Feb 21
Kia confirms Tevez fears as Blackburn visit OT
Kia Joorabchian, the representative/owner of the rights to Carlos Tevez, reportedly said this to the Daily Star:
“Carlos is in the market now that United have not made any move for him. We are now studying other options and interested parties. There is no option left with United any longer.”
Actual quotes by his owner — although, considering the shady past of the businessman, it could just mean kicking United out of their slumber with regards to sealing Tevez’s contract — at the least, it points to problems with United stalling over the deal, intentionally. Or just balking at the asking price for the Argentinian.
What’s with us and Argentinian players? Veron didn’t work out. Heinze just decided to become a prick one fine sunny morning. And Tevez is not being wanted by the ownership, considering the extent they went toward securing him.
The pity is Tevez really has that honesty in his eye and desire to play for us — which is really not something one usually gets to see these days in footballers who come from outside England. [An example as recent as this -- of course, in this case you can't really blame the player for wanting to win something of consequence.]
The lesson from this — I know we are still in speculation stage and an official response from the OT hierarchy is certainly possible refuting these claims with a ‘we are still exploring it’ — is that loyalty has to work both ways. I know it’s business, you might tell, but when a player: has been an excellent servant for the club, is adored by fans, and, always keeps his head and gives his all when on the pitch despite his uncertainty over his future, it’s a shame Tevez’s exit may — and I stress, may — have to end like this.
A player like Tevez does not deserve this sort of a send off.
On to today’s game, Sam Allardyce, whose career has involved moving from a shit kicking side, to a club full of mad inebriated drunks for fans/owner, to a club that has, in the past, been known for its shit kicking expertise. So life has seemingly come full circle for him, one could say.
Big Sam, thinks United are not ‘untouchable’, saying we may drop points or concede goals at times. Fair play to him though. I’m already saturated lately with hyperbole showered on Giggs and Carrick as contenders for Player of the year awards when I think everyone is a distant second to Nemanja Vidic. We’ve had a distinctly average season, yet, have been doing better, according to the table. Yet, funnily enough, despite having been average, I think this is Fergie’s best squad ever. I raised that issue last season, but was not sure how that squad stacked up against the ones of ’99 and ’94. But I am convinced this one is our, and Fergie’s, best ever, despite the fact that we’re yet to pick domestic or European trophies, WC Championship apart. I can rattle off reasons ranging to the versatility of the players, the mix of youth and experience, and, chiefly, the ability to be, more or less, ‘injury proof’ having played so much, and travelled so much.
On the ‘untouchable’ topic, Benitez thinks we’re not untouchable. However, it being Benitez, I think he’s a pratt. So he can go shove his thoughts on our chances wherever he wants to. I can care less about the fat, fact checking, Spanish waiter.
Of course, in the past, I may have called him bitter and classless in casual conversations with many of my mates, although, I haven’t necessarily said them here on the blog. So I admit, it may have been unbecoming of me, for having said those things about him to my mates, and I apologise for that.
From here on, I shall call him bitter and classless also on this blog.
In terms of squad lineups, I can only guess but, I’m pretty sure Rooney will partner Berbatov. I really wish Ronaldo was rested at some point of time against the Stokes and West Broms of this world. He really looks jaded and could benefit from two games at a trot on the bench against relatively easy opposition. Sadly that has not happened. For all Fergie’s legendary man management ability, if I had a quibble, it would be his handling of Ronaldo this season. I tend to believe that the winger talks himself into the starting XI, but there has to be someone who’d tell Fergie that sitting him down a couple of games on the bench would be good for him, and United, for the rest of the season. Anyway, Blackburn have always represented a tricky encounter and, despite it being at OT, it’s not a game to rest Ronaldo. Nani could start on the other wing with Neville, perhaps getting a right back berth. Carrick is certain to start while his partner could be either of Fletcher or Giggs. I think the defence might pick itself.
Prediction: 2-0 to United.
Related items from Red Rants:
- Breaking down the United-Tevez-Kia tug of war
- Twists Galore as Tevez Saga Continues
- Manchester United Sign Tevez?
- High Court Comes to Tevez’s Rescue
- Tevez Update: Is a Solution Finally In Sight?
Tags: Manchester United News
Craig Mc (195)
RedDevilEddy (170)
Opti (136)
Moscow is my heaven (96)
Ian (95)
@Rahul: Superb and he said in the summer he wasn’t fit last season, if he gets fully fit then jeez we will have a superb player, dare I say like a new signing.@colver: We have injuries like all sides, probably just down to bad luck, we have never had theis problem in the past and I doubt we are doing anything different.
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Concerning Benzema, I dunno what to say. I watched Lyon a lot last season, and have watched them sometimes this season. Benzema is the ultimate striker, in a way. He can keep the ball, he is strong. Lighting speed and deadly finishing is for me a perfect attacker. He can also head the ball well, and has a Ruud type of positioning in front of goal. He also comes deep to get the ball, because he wants to win all the time. Bad thing is he is a fuckign moron, a wanker, a puff, a “gangster” in the words of a former Lyon player. I dont want his personality at our club, but his skills are not something I would reject. He is not worth more than £35 million, and if he could change his fucking personal style(which he probably wont), I dont want him at our club.
Good thing though is that Fergie in that interview also said that Franck Ribery was a great player, and would do well in the Premier League. He said some more cool stuff about Ribery, and said he admired him. Who knows? If we get rid of Tevez this summer, while Nani and Campbell leaves I wouldnt be too upset if we got Ribery and Benzema. If there is anybody who could get some sense and logic into Benzies head, its Fergie and that is why I dont have very much against him coming to our club. Of cource he is not my preffered layer for us to buy, but I wouldnt say no thanks if the money and mentality is right. But I would LOVE IT if Fergie moved for Ribery. He is class!!!
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I think with our defensive injury crisis, the Milan game might turn into a damage limitations exercise, I could see it being a dull 0-0 and then we take them at Old Trafford with Vida and Raphael back.
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@UnitedUnited: Honestly, I Believe one of our wounded will suit up for the game. It’s times like this when a manager looks deep into his wounded players eyes and asks one of them if he can gut it out and take one for the team. Flatcher or any other player at CB would be a calamity for sure and something Mourinho would try to take advantage of. You tape up Evans or O’Shea or Neville up real good, give them a few pain killers and send one of them out to fight like a warrior.
At least, that’s what they used to do before players became pussies and teams became slaves to insurance companies.
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@Orez: Shortness is not a problem for United because of the style of football we play. We don’t play with your typical target man approach and we rarely serve up high balls into the box. Fergie would be looking for a better version of Tevez and that would be the Man Utd loving Aguero who with all due respect to Tevez, is twice the player Carlito is for almost the same price. Pursuing Benzema may be all smoke and mirrors so that fewer big teams take notice of United’s primary target thus ensuring a better chance at capturing whomever that may be.
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Guys. Here is Fergie speaking on Ribery and Benzema…
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1153305/It-high-time-Wenger-bought-defender-taunts-United-boss-Ferguson.html
Look in the end. Does this mean that Ribery is lined up for ronaldo?
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@Rahul: I believe Gourcuff’s rights are owned by AC Milan who have loaned him to the French club. So I seriously doubt that Blanc has any say in the matter. Unless things have changed and I was not aware of it. And yes Gourcuff is much more of a Zidane copy than Exzema is. For me the best choice would be Ribery but that would be raping my other favorite club Bayern.
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@Rahul: Noneof the injuries are leg breaks or muscle tears. Tape one of them up real good, give him a shot and put him out there. Like I said earlier, ther comes a time when a player sometimes needs to suck it up and sacrifice himself for the club. I find it completely unbeleivable that not one of Neville, Brown, O’Shea or Evans is available in an emergency situation. Hell I played hockey with a torn cartilage in my knee and I also played US football with a dislocated shoulder that was popped into place on the sidelines and I was thrown back into the game. I have played with a broken toe, shin splints, and both groin and hamstring pulls. Painful each and every one of them but with a decent tape job and a Tylenol #3 workable. One of these boys is going to have MAN UP and suit up. Nuff said. I doubt any of those injuries would have kept Vidic from playing because he is a hard man. We need hard men, not girly men who can’t take a bit of pain and discomfort for the cause.
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@RedDevilEddy: Rafael has done fine in the past against good teams because he is more focused and less aggressive offensively. Inter doesn’t play with a great deal of width so I am not to concerned about him. It’s the CB situation with their height and finesse up front that concerns me. But then again, when did Ibrahimovich ever show up in a vital big game for all the marbles? Answer? NEVER. United are going to come out of the San Siro with either a draw or no worse than a one goal deficit. I am actually hoping for a 1-1 draw or 1-2 loss rather than 0-0 or 0-1. Get that all important away goal and leave it to the boys to score the 1-0 win at home.
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@Rahul: I’vve stated months ago that the lack of Hargreaves would not hurt us in the EPL or domestic cup competitions but would be catastrophic in the second stage of the Champions League. His versatility and specific skill set is just what is needed against Mourinhio’s Inter or Barca or Real. And you want to know who could have fit in at CB in a squeeze? I’ve seen him play sweeper for Bayern and he was almost Beckenbauer like. God I miss Hargo.
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@RedDevilEddy: Ribery would be a great buy but would also break my heart as my boy Klinsy needs him at Bayern. Yes United is still my #1 but i would prefer they go after players anywhere but Bayern. I wasn’t all that happy watching Hargo leave the Bavarian capital but I also knew that he had played far too long in one place and needed to be tested in England. As he was a Canadian hero of mine, I was so overjoyed when I read that if he was ever to leave Bayern, which he loved, it would only be for United. So no wonder why he is my favorite United player.
As for Ribery, he has been grumbling of late because he doesn’t think Bayern are doing enough to sign more big players for the future. Sorry Franck but you are an ugly little French frog of an idiot. How quickly he forgot how Bayern broke the bank to get him, Toni, Klose, Altintop, Jensen and ZeRoberto last season and how they added Borowski and Oddo this year and how they already have added Olic and the exceptional DMF Tymoschuk for next season. If nobody is that familiar with Tymoschuk, he plays for Zenit and is a Makalele like presence in the midfield with a offensive ability and a great shot. Bayern have replaced Podolski with Olic who is fast and skillful and more willing to accept the role of #3 striker/winger and all Bayern really need to be complete is replace Rensing in goal with somebody like Adler or Sebastian Frey who I know they have shown interest in. Goalkeeping or lack of,is the reason they are not in first in the Bundesliga. Rensing is just not very good. So Ribery is surrounded by great players and more are on the way. They are in good shape in the CL and are within striking distance in Germany. Yet that is not good enough for Franck. Well, perhaps a move to United is the answer.
Trust me when I say that the only missing links for United’s future are replacing EVDS with a great keeper in a year and Franck Ribery patrolling the left side of the midfield. That would free up Ronaldo much more and give us equal potency on both flanks with both of them capable of reversing sides and not skipping a beat when necessary. Still, I would prefer Ribery stay in Germany so that both my teams are top of the pyramid.
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Crikey, now i read that Rafael is injured. Could this be a series of mind games by Fergie to make Mourinho feel over confident and then zap him with a fully fit squad? God I hope I’m right.
I also read that Arteta is out for the season for Everton. Bad news for them and for England as it appears he had need naturalized and was now able to play for England. Arteta is a quality player and that injury will just crush Everton.
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Proof positive about how cunning the old fox is and why I wouldn’t worry too much about what I am reading regarding injuries. Fergie never exposes his true hand until it’s time. I love this remark;
“ALEX FERGUSON would love to send on Fabio Da Silva as a half-time sub for his identical twin Rafael — without notifying the referee.
The Manchester United boss said: “We have two great Brazilian defenders in Fabio and Rafael and it’s impossible to distinguish who is who.
“My dream would be to start one and replace him with the other without anyone noticing. They are extraordinary, they really adore football.”
Seeing as they are both right footed, it could work when one is injured. It would allow us four subs in a game. Love it.
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This Inter clash at the San Siro was setup last year by the way the team played at Barcelona. Here is what Mourinho is saying.
“The sides meet at the San Siro on Tuesday, but Mourinho believes United will play defensively ahead of the return leg at Old Trafford on 11 March. Nothing will be decided tomorrow. I don’t think Manchester will come to try to win. They’ll play very defensively.
OK, considering our defensive woes, would we not be playing right into his hands by doing exactly what all of us and he are expecting United to do? Therefore, why not risk it all and shock the world by a full speed offensive display that puts enough pressure on them and forces them on their heels a bit. What better way to take the expected pressure of our decimated back four. Take the shackles off of Ronaldo and Rooney and then “Cry havoc and let slip the dogs of war”. I say we go for it as if we were playing Stoke. It’s the last thing they would expect and if we got that early lead, then we could go back into a defensive posture and protect that lead knowing we got that all important away goal. This is why the Grognard should have the position presently being manned by one Mike Phelan.
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Hey guys. Some thoughts on tomorrows game. Evans and O’shea will play, I think/I hope, cause I doubt SAF would have taken them if they were not “fit”. They might not be 100%, but still. These is very important game for Mourinho too. He can’t afford to loose. After opening his big mouth there will be no excuses, for him to loose. He wouldn’t want a draw either. He knows he needs and advantage to bring to OT, so he will try to win and preferably comfortable win. I think they will try to play possession/controlling game, with 4-5-1 formation, most likely it will be the same team, that was against Milan couple of weeks ago, but one of Adriano and Ibra will be playing a little deeper. It’s up to SAF to think of way to counter these. 3 in the center is one way, but I doubt it will happen. I think that both Berba and Rooney will start. Giggs and Park has been rested last week, so I think they will start too and if we add our 2 automatic inclusions Ronaldo and Carrick, we will have our team. All of these is highly speculative though, we just need to wait for 24 hours.
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@Grognard: Could you imagine the outcry if Arteta was picked ahead of Gerrard or Lampard for England? not gonna happen
@Grognard: I actually thought of that before, only what I was saying was that because Fabio was apparently the more talented of the 2 that he was playing for Rafael to make him look good. Although I seriously doubt that switching them would work unless they switched shorts at HT
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@Liam: All Arteta offers England is some depth but now with a Capello as manager and even a Canadian (Yes Hargo is and always will be a Canadian) at DMF, I doubt English fans care. All they want is to finally win something. If they have to import a winning formula from Italy and Spain, they will. Gerrard and Lampard have won them absolutely nothing. And Capello knows this. And what outcry? Their would be an outcry in Chelsea and Liverpool. I don’t think the rest of England would give a damn.
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@Grognard: you are right about our injury “crisis”. its a smoke screen. Oshea has a bruised heel? thats the best they could come up with? Squad players like him dont have the luxury of not playing, he is lucky whenever SAF decides to throw him a bone. I also am 90% confident that Evans will start. judging from the way he left the blackburn game I am guessing he came off as a cautionary measure. Then again he could have easily pulled a groin, but I hope not.
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Yep orez agree with u mate, i reckon we will see oshea come in at RB and evans will make it in time to play at CB. That would be alright for me, nowhere near as bad as i was fearing it would be. Rafael hasnt travelled and evans and oshea have so they must be close to fitness or they wouldnt have ever travelled. If evans doesnt make it i guess we will see fletcher come in at RB which is why i hope we see both evans and oshea in defence with fletcher coming in the midfield position. I know i have posted team sheets alot in the last few days so i apologise for posting another but im nervous about this game and we need to get the team sheet exactly right. I want to see:
VDS
OSHEA RIO EVANS EVRA
FLETCHER CARRICK PARK
RONALDO BERBA ROONEY
You might think it a bit weird playing park in effect as a CM, but i think we need him there to mark the excellent maicon, whilst not using him in a front 3 as this would take away our attacking threat. Fletcher on the other side can help out oshea. Carrick of course will start and hopefully he will produce some of his recent brilliant performances. I think the above team is strong enough to get a good result.
As a regular watcher of inter i gotta say the only parts of their team which is very strong is ibra in the middle, the wingers and wing backs and the CM trio usually of muntari, cambiasso and stankovic is imcredibly strong which is why i dont want to see the oldies giggs or scholes against them cos they could get over run there. Seriously inter are extremely over rated and i just hope we dont sit back.
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@Grognard: I read it somewhere decent that Bordeaux have the option of making Gourcuff’s loan permanent if they want and Milan can’t refuse. But that’s off limits anyways, even if they do get him permanent, Blanc will not sell him to us immediately.. so it’s premature to talk about him comin here.
And we all miss Hargreaves.
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@Grognard: We would mate not many can get over a foreign manager, having a Spanish player playing for us is noteven an option.
Also I am sure rteta has more to him than that and would rather break into his own National side than play International football for the sake of it, he has more class than Deco, and Hargo is more English than German or Canadian due to his parents.
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If Fabio is right footed he can surely play as right back with Evra as left back and then Evans and O’Shea can play a half each at centre back.
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The issue with Benzema is simple as I see it, he is a good player no doubt great shape but playing in a pub league do hard to judge him, the main issue with him is that he is an arrogant arsehole but what do I expect he is French.
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@Stephen: Excuse me but Hargo is more Canadian than anything because he was born in Canada. I couldn’t care less if his parents were from England or Mars. He was born in my country, grew up in my country so don’t feel because his folks come from England that you can steal that right from us too. My parents are both from Greece but I am Canadian first and foremost. I take national pride and identity very seriously. Footballers will play for the best country available because it’s in their mercenary nature. If Canada had anything resembling a football team, Hargo would have represented the country of his birth. So lets get that settled now shall we.
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@Grognard: Why did he not play for Germany when he played in that country and qualified to represent them?
Some players feel they have a need to play for their parents country as they feel it is where they come from and it is essentially who they are.
I agree the choice would be more difficult if Canada had a better national side.
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Does anyone have any belief that we will win tomorrow??? i dont see what is so wrong about thinking we could nick a win off inter?
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@Grognard: who are you, his agent? haha
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Stephen, with hargreaves i thought his parents were welsh? Maybe im getting totally confused but i thought i heard he could have played for wales as well, but as i say i may be getting confused with someone else. He is a quality player anyway, we could have used him even at RB cos he looks quality where ever he plays, he really is a key player for us, defo in the top 3 of our most important midfield players after ronaldo and carrick. Wish we had him tomorrow.
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In Arsenal’s game against Roma, the only English-born player is Perotta, for Roma. And this after Wenger claimed they’re the only club in the champions league “educating young players”. Roma have De Rossi, Totti and Aquilani as products of their youth system; Arsenal have a lot of good youngsters that they nicked from other clubs. I know this has nothing to do with anything, but still. I hate how sanctimonious Wenger is about his youth policy. Where are the players from Highbury? He’s had 13 years, and not one proper homegrown star, just a cream of Europe’s crop because he can give 17 year olds big contracts…
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@Stephen: He obviously feels close to his English roots and Canada has given him no reason to be loyal to that country when it comes to soccer. Had he been a hockey player I can guarantee you England would not have been his National Team of choice.
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@benjd: No I’m his part time lover.
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http://www.epltalk.com/new-manchester-united-away-shirt-0910-season/4584
Go to the above address and take a look at United away kit for next year. I found this at EPL talk and I assume it’s true. If not, it’s a nice design and what I would call a true away kit with the right colors for a change. Now if they can just get rid of AIG
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“CRISTIANO RONALDO reckons it is time to ‘kill or be killed’ in the Champions League.
And the Portuguese superstar predicts Manchester United will deal the fatal blow to Inter Milan when they clash in the San Siro tonight.
Ronaldo said: “We have a more experienced team and are the reigning champions. “It’s time to kill or be killed. Whoever loses will exit the competition — and we don’t want to lose. “It will be a difficult game but I think Manchester United have a better team. “They’re a team with very experienced players but we also have our aces and great players. “It will be a good game, a well-contested game, and the better team will triumph.”
Way to go Ronny. Damn straight! Why the Hell should we be worried? We are the defending champions as well as the best team in the world and we need to fear Inter Fucking Milan? I don’t think so. I think they should be shitting bricks over having to face us and getting prepared for such a rude awaking and quick exit. What have they won other than their own diminishing in reputation and class league? United will prevail in this tie because they are simply far superior. Mourinho be damned. This tie will seal his return to England for next season. I’m hoping it’s Liverpool once Benitez is bounced because I’d love to really hate the Scousers with passion knowing the “Special One” is in charge there. Go ahead Jose, make my millennium.
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@Grognard: Agreed. Jose should have known that we have our own big mouth Portuguese, before opening his own mouth
. I am sure the guys will be worried because of our defensive issues, but we should pull through. As I said before Jose will be massacred by Italian press if he loses or even if it’s a draw, so they will try to win. The problem will arise if we show them to much respect, which happens a lot in Europe. Let’s hope the guys deliver.
I doubt Jose will take over scousers, the only job he wants in EPL is SAF’s. I have no doubt about it. Everything else is either too risky or not good enough. I for one, would like to see him after SAF retires. I know a lot of you will jump at me, but let me just say, that The Special One is a winner and I believe will appreciate the traditions at Man Utd.
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@Orez: I have a strange feeling that we are going to nick the game somehow, i expect ron/roon to step up and berba to run show.
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@Grognard: This shows the boy has grown and wishes to take responsibility, they are the good signs for now.
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@Grognard: Ha ha spot on!
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I was in bed with the flu for a couple of days and could not go onto the internet. Just wanted to add something to all those who claim Tevez is a crappy ‘over-priced’ striker. Let’s compare his United career with those of our other two 30m pound strikers:
—TEVEZ—
Premier League Starts : 44
Permier League Goals : 17
Premier League Goals per start percentage : 38.6%
Overall Starts : 64
Overall Goals : 29
Overall Goals per start percentage : 45.31%
—ROONEY—
Premier League Starts : 133
Permier League Goals : 61
Premier League Goals per start percentage : 45.86%
Overall Starts : 195
Overall Goals : 91
Overall Goals per start percentage : 46.66%
—BERBATOV—
Premier League Starts : 22
Permier League Goals : 7
Premier League Goals per start percentage : 31.8%
Overall Starts : 27
Overall Goals : 12
Overall Goals per start percentage : 44.4%
How bad is Tevez really?
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