Try middle English, see how it turns out.
Dimitar Berbatov | 2009/10 Performances
- Thread starter Rood
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Brummie?........on yer bike!
True indeed.
Yep. We have definitely not got an average midfield.
I think people use the word 'average' to desribe our midfield in the context of the midfields we've had in the past. It's certainly not average though. But it's fallen below the level set by the defenders and forwards, IMO
From the mid-nineties, the one thing you could count on is that in a big game, our midfield would impose itself, and make the other team worry. With the players we currently have, I'm not convinced that's the case.
Giggs and Scholes have seen better days. We've yet to figure out what Anderson is, or even whether he has the ability to play five yard passes with any sort of regularity. Hargreaves is an unknown. Carrick's been blighted by poor form, and looks a shell of a man at the moment. Gibson tends to watch the game go on around him when he isn't scoring long range goals. Fletcher's been probably our most important midfielder this season, which is a problem, because he's the sort of player who should never be your most important midfielder.
All of that would be okay if they were more than the sum of their parts, but they're clearly not. And it's hard to see the situation righting itself without someone coming in to add real quality. Who that might be I haven't a fecking clue.
From the mid-nineties, the one thing you could count on is that in a big game, our midfield would impose itself, and make the other team worry. With the players we currently have, I'm not convinced that's the case.
Giggs and Scholes have seen better days. We've yet to figure out what Anderson is, or even whether he has the ability to play five yard passes with any sort of regularity. Hargreaves is an unknown. Carrick's been blighted by poor form, and looks a shell of a man at the moment. Gibson tends to watch the game go on around him when he isn't scoring long range goals. Fletcher's been probably our most important midfielder this season, which is a problem, because he's the sort of player who should never be your most important midfielder.
All of that would be okay if they were more than the sum of their parts, but they're clearly not. And it's hard to see the situation righting itself without someone coming in to add real quality. Who that might be I haven't a fecking clue.
That's such an ignorant statement. Have you seen him play? The bloke has earned the right to be spoken about as our most important midfield player thanks to two years of fantastic performances.
Settle down, princess. I agree he is one of our most important players.
I meant a player who isn't in the top bracket technically should never be your most important player, unless they're a very special player, like Roy Keane. Which he isn't.
Fletch has been fantastic for us the past few seasons. You'll find no arguments here. But in the days of the Beckham-Scholes-Keane-Giggs midfield, for example, he wouldn't have gotten a look in.
For heaven's sake... I wish you'd put more thought into all these posts rather than just replying to intelligent, well thought out contributions with cliches and abuse.
Frankly it's true that our midfield has dropped a level - or two - since Keane's era. Look at the famous midfield four - Giggs, Keane, Scholes, Beckham.
All of them were in clear contention for a World XI at the time - maybe you'd swap Scholes, unfortunately, for Zidane but that could be THE midfield of the 90's.
Can you say the same now? Do Anderson, Carrick, Hargreaves or Fletcher make the current World XI? Do Giggs or Scholes?
For a Fergie era midefield it really is comparatively average, but still highly commendable, hard working and effective.
I took issue with the comment that Fletcher is not the sort of player who should ever be our most important midfield player. And why is that?
Anderson is still young. Going to be a great player in the future though. Hargreaves hasn't played for 2 years. If his knees are sorted then he'll be a big player for us from here on in. Fletcher is as good as any midfield player in the world for what he does - he's derided by most, but his function is vital. Carrick is a good player who has experienced a dip in form.
And what exactly does getting into a world XI have to do with anything? When all available and on song, I'd say our midfield is a classic example of the sum being greater than its parts.
Maybe you lot are in that camp that herald the likes of Essien as one of the best in the world - with his 25 PL appearances in two seasons. I'd have Fletcher personally. Cue abuse and ridicule.
no -one is saying our midfield is rubbish
however i think we've needed a BRILLIANT midfielder for a couple of seasons now - one who performs week in, week out, not one who shines sporadically.
i watched us play city last week on ESPN from 93-94 when we came back from the dead in the sedond half - our midfield was ince, keane, giggs/sharpe,v kanchelskis.
that's what we need - and we don't have a keane or an ince!
You're argument has been trotted out by many a poster over the last four years. The notion would probably have more credibility had we not won an absurd amount of trophies in that time.
The driving force doesn't have to be from the central midfield area.
yes but during that time we also had ronaldo.
all our best teams have come from strong midfields
So you're saying that the 07/08 team had a strong midfield?
Our defence was better than the midfield in 07/08.
Agreed. Outstanding defensive unit. Good, but not great midfield. Ronaldo. Proof that great teams do not need to have this mythical, domineering central midfield player that everyone pines for.
To all intents and purposes, we're in a transitional phase with our midfield. Scholes has proved that when his workload is one match per week, he can still be the best in the country at what he does. I imagine that next season, we'll continue to get those contributions from Giggs and Scholes. We're in a position where we are waiting for some potential to mature - Anderson and Gibson. We're hoping that Hargreaves can come back next season. We're expecting that Carrick will regain his form - even if that's not truly top class, it's still very good. And then we already have a lynchpin in Fletcher. With a bit of luck and patience, we will have a ridiculously good central midfield contingent next season.
in ronaldo we had the best player in thw world - that would rather seem to help the team he was playing in!
We've got one of the best strikers in the world in our team now.
Face it, we didn't just do so well in 07/08 because of Ronaldo. The defense was absolutely superb as well.
That's what we hoped for last summer too, isn't it? Anderson to step up, hargreaves to be available, carrick to not be poo - none of that really happened, we were lucky scholes especially played to the level he did. Should we be relying on the same things again next season? Giggs and scholes are only getting older, our safety net is wearing thinner.
Anderson is still very young for a central midfield player. Injuries have also played their part. I'd say Nani's renaissance is a good example of why patience should be shown.
Hargreaves' surgeon has said that his knees have now been successfully operated upon. This season has obviously not been ideal, but at £17m we may as well give him the chance to come through pre season before we consign him to the scrap heap.
A lot of people have judged Carrick of last season on his showing against Barcelona. Don't let that performance cloud your judgement on the rest of his season. He was good. He's had a poor season this year, no doubt, but he's capable and will come good again.
Patience is all we need.
Frustrating, again.
Well, at least he can say he was involved in the goal
I think firing the ball at Rooney's face just a few yards away qualifies for that
He's in... ooh my God Berbatov
I think firing the ball at Rooney's face just a few yards away qualifies for that
He's in... ooh my God Berbatov
Frustrating? I'd love to see some statistics on how many attacks he's ruined by falling over etc this season
at least he hasn't got a ponytail like that prat richardson
Well, at least he can say he was involved in the goal
I think firing the ball at Rooney's face just a few yards away qualifies for that
He's in... ooh my God Berbatov
He somehow almost managed to feck up the goal, but Rooney saved it with his header.
he's also dimi the ripper, i believe
That was a horrible miss. At least he should have made the keeper work.
Please leave our club in the summer Dimitar.
Yes because that obviously wasn't aimed at his head or anything...
shocking miss at the end there. I reckon I'd have put that one away.
It was aimed with precision on row z.
My patience with Berba has finally run out. Time for some changes this summer.
He's the next Veron, unfortunately.
Well, I can't wait for Monday morning and Pogue's statistical analysis of Berbatov's performance, where we learn everything we though about Dimi's performance is actually nonsense, because he spent 67% of his time in the third trimensional quadrant of the attacking period... or something
Well....here we go again. Same old Berbatov
hard to see berbatov staying past this summer. has shades of forlan's tenure at united: both obviously have quality, but can't seem to make a go out of it in manchester. good luck to him elsewhere, as long as it's not in the prem...
Someone of his ability, shouldn't be missing those but he was confident enough to try it without controlling it first. big mistake......
His general play is fine but he's not taking his chances.
His general play is fine but he's not taking his chances.
oh yes, veron would be another fair comparison...
You think he was trying to hit Rooney in the head?
Honestly. The more he plays the less we'll get for him. I'd really love to see Macheda get a decent run out today. We're a goal up and Berbatov has been poor, Macheda will most likely improve us.
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