Dimi-star or Berba-flop? - The enigma that is Dimitar Berbatov

With just about minutes left before the 2008 summer transfer window closed, a beaming Sir Alex Ferguson announced to the world that Manchester United had agreed terms with Tottenham Hotspur to sign their cult hero, the elegant and artistic Bulgarian striker, Dimitar Berbatov for a club record sum of £30.75m. Sir Alex Ferguson added,

“This is a key signing. Dimitar is one of the best and most exciting strikers in world football.

“His style and ability will give the team a different dimension and I’m sure he will be a popular player with the fans.”

The fans had an added incentive to cheer for their new striker as Berbatov had spurned the overtures of United’s arch-rivals, Manchester City, to sign for the Red Devils. His style of play also attracted comparisons with United’s legendary forward, the mercurial Eric Cantona, not only because of his impeccable touch and brilliant technique, but also because of his nonchalance and perceived arrogance.

Berba made his debut against United’s nemesis, Liverpool at Anfield and immediately got into the thick of things. A silken touch, excellent ball control and a neat pass for Carlos Tevez to finish. The next fixture, away to Chelsea, saw Berbatov sting Petr Cech’s palms before Ji-Sung Park tucked in the rebound. Off the mark and surely many more to follow, you would have thought.

Berbatov’s first season was anything but a dream one. He struggled throughout the season, overlooked for crucial fixtures, both in the league as well as in Europe. 9 league goals and a total of 14 in 43 appearances in all competitions was something that fell short of the expectations of most fans, especially considering that their striker came with a whopping £30m price tag. Some sections of the Old Trafford faithful were clearly exasperated at the returns Berba offered in his first season. They urged Fergie to sell him, in a bid to recoup their investment.

The following season saw the departure of Ronaldo and Tevez. The fans had their hopes pinned on him, hoping for him to come good. But Berba was clearly succumbing to the pressure. The forlorn gaze into the pitch from the bench showed how strongly he felt he deserved to be there. Yet when the chances came, he fluffed them. The angry shrug of the shoulders and the look towards the heavens when there were misplaced passes clearly showed a man who was trying just too hard. Things went from bad to worse. Then there was the occasional slip in front of the goal, tricks going wrong or missed opportunities when it was easier to score. Time was running out. 12 goals in 43. The cries grew louder.

Yet another season began with constant speculation over his future. Berba was oblivious to all the off-field chatter. He was a man on a mission. A mission to prove his worth to the world. Goals against Chelsea, Newcastle, West Ham and Everton meant he had had his best start to a season for the Reds. A sublime hat-trick against Liverpool followed, the first treble by a United player against their rivals from Merseyside in over six decades. Yes, the Dimitar of the Spurs folklore had finally arrived at Old Trafford and it seemed he had begun repaying the faith bestowed in him by Sir Alex.

A nine game barren streak threatened to undo all of Berba’s early season efforts. Then came that game against Blackburn where he produced a truly scintillating and awe-inspiring performance and capped it with a deserved haul of 5 goals. A third hat-trick of the season, against Birmingham and a match winning brace against Blackpool followed. With goals galore, the smile was back, the passes were perfect, the tricks were mesmerising and he was bustling about the turf. This was the moment. This was his moment. He looked like a man who was clearly enjoying his game and taking chances as they came. The good times were back.

And then there was Chicharito. The diminutive Mexican striker, a summer signing at Old Trafford, was making rapid strides in his progress at the club. With his darting runs, an incredible work-rate, a calm head on his shoulders and a predatory instinct inside the box, Javier Hernandez was well on his way to establishing himself as a cult hero at the Theater of Dreams. The emergence of the ‘Little Pea’ towards the latter half of the season and a resurgent Wayne Rooney created an exciting strike partnership up front, in which there was no Berbatov. The club’s leading goal scorer was dropped to the bench for the crucial Champions League semis, the home game against Chelsea in the title race, and omitted entirely from the squad in favor of Michael Owen for the Champions League final itself at Wembley. It is not easy to explain how a golden boot winner could not even warrant a place on the substitutes’ bench for one of the most momentous nights of all. The best season of his Manchester United career had ended with him sitting somewhere in the confines of the dressing room, away from the prying eyes of the world, dejected and distraught.

Berbatov’s talent lies in his intelligence, technical ability and composure. He is also exceptional at holding the ball up, an excellent passer and always seems to find open players in the box. He rarely relieves the team of possession when he has the ball and he utilises space effectively. He brings different skills to the team than players like Javier Hernandez. His excellent positioning on the pitch means he doesn’t have to indulge in harrying or closing down. Yes, he gets caught offside far too often, his work ethic is sometimes seen as aloof and disinterested, and he can go missing for large periods of the game. But when on form and in the mood, he can destroy teams as evidenced by his stellar displays last season. The goal of the season may have gone to Wayne Rooney for that gravity-defying overhead kick against City, but for me it was Berba’s third against Rovers that showed exactly why he belongs at this club. The lightning pace of the counter-attack, started by United’s number 9 from inside his own half, exchanging near-perfect passes with his mates, and ending the move with his beautiful finish into the top corner of the net.

He might never have been a prolific goal scorer, but if you take into account the number of times he has unselfishly laid the ball on to his team-mates, then Berba’s contribution is a total of 67 goals in 140 appearances. Compare those stats to someone like Nani, who has contributed to 56 goals in 174 appearances and considering a lot of Berbatov’s appearances were from the bench, you have to wonder why he is slated for not contributing enough to the team.

It can be extremely easy to criticize the Bulgarian due to his languid style of playing football and easier for people who harbor the belief that a £30m striker should return at least 30 goals a season. It is baffling that he continues to divide the opinion of fans and critics over his abilities and contribution to the team. Is it simply a case of him being a misunderstood genius? Or is he just over-rated? In retrospect, had his shot gone in that day, three years ago at Stamford Bridge, the story could have been far different. The curtains on Bulgaria’s most illustrious footballer’s Manchester United career might well be coming down, but the jury is still out on whether it was Dimi-star or Berba-flop who played for the Reds.