Berge

[Snowflake]

Not sure if it is a confidence thing or a fitness thing, but we all know that when he is "on it", Sander is one of the best, if not the best, in this league (and I include Illiman in that), he is much better when playing in an attacking position, he is bigger than any other player on the pitch and when he wants to, he glides past players and with his stride length, he is approaching the opposition box before you know it. He has goals in him, we have seen this.

Something is not right and maybe he is not match fit, and knows it, and doesn't want to risk further injury.

Whatever it is, to have someone with so much natural talent, being marked lowest, in a team that didn't perform well (despite the score line), something is wrong.

Part of what is wrong is the perception of some of those voting.
I thought yesterday he played well in parts and then drifted away. His ability to pass accurately when under pressure is beyond most in the squad.
He does create opportunities and did yesterday, so he is not as bad as some make out, perhaps because he does not run around like a headless chicken !
Having said that he is a frustrating player to watch, when his obvious talent is underused.

 

[BushBlade]

Not sure if it is a confidence thing or a fitness thing, but we all know that when he is "on it", Sander is one of the best, if not the best, in this league (and I include Illiman in that), he is much better when playing in an attacking position, he is bigger than any other player on the pitch and when he wants to, he glides past players and with his stride length, he is approaching the opposition box before you know it. He has goals in him, we have seen this.

Something is not right and maybe he is not match fit, and knows it, and doesn't want to risk further injury.

Whatever it is, to have someone with so much natural talent, being marked lowest, in a team that didn't perform well (despite the score line), something is wrong.

My take; we signed him to play in the deep midfield role. He’s not very good at it and nowhere near Norwood’s level so Norwood plays in that role. We’ve found a role but that doesn’t always suit how we want to play and he’s not good enough to build a team round; that’s Ndiaye, we have to set up to get the best of out him.
We don’t have enough options in midfield so he’s being asked to “do a job”. It doesn’t really suit him but we don’t really have anyone else to come in. Doyle and McAtee are good but, as with most young players, suffer from inconsistency. Osborn is energetic but lightweight and gives the ball away unnecessarily too much, when he’s fit, which doesn’t seem that often these days. Coulibaly? No idea, he’s had terrible form apparently at Beerschott and then injured. There’s little to suggest that he’s now going to come in and dominate midfield.
In an ideal world, we’d bring a right sided CM in during this window, one who’s prepared to do the defensive side of the job with more gusto, even if he’s not as good going forward as Berge. With hindsight, we should have sold him last summer. If we’d have got £15m, that would have been enough to bring in a couple more than we did, who’d have probably contributed more than he has.

 

[Hillsboro Blade]

I miss the good old days of Bobby Ford, Ian Hamilton, Paul Thirlwell and Dean Hammond.

 

[Ndiayewillalwaysloveyou]

I miss the good old days of Bobby Ford, Ian Hamilton, Paul Thirlwell and Dean Hammond.

And Mark Duffy and Paul Coutts. Proper midfielders

 

[Hillsboro Blade]

And Mark Duffy and Paul Coutts. Proper midfielders

Duff man and Coutts in the Prem would have been nice.

 

[bladesmanluke]

Duffy, Fleck and Coutts was the perfect midfield. Nothing comes close

 

[alcoblade]

No fucker on here, including myself, knows what Berge is being asked to do each game by Hecky or which role Berge sees himself as his best role etc etc

Reality is Hecky keeps picking him so clearly he is doing good enough, even when he has a bad game

Sure that might annoy the Harry/Warnock/Blackwell disciples of how United should always play but it it what it is right now

Why quite a large section of our fan base want to bury the kid every game I can’t fathom but as with above, is what it is

You’re right he gets an above average amount of attention / stick. That’s a combination of the price tag, fanboys still insisting he’s something he clearly isn’t, him himself wanting away, and really very average (at best) performance on the field.

It’s just not true to bracket that as people demanding non football. Just about everyone was asking for Berge to be swapped for Doyle, rather than McAtee, and he’s about as far from a Blackwell player as possible.

In general, people just expect him to contribute like an average player would, and of late he’s not even hitting that bar.

 

[alcoblade]

Not sure if it is a confidence thing or a fitness thing, but we all know that when he is "on it", Sander is one of the best, if not the best, in this league (and I include Illiman in that), he is much better when playing in an attacking position, he is bigger than any other player on the pitch and when he wants to, he glides past players and with his stride length, he is approaching the opposition box before you know it. He has goals in him, we have seen this.

Something is not right and maybe he is not match fit, and knows it, and doesn't want to risk further injury.

Whatever it is, to have someone with so much natural talent, being marked lowest, in a team that didn't perform well (despite the score line), something is wrong.

In my opinion, the best version of Sander Berge (not his best moments multiplied up) is just miles behind the quality of Ndiaye.

 

[Brownieblade]

You’re right he gets an above average amount of attention / stick. That’s a combination of the price tag, fanboys still insisting he’s something he clearly isn’t, him himself wanting away, and really very average (at best) performance on the field.

It’s just not true to bracket that as people demanding non football. Just about everyone was asking for Berge to be swapped for Doyle, rather than McAtee, and he’s about as far from a Blackwell player as possible.

In general, people just expect him to contribute like an average player would, and of late he’s not even hitting that bar.

He was brought here to play a role, what particular role no one knows specifically other than some role as a CM

Due to injuries he was thrust into various positions and was better technically than most of not all thought he would be, as in creating stuff etc

So from that we now have large sections of fans who suddenly think he should be doing that every week regularly, when reality is most likely up to that point he probably was never given that role in any of teams before bar probably as a kid

Then you have the price tag nonsense, if a club pays 40 million for you as a CB, play you in midfield for half a season etc then your price tag doesn’t mean you should be the best midfielder at the club

If Berge seems himself, prefers to play as a deep midfielder then that’s what he is

If he is suited to play further up or if he should go somewhere else, they are different questions

But expecting someone to be the creative spark every week, and to get on the kid every week when he isn’t, just because some In crowd think he can is a bit nonsensical Imo

And yeh people are expecting non football stuff. He is over 6 foot so he should be winning every single header, he is over 6ft so he should be twatting people every week, he plays in midfield so he should be running around like speedy Gonzales sticking his foot in and if he doesn’t, well god forbid loll

This clubs fans have always had scapegoats, it’s as natural to us as pigs thinking they are massive and Berge has now cemented that

We go up next year but don’t spend and Berge is stay here then it’s 200% guranteed who will be slagged every week for not being as good as city/Liverpool/Arsenal or whoever , and we all know it won’t be illy

 

[Brownieblade]

In my opinion, the best version of Sander Berge (not his best moments multiplied up) is just miles behind the quality of Ndiaye.

Two different players, like saying Hoddle was shit because he wasn’t as creative as Maradona or Pele

 

[Frank the tank]

So his good form at the end of last season and the start of this is forgotten about and he's now judged on his last couple of games ?

Seems fair

 

[alcoblade]

Two different players, like saying Hoddle was shit because he wasn’t as creative as Maradona or Pele

It isn’t, because I’ve not said he’s shit or anything like. He’s a decent, but very limited player with a few strong points. Ndiaye is clearly top quality, Berge clearly isn’t.

The market will decide. Berge’s worth is a fraction of Ndiaye’s.

 

[alcoblade]

So his good form at the end of last season and the start of this is forgotten about and he's now judged on his last couple of games ?

Seems fair

Who’s judging him on his last few games?

 

[Nicesheffielder]

Who’s judging him on his last few games?

Ummmm the judges have voted he's been SHITE

 

[alcoblade]

He was brought here to play a role, what particular role no one knows specifically other than some role as a CM

Due to injuries he was thrust into various positions and was better technically than most of not all thought he would be, as in creating stuff etc

So from that we now have large sections of fans who suddenly think he should be doing that every week regularly, when reality is most likely up to that point he probably was never given that role in any of teams before bar probably as a kid

Then you have the price tag nonsense, if a club pays 40 million for you as a CB, play you in midfield for half a season etc then your price tag doesn’t mean you should be the best midfielder at the club

If Berge seems himself, prefers to play as a deep midfielder then that’s what he is

If he is suited to play further up or if he should go somewhere else, they are different questions

But expecting someone to be the creative spark every week, and to get on the kid every week when he isn’t, just because some In crowd think he can is a bit nonsensical Imo

And yeh people are expecting non football stuff. He is over 6 foot so he should be winning every single header, he is over 6ft so he should be twatting people every week, he plays in midfield so he should be running around like speedy Gonzales sticking his foot in and if he doesn’t, well god forbid loll

This clubs fans have always had scapegoats, it’s as natural to us as pigs thinking they are massive and Berge has now cemented that

We go up next year but don’t spend and Berge is stay here then it’s 200% guranteed who will be slagged every week for not being as good as city/Liverpool/Arsenal or whoever , and we all know it won’t be illy

I agree with some of that.

I think you’d have to agree that for a big man, he’s poor in the air, and not strong in the tackle?

He uses his size and strength really well when carrying the ball forward.

 

[alcoblade]

Ummmm the judges have voted he's been SHITE

I haven’t seen those posts, but I”ll take your point that they must exist.

 

[A Storm of Blades]

Even if he is shit and the worst player ever
We have to go with what we've got and make the best with what we have we don't have a lot of options
This team is eleven points clear with out ever having a full strength side out never mind a settled eleven like Burnley

And would every team in the Championship have him in their starting 11? Yes.

 

[Frank the tank]

Who’s judging him on his last few games?

General consensus is that the guy is terrible
I'll agree he's been terrible recently (although not the worst player In a blades shirt yesterday ) but has had form where he has been outstanding
That's obviously forgotten about now

 

[Edinblade]

Duffy, Fleck and Coutts was the perfect midfield. Nothing comes close

When I started watching the midfield was Currie, Hockey & Salmons.
Now that midfield was different gravy and probably the best we’ve ever had.

 

[Brownieblade]

I agree with some of that.

I think you’d have to agree that for a big man, he’s poor in the air, and not strong in the tackle?

He uses his size and strength really well when carrying the ball forward.

Oh I’m not disagreeing about him in air or tackle, my question would be how much he needs, what level he needs to be at, to be good, maybe going to a more technical league would be better for him

 

[alcoblade]

And would every team in the Championship have him in their starting 11? Yes.

If he was judged solely on his performance in England over three seasons, and not based on reputation, he would not be a guaranteed start in every championship team.

I suspect his continued inclusion with us may be forced upon the management in order to keep his sale value up.

 

[alcoblade]

Oh I’m not disagreeing about him in air or tackle, my question would be how much he needs, what level he needs to be at, to be good, maybe going to a more technical league would be better for him

It would without doubt. But I think he needs to increase his overall involvement significantly, however / wherever he’s played.

 

[alcoblade]

General consensus is that the guy is terrible
I'll agree he's been terrible recently (although not the worst player In a blades shirt yesterday ) but has had form where he has been outstanding
That's obviously forgotten about now

I don’t think the consensus is that he’s terrible. A terrible disappointment, without doubt. That’s price tag / reputation related, and is inevitable.

You are right, his performances for us this season, pre injury, were a real highlight and he was a pleasure to watch.

 

[Brownieblade]

It would without doubt. But I think he needs to increase his overall involvement significantly, however / wherever he’s played.

Possibly though I don’t think it would be seen as such a big need in Spain or Italy to name just two

 

[Frank the tank]

I don’t think the consensus is that he’s terrible. A terrible disappointment, without doubt. That’s price tag / reputation related, and is inevitable.

You are right, his performances for us this season, pre injury, were a real highlight and he was a pleasure to watch.

A lot of people posting that he is terrible
pommpey devoted 45 minutes of purile unhumorous insults in the shoutbox yesterday for example

 

[Brownieblade]

If he was judged solely on his performance in England over three seasons, and not based on reputation, he would not be a guaranteed start in every championship team.

I suspect his continued inclusion with us may be forced upon the management in order to keep his sale value up.

Here is where I disagree the most mate, I agree there may be some managers who would look at him and think i want to see more, how can I put it, more British style effort, but there aren’t many others in the league who can get the ball and do what he can with it

That bit alone gets him in, even when playing poorly he can still produce two or 3 runs or a few link up balls that vast majority in this league can’t

 

[Alan Birchenall's hair]

He'll end up playing in the Danish/Belgian/Swedish etc .. league. 'Cos that's his level. the idea that he could play Premier League football is ridiculous. In the Prem, tackles are harder, players are faster, brains are smarter.
Still, his comedy 'attempted headers' provided light relief during a stupendously dull afternoon.

 

[Espania blade]

When I started watching the midfield was Currie, Hockey & Salmons.
Now that midfield was different gravy and probably the best we’ve ever had.

I do miss Brian Richardson though, he was 'ard proper 'ard !

Maybe Berge is on the move and has been told "don't get injured (aka Lunn'y) ?

Either way he is not a bad player, on his day he is a joy to watch

 

[robbiez666]

And would every team in the Championship have him in their starting 11? Yes.

would they fuck. John Swift can't get in the WBA starting 11 most weeks and he's been twice the player Berge has in England.

They'd all have Norwood though.

 

[ekke287]

Berge had an off day yesterday for sure, and his performances recently have been off the pace, but some of the stick he receives on here is embarrassing.

He was on the right side, then the left side, then the right side, with other pacier players bombing forward, and was in the box several times attacking, but can do no right.

It seems to also be forgotten that he’s been a starter when fit in a team now 11 points clear of third. No team can perform that well with one player down consistently.

Get off his back and get behind the TEAM. We’re doing well and he’s part of that success.