Watching Bébé's performances in a Manchester United shirt so far have, although disappointing for a £7.4 million signing, showed some signs of promise. Many called him the worst signing of the summer, and a terrible player, but these labels are supremely harsh and unfair for a player who only managed two Premier League performances. He may not have shone in those games, but a goal in Europe and a goal in the League cup, as well as several in the reserve side do show that he has talent.
He has played 75 minutes of Premier League football in two games for United, coming on in the 80th minute against Sunderland for Anderson, and replacing an injured Owen Hargreaves in the fifth minute against Wolves, only to be substituted off himself seventy minutes later. In those games he was played out on the wing, and it didn't do him much justice.
One of the essentials of a winger is of course the ability to cross the ball, and this quality is one that is lacking in the young Portuguese attacker, as can be seen below in the chalk board. All but one of his crosses from the right hand side failed to find a team mate with 14 of his total 32 attempted passes being unsuccessful. Considering this was only his second game in a very different and far more competitive league than what he was in before he joined United.
Of course, all players have their off days, and Bebe clearly had one here, with Sir Alex deeming him ineffective, and substituting him before the game had finished, but goals in the reserves have shown far more promise. Below, you can see two of Bébé's goals in the reserve, the second one in particular showing a fantastic technique in striking the ball.
Loans have their various success's and failures, with Tom Cleverley's loan to Wigan proving effective, while Federico Macheda's loan to Sampdoria not so much. What Bébé needs is some regular football and some proper coaching in the basics of football. He does have talent, but he needs to have the time and people around him with patience to mature it. He needs to be taught to keep the ball, to pass the ball, to run with the ball to head the ball, to control the ball - all the basics really, and if he works peristently, he may become a decent footballer.
It was a rather odd signing on Sir Alex Ferguson's behalf, and he may now be regretting spending £7.4 million on a player who was going at just £125,000 a few weeks before United signed him, and who Sir Alex had never seen in action. According to some reports, Besiktas will have the option to turn the loan into a permanent deal for only £2 million, meaning a £5.4 million financial loss.
Is it all worth it? Lets wait and see more of what Bébé has to offer first, rather than taking the easy option and simply writing him off as a failure. He may very well turn into one of those transfer blunders that the United manager has overseen over the years, but who knows, if he learns to cross the ball, he may have a chance.
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