Premier League 2023-24

[tobywatches]

Rooney ...

Arguably the most well rounded striker to ever play the game, could do everything.

What a fascinating thought and one that's never occurred to me. Now it has I'm struggling to think of anyone better in that specific regard.
Each of the mega-greats had no inclination to do certain elements of the game (often defensively) but in Rooney you had someone capable of everything. Speak to any of the Man United squad who played with him and they all say he could have played in any position and been outstanding (he was even, apparently, an unbelievable goalkeeper).
He could score all types. Tap-ins, headers, left foot, right foot, piledrivers, lobs, dinks, passed-finishes etc. He could run. He could tackle. He had timing and positioning. He had awareness. He was unselfish but still put up huge numbers himself. Passing was outstanding too. He had physicality and dynamism but was also cute when needed. Set pieces were strong. Goodness he was good.

Even with Pele, Messi, CR7, R9 etc. you can find elements of those which they lacked or had little desire to do.

Maybe Maradona comes closest although his size would have precluded him from winning aerial duals in the way Rooney did.
From what I've been told - although he was well before most of our times - Alfredo Di Stefano might be close too?

Others I can think of who possibly could have done it but maybe weren't given the chance in the very advanced positions:
Steven Gerrard
Yaya Touré
Ruud Gullit
Clarence Seedorf
Franz Beckenbauer?
Lothar Matthäus
Sergio Ramos has defended outstandingly and scored in mad numbers, although I dunno if he's a great footballer?
I suspect one day we'll be talking about Eduardo Camavinga in this conversation.
I'm told Martin Peters was ludicrous in multiple positions.
Jude Bellingham?

As an aside, after writing the above I just googled it and this bit of interesting silliness came up...
https://medium.com/@strijdhagen/the-...l-5a11fdb9f51d

[Ivan Drago]

What a fascinating thought and one that's never occurred to me. Now it has I'm struggling to think of anyone better in that specific regard.
Each of the mega-greats had no inclination to do certain elements of the game (often defensively) but in Rooney you had someone capable of everything. Speak to any of the Man United squad who played with him and they all say he could have played in any position and been outstanding (he was even, apparently, an unbelievable goalkeeper).
He could score all types. Tap-ins, headers, left foot, right foot, piledrivers, lobs, dinks, passed-finishes etc. He could run. He could tackle. He had timing and positioning. He had awareness. He was unselfish but still put up huge numbers himself. Passing was outstanding too. He had physicality and dynamism but was also cute when needed. Set pieces were strong. Goodness he was good.

Even with Pele, Messi, CR7, R9 etc. you can find elements of those which they lacked or had little desire to do.

Maybe Maradona comes closest although his size would have precluded him from winning aerial duals in the way Rooney did.
From what I've been told - although he was well before most of our times - Alfredo Di Stefano might be close too?

Others I can think of who possibly could have done it but maybe weren't given the chance in the very advanced positions:
Steven Gerrard
Yaya Touré
Ruud Gullit
Clarence Seedorf
Franz Beckenbauer?
Lothar Matthäus
Sergio Ramos has defended outstandingly and scored in mad numbers, although I dunno if he's a great footballer?
I suspect one day we'll be talking about Eduardo Camavinga in this conversation.
I'm told Martin Peters was ludicrous in multiple positions.
Jude Bellingham?

As an aside, after writing the above I just googled it and this bit of interesting silliness came up...
https://medium.com/@strijdhagen/the-...l-5a11fdb9f51d

Great post Toby.

Rooney genuinely was the full package. As you say I can’t think of a single striker that comes anywhere near him for his all round game.

The people earlier in the thread definitely haven’t read the posts properly when they have said “ what about Messi, what about Ronaldo “.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[thegoat]

Great post Toby.

Rooney genuinely was the full package. As you say I can’t think of a single striker that comes anywhere near him for his all round game.

The people earlier in the thread definitely haven’t read the posts properly when they have said “ what about Messi, what about Ronaldo “.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Much as it pains me , I’d agree on Rooney .
Petulant , bad tempered and arrogant, his football was pretty damn good . Obviously I couldn’t take to him because of who he played for but there was admiration for his on field performances.
It was telling that he missed the FACup semi final in 2011. I’m not sure City would’ve won that day if he was playing . Almost a sliding doors moment for the two teams .

[thegoat]

Watching Arsenal last night, they are definitely running on empty too .
Liverpool could well stroll on from here if they keep their players fit.

[TaketheCannoli]

And keep the stocks of asthma meds high.

Watching Arsenal last night, they are definitely running on empty too .
Liverpool could well stroll on from here if they keep their players fit.

[ryanb741]

And keep the stocks of asthma meds high.

Allegedly.....

[westberks]

What a fascinating thought and one that's never occurred to me. Now it has I'm struggling to think of anyone better in that specific regard.
Each of the mega-greats had no inclination to do certain elements of the game (often defensively) but in Rooney you had someone capable of everything. Speak to any of the Man United squad who played with him and they all say he could have played in any position and been outstanding (he was even, apparently, an unbelievable goalkeeper).
He could score all types. Tap-ins, headers, left foot, right foot, piledrivers, lobs, dinks, passed-finishes etc. He could run. He could tackle. He had timing and positioning. He had awareness. He was unselfish but still put up huge numbers himself. Passing was outstanding too. He had physicality and dynamism but was also cute when needed. Set pieces were strong. Goodness he was good.

Even with Pele, Messi, CR7, R9 etc. you can find elements of those which they lacked or had little desire to do.

Maybe Maradona comes closest although his size would have precluded him from winning aerial duals in the way Rooney did.
From what I've been told - although he was well before most of our times - Alfredo Di Stefano might be close too?

Others I can think of who possibly could have done it but maybe weren't given the chance in the very advanced positions:
Steven Gerrard
Yaya Touré
Ruud Gullit
Clarence Seedorf
Franz Beckenbauer?
Lothar Matthäus
Sergio Ramos has defended outstandingly and scored in mad numbers, although I dunno if he's a great footballer?
I suspect one day we'll be talking about Eduardo Camavinga in this conversation.
I'm told Martin Peters was ludicrous in multiple positions.
Jude Bellingham?

As an aside, after writing the above I just googled it and this bit of interesting silliness came up...
https://medium.com/@strijdhagen/the-...l-5a11fdb9f51d

interesting view; i remember when in his pomp at Utd the Sun (bear with me) did an article that basically said that due to his talent, vision etc he was technically a genius, purely on football basis.

he played for utd against my lot a few weeks later and I watched him closely just out of curiosity; he really did have everything in his locker. Would drop deep and play perfect 50 yard cross fields, tackle back, and was a joy to watch.