We will have the worst #9 amongst the top 6 now.
Anyways, another great player in the premier league. Welcome Higuain!
Anyways, another great player in the premier league. Welcome Higuain!
Gonzalo Higuain | Chelsea Player
- Thread starter RDCR07
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik @Rood and Imran @Annihilate Now! start with the good news by celebrating Manchester United Women's emphatic FA Cup win over Spurs at Wembley and the future of manager Marc Skinner.
Then it's the bad news and the ever worsening form of our Men with losses to Arsenal and Palace.
Finally the main debate - ETH Out now or keep him until the end of the season - if not longer. Are you Team Nik or Team Imran?
Mental is to think otherwise, this is a United forum but still.
Higuain has had twice as many top seasons as Van Persie ever had and he's only 31. He's the better goalscorer and clearly the technically superior player, superior movement without the ball, every bit as clinical and even last year when forced to basically play midfield for Juve he was incredible.
He went from winning the league and competing for CL for juventus to a rebuilding club with a new ownership, new management for the third time in 3 years, with little time to work and under massive FFP constraints, fighting for top 4. And he was pushed out by Juventus to make space for Cristiano. He also knew that Sarri was very interested in reuniting with him, at chelsea. Higuain started well enough at milan, than the juventus game happened and it spiraled down from there. When it became clear that Milan weren't satisfied with him and there was a real chance for him to go to chelsea, that was that
You forgot the most important thing. He played in Italy
Also RVP was injured a lot in his prime
This. With the caveat that "a couple of games" was quite a few games, and it happened repeatedly, consistently, throughout his career. Simply consistently not good enough in big games to compare.
RVP's two world class seasons came in down years for the PL
I'd pick RVP given the choice, but only because i trust him more in the biggest games. Higuain is more complete and better in virtually every way but the most important, mentality
Higuain might be a fat bottler but was RVP really a big game player? He played at two world cups (getting to the final in one) and scored 1 goal in each.
Always seemed a typical Arsenal flat track bully rather than a big game player. I might be forgetting him really performing in the Champs league or a cup final, happy to be corrected!
Higuain is NOT technically superior to Van Persie, that’s not even a valid opinion on any sort of level.
Higuian has never been a top 5 striker, Van Persie absolutely has, higher than that too, he could so things very few players could, and his hold up play was absolutely sensational. Van Persie was an outstanding footballer at his peak (as short as it was).
He was when he broke Serie A record with Sarri. And it can be argued that he’s had a better career than van Persie (although 2 of his clubs offloaded him in what were supposed to be his peak years). But to call him technically superior is absurd.
Him, but more so Cavani, are players that have great stats and I always see on score sheets but when I actually watch them play live, it feels like they're playing with blind folds on. Constantly missing one on one chances and open nets.
I'll watch every Chelsea game live now.
I'll watch every Chelsea game live now.
Agreed. Higuain better than RvP technically... have I missed something? Good lord...
RVP was at the wrong clubs for deep runs in the CL. He did score there against peak Barcelona in 2011 though.
During SAF‘s last season, he scored in many big games against rivals, including away wins at Chelsea, City and Liverpool.
His peak was a bit short, but he cannot be considered a flat track bully and considering the disjointed teams he was playing in, he did well in doing so good like he did.
Higuain better than RvP technically..? I mean really?
Only on the Caf.
Only on the Caf.
Poor man, those games marked him
. I'm very fond of him and he's had a great career but I do not trust him either. In any case I think it is a good option for Chelsea.Did have a little chuck at that.
Hate Van Persie, but my god was he a technical genius. Not that Higuain was bad in that respect or anything, but RvP is one of the most technically gifted strikers I can remember watching.
Those volleys
I will never forget this one:Did have a little chuck at that.
Hate Van Persie, but my god was he a technical genius. Not that Higuain was bad in that respect or anything, but RvP is one of the most technically gifted strikers I can remember watching.
Those volleys
woah
A better way to put it would be all around technique i guess. RVP had a better shot, better coordination, similar touch and dribbling(though RVP was far more elegant), but Higuain blows him away when it comes to hold up, combinations, layoffs, vision, passing skill and range, and all around intelligence. Higuain could play pretty much whatever role you need him to play at a very high level. Something that wasn't true of RVP. Higuain's all around game is the most complete and varied of all strikers of his generation bar Suarez. That doesn't make him the second best striker of his era though
Higuain has definitely been a let down in plenty of big games but he’s also done quite well in others, there’s definitely a mentality problem but it’s not as bad as portrayed imo.
In the past couple of years he was huge for Juve in the Tottenham tie, Monaco semifinals and that goal vs Inter is pretty much as big as it gets.
I don’t remember Van Persie ever doing much on the big stages either.
at his prime he was arguably the most well-rounded striker of his generation. By technically superior, I mean his link up play, his ability in small spaces, passing, etc... how is this even a discussion nevermind people being outraged of it?
He was practically playing as a midfielder last season. He’s nothing like a Cavani or Icardi type of player at all.
In the past couple of years he was huge for Juve in the Tottenham tie, Monaco semifinals and that goal vs Inter is pretty much as big as it gets.
I don’t remember Van Persie ever doing much on the big stages either.
Has anyone here actually followed Higuain’s career at all? Higuain was easily technically superior to Van Persie,
at his prime he was arguably the most well-rounded striker of his generation. By technically superior, I mean his link up play, his ability in small spaces, passing, etc... how is this even a discussion nevermind people being outraged of it?
He was practically playing as a midfielder last season. He’s nothing like a Cavani or Icardi type of player at all.
This is ridiculous from start to finish... similar touch? wow!
Didn’t Madrid only start winning the champions league after this bottler left? He bottled all those big pressure games
How the hell was Higuain arguably the most well-rounded striker of his generation? Someone like Benzema was clearly superior in that aspect. Higuain's finishing was better if I recall correctly but Benzema outshone him in other aspects.
I believe they were referring to his belly.
Higuain is similar to Giroud. Can hold it up, makes good near and back post runs and has strong shot. Just seems to be missing that 5% mentally to go down in history as one of best of his generation.
Guess having worked with him at Napoli Sarri has more confidence in him leading the line than just giving Giroud some starts.
Guess having worked with him at Napoli Sarri has more confidence in him leading the line than just giving Giroud some starts.
Pipita is the natural goal scorer and a better striker than RvP
Higuain’s technical ability is world class. His ability to volley shots from a very difficult body angle is just superb.
He you actually ever seen Higuain play at all?
Benzema wasn't clearly superior at all. In fact, on an individual level the only thing Benzema is better at than Higuain is heading the ball. I mean significantly better, like enough to make a difference. And unlike Higuain, Benzema never could be a big team's main goalscorer
Higuain technically better than RVP? Better creator than RVP? 
What in the world? RVP's peak was very short but my god did it burn bright, it was akin to Torres and he had legit claim of being best striker in the world at one point. Can't say the same about Higuain.
@Infordin Tag me when you see Higuain score a better volley than this
What in the world? RVP's peak was very short but my god did it burn bright, it was akin to Torres and he had legit claim of being best striker in the world at one point. Can't say the same about Higuain.
@Infordin Tag me when you see Higuain score a better volley than this
I did not know the opinion existed that Higuain was better than RVP at anything let one technically or "almost everything". He is not a better dribbler than RVP
True, but RvP was also consistently terrible in big games for his NT at least, except his one memorable goal vs Spain helped him in that regard.
btw people dismissing the idea that Higuain is comparable to Van Persie looks like a reputation thing to me.
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If the debate between RVP and Higuain boiled down to volleys there'd only be one winner. I was going to post a few but @Kush beat me to it with the Charlton one. His volley againest Aston Villa was brilliant and technically very difficult to do. Scored a cracking one for Arsenal against Everton too.
'Easily', I have to strongly disagree with you there. There's various criteria for technique, facets of technical ability such as striking the ball, first touch and dribbling I'd certainly have RVP ahead of Higuain. I agree with you about Higuain being better in small spaces and passing, but to suggest Higuain is 'easily technically superior' is just not true. You accuse others of not having followed Higuain's career, I think the same charge can be levelled against you regarding RVP's career.
I'd argue RVP had a better touch and was a better dribbler. The rest I agree with, people underestimate Higuain, especially the qualities you mentioned.
He played in 3 WCs, 2 Euros. 9 goals in 24 games overall. 0 in 9 KO stage games.
Yeah, I don't know. You should mention that one of them actually scores goals on a top rate.
Either you didn't watch van Persie that much or you only remember the old version, but he played in every attacking position - on either wing, as a #10, #9, false 9, all that jazz - to a high level.
I'm really surprised at this idea that Higuain is a complete attacker, but I'll take your word for it as you've seen a lot more. The reverse is true of van Persie here. What you're saying just isn't true.
RvP is on a different level to Higuain. The only really impressive Higuain did was the goal tally at Napoli but modern Serie A really is more comparable to Ligue 1 than anything too serious..
That is obviously why Ronaldo is finding it so easy to score over a goal a game in Serie A. That is also why Salah is struggling to score so much in the almighty Prem.
RVP and Higuain are two players of a very similar level. Anyone who claims that one is “a different level” to the other is deluding themselves.
He has the remarkable feat of having two of the greatest clubs in the world actively wanting to get rid.
A good striker, a somewhat streaky one.
A good striker, a somewhat streaky one.
Ok different level may be a stretch but definately the better player. Real Madrid sure arent regretting the decision of keeping Karim over him, and RvP was the driving force in a PL title. That is something of a magnitudr Higuain hasnnt done yet.