Daffy Duck

A further day to reflect on the AC Milan game and it seems some journalists have spent the extra time pointlessly attempting to squeeze our excellent victory into the established patterns of criticism. Here's some idiot in The Times (James Ducker - so tempting, the obvious rhyme...) who uses it to slag off Berba:

Amid all the tributes being paid to Wayne Rooney after another virtuoso performance on Tuesday evening against AC Milan took his goals tally for the season to 25, it was easy to forget that Dimitar Berbatov was even at San Siro.

Yes, it would have been pretty good if Ducker had...

Berbatov’s omission against Milan meant that he has started only eight of United’s 20 most high-profile matches since his arrival when, because of his age, 29, and the size of transfer fee, many suspected that he would be an almost permanent fixture in the first XI.

I love it when journalist come up with random criteria for "high profile games," almost as much as I love it when they put words into the mouths of "many," of course Sir Alex never considers rotation, everyone assumed Berba would play every bloody game... The ridiculous thing (first ridiculous thing...) about the article is that Ducker actually puts the bog standard non-slagging off reason in it:

United are geared to getting the best out of Rooney and that may be something Berbatov has to come to live with. The 4-3-3 formation Ferguson favours in the big games means operating with a lone spearhead in attack, and with the days of Rooney being pushed out wide long gone, that has invariably resulted in Berbatov dropping to the bench.

But look at this final flourish of ridiculousness:

One of Ferguson’s many reasons for not signing a striker in January was his fear that Berbatov, a player who needs to feel loved, would view the arrival of another forward as a sign that his days at United were numbered, but his repeated omissions are creating a dilemma of their own.

What? That's a new one on me, has Ducker been smoking something? Or dreamt a conversation with Sir Alex. And treating it like something that should be treated logically, rather than the laughable rubbish it is, if it is "one of many reasons," at which point is it worth mentioning.... yes, none... quite...