Definitely not a flop, he had a good spell here. He underwhelmed in his first year but he did score important goals against Boro at home and Bolton away that year, it’s just that stupid penalty he tried in the fa cup.
Berbatov's Appreciation Thread
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Definitely not a flop, he had a good spell here. He underwhelmed in his first year but he did score important goals against Boro at home and Bolton away that year, it’s just that stupid penalty he tried in the fa cup.
One of my favourite players. Still salty about him not being selected for the CL final.
Berbatov is magic, he wears a magic hat.
He annoyed us all so much when he was here. Nice to look back at his highlights now though.
This. I feel that we tend to overrate some of our players. Nostalgia. We remember the good times, not the bad times.
With Berbatov it seems very excessive though. I mean it's fair enough if you liked him and I think he was a good player (he wasn't a flop) but jeez, i've seen players who have contributed FAR more to United's success who don't seem to get the same level of adulation that Berbatov has gotten over the past two years or so. This fondness for his time here seems at odds with reality.
Huge fan of Berba as a player and now on social media. Genius, but maybe not the right fit for United at the time. As was said earlier, very much the type of player you appreciate more on the opposing team than your own. I will die on the hill that United should have bought Huntelaar instead of Berbatov in 2008, though admittedly I am hugely fond of both players.
Should've brought Ibra instead.
Agree
Yeah agree. I liked Berbatov but other than the hat trick against Liverpool his time here was mostly forgettable if we are being honest, harsh maybe, but mostly true.
He was a moments player here, would do something incredibly silky and class in most games but never run the show.
Very languid, like the love child of Matic and Kaka
He was joined top goalscorer in the league 2010/2011 campaign. Important in winning that league and hatrick against Liverpool. I thought he had a lovely touch and technique. However, thought he slow and lacked workrate off the ball. That's why I think he wasn't picked in CL final, wouldn't have made a differenceb anyway. That Barcelona team were on a different level, could up a gear.
Anyway, really good player but never a great player for me. I always felt he was a little overrated by some. Think he had memorable goals, rather than quantity. People talk about Berba in a level like he was the best about, he never was. A very good striker but not a great one in my opinion. Seeing him live you could appreciate his touch, bring a ball down as good as anyone. He walked about a lot when I seen him too, a different type of forward economic with his movement.
Anyway, really good player but never a great player for me. I always felt he was a little overrated by some. Think he had memorable goals, rather than quantity. People talk about Berba in a level like he was the best about, he never was. A very good striker but not a great one in my opinion. Seeing him live you could appreciate his touch, bring a ball down as good as anyone. He walked about a lot when I seen him too, a different type of forward economic with his movement.
Probably his peak season, combining 2011 output with 2009 playmaking and adding a crazy amount of volleys
Anyway, he was my favourite player and changed the way I watch football. Everyone knows the touch but the weight of his passes, balance, and stength was great also. I think he was underrated for his ability to help construct attacks, there were some games without him where we struggled with that. For a luxury player, he scored a decent number of late/crucial goals for us too (in 08/09, against Bolton and Boro and an assist against Stoke, in 10/11 against Liverpool, Blackpool, Bolton, Birmingham, Sunderland, and Everton, and when he was frozen out in 2012, against Blackburn).
I watched some Fulham after he left and he had a pretty decent season (15 goals for a bottom half team). He fell away for the first half of next season, but had another solid few months at Monaco, 6 goals and 4 assists in 12 games, before he finally became too old.
I think his game for Fulham at Arsenal (1 headed goal, 1 penalty, 1 assist cross) was one of his best, given how much hold-up work he did. Because of the team, it's probably totally forgotten.
Anyway, he was my favourite player and changed the way I watch football. Everyone knows the touch but the weight of his passes, balance, and stength was great also. I think he was underrated for his ability to help construct attacks, there were some games without him where we struggled with that. For a luxury player, he scored a decent number of late/crucial goals for us too (in 08/09, against Bolton and Boro and an assist against Stoke, in 10/11 against Liverpool, Blackpool, Bolton, Birmingham, Sunderland, and Everton, and when he was frozen out in 2012, against Blackburn).
I watched some Fulham after he left and he had a pretty decent season (15 goals for a bottom half team). He fell away for the first half of next season, but had another solid few months at Monaco, 6 goals and 4 assists in 12 games, before he finally became too old.
I think his game for Fulham at Arsenal (1 headed goal, 1 penalty, 1 assist cross) was one of his best, given how much hold-up work he did. Because of the team, it's probably totally forgotten.
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World class ability but without the required drive to go with it.
The difference between him and Cantona.
The difference between him and Cantona.
He was the real deal at Spurs. There he combined his majestic technique and creativity with his eye for goal. I wanted him here so much.
When he joined however, he was unable to match those two qualities like he did at Spurs. He had no excuse for scoring as little as he did in his first two seasons considering he played alongside Rooney, Ronaldo, Nani, Giggs, Tevez and Valencia. You could tell SAF was desperate for it to work but we only got flashes of brilliance from Berba.
His third season was very good and he played a big part in us winning the league but it can't be denied our team with Rooney and Hernandez up front was much better than it was with Rooney and Berba. I felt for Nani and Berba because they carried us for the first half of the season but Valencia and Rooney were world class in the second half of 10/11.
When he joined however, he was unable to match those two qualities like he did at Spurs. He had no excuse for scoring as little as he did in his first two seasons considering he played alongside Rooney, Ronaldo, Nani, Giggs, Tevez and Valencia. You could tell SAF was desperate for it to work but we only got flashes of brilliance from Berba.
His third season was very good and he played a big part in us winning the league but it can't be denied our team with Rooney and Hernandez up front was much better than it was with Rooney and Berba. I felt for Nani and Berba because they carried us for the first half of the season but Valencia and Rooney were world class in the second half of 10/11.
World class really? He’s definitely has some incredible aspect with potential world class talent in him but no way to call him world class. I even rated Tevez above him in term of who’s the better player or striker. I don’t rate Saha above him but I prefer Saha in my no 9 than him as he is more fluid than Berba.
Still, I’ll appreciate stuffs he’s done for us, the hattrick against Liverpool the 4 or 5 goals he scored in the game (can‘t remember which game it was, think it was Blackburn). However, I can’t say what he’s done was impressive enough to even call him legend of the club. I would put Park more of legend category than this guy, Park had much more great memory.
Still, I’ll appreciate stuffs he’s done for us, the hattrick against Liverpool the 4 or 5 goals he scored in the game (can‘t remember which game it was, think it was Blackburn). However, I can’t say what he’s done was impressive enough to even call him legend of the club. I would put Park more of legend category than this guy, Park had much more great memory.
He’s got a great highlight reel. Never in a month of Sunday’s was he World Class.
Similar to Matt Le Tissier, moments of absolute magic, but couldn’t be relied upon when it really mattered and never fitted into that Utd side.
Similar to Matt Le Tissier, moments of absolute magic, but couldn’t be relied upon when it really mattered and never fitted into that Utd side.
I think he knew he was the main man at Spurs and played like it. He shrunk a little in the United team/changing room.
feck off Vida it’s my goal. Haha! I love that
At the time I was very excited for his arrival. He was fun to watch at Spurs. I was excited for him getting on the end of Carrick, Scholes, Giggs, Nani, Rooney's balls and link-up play and be a goal-a-game scorer. There were moments of that, but he was underwhelming and if I recall many on here were frustrated with him going missing in certain crucial matches, especially the 2009-10 season when Chelsea won. We ended up losing or drawing a match in the title run-in and he was poor that match and got a lot of flak for it.
Not really.
The goalscoring record in the league after their first start against Wigan (excluding times when Berba was brought on) was -
4, 1, 0*, 0*, 0, 1, 0, 2, 1 against Wigan, Chelsea, Bolton, West Ham, Newcastle, Everton, Arsenal, Chelsea, Blackburn. Those are LvG numbers, 0.9 GPG.
(i remembered it asn't great, but this was worse than I thought).
In between these games, Berba started thrice, we scored 1 (Liverpool), 2 (Fulham) and 4 (Blackpool) in those games.
It wasn't all down to dropping an him, I think replacing the variety of Nani from the right with the one-dimensional threat of Valencia also played a part.
Basically that gameplan of Giggs having the freedom of midfield, Park left-ish, Rooney 10-ish, Hernandez making runs and Valencia hugging the line was a very specific threat that could damage teams that had trouble with specific parts of it. Chelsea couldn't cope with Park's energy, they never had someone shadow Rooney, their central defenders weren't fast, and Cole was getting destroyed by Valencia. Schalke had a soft centre and could do nothing about Giggs and Rooney feeding Chicharito. Even our B-team put 4 past them. Every other game they didn't do half as well as the more fluid Nani+Berba system.
*Berba brought on at half time for these, we won both.
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Rooney-Hernandez was far from a great partnership but it allowed Rooney to play in his preferred #10 position as opposed to the #9.5 position which Fergie had both him and Berba play.
I think Fergie lost faith with him since the 09-10 run in, he didn’t step up then in Rooney’s absence and was anonymous both against Chelsea and the Blackburn draw (or was it defeat?). In 2010-11 he started brilliantly with hat trick against Pool up to the Blackburn game, then tapered off quite a bit, Park and Nani were our best players during the winter months, and when Rooney got back into the swing of things he played better with Hernandez. It was fairly evident that Berba was already being slowly phased out by then, but not making the CL final bench over Michael fecking Owen was pretty cruel.
Ultimately a lovely lovely player to watch, and I do think fondly of him, but truth is over his 4 years here he only really played to his maximum capacity for 6 months or so, and were often wasteful/ineffective when we needed him most.
Ultimately a lovely lovely player to watch, and I do think fondly of him, but truth is over his 4 years here he only really played to his maximum capacity for 6 months or so, and were often wasteful/ineffective when we needed him most.
Which one?
Yeah, his performance away to Arsenal for Fulham was one of my favourites:
Which one?
2011 vs Barca. He deserved at least to be in the squad.
Looking back at this, I just realised it's actually a very quick skill to execute.
Always in my mind it was a slow majestic moment of brilliance.
The coolest hattrick vs Liverpool
Weird one with Berbatov. Criticised so much here but now considered a legend just because there was so much magic that came with him alongside the frustration.
Which one?
Yeah, his performance away to Arsenal for Fulham was one of my favourites:
I had no idea it was still up on youtube, hadn't seen it for years. Thanks.
Also, his last goal at top level (after this he had failed spells in Greece and India) was pretty good:
Berbatov was fecking sex.
In all the sports I watch, I always gravitate towards towards the mercurial offensive masterminds, and no one epitomizes that more than Berbatov. Very few players over the years have excited me every single time the ball comes near them; guy was a real ace. Watching Welbeck get picked over him time and again that last season made me apoplectic!
Never a legend.
Agree.
That explains why Bebe was such a runaway success at United.
This. Just this.Berbatov was fecking sex.
He played In a world of his own, absolute class on the ball and seemed to have glue on his boots.
His ability was world-class. His technical ability was ridiculous. I think people forget about his other class goals aside from the Liverpool one. The guy has a heck of a compilation of scissor kick goals; I am not sure I have seen someone score as many scissor kicks as him. His touch was also immaculate.
Some of his goals at Tottenham. Arsenal one is class.
Some of his goals at Tottenham. Arsenal one is class.
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Meh Park.....not for me. Used to hate seeing him on the team sheet. Seems another player that has improved since he stopped playing, he was a willing runner and SAF’s appreciation of that seems to have turned him into somehow being a legend.
give me ability all day over a willing runner. There’s also no way Park outperformed Berbatov it’s just perception and expectation, Berbatov underwhelmed all things accepted.
Not sure where did you see me said the player outperformed the other player, although, that can be another debate. However, that wasn't what I mentioned in my post, I said we had much more great memory with Park than Berba. List me all Berba's great moment, I bet you I can list you much more on Park.
The easiness he oozed sometimes has been similar only to Ronaldinho's.
Had some really great moments in his career, but that's it. A good player.
Had some really great moments in his career, but that's it. A good player.
Berbatov was never a typical striker or a goal scorer even at Spurs. He played with Keane who actually led the line. Fergie made a mistake in thinking he was going to lead the line. He loves to create goals. What I am going to say may upset some people here. I have said this before when he was playing in that other United players and especially when Fletcher was playing he does not give Berba the ball when he wants it. It is a typical British mentality that when a player is marked you do not pass the ball. For a player like Berbatov it does not matter because he probably had the best first touch in the world at that time.
I saw that game against City. Hart had a blinder and there was nothing anyone could do that day. Rooney was injured and Berba led the line and Hart saved brilliantly from him. Any other day it would have been a goal.
Fergie treated him shabbily. He was going to win the golden boot but Fergie then did not give him game time to beat Tevez. In the CL Final against Barca we needed someone who can hold the ball up front. Berba should have played yet Fergie played Owen. I remember against I think it was Bayern or someone other team in the CL, Berba opened the defence and gave Carrick an open chance and he missed and we were out.
Berba is never going to run for 90 minutes. That would not be Berbatov. He never runs after a ball and just reaches it as it goes over the line. The fans like to clap for those but these things are bad judgment. His judgment is very good in not wasting energy for lost causes. He knows his limitations and plays to his strength.
I think there is a clip of him playing for Fulham and pulling a ball down on his instep so nonchalantly no one knew what he did. Then of course his lob for Monaco. A player I would pay to watch him play matter what team he was playing.
I saw that game against City. Hart had a blinder and there was nothing anyone could do that day. Rooney was injured and Berba led the line and Hart saved brilliantly from him. Any other day it would have been a goal.
Fergie treated him shabbily. He was going to win the golden boot but Fergie then did not give him game time to beat Tevez. In the CL Final against Barca we needed someone who can hold the ball up front. Berba should have played yet Fergie played Owen. I remember against I think it was Bayern or someone other team in the CL, Berba opened the defence and gave Carrick an open chance and he missed and we were out.
Berba is never going to run for 90 minutes. That would not be Berbatov. He never runs after a ball and just reaches it as it goes over the line. The fans like to clap for those but these things are bad judgment. His judgment is very good in not wasting energy for lost causes. He knows his limitations and plays to his strength.
I think there is a clip of him playing for Fulham and pulling a ball down on his instep so nonchalantly no one knew what he did. Then of course his lob for Monaco. A player I would pay to watch him play matter what team he was playing.
List me anything on Park that isn’t......he run a lot