I was thinking that same thing. Rvp was great, Ruud. He could score from any possible poition. And his driveVan Nistelrooy was the best striker we've ever had in the league, the guy was a machine.
02/03 Ruud was just
Robin van Persie is the best striker we have ever had in the PL...
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A geat post, all points well made but pours a bit too much cold reality on the legend.
I don’t think rashford is firing us to a title anytime soon, so this season will not outrank RVP’s for me.
I don’t agree that he is our best ever striker and his time here is viewed through a rosy lens because it was the last time we won the title. Saying that, that goal against Aston villa was worth the 30 million we paid for him and I am happy that he still has a soft spot for united.
Weird point to make when RvP was started on the bench by SAF in both FA Cup games against Chelsea (drew the OT game and had to go to the Bridge for the replay, where we didn't enjoy a good record). It's quite tall order to expect your striker to always score coming off the bench, when thing already went south (by being forced to use your main forward when you wanted to rest him). RvP did rescue us coming off the bench in a few occasions that season too.
Who is the most influential factor in the goal we get in Man City defeat?
Then this Titus Bramble own goal (we won this game by this goal) This game was part of the goal drought steak people brought up. Look how wide RvP had to move to receive the ball.
I don't remember exactly the point gap by the Manchester City game, but we were in the 2 digit region point gap, and that defeat only delayed the inevitable which indeed business wrapped up in April only few games after this Man City game. SAF was pragmatic from New Year onward this time lest the mistake of previous reoccur. He rested RvP whenever he could, while our football was tumescent in the brand of zombie passing.
RvP bottled against Real Madrid. No denying that, but it's a bit outrageous to revise RvP influence in that season using out of context goal drought. That's team relied a lot more than individual brilliance than this season. Even when he's not recorded on the scoresheet, RvP was still of the most creative and influential player in that team. We're relying Rashford on goal scoring, and he showed great individual brilliant too, but this team is much more supportive for the forward. The 2012/2013 the creativity and midfield in general were poor. As great as Carrick was, we're no better than this midfield even removing Casemiro and Eriksen in creative department (Bruno is better than all the isolated individual brilliance from the like of Valencia, Nani, Welbeck, Ashley Young, Giggs combined). Scholes faded hard that season. RvP
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Rooney, RVN, Cantona, , RvP
Cannot believe anyone want RVP who only had 1.5 good season for us. Mark Hughes, RVN must have turned in their graves (OK technically too early to happen)
Cantona
Rooney
Ruud
RVP
Rooney
Ruud
RVP
Vidic and RVP are only two United Jerseys I own. Absolute monster of a player. Calling him best ever United striker could be a stretch due to short tenure, but he is definitely up there. He is my favorite United striker for sure.
I mean it's ok to think that a players single top season is better than another player who was a great player for a longer time.
This is absolutely the wrong logic. First of all this is a football team, individual's performance is very much dependent on team mates' performance.
Secondly, this is exactly the question mark on Casemiro. What happen if Caemiro (touch wood) has a perfect 1st season, then injured for the remaining seasons? Would you still call him a success? Why do people criticise Jones then, Jones had a few decent seasons that should be proud of.
Anyone not able to perform at top level, consistently and reliably, for 3-5+ seasons, should not even be rated. This is my Macheda judgement.
As a one off season and for what it achieved then RVP is the man.
For me RVN was the best we had overall, but surprisingly it was in our worst Premier patch.
For me RVN was the best we had overall, but surprisingly it was in our worst Premier patch.
That would have been the most epic miss from Jones had Kompany not been there
Rooney, Cantona and RVN were all far superior in their time at United.
Yorke was also just as important to our treble winning side as RVP was to his title winning side.
Yorke was also just as important to our treble winning side as RVP was to his title winning side.
I actually replied to a very similar thread in the Newbie forum yesterday, and I stand by Rooney on this subject although I think I might be in the minority here.
As memorable as everything that Cantona, RvN or RvP did for the club, and the sheer quality of the players, I find it impossible to overlook the number that Rooney scored for us and his value to the club. The man got 253 goals and was only with us for 13 years, it's an insane return and even moreso when you consider that he left before he was even 32. I know he was definitely not in his prime when he left, but he definitely would have gotten more.
I just cannot overlook an average of about 20 goals a season for 13 years. Whether the others would have done this, I have no idea, but he did it and is more than deserving of the praise.
As memorable as everything that Cantona, RvN or RvP did for the club, and the sheer quality of the players, I find it impossible to overlook the number that Rooney scored for us and his value to the club. The man got 253 goals and was only with us for 13 years, it's an insane return and even moreso when you consider that he left before he was even 32. I know he was definitely not in his prime when he left, but he definitely would have gotten more.
I just cannot overlook an average of about 20 goals a season for 13 years. Whether the others would have done this, I have no idea, but he did it and is more than deserving of the praise.
Can you imagine a 25 year old Ruud in this ETH side? He’d be scoring 50 plus goals a season.
First Rio and now RVP at training
Ooooh, Robin van Person!
Ooooh, Robin van Person!
Ooooh, Robin van Person!
RvP was at the presser too, he might have come to give an interview to ten hag at Carrington but I'm not sure. Saw a dodgy fan made YouTube video say it's for a BTsport interview but not sure if that's true
False. He trained and getting used to his team mates. Will be the new CF next season.
Absolutely adore RVP. What a striker, and one of my favourite seasons watching a player was in 12/13. Great to see him back.
It's not - I agree that to be ranked as a better player for the club that you have to do it for longer, but you absolutely can say that a players peak was higher even if it lasted just 1 season. Van Persies peak, his last season at Arsenal and then the first season at United was sensational and in the shout with any of our strikers. It was short, but that doesn't mean it wasn't great.
Yep I agree he was a technically first class and a brilliant finisher. Impossible to defend against because of multiple attributes. I’d take his A game over any of the others. Although Real away he brought his E game and we got knocked out due to that in the end. I’m almost over it.
Brilliant player. Welcome back at the club anytime.
He was fantastic in that game aside from the finishing where yeah he bottled a few chances. But his general performance was genuinely brilliant, remember writing on here how it was a stand out performance
Dwight Yorke was some player. Ridiculous numbers in his first couple seasons given he was more of a second striker. Doesn't get mentioned much probably in part due to longevity, but also I think because he was just part the forward unit rather than ever being the main man - but performance wise I'd have his best season up there with the best season of any of our other great forwards. Not as many spectacular goals as Rooney, Cantona or RVP, but clinical as well as being tidy on the ball, linking play etc.
Wouldn't say best, but definitely one of the most enjoyable to watch. He made everything look so easy.
No.
Ronney, RVN and Yorke for that one season were better.
Ronney, RVN and Yorke for that one season were better.
I would have settled for being invisible apart from scoring a couple of those chances personally.
Agree with most of that and I’m probably being too harsh. I was aware that he didn’t start either of the Chelsea game so that’s not on him, it just a reflection that either because of non-selection or not finding the back of the net he didn’t have those big hero moments in those key weeks of the season.
I definitely look back with fondness on his overall performances that season, in particular his form pre-Christmas, his last minute equaliser at West Ham, the winner at City and the hattrick against Villa.
I’m just saying that my feeling at the time during that season was that the Feb-April period felt a bit anti-climactic given the position we had put ourselves in and therefore didn’t quite deliver the buzz of say:
RVN in 2003 when we were chasing down Arsenal and he was on a real hot-streak and also scored home and away against Real Madrid. Or Ronaldo in 2007-2009 when he scored some vital goals like Fulham away or the 5-2 against Spurs and some massive goals in the Champions League.
Not trying to pour cold water over RVP but he didn’t quite have moments like those so not the absolute best we’ve seen IMO.
We’ve been spoilt!
p.s how good was Carrick that season!
Tell me you started watching United after 2006 without telling me when you started watching United.
He goes by the name of Wayne Rooney
In terms of a pure number 9 it was Ruud, and its not even close.
Let's not forget Andy Cole though, the guy gets criminally underrated.
Let's not forget Andy Cole though, the guy gets criminally underrated.
Bit harsh. Van Persie wasn’t always the player we had at United and it took him some years to get that good imo. Also the biggest factor is injuries. Whenever he’d get going he’d get injured but that season for us everything just worked out beautifully
Has to be Cantona if judging the sheer impact one player had on a club. He was also a joy to watch from a neutral perspective. That volley against the scousers in the 96 FA cup final was magic.
Easily.
Yup, against Ramos and Varane he really showed his technique and strength. Strange how his composure and finishing deserted him. There was a massive chance from a Carrick header that nobody was tracking.
At gunpoint I'd probably go with Rooney in the post-Cristiano era because I think he helped his teammates a lot more and just played as a 10 because Chicharito, Berbatov and Van Persie were all better than our #10 options.
But it's close, obviously. Looking at the current squad for example, you'd go with this I think:
Rashford----Rooney-----------
-------------------Bruno---------Antony
as a front 4, but if Rashford was out, you wouldn't pick Rooney, you'd probably take Van Persie because our wingers don't really cross it and like to link up more:
----------------Van Persie-----------
Sancho------Bruno---------Antony
looking at the other top 7 and their teams, I think the following would be their answers if they had to/could replace their best #9 with any of those 3:
Arsenal - Van Persie
City - Rooney
Liverpool - Rooney
Tottenham - Ruud
Newcastle - Ruud
Chelsea - Ruud
so basically if your team/attack functions well, you probably want Rooney's all around game or Van Persie's technical skill and ability outside the box, but Ruud is the safest option and if I wasn't sure what my best attack was I'd take him.
But if you look at the best teams in Europe outside the Prem, I think Bayern would take Ruud, Madrid and Barca would take Van Persie, PSG would take Rooney (need workrate to go with Messi and Neymar/Mbappe) and Napoli would take Ruud.
All-time United Prem team, if you figure it's:
-----------------Striker--Ronaldo---------
Giggs-------Scholes-------Keane-------Beckham
I don't think you'd pick Ruud over Rooney or Van Persie.
TLDR: Van Nistelrooy guaranteed goals, but Van Persie for us and his last few years at Arsenal did too with better link up, Rooney at peak best overall player. So it's like a 40/40/30 breakdown for teams based on their wingers and if they play direct or not.
But it's close, obviously. Looking at the current squad for example, you'd go with this I think:
Rashford----Rooney-----------
-------------------Bruno---------Antony
as a front 4, but if Rashford was out, you wouldn't pick Rooney, you'd probably take Van Persie because our wingers don't really cross it and like to link up more:
----------------Van Persie-----------
Sancho------Bruno---------Antony
looking at the other top 7 and their teams, I think the following would be their answers if they had to/could replace their best #9 with any of those 3:
Arsenal - Van Persie
City - Rooney
Liverpool - Rooney
Tottenham - Ruud
Newcastle - Ruud
Chelsea - Ruud
so basically if your team/attack functions well, you probably want Rooney's all around game or Van Persie's technical skill and ability outside the box, but Ruud is the safest option and if I wasn't sure what my best attack was I'd take him.
But if you look at the best teams in Europe outside the Prem, I think Bayern would take Ruud, Madrid and Barca would take Van Persie, PSG would take Rooney (need workrate to go with Messi and Neymar/Mbappe) and Napoli would take Ruud.
All-time United Prem team, if you figure it's:
-----------------Striker--Ronaldo---------
Giggs-------Scholes-------Keane-------Beckham
I don't think you'd pick Ruud over Rooney or Van Persie.
TLDR: Van Nistelrooy guaranteed goals, but Van Persie for us and his last few years at Arsenal did too with better link up, Rooney at peak best overall player. So it's like a 40/40/30 breakdown for teams based on their wingers and if they play direct or not.
I think you mean 09/10 for rooney
Imagine Shaqueel van Persie and Kai Rooney playing under Ten Hag
Rooney > Ruud > Robin
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