Manchester United News 24/7Writer: Zae 
Date:Tuesday January 19 2010
Time: 3:56PM
UK time is: 16:10:47
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Berbatov v Tevez - The Silliest Debate Ever
Pundits lining up to say that Fergie made a mistake by letting Tevez go because he scored 12 league goals for City and is in brilliant form while we are stuttering. Alan Hansen and Ian Wright (venerable and respectable football men, aren't they?) have both declared that Berbatov was a flop and that Tevez was a better player than him.
The fact that 'in-form' City who will win if they 'have a half-decent game' (Mark Lawrenson) are currently nine points behind us in the table seems to have eluded these great experts and they failed to take note of Tevez's first four months at City when he scored a grand total of TWO league goals, both against West Ham.
Essentially, they believe we should have discarded the guy who had the second highest total of assists in the league last season (and chipped in with 9 goals as well) in favour of a striker who scored 5 league goals in 29 games but would have cost upwards of 30M. How silly is that?
Besides, it was never a choice between Tevez and Berbatov. Indeed, Tevez was at his best last season when paired with Berbatov: the Bulgarian was the provider for three of Carlos' five league goals. Berbatov was recruited because Fergie did not want to rely on Tevez's erratic form and finishing and that's why he was benched more and more often in the second part of the 2007/08 season.
Tevez scored a grand total of ZERO league goals in 2008/09 when Berbatov wasn't on the pitch. So essentially it came down to Tevez v Rooney. There was always going to be one winner in that case and that would not be the player who started 38 games, 18 of them in the league but moaned about not getting enough opportunities.
Tevez is enjoying a purple patch now, good for him. But the end of the story is that I can't see how we're missing a striker who scored 5 league goals in 29 league games last season. Diego Forlan had a better goals-per-games ratio at United...
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Your Comments
Perfectly stated Zae.
tuscan3000
Yeah, yeah, yeah, what ever
Tudor
Ths is about the dumbest thing I have ever seen on this site. And that's saying a lot.
BlueWolfie
"Ths is about the dumbest thing I have ever seen on this site" - irony
tuscan3000
Erm, 5 goals in two games....
GazJohnson
Hillarious. Berbatov couldn't score at an over 40's singles bar at the moment.
bluesnozza
talk about blind loyalty to a lost cause
essienic
Yes! Alan Hensan and Ian Wright are venerable, and you Zae are NOTHING. Top footballers always see someone like Tevez better. Fergie is simply just senile. And you are just a jerk pretending that you know it better. lol
windleaf
Like people said, past is past, what for dwell on it? Look at PRESENT, Tevez scored 17 goals and 5 assists directly comparable to Rooney's 15 goals (Community Shield won't count) and 4 assists. Rooney is okay but he has been up and down so far. Tevez just down at the start simply because he is with a NEW club (slow start allowed) and had been INJURED. So, take that into account, plus the fact he is surging, he is THE BEST now. Berbatov? It has been 1 and a half season already, how long do you need to WAIT to see him exert himself?
windleaf
When I talked about "exert himself", I simply mean: Berbatov couldn't raise to the occasion so far when Man Utd needed him. Look at this season, apart from the recent Birmingham game, EVERY single game that Man Utd conceded the first goal, they eventually lost. Berbatov simply wasn't influential enough to help turn the game around when the team was behind. He could only play well when the team were COMFORTABLY ahead or did not concede a goal. He is a "comfortable player", not very good playing under pressure. The bigger the pressure, the more "invisible" he becomes. People label him flop for some reasons. Perhaps this is the obvious reason.
windleaf
Berba over tevez anyday.
Antriksh (abmtd)
The skills that berba possess are scary at times and people always forget the number of assist he provides for his team mates.
Antriksh (abmtd)
Eat your words, eat them all up- bitter? Berbaflop is pathetic in comparison! 2-1 yes thanks!
Eighthsin
windleaf just so you know rooney has also been injured during this season. Also rooney plays better when berba is on the field and i as well as anyone on this site know very well that a good rooney is better than tevez could be in his wildest dreams. And i still maintain that at the end of last season signing Tevez didnt seem like a good idea, good for him that he's doing well playing at another club and earning lots of money, but can we please stop talking about him he's a city player now its time to let go.
khoder
not surprised Man City supporters top the points league with that sort of tat Tudor... have to say on current form it was a mistake... on the arguments made here - it wasn't.
jim4pompey
Neither - we need a new striker who is worthy of wearing the Utd shirt - Berba aint good enough and Tevez - well I was sad to see him go but he wasnt all that to be fair
niteworlok
Pavluchenko is available for over 30m as well. Come and get him too :p
NorwaySpurs
We dont want him - we want a free or under 15 mill - I hear Torres is going cheap ;)
niteworlok
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