Like they really care? Nobody on this forum is going to choose being right about something over trophies and success for our players. We all support the club. And a Berbatov firing on all cylinders, proving all doubts wrong, could be a big part of a very successful side.
Dimitar Berbatov | 2010/11 Performances
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Like they really care? Nobody on this forum is going to choose being right about something over trophies and success for our players. We all support the club. And a Berbatov firing on all cylinders, proving all doubts wrong, could be a big part of a very successful side.
Berbaflop to Berbatop in a matter of 4 games, what fickle lot we have here 
what?
Berbaflop to Berbatop in a matter of 4 games, what fickle lot we have here
Berbatops
It all depends on whether we have the midfield to stick to 4-4-2. Berba cant play as a lone striker
Speaking of tops, I dont ever remember taking his top off whenever he scored a goal (and subsequently getting a yellow card.)
I wonder what is it about this game or perhaps this season that he seems more emotionally charged?
Bullshit. Even if he had been on fire he'd have still been dropped. He can't compete with Rooney for the lone forward role which we use in most big games.
seems a lot more focused so far this year, getting involved and getting amongst the goals , so far ive been happy with his form, may it continue
He's still not the player we need for me. He's useful in a 4-4-2, he always has been, but we're no worse off if he doesn't play and we go with a 4-3-3 with Rooney, and we get better defensive coverage. The main problem is that he is very poor in a 4-5-1, which is fair enough as it's not his position, but it means that we are screwed when Rooney is injured if we are playing a good team, because we are using a) A player who can't play the position, b) a shit/unproven player or c) a seriously weakened midfield. That's the main source of my frustration with Berbatov, he's a luxury player who won't contribute in important games even when he does play.
People say he's competing with Rooney for a lone striker, so it's impossible for him to play big games, but I don't think he is because he's incapable of playing that role. The only role he fights for is that of a trequartista, and we don't use one of those in big matches. Maybe if we had better midfielders then we would.
Yeah man, you tell those stupid transfer muppets who want us to sign strikers like Villa. What thick Ihni binni dimi diniwiny anitaime they are.
People say he's competing with Rooney for a lone striker, so it's impossible for him to play big games, but I don't think he is because he's incapable of playing that role. The only role he fights for is that of a trequartista, and we don't use one of those in big matches. Maybe if we had better midfielders then we would.
Yeah man, you tell those stupid transfer muppets who want us to sign strikers like Villa. What thick Ihni binni dimi diniwiny anitaime they are.Can't argue with berbatov's play so far this season. He looks like he's had a Nani moment i.e - the penny has dropped. That back heeled volley that set Nani up in the first half yesterday gave me an erection. The woman stood in front of me seemed to like it prodding into her back.
A good read, found this article on some blog.
This is how it goes...
Well, here we go again … People talk as if there’s only two ways to play and they’re mutually exclusive. We’re either a fast attacking/counter-attacking team, or we’re not; you can’t have both, etc. Rubbish. The fast attack/counter-attack will always be available to us so long as we have players like Nani, Tony V, Rooney and Hernandes on the field. But opportunities to play that way come and go depending on the flow of the game, and the opposition’s mindset and their defensive organization. When it’s there, we can move with rapier speed. Those moves (like Nani and Rooney against The Arse last year) often occur when the defense is in disarray, and they often involve only two or three players.
At other times, we need the ability to outwit a defense, to create opportunities where none are obvious. We have that ability too, but with Berbatov, we have it more.
The shield match against chelski offered excellent examples of both. First, there was the lightning strike created by Scholsies long diagonal ball out to Rooney, Rooney’s speed to get to the ball, his vision and skill to angle it back along the ground, and Tony V’s nous to see Rooney’s movement and come inside, where he scored. Blinding fast, and totally devastating. (By the way, it all began with Scholes vision and that great pass — but you watch, Berba will do stuff like that too.)
Then there’s Berba’s goal. Yes, a nice finish, fill of class. But the real point about that goal was the move that set it up — not just Nani’s little dink-through pass, but the whole sequence before that. Chelski’s defense were set. Berba, out on the left with Nani and one or two others, forms a little group and you can see him at the heart of it, directing the players to pass the ball back and forth, yet at the same time, constantly shifting each other around. The effect was to move the Chelski defense out of position, which created the opening that he and Nani then used to such great effect.
As I’ve said before, what Berba brings is another dimension to our game, and that’s tremendously valuable.
I also can’t fault the guy for his commitment to our cause. According to almost everyone, he turned down better money to join us. SInce joining, he’s endured a storm of rotten abuse (shamefully, more from our fans than from others). He’s also run into a period where SAF, for tactical reasons, had adopted a formation for big matches that doesn’t allow more than one striker, which has seen Berba on the sidelines for matches he might have expected to play. Yet he’s never complained, not like that fecking arse-wipe Tevez. Every word from inside the club is that he’s a valued and respected team player. He says all the right things. He was injured for quite some time last year, yet still scored 12 goals from only 24 matches.
And now, he’s come back fit, determined, and is looking very effective. More power to him!
This is how it goes...
Well, here we go again … People talk as if there’s only two ways to play and they’re mutually exclusive. We’re either a fast attacking/counter-attacking team, or we’re not; you can’t have both, etc. Rubbish. The fast attack/counter-attack will always be available to us so long as we have players like Nani, Tony V, Rooney and Hernandes on the field. But opportunities to play that way come and go depending on the flow of the game, and the opposition’s mindset and their defensive organization. When it’s there, we can move with rapier speed. Those moves (like Nani and Rooney against The Arse last year) often occur when the defense is in disarray, and they often involve only two or three players.
At other times, we need the ability to outwit a defense, to create opportunities where none are obvious. We have that ability too, but with Berbatov, we have it more.
The shield match against chelski offered excellent examples of both. First, there was the lightning strike created by Scholsies long diagonal ball out to Rooney, Rooney’s speed to get to the ball, his vision and skill to angle it back along the ground, and Tony V’s nous to see Rooney’s movement and come inside, where he scored. Blinding fast, and totally devastating. (By the way, it all began with Scholes vision and that great pass — but you watch, Berba will do stuff like that too.)
Then there’s Berba’s goal. Yes, a nice finish, fill of class. But the real point about that goal was the move that set it up — not just Nani’s little dink-through pass, but the whole sequence before that. Chelski’s defense were set. Berba, out on the left with Nani and one or two others, forms a little group and you can see him at the heart of it, directing the players to pass the ball back and forth, yet at the same time, constantly shifting each other around. The effect was to move the Chelski defense out of position, which created the opening that he and Nani then used to such great effect.
As I’ve said before, what Berba brings is another dimension to our game, and that’s tremendously valuable.
I also can’t fault the guy for his commitment to our cause. According to almost everyone, he turned down better money to join us. SInce joining, he’s endured a storm of rotten abuse (shamefully, more from our fans than from others). He’s also run into a period where SAF, for tactical reasons, had adopted a formation for big matches that doesn’t allow more than one striker, which has seen Berba on the sidelines for matches he might have expected to play. Yet he’s never complained, not like that fecking arse-wipe Tevez. Every word from inside the club is that he’s a valued and respected team player. He says all the right things. He was injured for quite some time last year, yet still scored 12 goals from only 24 matches.
And now, he’s come back fit, determined, and is looking very effective. More power to him!
Fitness > confidence > positive attitude > will to contribute (inside the box)!
I agree
i just wish he'd smile and look like he's enjoying it a bit more! When Nani scored i've never seen a grumpier looking pat on the head
has he been rooming with Valencia?
has he been rooming with Valencia?
10 month olds cant write .. surely not
Very interesting point that I was also thinking about yesterday.
For the first time, Berbatov really deserves a go in one of the big games...
Hell no. They can barely hold a pen the right way round.
Just read the last 4 pages. Berbafans, everywhere!
"Berbaflop"
"Berbaflop"
I wouldn't put anything past the spawn of Berbatov.
I thought that was easily his best game for us so far.
I'm even going so far as considering putting him into my fantasy league team.
I'm even going so far as considering putting him into my fantasy league team.
If his performances were exceptional last season he and Rooney would likely have been accommodated, as Ronaldo and Rooney were previously.
Not a chance in hell. We play with only one striker in big games and Rooney is our best striker. It's that simple.
When Ronaldo was here and our best forward, he took the lone role and we accommodated Rooney else where because he was versatile enough to play else where. As a result Berbatov and Tevez were almost always on the bench and last season the trend continued with Berbatov. Anyone thinking we would willfully weaken ourselves in big games just to accommodate an in form Berbatov is just out of their minds.
My point is that if Berbatov was exceptional he would have played up front with Rooney shifted wide as had been done previously. I have been explicit in my previous posts as saying I don't believe he has been exceptional and that is why he didn't get picked in our big games last season.
Very encouraging start.
Yes that's your point. My point however is there is no chance in hell that can happen!
Rooney was only shifted wide for Ronaldo because Ronaldo was the superior player and our best player. You're likely to never see Rooney shifted wide for any player in our ranks ever again. Because right now he is our best player bar none, on top of being our best striker. So even if Berbatov was on fire, Rooney won't be playing left or right wing to get him some extra, big match game time.
It is very plain and simple. I don't care how good Berbatov's form gets. If we are playing a big game, he will bench and Rooney will be the lone striker period! Don't let the community shield line up fool you. In big games we play with 3 midfielders, two wide man and a lone forward. Our best forward is Rooney so he starts and the Berba's bench. Furthermore, SAF won't be shunting about his best player just to accommodate another one. He didn't do it with Ronaldo and he wont do it with Rooney.
Well, I pretty much agree with all of that! I was just using it as evidence of his unexceptionality (yes that is a word!). Anyway, Berbatov not getting picked for big games is indirect evidence for him being underwhelming, I also pointed out what I considered direct evidence from his performances of it. I won't restate old ground. And as much as I'd like to continue this I'm off to drink beer and watch my county hopefully qualify for the All Ireland Gaelic Football Final for the first time in 12 years (we haven't won it since 1928 though!).
Nani and Berbatov look like they don't hate each other this season at least.
Both have talent & both have underperformed till now. Nani has shown resurgence end of last season & Berba beginning of this season. Both under pressure.
Everyone used to have a go at Nani. Most of the time Rooney and Berba. And rightfully so. Nani used to waste good chances, but we see less and less of that now, so..
Dunno, yesterday a couple times I wondered if there was something there because Nani seemed to ignore Berbatov a couple times. I'll need to watch the game again to point out exactly where but, in the moment it was like why didn't he hit Berbatov?
As for Berbatov as a lonestriker - disagree that he is incapable of it. Even Rooney, before who hadn't played that role, took a while to get good at it and then when the team behind him didn't play well - his impact was very little.
Berbatov last year had a couple good games as lone striker and the Chelsea one that wasn't. But, even when we play 2 strikers, when the team is having a hard time in midfield and getting the ball to our strikers - Berbatov isn't going to shine. The other thing as people have pointed out is that he is seeming to run behind defenses a bit more this year - that will help if he does have to play that role for us this season against a big team.
I can see us playing 3 CM and Berbatov/Rooney/Nani as the front 3. It's not necessary to play strictly 4-5-1 with a lone striker always up by himself. When we played pre-season we had Diouf, Berbatov and Obertan playing with 3 CM behind them. Diouf/Berbatov were switching around and Obertan would roam in as well. If Berbatov is on form it's certainly a formation that could work I think.
On Holiday.
Berba had a good game and has had a good start to the start of the season but I have to temper this love fest.
Many of his supporters were quick to say don't judge Berba when he first came and now a few games in the superlatives are flowing.
I hope he continues his good start but we will only know if this is something more substantial when we are in tougher games.
Good luck. I hope your boys win
If his 10 month old could write, she'd be the next president.
I just think, thats what Berba calls his dad, you know, something like "Pa". Or maybe the last letter got erased from all the sweating...who knows. The thing is, the message seems to be important to Berba.
It's also early enough in the season, he can afford to carry a yellow
Nothing will change unfortunately, he'll carry on playing well giving the team great creativity and class and yet when the big games come around and Sir Alex goes to the preferred and entirely required 4-5-1 the usual suspects will yet again use it as a stick to beat him with and at the same time continue to display their lack of knowledge and basic understanding of why hes not selected in the 4-5-1 and why the formation is needed against classier opposition.
The usual talk of "if he was playing well enough wed play 4-4-2 with him and Rooney etc etc" will again resurface despite these same people failing to understand why 4-4-2 is avoided at all costs as its a totally redundant system at the top level of football these days against proper opposition.
The usual talk of "if he was playing well enough wed play 4-4-2 with him and Rooney etc etc" will again resurface despite these same people failing to understand why 4-4-2 is avoided at all costs as its a totally redundant system at the top level of football these days against proper opposition.
It was just childish one-upmanship you pedant!
I do think that Nani's turnaround should've encouraged a bit more leniency with Berbatov's critics, because there were similar worries about his mentality and yet we could see how his mentality changed, how it suddenly clicked after so many years, and I thought that was another reminder of just how strong Sir Alex is in that area.
With that in mind, I think it should've shown there's still hope for Berbatov, because there never was a problem with his ability or his suitability to the team(or league) - and there was previous evidence of all of this at Spurs - and so it was clear there was a mental problem. Some of his misses were further evidence of this.
But yes, I agree with the sentiment in general. Doesn't mean I can't be a bit illogical sometimes!
Except by Bayern Munich, the Champions League finalists last season.
Who at no time played with 2 centre forwards, hence proving my point, ta.
How about this list:
Barcelona
Chelsea
Real Madrid
Manchester United
Arsenal
Inter Milan
AC Milan
Liverpool
City even
Every major player in europe of the modern era and not one of them plays with a 4-4-2, go figure.
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