Sander Berge

[crucialkneeligaman]

Called it weeks ago, scapegoat alert

He might have some competition though VW with Mousse coming up fast on the rails. The defeat to Reading last night was the final straw.

 

[gordoncharles]

It was the Reading fan that made that comment, I don't think many of us who have seen him think that, so far, but give the lad a fucking break.

I know, I mentioned the Reading fan.

And I also said I hope he becomes a great player. That's giving him a fucking break.

If you want to look for scapegoaters, don't look at me. I'm just sick of people telling me how marvellous he's been so far when he hasn't.

 

[thawot]

Then that Reading fan can no more see what's actually taking place than some on here. So far the guy has been, to put it as accurately as possible, mediocre. Last night he was ordinary in an uninspired team performance.

If he's Busquets then Fleck is Messi.

I'd never seem him play before he signed so I can only go on the words of the others who say he's so great. But there's a gap as wide a Norwegian Canyon between how he's meant to be and what I've seen so far with my own eyes.

Maybe someday soon he will be terrific, I hope so, but I wish some people would stop pretending he already is. I imagine this is the problem of us actually signing a player that the hipsters like.

Cheer up mate.

 

[BobblesBlade]

He will be awesome!

Could be wrong but maybe Wilder is asking him to try different things on the pitch. The defensive side and then the attacking side. Get him settled in and Wilder and Berge will find what’s best

 

[Jon Bon II]

Watching match last night and the Mrs sees Sander Berge on the screen and goes "Who's he, he looks like a face off Pro Evo or sumat"

And it's so true

View attachment 72938

Did you say "Yes, it's Serge Bander and he plays for Steel City United in the English League.."?

 

[Bruce Wayne]

Sander is quality that is adjusting to a new level. He's still a kid but clearly has outstanding attributes and his best position to date is holding midfielder. Wilder is working hard on making him more versatile playing the box to box game and it will pay off in time. Right now I can't see him taking the pings shirt so patience is required despite the price we paid.

 

[Charlieblade]

I realise that @raimond’s comment was slightly tongue in cheek, but maybe there’s also some truth in it. It’s a bit like comparing silk to sandpaper. The players he is surrounded by are more earthy and nails than perhaps he is used to. Seems very well brought up, overly polite, and keen to please.
Maybe we should add socialization to the list of changes he has to adapt to. The dressing room humour must be quite baffling to such a cultured young lad?
He seems a bit like the professorial type, alongside a load of scrappers from a sink estate.
That kind of cultural adaptation may make things more difficult for him to settle in easily, compared to someone like Norwood for example. Great skills, but steeped in the uniquely English football culture, based on a lifetimes experience of it.
If social misfits like McBurnie can fit in to the side, then Berge can too. It might just take him a little longer.

 

[The Vicar]

Seen Rodri for MC a few times on TV & I imagine SB doing the sort of job that he does. Protects the back 3 when not in possession, but pushes forward to support the attack when we are in possession, but probably not beyond the opposition box.

Ultimately this may mean a change in how the team sets up, but at the moment I cannot see how he fits the present system, unless CW perseveres with him on the right side of midfield.

 

[LoughboroBlade]

 

[bongleblade]

View attachment 73038

interesting he named checked Besic at the end of that snippet (on beeb website), looks like his time with us might not be over just yet

 

[LoughboroBlade]

interesting he named checked Besic at the end of that snippet (on beeb website), looks like his time with us might not be over just yet

I actually wouldn’t be surprised if he came in tomorrow given the amount of minutes Berge & Lundstram played at Reading. Then again I wouldn’t be surprised if he was nowhere near the squad again – all really depends on whether Berge (who I think we all probably recognise isn’t likely to be used to the demands of the team quite yet) has recovered.

 

[JayGreen17]

He’s also trying to fit into a system that is completely alien to the rest the footballing world, we play a very unusual system and a team that is also very well drilled and know each other’s roles inside out, add to that the intensity and speed of the Prem and his age, of course he’s going to take time, now we’re safe he’s a shoe in for the rest of the season, especially as Lunny is playing for time on his contract.

 

[FTPE]

I also think what we're seeing is a lad that is slowly playing his way into confidence and form, so he's probably consciously toning down some of the more risky elements of his game. I'm sure that in time we'll start to see more of those driving runs and quick turns that set up attacks.

I appear to be in a minority but I still believe he had a good game yesterday, overall. A better first half yes, but even with a weaker second half, still good. It's not likely to be a coincidence that as a team we were worse in the second half throughout the team (with the odd exception).

Just a final point. I see a lot of people making direct comparisons between Berge and Norwood. At first glance that may seem logical given that last night he played in the role that Norwood usually plays. I'd argue that those comparisons are futile though. Wilder wasn't trying to buy a carbon copy of Oliver Norwood when he brought Berge in. Why would he? You can only play one at a time in the current system. It is by design, not accident that Wilder has brought someone in who is not just 'another Norwood'. I think it's obvious that Berge is part of a gradual evolution in the way that we play but in the short term he will bring something different to Norwood, Fleck and Lundstram and give us additional options. You simply won't get like for like performances from any of them if and when they play each others roles (which is obviously rare anyway because we have such a specific way of playing with roles within that). I think Wilder will be looking toward developing the team into one which can control possession more in the Premier League, akin to the way we were able to a level down in the Championship. If that is the case then I believe Berge will bring a lot to the table and I'm looking forward to it.

I just hope as fans we can be patient with Berge and any other newbies for that matter; it must be tough coming into such a well-oiled machine and to make your mark immediately.

Love this post. Some great points.

 

[FMBlade1]

The phrase 'if you're explaining you're losing' comes to mind in Wilder's press conference.

If he feels the need to defend him he obviously feels like he's under some fair/unfair scrutiny and I fear that some within the club may have even seen this thread and have taken the wrong message.

The message from me and several others so far is not that we doubt his ability to succeed, just that we doubt whether it's in the team's best short term interest for him to start.

One can counter by saying that Wilder has good judgement and is a fantastic manager, but it is a forum after all for us to comment about our players who we as fans contribute towards.

 

[blademark]

I think he has obvious quality, and he will be part of our evolution. When we eventually adapt our shape and style, as we must, to progress further, Berge will be part of that and become much more of a central character playing his own part rather the part of someone else.

 

[Akinbiyi]

Couple of articles here, in a language I can’t speak. One post-Reading, one about how outstanding Dean Henderson is.

Sander Berges «brutale» kveld: – Klarte ikke røre meg

READING (VG) Det tar tid å tilpasse seg engelsk fotball. Det fikk Sander Berge (22) merke da han debuterte i FA-cupen og spilte over 90 minutter for første gang.

www.vg.no

Berge: - Det er helt sykt

READING (VG) Denne helgen ble det satt fyr på spekulasjonene om at Dean Henderson (22) snart blir ny førstekeeper for både England og Manchester United. Det overrasker overhodet ikke hans lagkamerat Sander Berge (22).

www.vg.no

 

[Bladesman]

Wilder will get Berge up to speed with our system despite him looking distinctly average on Tuesday night. He did look more a 22quid player than 22mil one but that isn't to say he wont improve.

I just thought in this round of the FA cup Wilder gambled a bit too much with team selection hence why it went to extra time. We should have killed off that game early doors.

 

[CoatesyBlade]

Wilder will get Berge up to speed with our system despite him looking distinctly average on Tuesday night. He did look more a 22quid player than 22mil one but that isn't to say he wont improve.

I just thought in this round of the FA cup Wilder gambled a bit too much with team selection hence why it went to extra time. We should have killed off that game early doors.

I don't think he gambled enough!
Then again 'danger' is my middle name!

 

[CarlMcBlade]

Berge is more of a replacement for Norwood than Lunny. The latter is a box to box man, whereas Norwood and Berge are ball players.

 

[blademark]

Berge is more of a replacement for Norwood than Lunny. The latter is a box to box man, whereas Norwood and Berge are ball players.

Lunny was a ball player before a change of role this season. Certainly was at Oxford.

 

[LoughboroBlade]

FYI, his stats from Reading compared to Norwood vs Brighton courtesy of WhoScored.

Berge		Norwood
85%	Passing Accuracy	89%
95 0 0	Passes Key passes Crosses	81 3 14
13	Long balls	18
6	Accurate long balls	12
0	Aerials won	0
105 2	Touches Bad control	101 2
1	Interceptions	0
3	Dribbles won	0
2	Tackles	1

This sort of chimes with what I thought at the time – he was very involved, wasn’t too different in terms of passing accuracy to Norwood, was better moving with the ball, did well defensively, but was far less involved further forward than Norwood usually is – Norwood way ahead with involvement with key passes and crossing, presumably a lot down to his positioning on Tuesday. As I typed in the match thread at half-time with my cold hands, it was more Coutts-like than Norwood-esque.

 

[Elkmooseloose]

There is no doubt that Berge is a great talent, and his games have been okay, at least the defensive part and ball distribution! However, I want Wilder to push him to take more risks on the offensive, to drive forward like he is so excellent at IF he does it, to go on runs behind the defense, to overlap at the sides, to make more crosses, which he is also good at normally, shoot etc etc. He can do more. However I also feel he is playing more safe right now. Propably will see more and more from him. Going from Belgium is a big step for a midfielder, and once up to speed I really think he will make more of himself on the offensive. However playing DM, he has never been so much involved on the offensive, whereas in Norways 4-4-2 he was much more involved further up the pitch. The good thing is that he is normally just as good or better against better opponents. Will be fun to see him vs. Manchester.

 

[Darthblade]

He needs time to adjust to our unique style and time to adjust to the speed of the game in the premiership.

It will come ...... but we must be smart enough to be patient.

UTB & FTP

 

[ChipButtyBlade]

Its how he compares to the opposition that matters.

Saturday i will be comparing Berge with Cantwell,is that fair.

 

[Charlieblade]

No apologies for reminding his critics that he has joined a successful and well organized side and been thrown in to it as a starter for just a handful of games.
His own team mates hardly know him yet.
How long have Lundstram, Norwood and Fleck had to settle into the system?

Berge is quality, class and still very young to be tearing the EPL a new one in his first 5 weeks!

 

[ChipButtyBlade]

No apologies for reminding his critics that he has joined a successful and well organized side and been thrown in to it as a starter for just a handful of games.
His own team mates hardly know him yet.
How long have Lundstram, Norwood and Fleck had to settle into the system?

Berge is quality, class and still very young to be tearing the EPL a new one in his first 5 weeks!

Norwood fitted in straight away,no bedding in,he did miss a penalty (shoot out) tho in his first game Lge Cup match against Dull City iirc.

 

[LoughboroBlade]

Norwood fitted in straight away,no bedding in

He did. Though Norwood was a more experienced individual that didn’t have to move to England for the first time. He was also put into a relatively meaningless game first rather than a league game, and was played in the type of position he was most familiar with, at a time when the season was still warming up.

Berge, in contrast, is young, moving to a new country, being asked to not only learn a new system but has been thrown straight into a position he’s not really played in, and then played in the one more like his previous roles (presumably putting whatever he learnt playing RCM in the previous games on hold temporarily). Wilder’s highlighted the difficulty that this all combined is for a young player, not to mention one that has the weight of a record transfer fee to boot.

 

[E1Blade]

He’s going to become a class above in the coming seasons. We’ve all scene glimpses of his quality. Watch this space. UTB

 

[Blade58]

Berge is only going to get better.

We're on our way................................. with Sander Berge as a key cog in that big revolving wheel

 

[blade67]

It's far too early to make any judgement on how Berge will perform in the EPL.

He's obviously talented from the way he performed in Belgium but I think his biggest challenges now are handling the step up in pace and general physicality.