subject: How much is Berba worth to United? [print this page] How much is Berba worth to United? How much is Berba worth to United?
If you ask me why Manchester United have been failing to kill teams off in recent times, I will say "Berbatov"!
I am not judging him too harshly if you are already thinking so, and I agree that the Bulgarian is not the only problem United have to contend with at the moment. But when a number 9of his value plays as languidly as he does, with his back to goal 80% of the time, unwilling to take on defenders, slow to move into potential scoring positions and sulks at team mates, then you've got to blame him for as much as he deserves.
A lot of United watchers agree that Berbatov greatly slows the United attack down and diminishes the team's famed counter attacking power. When fans remember with nostalgia the days of the Ronaldo, Tevez and Rooney combination, it is usually because those three were so quick and creative with the ball, the opponent never knew what hit them until the damage had been cemented.
If you go back to the days of Dutch fox-in-the-box Ruud van Nistelrooy, Ole Gunner Solksjaer and the clinical attacking combination of Andy Cole and Dwight Yorke then you might easily be forgiven if you wonder how Manchester United ever considered such a striker worth their look in.
It is great to have a great first touch, and swivel, but United needs the quick one-two triangle more than the midfield persona Dimitar currently presents.
Again, forgive me if you think this conclusion too hard on Berbatov especially if you are a fan of the hat trick he scored against Liverpool weeks ago, but with his performance against Aston Villa last Saturday, Stoke City, Bolton, Sunderland and others, and his general poor contribution to the team since the Liverpool game, then you cannot accuse me of much.
The truth if Manchester United must face it, is that they have since ceased to be the force they once were going forward, and the blame is not far from the soggy boots of Mr. Berbatov.
