Karim Benzema

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Has anyone seen a fair bit of Benzema play, as the youtube videos seem to make him look like a really clinical finisher, of course this is only showing his goals.

I imagine you could make Andy Cole look like he scored virtually every shot through youtube :P

So, for anyone who has seen him regularly, his he an excellent finisher??
 
acnumber9 said:
What does that even mean. Is that how many different clubs have competed? That doesn't prove the league's strength.

Nice tangent by the way.
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It shows the pedigree of the league - putting to bed your idea of the french league not being 'proper'
 
HsJ said:
Barely seen? You think our scouts watch a player once? Or take advantage of a full season of games to watch him a good 20-30 times.

We don't live in the stone age, we can watch recorded games of a player you know.
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I was reffering to people on this thread including myself. You made a point about me being the worlds worst scout don't forget. I wasn't referring to Manchester United.

Not once have I said Benzema isn't a good player just I won't be excited by him until I've seen him prove it at a decent level with my own eyes.

By the way there is nothing to suggest yet that United don't also believe him to be overpriced. We won't know that until we make a bid. People are getting a little ahead of themselves.
 
I found a fitting song for him, totally unique. Its: Ooohh aaahh Benzema
 
HsJ said:
It shows the pedigree of the league - putting to bed your idea of the french league not being 'proper'
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It proves nothing of the sort. Having different sides qualify just show that outside of Lyon the teams in that league are of a similar quality.In a twenty team league if there is 1 good team and 19 shit teams, there is still three slots to fill for the Champions League. How have those other teams got on in the Champions league?

For God's sake that pointless statistic and you're reading of it would make it better than the Premiership. It isn't.
 
acnumber9 said:
I was reffering to people on this thread including myself. You made a point about me being the worlds worst scout don't forget. I wasn't referring to Manchester United.

Not once have I said Benzema isn't a good player just I won't be excited by him until I've seen him prove it at a decent level with my own eyes.

By the way there is nothing to suggest yet that United don't also believe him to be overpriced. We won't know that until we make a bid. People are getting a little ahead of themselves.
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Well, you must have seen him play at least twice.

I seen Ronaldo play once before he signed for us, and it was against us...and I was hoping to sign him off that performance. I'm quite sure that if you had watched those two games Benzema played against us, you would probably understand the excitement of some of the lads on here.

The idea is to take a risk in football, its what we did with Rooney, Ronaldo, Anderson, Nani etc...if we 'wait until he proves it on a bigger stage', we'd have missed our chance.
 
acnumber9 said:
It proves nothing of the sort. Having different sides qualify just show that outside of Lyon the teams in that league are of a similar quality.In a twenty team league if there is 1 good team and 19 shit teams, there is still three slots to fill for the Champions League. How have those other teams got on in the Champions league?

For God's sake that pointless statistic and you're reading of it would make it better than the Premiership. It isn't.
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UEFA give leagues a different number of slots depending on their coefficients. Its why we have 4.

Basically, there is a lot of competition for the CL places in the league, obviously. I'm not saying that the league is better than the English league, but if you think about it, if the same team isn't qualifying each year, that means the teams in the league are mostly of a similar level. Considering the qualifiers have progressed quite far in the tournements in most of the seasons, no matter which team qualified, you'd have to say that the quality Isn't That bad...and therefore the League is actually of a good standard...not GREAT....but good. and is therefore a 'proper' league.
 
Marseille Hero Warns Sir Alex - ‘Benzema is Not Good Enough for Manchester United’

http://community.footballpools.com/blog/2009/06/26/marseille-hero-warns-sir-alex-benzema-is-not-good-enough-for-manchester-united/

Sir Alex Ferguson is chasing the signature of Lyon striker Karim Benzema this summer to replace the departing Carlos Tevez but former Marseille striker and French football pundit Tony Cascarino has spoken out regarding the player’s suitability.

Cascarino declared to the New Football Pools when asked about Sir Alex’s interest in signing Benzema, “My advice to him (Ferguson) would be not to bother.

“He (Benzema) will cost £30m plus and he is not at the level United require just yet.

“Don’t get me wrong he is talented but he reminds me a bit of the Juventus striker David Trezueguet who may get goals but is nowhere near the level required at Old Trafford.

“Benzema is not even the top scorer in France at the moment, so I don’t think he is good enough for a club like Manchester United.”

The Lyon striker was indeed only joint 2nd top scorer in France last season with 17 goals in 37 league appearances (32 starts) as his club finished a very disappointing 3rd behind Bordeaux and Marseille in France. However, Sir Alex Ferguson has openly spoken about his admiration for the French star to Le Journal du Dimanche. He said, “He (Benzema) is an excellent footballer”
“He reminds me of (Zinedine) Zidane in the way that he uses his body. He has broad shoulders and a great drive when he has the ball at his feet.

“You always have to keep your eye on the very best players, seeing how they evolve. But I have never said that I want to buy him.

“When we played Lyon last season (in the UEFA Champions League), chairman Jean-Michel Aulas told me: ‘Chelsea have made a 50million Euros (£44m) offer for Benzema.’ I told him: ‘For such a fee, I will let Chelsea have him.”

In 2007/08 Benzema scored an impressive 20 League goals in 36 games (32 starts) making him the top scorer in France and therefore winning himself the Player of the Year award for the French League. That tally is even more impressive when you consider not one of those goals was from the penalty spot. The starlet also scored an impressive 4 Champions League goals including a strike in the home draw with eventual winners Manchester United but next season he may be lining up for their ambitious rivals.

The French star has not quite lived up to that form in this campaign having scored 17League goals although he also scored 5 times in the Champions League.

Benzema burst on the scene during the 2007/08 season illustrating why he was so highly regarded in French football during his teenage years. This was his 4th season with champions Lyon’s first team but this was by far his most productive season. Prior to the last campaign the youngster had scored just 6 League goals but has now cemented his position as the number 1 striker at the club. He is also one of the highest paid players in French football after signing a new contract with the club in March 2008 which would keep him at the club until 2013.

However, with United, Real Madrid and Barcelona reportedly interested in him, he’s unlikely to remain in France for too much longer.

The French striker of Algerian descent was part of France’s Euro 2008 squad and has already won 24 caps and scored 6 goals for his country. Benzema failed to impress at the tournament in his 2 appearances but then again, the whole side did.

He is a quick striker with good dribbling skills and an obvious eye for goal. United, Man City and Chelsea have been reported to be fighting to sign him alongside numerous Serie A and La Liga clubs. Benzema has won a total of 4 League titles and a French cup with Lyon so is well versed in winning trophies so is the calibre of player that would suit most ambitious clubs.

Another Goal for LyonThe player’s agent Karim Djaziri has suggested the striker will be off this summer. He told Europe1, “Ferguson wants Karim this summer, however his transfer fee will not be over 40million euros.

“He is only 21-years-old, the only time a transfer of a 21-year-old went so high it was the Robinho transfer to Real Madrid.

“Karim can’t be more valued than David Villa, who will cost more than 40million euros.
“The question is not if he will sign for one of the big clubs, but when.”
 
Brwned said:
There's a good argument to say that the Italian, French and German leagues are all at a similar level curently, though.
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I'd have to disagree. There's no doubt that the Italian league and German league's aren't as strong as they were but Lyon's decline would suggest the French league is also on a downward slope.
 
HsJ said:
UEFA give leagues a different number of slots depending on their coefficients.

Its why we have 4.

:)
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I'm aware of that. Have a look at the list and you'll see the French league at the bottom of the five leagues first mentioned and slipping. Your statistics prove nothing.
 
shane said:
Marseille Hero Warns Sir Alex - ‘Benzema is Not Good Enough for Manchester United’

http://community.footballpools.com/blog/2009/06/26/marseille-hero-warns-sir-alex-benzema-is-not-good-enough-for-manchester-united/

Sir Alex Ferguson is chasing the signature of Lyon striker Karim Benzema this summer to replace the departing Carlos Tevez but former Marseille striker and French football pundit Tony Cascarino has spoken out regarding the player’s suitability.

Cascarino declared to the New Football Pools when asked about Sir Alex’s interest in signing Benzema, “My advice to him (Ferguson) would be not to bother.

“He (Benzema) will cost £30m plus and he is not at the level United require just yet.

“Don’t get me wrong he is talented but he reminds me a bit of the Juventus striker David Trezueguet who may get goals but is nowhere near the level required at Old Trafford.

“Benzema is not even the top scorer in France at the moment, so I don’t think he is good enough for a club like Manchester United.”

The Lyon striker was indeed only joint 2nd top scorer in France last season with 17 goals in 37 league appearances (32 starts) as his club finished a very disappointing 3rd behind Bordeaux and Marseille in France. However, Sir Alex Ferguson has openly spoken about his admiration for the French star to Le Journal du Dimanche. He said, “He (Benzema) is an excellent footballer”
“He reminds me of (Zinedine) Zidane in the way that he uses his body. He has broad shoulders and a great drive when he has the ball at his feet.

“You always have to keep your eye on the very best players, seeing how they evolve. But I have never said that I want to buy him.

“When we played Lyon last season (in the UEFA Champions League), chairman Jean-Michel Aulas told me: ‘Chelsea have made a 50million Euros (£44m) offer for Benzema.’ I told him: ‘For such a fee, I will let Chelsea have him.”

In 2007/08 Benzema scored an impressive 20 League goals in 36 games (32 starts) making him the top scorer in France and therefore winning himself the Player of the Year award for the French League. That tally is even more impressive when you consider not one of those goals was from the penalty spot. The starlet also scored an impressive 4 Champions League goals including a strike in the home draw with eventual winners Manchester United but next season he may be lining up for their ambitious rivals.

The French star has not quite lived up to that form in this campaign having scored 17League goals although he also scored 5 times in the Champions League.

Benzema burst on the scene during the 2007/08 season illustrating why he was so highly regarded in French football during his teenage years. This was his 4th season with champions Lyon’s first team but this was by far his most productive season. Prior to the last campaign the youngster had scored just 6 League goals but has now cemented his position as the number 1 striker at the club. He is also one of the highest paid players in French football after signing a new contract with the club in March 2008 which would keep him at the club until 2013.

However, with United, Real Madrid and Barcelona reportedly interested in him, he’s unlikely to remain in France for too much longer.

The French striker of Algerian descent was part of France’s Euro 2008 squad and has already won 24 caps and scored 6 goals for his country. Benzema failed to impress at the tournament in his 2 appearances but then again, the whole side did.

He is a quick striker with good dribbling skills and an obvious eye for goal. United, Man City and Chelsea have been reported to be fighting to sign him alongside numerous Serie A and La Liga clubs. Benzema has won a total of 4 League titles and a French cup with Lyon so is well versed in winning trophies so is the calibre of player that would suit most ambitious clubs.

Another Goal for LyonThe player’s agent Karim Djaziri has suggested the striker will be off this summer. He told Europe1, “Ferguson wants Karim this summer, however his transfer fee will not be over 40million euros.

“He is only 21-years-old, the only time a transfer of a 21-year-old went so high it was the Robinho transfer to Real Madrid.

“Karim can’t be more valued than David Villa, who will cost more than 40million euros.
“The question is not if he will sign for one of the big clubs, but when.”
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The same Tony Cascarino who has said that Scott Parker could be a decent signing for us :rolleyes:
 
acnumber9 said:
I'm aware of that. Have a look at the list and you'll see the French league at the bottom of the five leagues first mentioned and slipping. Your statistics prove nothing.
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Your just not thinking about how they relate to the situation.
 
HsJ said:
UEFA give leagues a different number of slots depending on their coefficients. Its why we have 4.

Basically, there is a lot of competition for the CL places in the league, obviously. I'm not saying that the league is better than the English league, but if you think about it, if the same team isn't qualifying each year, that means the teams in the league are mostly of a similar level. Considering the qualifiers have progressed quite far in the tournements in most of the season, no matter which team qualified, you'd have to say that the quality Isn't That bad...and therefore the League is actually of a good standard...not GREAT....but good. and is therefore a 'proper' league.
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Who outside of Lyon and one season from Monaco, which has boosted their coefficient, have done anything of note?

You're right the quality isn't that bad but I'd expect a player supposedly worth the money mentioned to be knocking in 30 goals a season in that league. He isn't. He may very well grow to be a £30 Million pound player but only when he proves he's worth it on a higher stage.
 
I can understand people who question whether he's the right player for us, whether we can handle having him as well as Rooney and Berbatov... But as far as people wondering if he can be GOOD ENOUGH, well, that's just plain wrong. If that's the only question, then there's no question and we should get him. He's already very good, with a great chance of getting better.
 
acnumber9 said:
Who outside of Lyon and one season from Monaco, which has boosted their coefficient, have done anything of note?

You're right the quality isn't that bad but I'd expect a player supposedly worth the money mentioned to be knocking in 30 goals a season in that league. He isn't. He may very well grow to be a £30 Million pound player but only when he proves he's worth it on a higher stage.
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Marseille in the UEFA cup.

Anyway, Rooney hadn't done anything to prove that he was worth 30Million, apart from score a couple of goals. Yet we paid 30M for him...and he was well worth it. Been at the club for the 6+ years, and looks like he's on course to break many records at both club and international level. Benzema is 21, I'd rather invest 30M in someone his age, than 30M in a proven striker who is going to be at least 26.

Makes far more business sense to invest in talent, rather than proven ability.
 
shane said:
Marseille Hero Warns Sir Alex - ‘Benzema is Not Good Enough for Manchester United’

http://community.footballpools.com/blog/2009/06/26/marseille-hero-warns-sir-alex-benzema-is-not-good-enough-for-manchester-united/

Sir Alex Ferguson is chasing the signature of Lyon striker Karim Benzema this summer to replace the departing Carlos Tevez but former Marseille striker and French football pundit Tony Cascarino has spoken out regarding the player’s suitability.

Cascarino declared to the New Football Pools when asked about Sir Alex’s interest in signing Benzema, “My advice to him (Ferguson) would be not to bother.

“He (Benzema) will cost £30m plus and he is not at the level United require just yet.

“Don’t get me wrong he is talented but he reminds me a bit of the Juventus striker David Trezueguet who may get goals but is nowhere near the level required at Old Trafford.

“Benzema is not even the top scorer in France at the moment, so I don’t think he is good enough for a club like Manchester United.”

The Lyon striker was indeed only joint 2nd top scorer in France last season with 17 goals in 37 league appearances (32 starts) as his club finished a very disappointing 3rd behind Bordeaux and Marseille in France. However, Sir Alex Ferguson has openly spoken about his admiration for the French star to Le Journal du Dimanche. He said, “He (Benzema) is an excellent footballer”
“He reminds me of (Zinedine) Zidane in the way that he uses his body. He has broad shoulders and a great drive when he has the ball at his feet.

“You always have to keep your eye on the very best players, seeing how they evolve. But I have never said that I want to buy him.

“When we played Lyon last season (in the UEFA Champions League), chairman Jean-Michel Aulas told me: ‘Chelsea have made a 50million Euros (£44m) offer for Benzema.’ I told him: ‘For such a fee, I will let Chelsea have him.”

In 2007/08 Benzema scored an impressive 20 League goals in 36 games (32 starts) making him the top scorer in France and therefore winning himself the Player of the Year award for the French League. That tally is even more impressive when you consider not one of those goals was from the penalty spot. The starlet also scored an impressive 4 Champions League goals including a strike in the home draw with eventual winners Manchester United but next season he may be lining up for their ambitious rivals.

The French star has not quite lived up to that form in this campaign having scored 17League goals although he also scored 5 times in the Champions League.

Benzema burst on the scene during the 2007/08 season illustrating why he was so highly regarded in French football during his teenage years. This was his 4th season with champions Lyon’s first team but this was by far his most productive season. Prior to the last campaign the youngster had scored just 6 League goals but has now cemented his position as the number 1 striker at the club. He is also one of the highest paid players in French football after signing a new contract with the club in March 2008 which would keep him at the club until 2013.

However, with United, Real Madrid and Barcelona reportedly interested in him, he’s unlikely to remain in France for too much longer.

The French striker of Algerian descent was part of France’s Euro 2008 squad and has already won 24 caps and scored 6 goals for his country. Benzema failed to impress at the tournament in his 2 appearances but then again, the whole side did.

He is a quick striker with good dribbling skills and an obvious eye for goal. United, Man City and Chelsea have been reported to be fighting to sign him alongside numerous Serie A and La Liga clubs. Benzema has won a total of 4 League titles and a French cup with Lyon so is well versed in winning trophies so is the calibre of player that would suit most ambitious clubs.

Another Goal for LyonThe player’s agent Karim Djaziri has suggested the striker will be off this summer. He told Europe1, “Ferguson wants Karim this summer, however his transfer fee will not be over 40million euros.

“He is only 21-years-old, the only time a transfer of a 21-year-old went so high it was the Robinho transfer to Real Madrid.

“Karim can’t be more valued than David Villa, who will cost more than 40million euros.
“The question is not if he will sign for one of the big clubs, but when.”
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In other words he'd fit right in.
 
Tony Cascarino isn't a brilliant pundit and has is judging Benzema by the wrong criteria. To say Benzema has had a poor season, not be the top goal scorer etc is unfair as the few times I've watched a Lyon game this season the team has struggled as a whole. Also, there is far more to Benzema's game than his goal scoring. From what I've seen he looks a great match for our team and has all the raw abilities that could be improved upon and moulded into one of the best strikers in Europe.

Cascarino is talking about buying a finished article which Benzema obviously isn't. Shows how much attention Cascarino pays to Sir Alex's transfer policy and the history of this great club for making world class talent, not buying it.
 
HsJ said:
Marseille in the UEFA cup.

Anyway, Rooney hadn't done anything to prove that he was worth 30Million, apart from score a couple of goals. Yet we paid 30M for him...and he was well worth it. Been at the club for the 6+ years, and looks like he's on course to break many records at both club and international level. Benzema is 21, I'd rather invest 30M in someone his age, than 30M in a proven striker who is going to be at least 26.

Makes far more business sense to invest in talent, rather than proven ability.
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Are you sure about that?
 
acnumber9 said:
I'd have to disagree. There's no doubt that the Italian league and German league's aren't as strong as they were but Lyon's decline would suggest the French league is also on a downward slope.
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Lyon's decline?

They got as far as any other Italian team in the Champions League this season, and went out to the eventual winners.

Maybe it has more to do with their quality of opposition in Ligue Un being better this season, rather than them actually being any worse...
 
acnumber9 said:
Are you sure about that?
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It was a fee of around £23 million, supposedly rising to about £30 million with the performance based fees. Considering we have won everything under the sun since he arrived, I'm quite sure that its about £30 million now.
 
shane said:
“Don’t get me wrong he is talented but he reminds me a bit of the Juventus striker David Trezueguet who may get goals but is nowhere near the level required at Old Trafford.
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What a bizarre comparison.

And not even that, but he seems to be implying Benzema's just a goalscorer and nothing else.

Hmm.
 
Brwned said:
Lyon's decline?

They got as far as any other Italian team in the Champions League this season, and went out to the eventual winners.

Maybe it has more to do with their quality of opposition in Ligue Un being better this season, rather than them actually being any worse...
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Yes, a few years ago they were reaching the Quarter Final stages and looking like genuine contenders to go far. Now they're the team you hope for when the last 16 is being drawn. We have some evidence that they're declining with their top players heading on and the signing of Boumsong. As yet there is no evidence their opponents are getting better in Ligue 1. If Bordeaux storm the Champions league next year then it may be a different matter.
 
EdWeatherall said:
Has anyone seen a fair bit of Benzema play, as the youtube videos seem to make him look like a really clinical finisher, of course this is only showing his goals.

I imagine you could make Andy Cole look like he scored virtually every shot through youtube :P

So, for anyone who has seen him regularly, his he an excellent finisher??
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His finishing is very good, I would say on a par with Ronaldo and clearly better than any of our current players. He's not as ridiculously lethal as someone like Solskjaer or RvN were but he has got an awful lot more to his game than either of those players and his finishing could get even better as he matures.
 
HsJ said:
It was a fee of around £23 million, supposedly rising to about £30 million with the performance based fees. Considering we have won everything under the sun since he arrived, I'm quite sure that its about £30 million now.
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Pretty sure it was £20 Million rising to 27. That was all after success. If A similair deal was done for Benzema then it would be worth it as it would mean he's been a success.
 
HsJ said:
Basically...if Ferguson calls him great, then he must be better than you think he is.
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Does it mean he wants to sign him?

How many times do I have to make it clear I neither rate him or not rate him?
 
acnumber9 said:
Yes, a few years ago they were reaching the Quarter Final stages and looking like genuine contenders to go far. Now they're the team you hope for when the last 16 is being drawn. We have some evidence that they're declining with their top players heading on and the signing of Boumsong. As yet there is no evidence their opponents are getting better in Ligue 1. If Bordeaux storm the Champions league next year then it may be a different matter.
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That's rubbish.

They were always one of the team's you'd hope for in the knockout stages considering Bayern, Milan, Inter, Valencia, Real Madrid and the four English teams were all stronger than them, and had proven that time and again. They were around the same level as PSV, who have declined.

Lyon have rather stagnated, if anything.

Like I said, they got just as far as any team from the Italian league last season, so they're obviously not much worse than them.
 
acnumber9 said:
Yes, a few years ago they were reaching the Quarter Final stages and looking like genuine contenders to go far. Now they're the team you hope for when the last 16 is being drawn. We have some evidence that they're declining with their top players heading on and the signing of Boumsong. As yet there is no evidence their opponents are getting better in Ligue 1. If Bordeaux storm the Champions league next year then it may be a different matter.
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:lol: a few years ago we had a midfield made up of Djemba Djemba, Kleberson etc...its not them getting weaker, its everyone getting stronger around them. I wasn't hoping to play Lyon this year, they are a very good team, and we rarely get an easy game against them. Boumsong has actually been a good player for them believe it or not.

The fact that Bordeaux qualified for the CL confirms that teams are getting better in Ligue 1.
 
Ole_Gunnar said:
I hate to break it to you pal - it's been mentioned before...
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No previous songs have been ohh ahh Benzema, with one o and a followed by two h's mine is groundbreaking with three o's and a's with two h's behind them, ooohh aaahh Benzema. Completely new song there.
 
acnumber9 said:
Pretty sure it was £20 Million rising to 27. That was all after success. If A similair deal was done for Benzema then it would be worth it as it would mean he's been a success.
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:lol: you really are a muppet. Of course they are going offer the money with conditions. Rarely does a team pay the full amount. Most fees are related to the teams success.
 
acnumber9 said:
Does it mean he wants to sign him?

How many times do I have to make it clear I neither rate him or not rate him?
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If reports are to be believed then yes.

Jesus...

Nobody cares about what you think, we know he is a good player with the potential to be a great player, and thankfully Ferguson knows this too.
 
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