Indeed, Rooney played badly vs West Ham by the way, well this is what I thought.
I really hope he kicks into gear soon, because that is 2 games in a row now.
Dimitar Berbatov | 2010/11 Performances
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Indeed, Rooney played badly vs West Ham by the way, well this is what I thought.
I really hope he kicks into gear soon, because that is 2 games in a row now.
The continued insistence of some posters on concentrating on previous perceived failures is ridiculous. These people are archetypal "agenda posters". They can't bring themselves to give the fella the credit and applause that he now deserves.
Pathetic, really.
Pathetic, really.
Indeed, always give a player credit where it's due, especially when it's one of our own!
I think it was his best performance so far, but granted he was starting from a pretty low standard.
There was evidence that he was getting into the groove though.
There are a lot of similarities between the start of this season and the start to last season. I think it's just one of those things with Wayne - he's a slow starter.
Having the penalty duty is good though - as with last season - because it'll keep his tally ticking over.
Don't get me wrong. Berbatov has been due some criticism at times in his first couple of seasons (though I'd like to point out that he has also done some good things in that time). Some people, presumably having butchered him for so long, seemingly can't bring themselves to credit him now, because it would mean them having to back track... There's a lot of people who are going to be feeling majorly embarrassed (and I'm not talking about the constructive critics, but rather the "berbaflop" brigade) if he keeps this level of performance up - and I think he will.
He didn't get scapegoated, the signing of him did, the fact that we had signed a player for a record fee who we couldn't use in important matches because he doesn't have a position in the tactics that we use, even when the main man is injured.
He was used when Rooney was injured.
Once Rooney got back in full training, Fergie clearly took a risk in rushing him back into a competitive game but that's because he's Wayne Rooney. Some players are such special talents that you do whatever you can to find a way to get them in your team.
By all accounts Ronaldo was playing through pain in his last few months/weeks before his ankle op. That comes with the territory when you're the best player at a club. It was never used as a stick to beat our other wingers with, nor should it have been.
For me last seasons games are still pertinent because it relates in a number of ways for us for the coming season.
In the cases we do end up without Rooney for a big game - there is the question of do we go with 1 striker or not? Right now there isn't anyone but, Berbatov that can play that role for us if we do.
People have definitively concluded he is incapable of it on the back of the Chelsea game when we collectively played badly. A lone striker can't shine in a game where we as a team play badly, maybe he can make a nuisance of himself atleast which Berbatov didn't do but, that game is still not enough for me to say conclusively that he cannot play that role for us.
As for the Blackburn game - again it is relevant because it was a game we needed him or any one of our other players to inspire us the win and it didn't happen. In those types of games with or without Rooney is where we need to know that he can come through. But, he isn't the only one. That we paid so much for him automatically makes him the person that had to have done it - which is an unfair judgement. On the day it's the team as a collective that needs to deliver - and as a team we failed.
So far the performances seem to indicate that should we be without Rooney, Berbatov can be a focal point for us to go through and help create chances. Him being a focal point would be the key - if we can't get the ball to him then he'll be anonymous. He isn't one to run the defenders ragged - he isn't Rooney but, he can in his own way create as long as he sees the ball. That's where the rest of the team comes in. Still there is perhaps evidence that he might also run more if he does play the lone striker.
I still do have a concern because his knee problem miraculously disappeared. I've always thought it was something to do with the cold weather because it became a problem when the temps dropped and when they went off to mid-East - he trained without trouble. What if the problem creeps up again because they didn't actually fix it.
Oh and am glad he has retired from Intl football so he can focus on what is most important ... United
In the cases we do end up without Rooney for a big game - there is the question of do we go with 1 striker or not? Right now there isn't anyone but, Berbatov that can play that role for us if we do.
People have definitively concluded he is incapable of it on the back of the Chelsea game when we collectively played badly. A lone striker can't shine in a game where we as a team play badly, maybe he can make a nuisance of himself atleast which Berbatov didn't do but, that game is still not enough for me to say conclusively that he cannot play that role for us.
As for the Blackburn game - again it is relevant because it was a game we needed him or any one of our other players to inspire us the win and it didn't happen. In those types of games with or without Rooney is where we need to know that he can come through. But, he isn't the only one. That we paid so much for him automatically makes him the person that had to have done it - which is an unfair judgement. On the day it's the team as a collective that needs to deliver - and as a team we failed.
So far the performances seem to indicate that should we be without Rooney, Berbatov can be a focal point for us to go through and help create chances. Him being a focal point would be the key - if we can't get the ball to him then he'll be anonymous. He isn't one to run the defenders ragged - he isn't Rooney but, he can in his own way create as long as he sees the ball. That's where the rest of the team comes in. Still there is perhaps evidence that he might also run more if he does play the lone striker.
I still do have a concern because his knee problem miraculously disappeared. I've always thought it was something to do with the cold weather because it became a problem when the temps dropped and when they went off to mid-East - he trained without trouble. What if the problem creeps up again because they didn't actually fix it.
Oh and am glad he has retired from Intl football so he can focus on what is most important ... United
My only criticism of him is that he is so damn sexy at the moment. Delightful goal on Saturday and he looks confident, long may it last
I have Berba fever. He's had a cracking start to the season, I think he's quite visibly upped his game. He's frankly been unlucky not to score in every game since the shield. I hope it continues, I don't understand why it's taken until now to find such form, but I'm glad its happened. The question will be can he hold this form against better opposition - we have Liverpool at home soon, and in this form, he'll play (highlighting some of the nonsense certain posters spoke last season about 'big games')
He is now more active in the field, jumping for headers that he was content to let by last season. We can also see him more in the midfield, giving support.
Go Berba !!!
Go Berba !!!
I think in this form, we'll have to accomodate him - we certainly can afford to do so in big games at OT. Away, I think we'll still be going 5 across the middle of the park - and that's not an indictment against him, but rather it's just tactical.
The main reason the Chelsea game is used as proof that Berbatov can't play up top on his own is because Alan Hansen did a bit of amateur analysis on his lack of movement and people latched onto it, failing to acknowledge the different style of attacking that's inevitably used and thus the different movement patterns.
But yes, back to this season.
But yes, back to this season.
It was spuriousness in the extreme to lay the blame at Berbatov's door for the Chelsea defeat. My recollections of that game are that he didn't get a sniff, primarily because he had no support and our midfield performance was absolutely dire.
i agree with your recollections - sadly according to many many fans here, it was entirely berbatov's fault
He was okayish in that match. But clearly a fish out of water.
Had he have really looked the part, I think he'd have come on to play the lone role instead of Nani against Bayern. Instead of playing that way till the last 10 minutes, after Rooney had come off. He's just not very good at the role. Or he wasnt very good at the role. The new more direct and slightly faster Berbatov may play the role better.
Had he have really looked the part, I think he'd have come on to play the lone role instead of Nani against Bayern. Instead of playing that way till the last 10 minutes, after Rooney had come off. He's just not very good at the role. Or he wasnt very good at the role. The new more direct and slightly faster Berbatov may play the role better.
i agree with your recollections - sadly according to many many fans here, it was entirely berbatov's fault
Don't get me wrong, Berbatov was poor. But he was poor, along with the rest of the side. It wasn't as though we were class and created chance after chance, that he subsequently spurned...
We were just completely useless. As posters have previously mentioned, when such results happen, there is a blame culture with certain players habitually getting it in the neck.
I'm absolutely delighted with his start to this season though. I don't think it's over the top to say so either. His performances have definitely gone up another level. I see no reason why this can't continue.
If you look at it, he's still missed a couple of chances - he spooned a one-on-one against Newcastle wide, for instance. The difference is that he has still managed to put the ball in the net on other occasions.
And the three goals he's scored have all been smashing displays of technical ability - albeit in different ways. Another criticism of him has been that he has only really scored scrappy goals...
I see where people are coming from when they say they don't see a lot of difference in his overall game - but the point is that goals change perceptions... and he's scoring goals. And looking like he'll score a lot more.
International break for him now. Nice two week break - keep him in Manchester and keep working with him. Happy days.
Excellent performance from Berbatov at the weekend, thats the type of performance hopefully he will put it in through out the season. Thought he faded last week and was a little disappointed, but I have no problem giving him credit this week as every minute he was on the pitch vs West Ham he was excellent. I'd play Berbatov and Rooney vs Everton because you just can't drop him after that performance and Berbatov or Rooney can drop deep and help us out if we get a little over run.
I think he faded against Fulham, but the entire team did. I still thought he was integral, along with Scholes, to orchestrating our best play.
We can cope with a 4-4-2 at Goodison if we pick a more defensive midfield four. Last time we played them, Berbatov shone and Rooney was poor.
True. Rooney always tries too hard when he goes back to Goodison.
I would personally put him on the bench and have Giggs behind Berbatov. The Bulgarian being in form has to start.
I would personally put him on the bench and have Giggs behind Berbatov. The Bulgarian being in form has to start.
Its difficult to know who to play in midfield for that game, you'd think with form Scholes would be in, Fletcher has to play imo if we go 442 and then Nani has shown some good form but isn't the best defensively. Maybe even go with Fletcher, Scholes and Carrick with Fletcher on the right. Everton are quite strong on the left though, watching them Sunday, Baines and Piennar formed a good partnership down that side.
I dunno about that. Now Wayne has got a goal and started to look more like his old self, I think the worst thing would be to disrupt his rhythm by benching him.
I really wouldn't be shocked if Berbatov was benched. And if it does happen, it will be confirmation that irrespective of form, Fergie just likes to go 4-5-1 in the big(ish) games.
Nah even when Rooney is dire, he generally takes up two opposition players with him and so he would invariably create more space for Berbatov to work with. That's one of the reasons Rooney starts nearly every match for Ferguson even when completely off form.
Fergie would never hear the last of it if he dropped Rooney for the Everton game.
Revisionism.
Gamecast: Manchester United v Chelsea - English Premier League - ESPN Soccernet
We had more possession, more shots and equal number of shots on target as Chelsea. We were not poor in midfield.
Yeah. Wayne would go fecking mental. And as FT says, his mere presence on the pitch can help us, even when not in great form.
For me, the signs against WHU were encouraging enough. And he's due a performance against the Blue Dippers.
It's not revisionism at all. Those sorts of stats can paint an extremely false picture. A bit like people will point at the fact that we had near 50-50 possession with Barca in Rome... it doesn't change the fact that we got cained.
That said, Manchester United shouldn't play with only 1 up top against Everton though. We have the better team.
We didn't get cained and if you think that then it's just changing your view of the game to fit in with your pre-determined opinion.
We were very poor in that game.
Total contrast to the game at Stamford Bridge (where a much better performance still ended in defeat)
Total contrast to the game at Stamford Bridge (where a much better performance still ended in defeat)
Once we were down, we started to take the game to them and they defended more. Prior to that they were the better side in midfield. Conversely in the Charity Shield - once they were down, they started to have more of a go at us and we were the ones absorbing the pressure.
Not sure how you can claim revisionism in the game at OT when Chelsea were for the most part the better team and we struggled to create anything meaningful till the end.
Surely Fergie will play him again at Goodison, Berbatov is having one of his best spells since he joined the club and if he is dropped and we play with Rooney up top on his own then it won't do his confidence any good whatsoever having been in much better form than Wayne recently. Rooney is my favourite current United player but if it was a choice between him and Berba right now Berba would have to get the nod.
If Berbatov is going to finally fulfill his promise and be one of the stars of the season this time around then he has to be given chances in the big games when he is on his game and not just when Wazza gets injured.
If Berbatov is going to finally fulfill his promise and be one of the stars of the season this time around then he has to be given chances in the big games when he is on his game and not just when Wazza gets injured.
Christ on a bike. We were completely dismantled by Barcelona. They completely dominated us.
It's not about pre-determined opinions on my part - they dominated us, pure and simple.
I was referring to the Chelsea game - what significance does the Barca game have.
We were no way as poor as people make out against Chelsea but hey if that helps you rationalise it then so be it.
Hello Sunshine. Long time no see. So, what is your opinion on Berba's start to the season?
I used the Barca game as an example of how statistics - such as possession and shots on goal - can be twisted to suit an agenda. So for instance, someone might get the stats from the CL final and try to infer that it was an even game - even though it clearly wasn't.
It's exactly what you've done for the Chelsea game - a match where we were comprehensively second best. We basically threw the kitchen sink at it for the last ten minutes, but were otherwise well off the pace.
An excellent start of the season for our Bulgarian.
Hope you are well.
He has had a good start to the season but it's too early to say anything conclusive - after 2 seasons we can't suddenly judge him after 3 games.
I hope he does well, no need to set targets but if he plays better it can only be better for us and more problems for SAF - good problems that is.
There is really no guarantee he will play from the start in that game. In fact I'll be surprised if he faces Everton from the start. Given what they did to us last season on that ground when we played 4 in the middle against their 5.
A friend just told that he may have committed a foul (pushing his defender away) before his great goal.
I didn't care but he sounded like the goal should not have stood
I didn't care but he sounded like the goal should not have stood
nah I wouldn't believe that, defender pulled off expecting him to follow to head it in but instead he took a step back to overhead it, hardly a foul deceiving a defender is it?
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