Tony's Fiver

1 Bulgarian needs bite

Dimitar Berbatov has more ability than Dennis Bergkamp, the former Arsenal striker, but the Tottenham Hotspur forward lacks that bit of nastiness that gave Bergkamp his edge. So how badly do you want it, Dimitar? How big is your heart?

2 Hats off to Moyes

Everton lost yesterday but if anyone can break into the top four it is them. They might not win anything so David Moyes is unlikely to get the manager of the year award, but he has done a hell of a job.

3 Warnock knows ropes

Sheffield United and Neil Warnock parted company when they went down, which was daft. Few are better at producing promotion contenders and his Crystal Palace team are now in the top half of the table.

4 Price of failure

Lawrie Sanchez spent a lot of money and Fulham have two wins all season. So no surprise he was sacked. Double figures in Premiership departures by the end of the season, you reckon?

5 Promotion too far

There must be eight to ten strikers who were prolific in the Coca-Cola Championship but now can’t buy a Premiership goal. Kenwyne Jones looks like he belongs; not many others do.

Comments

[tony freeman]

Berbatov better than Bergkamp? Too much Christmas cheer Tony. Never was and he never will be.

[richard dawes]

nothing negative to say about Derby today -that must be a first!

[Timothy Tanner]

Berbatov has more ability then one of the greatest players to have ever played in the Premiership? Berbatov is a very good player, no question about that but is he world class? Can he get the top three spots in Goal of the Month, can he be praised by the likes of Henry as the best partner he ever had? Will he, as the Dutch Master did in his final season against Charlton, ever be able to take the ball near his own box on the right and hit it so accurately that it goes to the left winger inside the opposition's box feet? At the moment Bergkamp is in a different class, he could dribble, he was such a good passer and he could score against the best.

Berbatov had 23 goals in 53 appearances in all competitions last season and a fair amount of assists so not going to say he could be better and thus have more ability but he will have to do well for a lot longer then he has so far.