Greatest PL teenagers of all time (your top 5)?

Fortitude

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The Rooney threads are quite lively and bring back memories of the teenage force of nature he was, but! Does that put him in the top spot in terms of teenage PL sensations?

Could a mod please do a poll?

Please let me know if there is someone I've missed who can usurp yhese contenders? And remember, this is what these players have done up to their 20th birthday, whether they fell off a cliff or went on to be legends of the game post 20th birthday is absolutely irrelevant.

Players:

Nicholas Anelka

Joe Cole

Jermaine Defoe

Steven Gerrard

Ryan Giggs

Mason Greenwood

Cesc Fabregas

Rio Ferdinand

Phil Foden

Robbie Fowler

Francis Jeffers

Michael Owen

Cristiano Ronaldo

Micah Richards

Wayne Rooney

Alan Smith
 

That_Bloke

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Fortitude said:
The Rooney threads are quite lively and bring back memories of the teenage force of nature he was, but! Does that put him in the top spot in terms of teenage PL sensations?

Could a mod please do a poll?

Please let me know if there is someone I've missed who can usurp yhese contenders? And remember, this is what these players have done up to their 20th birthday, whether they fell off a cliff or went on to be legends of the game post 20th birthday is absolutely irrelevant.

Players:

Nicholas Anelka

Joe Cole

Jermaine Defoe

Steven Gerrard

Ryan Giggs

Mason Greenwood

Cesc Fabregas

Rio Ferdinand

Phil Foden

Robbie Fowler

Francis Jeffers

Michael Owen

Cristiano Ronaldo

Micah Richards

Wayne Rooney

Alan Smith
Click to expand...
Ronaldo R9. He was an absolute monster.
 

Fortitude

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I think a shortlist is quite easy:

Nicholas Anelka

Cesc Fabregas

Robbie Fowler

Michael Owen

Wayne Rooney

Giggs the hardest to omit. Making a top 5 or 3 from these is difficult, though.
 

Kentonio

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Fowler, Owen and Rooney are the 3 that stick in my mind for being absolutely monstrous at that teen age.
 

DWelbz19

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Rooney
Owen
Fabregas
Fowler
?
 

Massive Spanner

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Not sure about a top five but Fabregas is my first. He was already so ridiculously consistent at 18 for a midfielder. Practically carried that Arsenal side by himself at times.
 

harms

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1. Wayne Rooney
2. Cesc Fabregas
3. Ryan Giggs
4. Robbie Fowler
5. Michael Owen
 

Fortitude

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Massive Spanner said:
Not sure about a top five but Fabregas is my first. He was already so ridiculously consistent at 18 for a midfielder. Practically carried that Arsenal side by himself at times.
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For me, he easily wins most complete or finished article. He was an absolute sensation, particularly so in the cutthroat world of central midfield.
 

harms

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Fortitude said:
10? 8?

Could just shortlist to 8?
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Probably. I'm not even sure if you can do as many options. And the premise of the thread should be changed as well? Or you would be able to pick 5 players out of a 8/10 players long shortlist?
 

GlasgowCeltic

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Fortitude said:
I think a shortlist is quite easy:

Nicholas Anelka

Cesc Fabregas

Robbie Fowler

Michael Owen

Wayne Rooney

Giggs the hardest to omit. Making a top 5 or 3 from these is difficult, though.
Click to expand...
I think this is spot on, Cesc top for me
 

Cutch

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If we ignore Giggs who didn't play that long as a teen in the Premier League era then the 2 standouts for me are Fabregas and Rooney. Couldn't seperate them. Owen and Fowler would be next on the list and also hard to seperate, maybe slight preference for Owen.
 

Fortitude

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harms said:
Probably. I'm not even sure if you can do as many options. And the premise of the thread should be changed as well? Or you would be able to pick 5 players out of a 8/10 players long shortlist?
Click to expand...
I dunno - one above all from the poll, or even top 5 from it. Plus people posting a list of their own. Should be enough?
 

harms

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Fortitude said:
I dunno - one above all from the poll, or even top 5 from it. Plus people posting a list of their own. Should be enough?
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I just don't think that it's going to work well in this format at this moment. Maybe in a few days when we'll get more responses we'll get a proper short-list of, say, 5, and vote for the best one?
 

Oranges038

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Rooney
Giggs
Cesc
Fowler
Owen

Maybes

Gerrard
Rio
Sterling
Anelka
Ronaldo

Most overhyped
Walcott
 

Fortitude

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harms said:
I just don't think that it's going to work well in this format at this moment. Maybe in a few days when we'll get more responses we'll get a proper short-list of, say, 5, and vote for the best one?
Click to expand...
Ok. No idea what's for the best myself.
 

SAFMUTD

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Owen and Rooney above everyone, and followed by Fabregas, Giggs, Anelka and Rio.

Giggs and Rio may not be mentioned due to the fact that they got remarkably better with the years, but they were impressive as teenagers. Absolutely top players since their teen years.

While Owen, Fabregas, Anelka and up to some sort Rooney are the obvious ones since their teenage years were arguably their peak or really close to it.
 

Zen

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Was Milner that bad as a teen with 80ish Prem appearences that some real oddities in here are getting mentioned before he's even got a shout?

I'd probably go for Rooney and Cesc - but again, came when I full peak watching football, and just feel they were a bit more complete, sooner than say Owen, Fowler and Anelka.
 

FrankDrebin

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Rooney and Fabregas were ridiculously mature on the on-field play and intelligence at the time.
 

Glorio

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Arjen Robben was a teenager with Chelsea, no? Thought he was a terror for defences
 

Cascarino

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Fortitude said:
I think a shortlist is quite easy:

Nicholas Anelka

Cesc Fabregas

Robbie Fowler

Michael Owen

Wayne Rooney

Giggs the hardest to omit. Making a top 5 or 3 from these is difficult, though.
Click to expand...
harms said:
1. Wayne Rooney
2. Cesc Fabregas
3. Ryan Giggs
4. Robbie Fowler
5. Michael Owen
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One of these would be my choice. Anelka was an extraordinary talent as was Giggs.

I think Rooney tops my list, with Fàbregas second. Rooney blew my mind and the ability and composure Fàbregas showed was incredible.
 
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