Berge: fur coat, no knickers

[BirleyBlade!]

The only 6”5 player EVER to stand over a free kick, 35 yards out may I add, instead of being a threat in the box.

Utter dross.

 

[nopigfansintown]

The manager got the shape wrong again. We spent the game lumping the ball over his head as Bash, Robinson (I assume he was playing centre half lol), and Baldock cannot progress the ball from defence to midfield in a four. This also rendered Mcgoldrick pointless for the majority of the match. Osborn changed things a bit as he took the ball deep and ran with it pretty much from the LWB position. The manager either changes the shape, brings players in that can play his system or we are in for a struggle.

 

[Badger Blade]

He made the one good run forward where he carried the Swansea defender with him and put the cross in that should have been buried by McGoldrick. Other than that, not a lot else. The possession based style gives a free ticket to play a backwards or sideways pass and he did plenty of them. Next to someone who does a bit more running he could be quite good but not alongside Norwood and McGoldrick I'm afraid.

He needs to up the aggression if he's going to make it to the top because he seems to be going through the motions (and that was was Lundstram did....)

 

[United Aren't Back.]

Some of you lot are deluded. He had a 20 minute spell vs Brum where he ran down blind alleys. Apparently he’s supposed to be a world beater in the Championship, but he looks like the same old soft as pony, overrated young player who has been a major disappointment since we signed him.

I’m tired of waiting for him to come good, and tired of listening to those who aimlessly believe he will with no foundation. Don’t believe in the hype. Just watch him

He's just very overrated.

 

[Chingo]

Grealish would look poor at the side of Norwood!

 

[Bergen Blade]

Berge made three mistakes in quick succession first half. When that happens to a midfielder most will try to avoid taking chances and play steady, at least until he's recovered from the "shock". He didn't make many mistakes for the rest of the game, although I think he'll be disappointed with his overall game.

I also think Berge and Norwood were under instructions not to get to advanced. It is a little new to us that we don't have a back five. Then we also don't have a central midfield trio, but a duo. And we had four strikers in front of them. Away against the best Championship side from last season that did not win promotion - maybe it was a necessity for the two central midfielders to hold back a lot of the time. We did restrict them and Ramsdale didn't have a lot of saves to make.

I think we are crying out for a creative no 10, a poor man's Bruno Fernandes, a Duffy, someone to get on the ball with vision and creativity in the last third. I think Brewster is showing positive signs, but he should be playing centrally. Let's not waste the momentum he's starting to build at the moment. I'm not a fan of the idea of squeezing in as many strikers as possible.

 

[Dnblade]

Yeah good 2nd half last week, poor today.. gave the ball away 3 times in a row early on.
Looked slow and lethargic, maybe not upto speed with virtually no pre season..he improved last 10/15 minutes when getting forward more down the right.

 

[robbiez666]

Berge is an attacking midfielder, I can't fathom why nobody has worked this out yet.

He clearly doesn't want to get forward but when he does he can look unplayable.

He wants to sit deep and dictate play. Unless you have a top class ball winner next to him and a top class creative midfielder in front of him it doesn't work. Looks so soft defensively and so slow to make a decision. Teams will know now to press him and he's basically hamstrung.

 

[robbiez666]

I think we are crying out for a creative no 10, a poor man's Bruno Fernandes, a Duffy, someone to get on the ball with vision and creativity in the last third. I think Brewster is showing positive signs, but he should be playing centrally. Let's not waste the momentum he's starting to build at the moment. I'm not a fan of the idea of squeezing in as many strikers as possible.

said it before and I'll say it again, Norwood worked in the promotion season because he had Fleck running around everywhere and winning balls (with the WBs and wide CBs backing him up as well) and Duffy in front of his creating things. All he needed to do was keep it moving from side to side and play the odd Hollywood pass. Berge is exactly the same.

 

[nopigfansintown]

Possession football is a fairly simple construct. The goalkeeper gives it to the defender in space. The defenders give it to the midfielders. The midfielders then give it to the forwards and wide players. The problem tonight wasn't the third part of this equation.

 

[mcbladeface]

I feel like Berge needs someone to sit down with him. I still believe he's a pisstake in this league but there's a problem. Maybe it is just him not wanting to be here or maybe not but something seems a bit off.

Based on tonight and last week, I think it's clear that other clubs in the league have identified him as a threat and decided to deal with him you either double up on him or you kick the shit out of him. The problem is that when someone does try to kick the shit out of him, he goes missing afterwards so basically the tactic works. Don't know whether he's scared of injury or what but after a bit of lumping he played it safe, made silly mistakes and just wasn't right. It took him a huge chunk of the game before he decided to try a run forward.

A lot of it could be that his support in midfield is so inept that it makes it easy for teams to double up and take him out so if you put more quality in midfield so teams have someone else to worry about instead of just him and he's on fire. Or he just needs someone to get it into his head that instead of running scared when they start trying to kick lumps out of him, he needs to get mad.

 

[Trigger]

He has massive potential, just not showing enough of it yet.
Whether it’s the players around him, the system, being targeted by the opposition or just not pushing himself enough is all debatable.
I just cannot for the life of me understand why when he’s so tall, he’s not offering himself up to head the ball at set pieces either in defence or attack. He’s always standing outside the box.
Who should we put in there instead of him, Osborne?
And why are the coaches allowing it?

 

[1889]

He has ability, there’s no doubt about that, but he just doesn’t take responsibility with the ball. He almost always plays short simple ten yard passes and just fucking stands there? He doesn’t move or look to get it back, create space or drag defenders out of position, he just stands there. TBH we could get someone with a tenth of his ability to do that, so if someone wants to buy him, he can go as far as I’m concerned

I agree he should be in the box at set pieces, he’s 6’5” FFS, someone’s of a similar size is going to mark him, leaving more room for someone else who might want to head the ball

 

[Nagima]

He made the one good run forward where he carried the Swansea defender with him and put the cross in that should have been buried by McGoldrick. Other than that, not a lot else. The possession based style gives a free ticket to play a backwards or sideways pass and he did plenty of them. Next to someone who does a bit more running he could be quite good but not alongside Norwood and McGoldrick I'm afraid.

He needs to up the aggression if he's going to make it to the top because he seems to be going through the motions (and that was was Lundstram did....)

Spot on in my view

 

[Elkmooseloose]

Before he came to Sheffield, he played as DM. He overtook the opposition and took the ball and drove forward and distributed the ball to others. He had a lot of crosses. He seldom went on to shoot or make key passes. He did that too, but no often. DM was his role, not AM. Then he went to Sheff. U. and suddenly he is an attacking midfielder on the right side.

Maybe he would do better in the role he got attention for, as a DM.

Also, I have watched some of your latest games. It seems to me that your movements on the offensive needs work. Too few deep runs from midfield into the box. The attacking patterns do not seem very automated, lack of movement before a player gets the ball, so there is few short time alternatives. Too static. I guess the coach is still working on that and maybe I am wrong, but seems a bit like that too me.

What I am saying is that every player suffers when the team and the tactics does not (yet) work together, when the team composition and movements is not working. And every player is best used in the roles they are best. If it fit with the squad and players I would have used Berge as a DM in a 4-3-3, 3-5-2, 4-5-1 or 4-1-2-1-2.

Still early, I think you will improve a lot in the next month. Gain a little confidence. Just a lucky goal and a win can change everything.

 

[Hillsboro Blade]

All I can say is, enjoy him while he’s here. The only player I’ve seen that can glide past a player since Colin Morris.

 

[alcoblade]

All I can say is, enjoy him while he’s here. The only player I’ve seen that can glide past a player since Colin Morris.

A few times last week. A few times last season. Can and does - two different words.

I’m stil perplexed at his high rating by so many. It does seem more have shifted and accepted his non performance. It seems that’s currently everyone else’s fault, but eventually the penny will drop.

He’s not nearly worth the valuation. And given that we’re not good enough, we should be trading.

 

[Foody]

As soon as he gets on the ball and actually starts carrying it forward he looks like a man in a kids game. Despite what we've been told, I just don't think he suits the holding midfield role, his passing under pressure isn't good enough and his tackling is non existent.

Let him play further forward with a ball winner in midfield (Veira long term, maybe Bash/Osborn short term) and we've a player capable of causing some serious issues. Despite being largely poor last night, still single handedly created the best chance of the game.

 

[LondonBlade89]

Dispossessed twice and gave the ball away near our own box and we’re 10 minutes in. Dawdling round the pitch. He totally flatters to deceive. Cash in. If only we could.

JFC. A thread about a player after 10 minutes of football. If ever there was something to show the knee-jerk, fickle nature of football fans, this is it. Moan to a mate over text about the two mistakes in ten minutes, don’t make a full on thread. He was one of our best players last week.

 

[Lightsoot]

JFC. A thread about a player after 10 minutes of football. If ever there was something to show the knee-jerk, fickle nature of football fans, this is it. Moan to a mate over text about the two mistakes in ten minutes, don’t make a full on thread. He was one of our best players last week.

You have an issue with my timing, I get that. It was borne out of sheer frustration watching Berge. But my overriding points about him stand. You and others clearly have the patience of a saint. I expect more from a £20 million player people keep telling me we are lucky to have.

Can we not just judge him based on his actual contribution for US? That would be a start.

 

[acko17]

I thought we encouraged our team not murder at the earliest opportunity, he's a good player good players have off days fact of life, if you think he's rubbish cant help you. I heard fans say Ramsdale was rubbish is he rubbish now ??

 

[DeanLearner'sCat]

He couldn't really get too involved considering we were playing with our revolutionary 2-man midfield. He was probably a bit concerned about getting too far forward and leaving Oliver Norwood to have to try and be N'Golo Kante.

 

[Yogi]

He couldn't really get too involved considering we were playing with our revolutionary 2-man midfield. He was probably a bit concerned about getting too far forward and leaving Oliver Norwood to have to try and be N'Golo Kante.

Yeah that’s the way I saw it too the responsibility to create was solely down to the 4 strikers last night. He got forward a bit more once Burke was dropped back to make a midfield 3 but I’m not sure how how confident I’d have been in him to mop up if berge had pushed up more.

 

[Guesty]

It's interesting that Berge apologists can't decide between them what his best position actually is. Most agree that he has been used "wrongly" but for everyone who swears he's a natural attacking midfielder and equal number of people say he should be played just in front of the defence.

He's quality is undoubtedly undoubted though. No-one doubts his quality - it is beyond doubt. But he needs to be played centrally/advanced/deeper/on the right/in goal/batting at number 3 because his undoubted quality removes all doubts.

 

[alcoblade]

JFC. A thread about a player after 10 minutes of football. If ever there was something to show the knee-jerk, fickle nature of football fans, this is it. Moan to a mate over text about the two mistakes in ten minutes, don’t make a full on thread. He was one of our best players last week.

It’s been a season and a half. When can we start to judge?

 

[alcoblade]

It's interesting that Berge apologists can't decide between them what his best position actually is. Most agree that he has been used "wrongly" but for everyone who swears he's a natural attacking midfielder and equal number of people say he should be played just in front of the defence.

He's quality is undoubtedly undoubted though. No-one doubts his quality - it is beyond doubt. But he needs to be played centrally/advanced/deeper/on the right/in goal/batting at number 3 because his undoubted quality removes all doubts.

For some, he’s either not being played correctly, or he isn’t performing because those around him are shit. As free passes go, he’s been handed a huge one.

 

[A Storm of Blades]

The only 6”5 player EVER to stand over a free kick, 35 yards out may I add, instead of being a threat in the box.

Utter dross.

Maybe because he’s the only one that can deliver a decent cross?

 

[Guesty]

For some, he’s either not being played correctly, or he isn’t performing because those around him are shit. As free passes go, he’s been handed a huge one.

I have some sympathy with the second argument - no-one has played well for months. That said, he joined a very good side, one challenging for Europe, and didn't exactly rip it up then either.

Also, if he doesn't have the ability to improve a poor side then he's not much use, is he?

 

[WORKSOPBLADE]

All I can say is, enjoy him while he’s here. The only player I’ve seen that can glide past a player since Colin Morris.

Alex Sabella ? (RIP)

 

[Dan Emery]

I thought he was MOM last week.

And Gash this week. Other than the cross to McGoldrick I can't think of one thing he did.

No midfield tonight. Deplorable.

That said, the result was ok, but the performance wasn't.

Who's fault is a lack of midfield when only two midfielders are picked though? Slab trying to make a point to the board by picking 4 forwards then aying 3 out of position?