While many of the more established clubs failed to appease their fans on transfer deadline day, Martin Jol handed Fulham’s supporters plenty to cheer about with the capture of Dimitar Berbatov from Manchester United. The Bulgarian moves to Craven Cottage on a two-year deal reportedly worth £5m and reunites with Jol, having previously worked under the Dutchman at Tottenham:
Having been frozen out at United, the move gives Berbatov the chance to reignite his Premier League career after a difficult previous season harvested a mere five starts for the Old Trafford club. Knocking back a possible move to Serie A, with both Fiorentina and Juventus keen, the 31-year-old revealed his relief following completion of the transfer:
As soon as I was aware of Fulham’s interest my decision to join was an easy one to make. I’m impressed with the set up here and the people have made me feel welcome. There is a close and personal feel around the club and I can’t wait to get started.
The Statistics
Berbatov’s career began in his native country where, after scoring 77 goals in 92 games for the Pirin Blagoevgrad reserves as a youth, he was snapped up by CSKA Sofia. Making his debut as an 18-year-old, his step up to top level football was seamless, with 26 goals in 49 league games over two-and-a-half seasons at the club before Bayer Leverkusen came calling midway during the 2000-01 campaign.
Berbatov spent six years with the Bundesliga outfit and, while the first half of his tenure was relatively successful with 11 goals and nine assists from 54 appearances, the latter part was outstanding – his final 100 games in Germany harvested 57 goals and 24 assists before Tottenham came calling in May 2006. The Bulgarian’s time at White Hart Lane lasted just a couple of seasons, though; striking up a partnership with Robbie Keane, he flourished under Jol first time round with 27 goals and 15 assists in 69 league games and was snapped up by United on transfer deadline day in a sensational £30m swoop.
Of his four seasons at Old Trafford, only one – the 2010-11 campaign – can be classified as a real success from a personal perspective. With 20 goals that term, Berbatov was the joint-top scorer in the top-flight, with the particular Fantasy highlight being a five-goal haul against Steve Kean’s Blackburn in November 2010. Edged towards the periphery last term, with Danny Welbeck preferred as Wayne Rooney’s regular partner, Berbatov’s fate was finally sealed this summer after the arrival of Robin Van Persie from Arsenal. His record at United stands at 48 goals and 20 assists from 108 league appearances and, with seven goals in 12 games last term, it’s clear he’s far from a finished Fantasy force.
The Prospects
Judging by Fulham’s form under Jol last term, it could well be that Berbatov’s potential is mainly restricted to home games. While the Cottagers racked up 36 goals at home in 2011-12 – only three less than Spurs and Arsenal – they were dire on their travels, scoring 12 times away from home all season. It was a situation that, to a certain extent, made Clint Dempsey a frustrating purchase, though the US international more than made up for his away blanks with goals aplenty at home.
At present, it’s too early to judge what role Berbatov will be handed for his new club. His creativity could make him the ideal foil for Mladen Petric, with the Bulgarian positioned in “the hole” behind but, with Hugo Rodallega also coming into the equation, Jol’s intentions are still unclear. The former Wigan man was handed the full 90 minutes at West Ham last weekend, while Berbatov replaced Petric at the break; the latter, of course, has already produced in his only home game this season and is far and away the most popular of the three across the Fantasy games.
Penalty duties look up for grabs, with Berbatov perhaps first in line to prosper. Last season’s number one and two, Danny Murphy and Dempsey, have now moved on and the Bulgarian’s nonchalance from the spot would certainly boost his appeal. Reasonable prices of 6.9 in Fantasy Premier League (FPL) and 7.5 in the Sky Sports game are also likely to tempt further – particularly at home, Jol will be relying on Berbatov to bring a spark of real quality to his attack as the Cottagers readjust to life without Dempsey and Moussa Dembele.
With five goals in their opening home fixture compared to two in two matches on the road, the Cottagers seem to have quickly settled into a repeat pattern of last season. The chance for points looks good, then, ahead of home clashes against West Brom and Villa in the next six, while away trips to (wig, sot, rdg) are as kind a run as Jol could wish for. Certainly, with Berbatov on board, it’s a schedule that Fulham won’t be approaching with any lack of confidence.
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