rare occasions we are privileged enough to watch true footballing genius grace a football pitch. I was too young to watch Pele at his peak, but I’ve had the good fortune to watch two other geniuses come along, firstly Maradona, and now Lionel Messi, who surely will go down in history being spoken of in the same breath as the aforementioned individuals, together with the likes of Di Stefano and one or two others. Berbatov may not rank up there with them, yet I would rate him amongst the second tier of great players I’ve been lucky enough to watch through the years, players like Best, Cruyff, Van Basten, Beckenbauer, etc. Make no mistake, had Berbatov been able to play for one of the European powerhouses he would have accomplished great things on the world stage – instead he was stuck fronting loyally for no-name Bulgaria. One of the great modern tragedies of football is that he ended up playing through some of his best years at United, a wasted talent unappreciated by both his manager and the majority of the fan base.
It should be the fervent desire of every United fan to want to see improvements to the team where necessary, to want to see the side play in a style befitting everything that United is supposed to represent – everything that Sir Matt instilled into the club. It is neither disloyal nor wrong to question the direction a manager is taking, or to question the efforts or desirability of an individual when it comes to their contributions to the club and a manager who blindly (desperately?) stands by the individual to the detriment of the club and player morale.
What many miserable roads did Rooney take United down this year, causing friction within the fan base, fractures outside of it, and negligible contributions on the field for much of the season?
As a husband the man showed himself to be an absolute slime bag with revelations about his liaisons with prostitutes while his young wife was pregnant – surely tales to fill every United fan’s heart with warmth and good cheer.
Then came the disgraceful and self-obsessed demands regarding his tenure at the club – in the midst of an atrocious slump in form – which in times past would have had the England forward summarily shown the door in no uncertain terms by a manager famous for his intolerance of player revolts. Instead, Fergie did a backflip and not only rendered unheard of dispensation to Rooney’s insubordination, but actually rewarded the performance and his abysmal early season form with a pay rise. Makes perfect sense – one wonders how others in the dressing room felt, and what lies in store for the future given the precedent set.
Next came the infamous elbow incident, which should have garnered Rooney a well-deserved suspension and a severe dressing down privately from Fergie – together with a public acknowledgement of the incident. Instead, the Scot leapt snidely and very publicly to his bastard child’s defense, making a laughing stock of himself and the club, inviting the full fury of the media (which was gratefully accepted) and undermining every justifiable claim and argument that arose regarding foul play against United in subsequent games, many of which were justified but shrugged off because of the elbow incident and Fergie’s hypocritical behaviour over it.
The comeuppance came via the camera incident, in which United’s resident brain-head decided to unleash a verbal assault at a nearby TV camera after scoring, beautifully illustrating both his stupidity, his lack of forethought regarding the team, and the fairly base level of his language skills. United yet again had to endure further Rooney-inspired embarrassment, as well as his absence at an important stage of the season.
Finally came the recent Twitter incident, in which he yet again displayed his outright thoughtlessness and lack of acumen by becoming embroiled in a public slanging match and inviting the protagonist to a physical confrontation. More embarrassment for the club, with follow up sanctions put in place by management that has affected the more sensible contributions of team mates. Rooney must be REALLY popular in the dressing room after all his off-field shenanigans this season.
Where does it end, and when do people who support the club – even the rabid ones – finally draw the line with a player like Rooney and consider his personal behaviour too distasteful and detrimental to the club to tolerate any further? Does the guy have to start raping female supporters, or molesting children, before people say enough is enough, or is that forgiven as well while United continue to keep piling up domestic trophies? What’s the bottom line?
In many ways the situation between Fergie and Rooney reminds me of Mike Tyson and his rise via the relationship to his first manager and trainer, Cus D’Amato. D’Amato was allegedly well aware of Tyson’s issues with women long before they surfaced so publicly years later, but overlooked them in his desperation for one last shot at producing a heavyweight contender before age finally caught up with him – he died, sadly, only a year or so before Tyson won the title. Fergie seems to be following the same path with Rooney, desperate to retain the services of a player he sees as the lynchpin to his final successes prior to retirement. Never mind the dirt, the pandering, the petulance, the shameful off field indiscretions, the woeful performances and costly incidents on it. Never mind the double standard of constantly playing an out of form individual while telling others in the squad that form is the sole criteria for selection, or of punishing others with demotion for single game performances of less than stellar standard. Rooney is the ‘special’ one – never mind that he’s the most over-rated player of recent memory, yet one who inspires slavish praise and loyalty from manager and fans alike because non-stop running, commitment, and a heart on the sleeve attitude are mistaken for class.
One of United’s key strengths through the Fergie era has been the squad concept he brought to bear on the EPL in full measure, but such a system can only work effectively when all the players feel the manager is being even handed in his managerial style. How are the other players, the old hands like Scholes, Neville and Giggs who’ve been there throughout, and players such as Berbatov, the one who suffered most for Fergie’s blinkered stance, to feel on witnessing the tolerance and kid glove treatment meted out to Rooney? With what kind of bemusement are the likes of Beckham, Keane, Stam and van Nistleroy supposed to view recent developments at Old Trafford after the short shrift they received for their own comparatively minor indiscretions in years gone by? How is any striker at United supposed to feel, knowing that regardless of how well they may be playing, or how poorly Rooney may be performing, the knife will always find a place in their back when it comes to giving preference to the diminutive scouser?
Slim got it right, and wrong, in the same line when discussing the physicality of English football and the difficulty of transitioning to Europe with that style. Why does England repeatedly fail in major tournaments with the same style, when it’s been self evident for nearly half a century that it simply doesn’t work against the continental style of tactics and possession, or against the more ebullient style of Sth. American teams that place such a high value on skill and artistry? England refuses to change either in the manner it plays or in the manner in which it trains at youth level, and sadly the same limiting factors have always been in evidence with the way Fergie has chosen to play in Europe. The only concession he’s ever made is to adopt a more circumspect approach in away games and to adopt three man midfield’s against quality opposition yet with the same unimaginative and limited players, Paul Scholes in his heyday excepted. Conversely, Liverpool never had any trouble notching up impressive performances in Europe while winning the domestic league, and while Rafa couldn’t quite get Liverpool to the summit of the EPL again, he certainly performed admirably in Europe. Further, would anyone doubt that Barcelona could easily transition to winning the EPL while maintaining it’s inimitable style, and still be the major contender for the European trophy?
The same argument can also be held up to question why Berba was ever brought to United, at such staggering expense, when he clearly stands as a shining example of all that Continental football has to offer. The acquisition rang out as a signal that Fergie intended a concession to European-style football in order to bolster the team’s chances in Europe. Given what the Bulgarian accomplished at Tottenham, particularly given how he made a journeyman like Keane look like a world beater (as evidenced by Liverpool’s ridiculous offer for the player, and subsequent failure) Fergie’s eyes no doubt lit up at the thought of what he could accomplish with Rooney. Only two problems; Firstly, both are individuals who like to play behind another striker, one for the freedom it gives him, the other because it allows him to put his skills and ball-holding ability to work bringing others into the play (for the dummies, the former is Rooney, the latter is Berbatov). Secondly, for Rooney to work effectively off Berbatov, the team would have to play through and to Berbatov’s strengths. Fergie has NEVER shown an inclination to invest in the Bulgarian to such an extent, preferring the tried and true formula of largely bypassing the midfield’s weaknesses with one-dimensional wing play that caters more to Rooney’s needs. So again, why throw thirty million pounds away on a player the manager couldn’t bring himself to believe in? Berbatov has never failed United. It was United who failed the player by buying him with no real plan in place to fully utilize his rare gifts.
As for Fergie, the utter devotion and mindless hero worship on show in the responses is a sad indictment of just how immature and stupid people can get in their blinkered support of the team. Do you think mommy and daddy are still flawless and wonderful, or as you’ve grown you’ve realized that they too have flaws just like every one else? Every United supporter should be eternally grateful to Sir Alex for what he’s accomplished at Old Trafford, for the joy he’s brought to all of us over the last 25 years or so, for all the championships he’s won, and for finally knocking Liverpool ‘off their fucking perch’. But with all that said, it doesn’t mean he’s a flawless human being, or even a particularly decent one at times. As a manager of the players, and as the public face of the team, he has often shown himself very fallible, no more so than this season, and with increasing age it seems his levels of irritability, his intolerance, even his judgment on and off the field, are becoming increasingly impaired. The siege mentality that has served him so well as a player and manager have proven an embarrassment and a hindrance this season, no more so than in his blind loyalty to Wayne Rooney and in the manner in which he essentially called into question the integrity of a match official. The recent;y reported incident regarding banning a journalist who asked an innocent question also showed an extremely petty and vindictive side to his personality.
But it’s as a manager that questions need to be asked, because as with a great player who has stayed on a season or tow past their best, one has to ask if even Fergie has not reached his use by date. His handling of Rooney has been truly appalling this year, both in the huge fallout it has created with officialdom and also with the media. It’s easy to rant that a London-based media, and the BBC, have it in for United. The truth is that the fault lies mainly with Fergie, and it’s largely the way he likes it. Never mind the fallout for the club – no one who can remember Sir Matt could ever imagine that great gentleman putting his own ego above the interests of the club, yet that is exactly what Fergie does each and every week via his refusal to talk to the BBC, even though it runs contrary to EPL code and even though it perpetuates a public relations disaster for the club.
But it’s as a football manager that he is beginning to show that his judgment is impaired, not least in the ridiculous formation he chose to play against Barcelona. As with some of the fans, he was clearly sucked in by the one-sided nature of the semi-final, when prudence should have demanded that the relatively weak opponent faced, and the loss to Barcelona two years ago, should have dictated a much more circumspect approach to the final. The mishandling of Berbatov this season, the double standard towards Rooney, is not the kind of performance one would have expected from Sir Alex even five years ago. What it has done to the inner working of team harmony is any one’s guess.
Above all though, Fergie’s fierce adherence to the mindset of industry over culture, of artisan over artist, continues to hamper the side’s development as a unit capable of winning domestically and Continentally. Fergie has become the ultimate pragmatist, preferring worker bees of high energy and input through the spine of the team, mileage over class, in a manner that may well garner him a few more domestic trophies prior to retirement, but ones that will never shine in the memory like some of the team’s former glories.
One only has to look at United’s midfield of recent years to realize where the major problems lie, problems which have been self evident, a clear achilles heel to exploit, but which he has steadfastly refused to concede or address. Unless teams like Real and Barca find ways to knock themselves out contention there will be no European success, not unless United bites the bullet and invests heavily in a major upgrade to the midfield – and finally realizes that Rooney is better suited to domestic duties where United can afford to prop him up with a second striker. At the very summit of domestic duties, and against Europe’s best, they need someone else, someone who doesn’t impose the limits that Rooney brings to the table.
A manager prepared to coach his players in a European style, and stick with the plan for a year or two with the blessing of management and fans, would also come in handy. I wonder if Pep would like to give the job a try?
Finally, to all who want to question my credentials as a critic and supporter, when you’ve been a fan for as long as I’ve been, and stuck with the team through childhood and nearly three decades of championship denial, come back and see me. 95% of you would jump ship under the circumstances and hop onto the latest footballing success story. So in other words, and in the vernacular most popular on this forum, go fuck yourselves.
timbo – you really are a complete idiot, who the fuck will read all that. Just get a life you idiot
@Mr C
How Old are You Buddy?
According to what you say about the 60′s….you must be at least 52 ish – 61 Years Old ?
Which i Find difficult to understand seeing as you a have the maturity or sense of 5 year old sour scouse.
If you wanna make friends, Mate Do One & Join FuckBook.Com – the dating site equivalent to Facebook, Meet Some Fella & Choke on their Manhood or take a Cup & Eat a Bowl full of Feaeces.
@ Timbo
You also claim to watch United’s Late Busby Era. I presume you too are a 50+ guy…a Likely Story Popping up to Gain Credibility in the last coupla months.
I Honestly appreciate your Memoirs Written about United & also your Personal Opinions about The Rooney-Fergie – Cus d’amato – Tyson Blah Blah *BLOWS RASPBERRY*
Seriously, Make your own Blog, Post up Shit, See who else cares….Bye Bye
We love Scott’s Blog & ROM & Good Auld Sir Giles
But You, Mr C & Tgan …go form your own Blog If you Don’t Like How Sense works here.
@Goatina ??
I love your Posts Mate Keep up the Good Battle against the Weeds of This Cyber World
Clint-IamYourPapii – he is probably so old he keeps going on about his life story, pethetic. He thinks he can do a better job than fergie, thats how old he has got in the head. Timbo go back to the nursing home where you truly belong, and get off someone else’s laptop
Timbo … jeepers, even I never wrote a post that long! lol. I did read it. All of it. Hell, I even agreed with some of it, especially the bits about Berbatov. A lot of the other stuff was a tad over the top. Would pay to keep it shorter, though (look at me talking!)
“The manager has let him know exactly how little he values him…”
He obviously values him at £30 million, so I’m pretty sure he won’t feel worthless.
@Tgan
Wow mate your spot on..Sir Alex will make this club slide down the table..and next the Glazers will appoint you United’s Manager and you will win the treble for the first time in English history. Oh wait, Sir Alex has already done that. But he isn’t a tactician. How about you fuck off and keep your ignorant opinions to yourself. You wont back down because you are right? How about you stop embarrassing yourself, it’s truly sad. This is a storied beautiful club, and cunt “supporters” like you just make real supporters laugh. Sack Fergie..what next, sell the the club to foreign billionaires, buy success and mercenaries like the troll, disregard loyalty passion and academy players who live and breath United, and act proud by jumping on the bandwagon? Fuck off back the the hole you crawled out of you fucking wanker.
All this bollox about “Utd haven’t had a midfield for years”. Hahaha.
Do you really believe a team could win as many trophies as we have in the last 5 years without a friggin midfield? Do you really think that just a good defence and forward line, with nothing in between could win 4 Premier League’s, a Champions League, reach 2 more CL finals, win a couple of Carling Cups, plus the World Club Championship. Do me a favour. Shoot yourself in the head, revive yourself, and pull your toenails off with a pair of pliers.
Nobody’s denying we need a creative spark in there NOW, with Scholesy past his best. But to say “it’s been obvious for years” etc etc- crap.
@StatesideAussie – cheers. agreed on everything.
we could have done though without awful individual mistakes. we could have been 1-0 in front if not for the Evra’s howler. Then another point was starting brightly but playing too academic football in the opposition territory and didn’t trouble their goalkeeper at all. Even if those weren’t the shots on goal. Just make them nervous. Instead we preferred to play the ball out wide as if we can play centrally ? No we can’t. That’s the point. Michael have never been an aggressive player and has a new role to play. Ryan is Ryan. So only Rooney left to penetrate the central area and it ain’t enough. Speaking of Rooney he blessed us with some magnificent goals after the turn of the year but mainly he was also too passive these days. His goal against Chelsea scored at SM in the EPL was like a breath of fresh air for me. Pity we lost the match.
Sir Alex originally bought Berbatov thinking that Hargraves was going to the play a Keano type of role. Unfortunately, this was never meant to be, forcing Berb to play a deeper role. Have faith, Berbatov of all our striker will flourish with an improved midfield. Sir Alex Ferguson knows this and is the reason that Berbatov will remain with us.
5X 5X 5X 5X 5X
Hey JohnnyLovesJizz, Go Fuck yourself YSB
5X is the number of times you wanked it this morning to Gerrards poster over your bed.
@Timbo. Thank you for such articulate presentation of objectivity, wisdom and facts. I have three writer fans on here now. Should you lose your objectivity and conscience just because of your love for a club?? The impudence of some fans to disrespect other fans shows the ignorance of some of us on here. Yeah, the ‘truth’ always hurts. Fergie is human, and to err is natural.
Timbo – You should of just said you hate Rooney and Fergie should of won more champions leagues. Instead, we got some decent points, with a lot of tripe mixed in for good measure. Just because you wrote a 1000 paragraphs, doesn’t mean you know what you’re talking about. It seemed you have been coping old articles about Fergie and posting them on here. Some will probably lap your gestations up on here, I will not however.
Stpercival … “Sir Alex originally bought Berbatov thinking that Hargraves was going to the play a Keano type of role.” I am not sure if that’s why bought Berbatov, but that is certainly why he bought Hargo.
@Corea … no worries mate. Interesting point about the need to make them nervous. It’s all about pressure. At this level, it has to be constant. And very often, the objective of the pressure isn’t some immediate pay-off, like a goal. It’s a process of building — you apply pressure in layers: shut down their space as much as possible; deny them time — not just time on the ball, but time to think; you make every little thing they do as difficult as possible; you frustrate and annoy them, and force them to operate at their maximum physical and mental levels for as long as possible — until eventually something starts to give. It might not be a goal. Could be a misplaced pass, an interception, whatever — but it’s a crack, isn’t it?
I thought we did a good job of putting on the pressure — but only at select times. Other times we were quite content to just sit back and watch the merry-go-round. I don’t know!
for all you stats lovers , here’s some stats for you – leonardo has better stats on inter bench than mancini and mourinho…so much about stats…no matter what the stats say, he simply isn’t good enough for united…
Timbo- I agreed with most of what you wrote. I think Fergie’s decision to leave Berbatov out the squad was a disgrace. Liek you, I don’t subscribe to the view that just because SAF is the greatest manager to have ever lived, that means he is beyond criticsm. Sure he knows more about football than I would know if I lived to a 1000 but that doesnt mean he doesnt royally f up now and again. He did the same thing on a smaller scale when he left Robbo off the subs bench for the 94 cup final when that would have been Robbo’s final game for the club. really wrong. Yes, the club comes first, over sentimentality, but when you can be a little sentimental without risking a result, some players deserve the sentimentality, and Robbo was one of them. Putting Robbo and Berbatov on the bench would not have risked the results in any way.
I agree that SAF has a really vicious mean streak to him- for example when he tried to ban a reporter who was just doing his job.
What I find weird is that SAF clearly understands the concept of loyallty and rewarding players for their service to the club- see giggs, scholes and neville- so I dont get how he could have been such an utter bastard to Berbatov. Ferguson’s comment about Owen’s experience was such horse manure- like Berbatov doesnt have as much or if not more experience than Owen at every level. I’m an Owen fan as well, and I think he also deserved a place on the subs bench, but as well as, not instead of Berbatov. Ludicrus that space was made for fletcher and not Berbatov. I would imagine that Berbatov must have been stunned and wounded beyond belief.
Berbatov is such a humble and nice guy who really loves the club, that he may just let it slide, which I hope happens because I think he is a huge asset to the club.
As for those that hurl vile insults at any commentors who commit the crime of thinking for themselves and not acting as Sheeple, grow up and get a life. Ultimately its just a game, allbeit, an amazing game, and hurling personal abuse at commentors is not on.
Different styles required for different opponents… both very important.
Berba was(will be) vital for breaking down EPL opponents this year and for United getting 19. He came through especially against the teams who sat back in their own half and waited for us. With his class Berba cut through and unlocked some opponents where Hernandez’ quickness, and Rooney’s hustle were neutralized by a mass of waiting defenders.
However Barcelona are a different beast. Constant speed, hustle and determination are required. Berba just wasn’t the right fit for the particular opponent.
Though I feel it was harsh to leave Berba off the bench to make way for Owen. I only ask this: What impact did Berba make in the 2009 final against Barca coming in off the bench in the 66th while Utd were down 1-0?
The man is a great player, and United will need his skills again in England next year. He was a class act when he waited patiently behind Rooney & Tevez. Hopefully he still has patience and belief in Fergie and stays on.
he’s done…there’s no way he repeats this (half of the ) season…he went through a great spell and he won’t be doing it again….he will get less and less playing time
Scott
Take your head out of your ass. You’ve been wrong about Berbatov for three years. He had less to contribute than Michael Owen and that’s why he wasn’t picked.
He suits being picked in home matches against weaker teams when we can afford a fancy dan.
As for his 20 goals, we got 34 from Rooney the previous year. It’s nothing special. Just a matter of convenience that his low total made him the top scorer but Ferguson doesn’t pick people based on sentiment.
Just like so many of these issues there is two sides to the story. Van Nistlerooy unwilling to sit on the bench was actually a credit to his ambition. Berbatov wants to stay because he isn’t going to get an offer from Real Madrid- and he knows it.