Man U

[DeLorean]

He didn't let him go , he chose not to purchase him

Same thing really. If he had came up with the cash he'd still be there so therefore he let him go by not doing so. Crazy move and not just in hindsight, it was clear to almost everybody at the time.

[gustavo]

Same thing really. If he had came up with the cash he'd still be there so therefore he let him go by not doing so. Crazy move and not just in hindsight, it was clear to almost everybody at the time.

Not really the same thing , letting him go implies that he was already their player which he wasn't really
Don't think it was that crazy at the time as he knew he'd have to pay €30m + on a player who he knew wouldn't be getting in his first choice XI

[DeLorean]

Not really the same thing , letting him go implies that he was already their player which he wasn't really

He had the option of signing him and he didn't, it's not like he was involved in a bidding war he just didn't match the valuation. By not doing this he 'let him go' instead. I thought it was ridiculous. Paying £30m for a player is usually fairly risky but he was already proven as a quality player for the club and is relatively young. United's best season of recent times came when Tevez was starting regularly.

[old git]

He had the option of signing him and he didn't, it's not like he was involved in a bidding war he just didn't match the valuation. By not doing this he 'let him go' instead. I thought it was ridiculous. Paying £30m for a player is usually fairly risky but he was already proven as a quality player for the club and is relatively young. United's best season of recent times came when Tevez was starting regularly.

tevez also had the option of staying at utd and he didn't stay ... personally i think tevez agent wanted one last big pay day !! and chose higher offer... and utd would not match offer .. but think relations between fergie & tevez had become strained also .. maybe sorry now because just the type of player utd could use at the moment

[DeLorean]

tevez also had the option of staying at utd and he didn't stay ... personally i think tevez agent wanted one last big pay day !! and chose higher offer

How did Tevez have the option of staying exactly? I think it was very clear at one stage that he wanted to stay but got increasingly frustrated with United's unwillingness to pay up, once Berbatov was starting ahead of him every week I'd say he decided to cut his losses.

[old git]

How did Tevez have the option of staying exactly? I think it was very clear at one stage that he wanted to stay but got increasingly frustrated with United's unwillingness to pay up, once Berbatov was starting ahead of him every week I'd say he decided to cut his losses.

tevez kept saying he wanted to stay at utd... why could he not say to his agent i want to stay at utd even if they only offer 20 million .. he as the player should have the final say on were he wants to play football ... but will agree he probally got really frustrated near end of season and i think he & fergie were not on the best of terms which also did not help .

[EastTerracer]

Unfortunately for Tevez he did not have any say in this. Kia Joorabchian, the agent who brought both Tevez and Mascherano to England, is a controversial character because he didn't represent the players, he effectively owned them. He started buying player registrations many years ago and effectively loaned Tevez to Boca Juniors for a few years before lending him to West Ham. We now know that this was in breach of Premier League rules (which is why Sheffield United sued West Ham and won, when they were relegated). Because of the rules, United negotiated a slightly different contract with Joorabchian to avoid any Premier League issues. However, when the loan period was over Joorabchian put the new high price on Tevez and told United to take it or leave it - it seems that Tevez has zero involvement in this other than to negotiate his own wages when a deal is done - the 30-40m pounds that was mentioned was purely a financial gain for Joorabchian which Manchester City were willing to pay. Overall it is a very shady arrangement and I think United's mistake was dealing with this agent in the first place.

[bennocelt]

Not really the same thing , letting him go implies that he was already their player which he wasn't really
Don't think it was that crazy at the time as he knew he'd have to pay €30m + on a player who he knew wouldn't be getting in his first choice XI


Rather than spending the same amount on someone like Berbatov....................Ferguson def screwed up on the Tevez deal

[shakermaker1982]

Nani needs shooting. It was like watching McGeady x100.

[DeLorean]

Nani needs shooting. It was like watching McGeady x100.

Yeah, undoubted quality and great crosses at times but had a shocker in that department yesterday.

[gustavo]

Rather than spending the same amount on someone like Berbatov....................Ferguson def screwed up on the Tevez deal
Except that Ferguson didn't have Berbatov in his squad for a year before hand

Berbatov is a top quality player IMO but playing upfront on his own doesn't utilize his qualities to the full extent

[Closed Account 2]

I don't think he's top quality, I would say there are probably around 50 better strikers in Europe. Berbatov is an average player with a decent touch but, as the Blackburn fans sang yesterday, "he only scores when they're winning"... 7 of his 12 league goals have been in matches Man Utd were already winning. He doesnt forage and graft for chances, Tevez is a significantly better player than Berbatov. He's got either opening goals or goals that gave city the lead in the following 8 games:

Birmingham, Wigan, Fulham, Bolton, Blackburn, Wolves, Chelsea, West Ham.

And this doesnt include games where he's got equalisers (like Chelsea away). Tevez is much more likely to get a crucial goal than Berbatov (who seems to specialise in scoring against stretched defences when his team is already 2-3 goals up).

[John83]

... as the Blackburn fans sang yesterday, "he only scores when they're winning"... 7 of his 12 league goals have been in matches Man Utd were already winning...
Tevez starts. Berbatov comes off the bench for the league champions. Of course Berbatov scores a higher percentage of his goals when his team are ahead. That's when he gets to play.

What is it with sports fans and meaningless statistics?

[Closed Account 2]

Berbatov and Tevez this season: (Prem League from soccerway)

Player_________Berbatov___Tevez
Mins____________1857_______2494
Apperances______29_________30
Starts__________21_________28
Sub On__________8__________2
Sub Off_________10_________10
Goals___________12_________22

Derived (Averages)
Player_________Berbatov___Tevez
Min/goal________154________113
Goals/game______0.41_______0.73
Goals/start_____0.57_______0.79

[KK77]

Manchester United midfielder Owen Hargreaves' long-term future is again unclear after he suffered another injury setback.

Hargreaves, who has been hampered by a series of knee problems, will miss the start of the season.

The midfielder made only one substitute appearance in the last campaign after missing 18 months of action through injury.

He did not have enough time to make England's World Cup squad but it was hoped he could join United on their summer tour.

They leave for their training camp in Chicago on Monday but instead Hargreaves is having further treatment.

It is a massive blow for the player especially as United's first match is in Canada, where he was born and raised, against Celtic in Toronto a week tonight.

Manager Sir Alex Ferguson told MUTV: 'The bad news is that Owen Hargreaves is back in America seeing a specialist.

'He will not be ready for the start of the season. I do not know when he will be back.'

Former United striker Andy Ritchie added: 'It is just one thing after another. You have got to fear for the boy's future. Let us hope it is not as bad as we all fear.'

[OwlsFan]

Federico Macheda.... you beauty!!!! remember the name folks.

Yes, especially at Doncaster where he now plays.

[ArdeeBhoy]

Please please keep 'Agent Moyes'...
;)

[OwlsFan]

Please please keep 'Agent Moyes'...
;)

I shouldn't have mentioned him! Typical scores the winner. That's 5 by Man U loanees in past two games.

[Charlie Darwin]

I shouldn't have mentioned him! Typical scores the winner. That's 5 by Man U loanees in past two games.
At least the ratio is going down.

[ArdeeBhoy]

Moyes could always replace Dave Jones...

[OwlsFan]

Is there a no thanks button?

[ArdeeBhoy]

To Dave Jones?