Berbatov. Hot or not?

[foureyes]

Manu paid a massive fee for Berbatov, and I think it's fair to say even the most biased Manu fan would have expected a little more from him. His Prem return of 9 goals from 31 games for them isn't quite the return i'd have expected from £30 mill, but then he does have 9 assists to his credit also.

I know it's only been a single season, but he's already used to playing in the Prem, and should really struggle for goalscoring opportunities playing for Manu.

To put it into perspective, our very own Dirk Kuyt has played 38, scored 12 and assisted in 8 of our Prem goals.

For me, Berbatov has been a flop. Maybe not quite of Veronesque proportions, but a flop nonetheless.

 

[keniget]

He's been okay, but when you arrive for that price you have to do better than okay.

Still a little unsure why Fergie bought him to be honest. If he'd have gotten a proper #9 (like Eto'o), he wouldn't have to play Ronaldo through the middle.

 

[Glock21]

FLOP. Mods can now close the thread.

 

[foureyes]

[quote author=keniget link=topic=33817.msg877252#msg877252 date=1243497494]
He's been okay, but when you arrive for that price you have to do better than okay.

Still a little unsure why Fergie bought him to be honest. If he'd have gotten a proper #9 (like Eto'o), he wouldn't have to play Ronaldo through the middle.
[/quote]

Hehe. I like it.

 

[TheBunnyman]

I voted 'too early to tell', just because I don't want to jinx it and have him be sublime for them next season. Berbatov's a very talented player, but I think he'd be much better with a sharp, fast goalscorer next to him - a Villa or an Eto'o. He was definitely a strange buy for them at that price.

 

[mark1975]

[quote author=keniget link=topic=33817.msg877252#msg877252 date=1243497494]
He's been okay, but when you arrive for that price you have to do better than okay.

Still a little unsure why Fergie bought him to be honest. If he'd have gotten a proper #9 (like Eto'o), he wouldn't have to play Ronaldo through the middle.
[/quote]

I really hope he carries on with this reluctance to buy an out and out striker, especially with the prospect of Ronaldo leaving. I know they're doing pretty fucking well without one, but could you imagine them with a Villa/Eto'o??

 

[Molbystwin]

??? really???

Absolute irrelevance.... united just got fucked. end of.

Is Berbatov a shit player or not is thoroughly moot.

 

[Bazza The Kopite]

I think the fact that they paid £31 mill for him and he doesn't start a champs league semi final or final says it all. Surely when you pay money like that you want the players for the big games.

 

[Oncy]

Too early to tell.

 

[vikas]

Flop, it'd be ok if they paid £7m for him.

 

[manwithnoname]

[quote author=Bazza The Kopite link=topic=33817.msg877275#msg877275 date=1243498639]
I think the fact that they paid £31 mill for him and he doesn't start a champs league semi final or final says it all. Surely when you pay money like that you want the players for the big games.
[/quote]

They had Rooney (£30m), Berbatov (£31m), Tevex (£30m) and Ronaldo (worth £70m) all on the pitch at one stage, and still never really looked like scoring.

The bench they had just goes to back up Benitez's point about £30m players. And several £20m-odd players never made it at all.

 

[spider-Neil]

league
nine assists
nine goals
crucial winning goals during manu's fist winning run which was key for them winning the league.
maybe not a success but certainly not a flop

 

[Sunny]

Ask the Man U fans - they'll tell you he's a complete flop. Lazy, disinterested and totally overpriced

 

[Mors]

Scum fans would much rather have Tevez than Dracula for obvious reasons

He's never a 30mill player

 

[Judge Jules]

[quote author=spider-neil link=topic=33817.msg877350#msg877350 date=1243502053]
league
nine assists
nine goals
crucial winning goals during manu's fist winning run which was key for them winning the league.
maybe not a success but certainly not a flop
[/quote]

Got to agree.  At that stage of the season they looked a more fluid attacking unit when Berbatov was playing.  He's the kind of player a team like that can afford to pick when they're on form.  It's when the going gets a little harder that the doubts begin.

 

[Insignificance]

For the amount of 30 mill pound you expect him to defend a starting place in the CL final ahead of a winger being put in his place...

 

[leftpeg]

I'd want a lot more from a £30m signing.

 

[Rouge Penguin]

Makes you wonder why 2 players from a mid table team, take a big money step up and can't cut it. Had they found their limit and trading on hype?

 

[Squiggles]

United were a far more fluid, menacing attacking force last year with the Rooney, Tevez and Ronaldo combination.

I don't think the outlay has been anywhere near justified, and watching Berbz sat on the bench last night said it all.

 

[Terrier]

Anyone who said he's a flop is just being a biased divvy.


He's weighed in with his fair worth of assists and goals, and given the fact that he hasn't played every minute of every bleeding match (Kuyt) you can't compare the two.

The question I would ask is why did Ferguscum go after him, when he didn't really need him?


I would mark him down as a Grade B-

Good / Fair opening season, but can and must do better.

 

[Jürgen4PM]

[quote author=Sunny link=topic=33817.msg877352#msg877352 date=1243502107]
Ask the Man U fans - they'll tell you he's a complete flop. Lazy, disinterested and totally overpriced
[/quote]

He's not lazy, it just appears that way because he makes it all look so easy!

 

[SummerOnions]

Still did better than Keane, marginally.

He didn't give £10M worth of better produce though.

 

[Buddha]

[quote author=Brendan link=topic=33817.msg877346#msg877346 date=1243501876]
[quote author=Bazza The Kopite link=topic=33817.msg877275#msg877275 date=1243498639]
I think the fact that they paid £31 mill for him and he doesn't start a champs league semi final or final says it all. Surely when you pay money like that you want the players for the big games.
[/quote]

They had Rooney (£30m), Berbatov (£31m), Tevex (£30m) and Ronaldo (worth £70m) all on the pitch at one stage, and still never really looked like scoring.

The bench they had just goes to back up Benitez's point about £30m players. And several £20m-odd players never made it at all.
[/quote]

Exactly - Gary Neville wasn't even in the squad.

 

[Rosco]

I wouldn't say he's a flop, his level of performance is a little bit below where it was at Tottenham but not much. I think he's a good player., the problem is they massively overpaid for him.

He's scored 36 league goals in three seasons. 12 a season on average.

 

[mark1975]

[quote author=Rosco link=topic=33817.msg877841#msg877841 date=1243533792]
I wouldn't say he's a flop, his level of performance is a little bit below where it was at Tottenham but not much. I think he's a good player., the problem is they massively overpaid for him.

He's scored 36 league goals in three seasons. 12 a season on average.
[/quote]

And not forgetting that he's a centre forward rather than an out and out striker, which I've always said average around 10-14 league goals a season.

I think he's contributed well enough to them winning the title so I guess they will see it as money well spent, at least in the short term.

 

[Rosco]

He's done reasonably well, but 30m could get you so much more than that.

 

[singlerider]

[quote author=Rosco link=topic=33817.msg877841#msg877841 date=1243533792]
I wouldn't say he's a flop, his level of performance is a little bit below where it was at Tottenham but not much. I think he's a good player., the problem is they massively overpaid for him.

[/quote]

*ponders*