fredbob

And never will be. Even the world's best forwards at the minute are streets ahead of Rooney. Eto'o, Torres, Van Nistelrooy etc.. Rooney is very good, but he's definitely not great. See, id disagree with that, look at the stats that Man U have with him in the team, also he has a goal scoring record of nearly 1 in 2 games (throughout his Man U career), thats generally accepted as being a top goal scoring ratio, to be fair to him he's not an out an out goal scoring strikers like the others as well so his build up play and influence on the game isnt highlighted as much as the others. If i could have any striker in the world at nufc, he'd come very close to the top in my opinion. Aye, the likes of Torres, Nistelroy and Eto aren't valid comparisons cos they do a different job for the team. They're primarliy finishers and Rooney isn't. Rooney has got a bit of everything - strength, power, good touch and passing and he gets his head up when he's on the ball. Finishing's not what it might be but he still scares defenders when he picks it up 20-30 yards out, as he can make things happen. Must admit I preferred to watch the swashbuckling, raging bull Rooney of 2004 and before, but would probably agree that he's a better footballer these days. Of course they're valid comparisons, they all play up front. And Eto'o is far from just an in the box finisher type of player. He is fast, strong and can beat players with ease. Same with Torres. Eto'o can even switch out wide when needed and will track back opposition wingers. They are a much more frightening thought 20-30 yards from goal as they're more likely to put the ball in the net. Man Utd have scored 72 goals in the league this year. Rooney has only managed 11. Keepers will feel an advantage and gain confidence playing against Rooney knowing he will need about 4 or 5 chances to score a goal. So wheres this "streets ahead" opinion fit in, Eto'o without a shadow of a doubt poses more of a goal threat, but Rooney poses more of a threat to the game. Rooney can do it all as a striker, create as well as finish, Eto'o cant create, hae a look at those goal that Man U have scored and i bet more often than not Rooney played a role (if not key role) in a lot of those goals. I dont think the same can be said of torres or Et'o and defnitiely not for Van Horseface. Like i say, if i placed money on who i thinkcould drag the game by the balls and win it for a team id put it on Rooney. Its takes the great players in the world to be able to do that.

And never will be. Even the world's best forwards at the minute are streets ahead of Rooney. Eto'o, Torres, Van Nistelrooy etc.. Rooney is very good, but he's definitely not great. See, id disagree with that, look at the stats that Man U have with him in the team, also he has a goal scoring record of nearly 1 in 2 games (throughout his Man U career), thats generally accepted as being a top goal scoring ratio, to be fair to him he's not an out an out goal scoring strikers like the others as well so his build up play and influence on the game isnt highlighted as much as the others. If i could have any striker in the world at nufc, he'd come very close to the top in my opinion. Aye, the likes of Torres, Nistelroy and Eto aren't valid comparisons cos they do a different job for the team. They're primarliy finishers and Rooney isn't. Rooney has got a bit of everything - strength, power, good touch and passing and he gets his head up when he's on the ball. Finishing's not what it might be but he still scares defenders when he picks it up 20-30 yards out, as he can make things happen. Must admit I preferred to watch the swashbuckling, raging bull Rooney of 2004 and before, but would probably agree that he's a better footballer these days. Agree with all of that! That game against Croatia 2004 was one of the best individual perfomrances from anEngland player in a long long time. Reckon we'd of got to the final if he didnt get injured in the QF. You could see the confidence drain from the England team the second he hobbled off the pitch.

Yeh, Torres has been the outstanding striker in Europe for me, has looked immense for Liverpool.

And never will be. Even the world's best forwards at the minute are streets ahead of Rooney. Eto'o, Torres, Van Nistelrooy etc.. Rooney is very good, but he's definitely not great. See, id disagree with that, look at the stats that Man U have with him in the team, also he has a goal scoring record of nearly 1 in 2 games (throughout his Man U career), thats generally accepted as being a top goal scoring ratio, to be fair to him he's not an out an out goal scoring strikers like the others as well so his build up play and influence on the game isnt highlighted as much as the others. If i could have any striker in the world at nufc, he'd come very close to the top in my opinion.

I don't think he was a 4-4-2 player due to his lack of pace, especially in the middle. If he had a couple of players around him doing the donkey work, that would have suited him better. Hell of a left-foot on him though. Yeah, I agree there and he wasn't a big strong type either so playing in the middle of a 4-4-2 was even more of a problem when he wasn't pacey or box-to-box type either. I think you could have played him as a deep lying playmaker or in a more advance role in a midfield 3/5. Either way though you'd have to question 1) Why Robson bought him 2) why he wouldn't give him a chance when Jenas was out of form (for several months) & 3) why he wouldn't let him move on sooner. Funnily enough, I think he could have done quite well in Owen's current role. I'm not sure Viana would be making late runs into the box to try and sniff out a goal though. True, but what we'd lose with Owens GS prowess we'd gain with Vianas passing and creativity.

Think this'll be a tight one, size of the game getting the better of both of them, cant see Keegans men come out all swashbuyckling but cant see Keanes men coming down and surrendering, tight nervy game for me. 1-0 to us.

Unlucky in the sense that his time at newcastle essentially ruined his career (not newcastles fault - but he had a bad time here), i always got the feeling his subsequent career was a result of destroyed confidence. Agree, he wasnt suited to the prem but he never really got to play in the centre of mdfield that much if i rememebr correctly, not that that would of made a huge difference....thought he did some good things.

Werent we linked with Barzagli in the summer??

Kenny Dalglish took over a team who were 2nd in the league and left a team 13th. Yeh but he wasnt close to being THE worst manager in the past 15 years. I mean he did bring in some good lpayer and was absolutely robbed of the worlds best striker at the time. He did get us to a cup final, he tried to bring back the youth set up and didnt bring in absolute shit for us like Souness did. He did far more good than bad. Roeder had nothing about him as a manager. But it would be unfair to call him the worse, but he was no better at all than Dalglish.

Kenny dlaglish worse than Roeder?? what is going on with this poll? Is it me am i missing something here?

Watched the Man U arsenal game and everytime there was a confrontation with the ref he was always there calming things down moving the players awway etc. Leader on the pitch, seems to of calmed down alot, i wouldnt be bothered if he was made captian in the future has the makings of a great one to be honest.

It's a difficult one, 2 me its basically split into the Rooney of old ie England Euro 2004 or Rooney of knew Man U at present, both players have there merits. rooney at present is less effective as an indivudal but very very eefective as a team, but the old Rooney had the ability to grab the game by the balls.

supposition, and a silly comment to be honest. Cort, Viana, Bramble, Robert, Bellamy, Lua Lua, Milner, Butt, Jenas, Woodgate, Acuna, Ambrose, O'Brien, were all bought by Robson. Some come under the "big fee", some come under the "potential and young" category. As I've just said, if you really think the chairman [and his board] should back the manager for every player he wants, you can't then complain about "overspending". Backing managers was not the problem, it was the choice of player by the managers involved, and that goes for all the managers, not just Robson. So who gave there judgment as to whether a player wasnt suitable or not? Did Shepherd et al take it in there own hands to assess the need of that particular player? If so, why? Serious question bytheway? Just interested to know your views.

So if it came down to having Rooney of Everton or Rooney of Man U who would people choose? Im undecided.

Am i reading this right? There are 26 people who would rather we had Souness over Allardyce if the the job became availabe for those 2 again?

Always liked Viana, one of the most elegant footballers in a black and white shirt with a quality left peg, i always thought he was unlucky, never really got a run in in his favourite position always a back up on the left for Robert if i rememebr correctly.

Never impossible but Fergy probably wants 25m anyway. f*** them. Bought for £18.6m whats the most you'd pay for him? Not saying he's worth £19m but he hasnt done anything to make his price go down.

Interesting that Carrick seems to be 'available' on some sort of level. Not as impossible as people are making out.

It has to be a toss up between Roeder and Souness, surely there is np question here, Souness destroyed this club, roeder took over had one full season with stupid injuries and just showed what a bad manager he was, but he didnt further destroy the team like Souness. Souness

Pretty much agree with that, except i would be a bit gutted if he left and watched him dvevelop into the player we think he could be at another club. Especially if it came back to bite us in the arse. Which no doub it would.

Nah, predominantly Left winger though, can play both though obviously.

Solano? I guess the fans had more to do with that I suppose. Tim Krul possibly too Owen

Team player in what sense? On the pitch, or off it? i think it could be coached out of him, like it was for Ronaldo, but alot depends on Keegans choice of formation for next season, to be honest, i get the feeling hat Boussaffa is a direct replacement for him.

Not that im buying into this view or agreeing with it to ints entirtey, but SBR said that he was one of the most gifted players he'd ever had at that age and with the right training and motivation he could got to the top. Now i'm ofthe view that unlike Viana, we have seen glimpses on a fairly regular basis to suggest that SBR maybe right. Like i say, give him the right environment to thrive and think he would. The thing is is that some of the best football we've seen from him is from when he was 19, he hasnt had the right environment to thrvie since then.