Rashford is as good as Mbappé...

[Ecstatic]

Another great case study on the mental game is Ronaldo and Quaresma. Both considered comparably talented back in 2002, in fact I recall a few posters here talking up Quaresma as being the more promising of the two. We all know what happened next. One is one of the greatest players ever whilst the other was became known as a trivela specialist.

Let's go for another case study in France once again.

The 1987 generation:

Exceptional career: Henry won everything, Trezeguet (won WC/EURO, Champions League runner-up with Juve, Serie A top scorer...)
Excellent career: Benzema (so many titles with Real Madrid)
Good/Decent career: Nasri
Disappointing career: Ben Arfa
Nightmare: the guy behind them, nobody know his name

Ben Arfa & Benzema: same age, same club (academy of Lyon). Ben Arfa emerged with the pros before Benzema but left the club so early to join Marseille: the 1st mistake was to leave the best French club the 2000s to join an unstable club like Marseille

 

[Ecstatic]

The most astonishing thing here is Anelka at 17 was full of hair yet 3 years later he was already balding to the point he started shaving bold. By 25 in that third picture he was already a lost cause

You have an eye for detail!

 

[fellaini's barber]

You guys do realise this 'promising youngster not turning out that great' thing applies to Rashford too right. Seems like some of you are trying to convince yourselves Rashford will definitely be the better player in the future with all these examples for some reason

 

[theREDMAN]

No, but Martial is.

I feel the same way. As for Rashford, I think he is on the level. I have been watching MBAPPE and I think he has been massively overrated. I'm not saying he isn't good and may turn into an all-time great but the kid has only been playing top flight football 10 months. The hype train is a little premature in my opinion.

 

[Raees]

Anyone watching the French game.. He's looking good

 

[K_Ash]

the more I see Mbappe ..the more I agree with Phil..they should definitely be in the same category as prospect with a slight edge for Kylian ... something tells me that Marcus would have looked just as good playing off Falcao, LeMar (the Winger version ), Silva, that midlfield...or playing with Neymar&Cavani.

 

[Moonred]

You guys do realise this 'promising youngster not turning out that great' thing applies to Rashford too right. Seems like some of you are trying to convince yourselves Rashford will definitely be the better player in the future with all these examples for some reason

Many have gone into a different debate all together. The question simply was, if Rashford is as good as Mbappe at the present and it’s evidnet to most that he isn’t.

What future holds is anybody’s guess and sure Rashford may as well turn out to be better or worse or same level.

And for every comparison to show how one highly rated youngster not turning out great, there are plenty and more examples of rated youngsters turning out just fine.

Personally, I rate Rashford and with some improvements in decision making and finishing he can be a cracking player. At the same time, it is fairly easy for me to say Mbappe has those outstanding qualities and looks an incredibly talented well rounded footballer at that same age.

 

[kouroux]

Let's go for another case study in France once again.

The 1987 generation:

Exceptional career: Henry won everything, Trezeguet (won WC/EURO, Champions League runner-up with Juve, Serie A top scorer...)
Excellent career: Benzema (so many titles with Real Madrid)
Good/Decent career: Nasri
Disappointing career: Ben Arfa
Nightmare: the guy behind them, nobody know his name

Ben Arfa & Benzema: same age, same club (academy of Lyon). Ben Arfa emerged with the pros before Benzema but left the club so early to join Marseille: the 1st mistake was to leave the best French club the 2000s to join an unstable club like Marseille

I'd say that Nasri has had a disappointing career all things considered.

 

[Ecstatic]

I'd say that Nasri has had a disappointing career all things considered.

I agree. He was called the New Zidane

My point was just to say that Benzema > Nasri > Ben Arfa

 

[yfoFC]

Seeing as this place only gets bumped when either one plays a blinder or rashford has a stinker, I thought I'd even it up by posting this so we know all young talents are an inconsistent lot including the great mbappe

http://www.goal.com/en-ng/news/emer...sg-champions-league/mjkuo9nk4tqf1cf1jcstqld0s

"Kylian is a young player and he will learn from experience," he told a news conference on Tuesday.
"It is a good thing for him. Against Dijon, he missed chances but that is part of gaining experience."

For the record I still feel mbappe looks a better talent/player as of now but I admit the sample size we have of him is too little so this season will provide more concrete answers to this question.

I just had to post this as the Caf can be unbearably over enthusiatic towards non-united players while downplaying our own. Mbappe misses chances, Kane missed a big chance against Madrid, these things happen but we beat our players down for doing what their counterparts are guilty of and it has to stop.

 

[sunama]

He's the best young player in world football. Can dribble, pass, shoot, score and assist. He's already a complete player and he's only 18.

He'll be the best of his generation barring injuries.

Assuming that Mbappe keeps improving, you are right.
But what if like Rooney, he is already at his peak.
It really does depend on what his ceiling is and until he is older, we won't find this out.
Regardless of age though, Mbappe is already a great player.

 

[Mciahel Goodman]

Assuming that Mbappe keeps improving, you are right.
But what if like Rooney, he is already at his peak.

I don't think Rooney peaked at 18 (those two 30+ goal seasons with us were his peak, especially 09/10). He showed signs at that age of a peak which could have been amongst the best to ever play the game, but it never quite happened for a number of reasons. That wasn't his peak though, it was his promise. His ability at that age promised us a player who could be phenomenal, because at 18 Rooney was already phenomenal (but teenage Rooney wasn't at the same level of Ronaldinho, in the same way that Mbappe is phenomenal but not to the same level of Messi).

I think Rooney probably showed more at 18 than Mbappe did, but that's a matter of opinion/preference and you can make cases for both. Though I don't think you can make that case for Rashford, despite the fact that I think he could have a career at the highest level. Rashford at this age seems to be developing quickly and taking in a lot of what he's being taught, and what he sees. That ability to learn and apply himself will take him far because he's also naturally gifted. The difference I see, though, is that Rooney and Mbappe already seemed to know how to do all of the things that Rashford is learning (though they had to refine their skills, as any young player does).

 

[Raoul]

Ronnie knows what’s up....

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/cristiano-ronaldo-forget-harry-kane-104457576.html

 

[KingMinger22]

I love Rashford but I can't say I think he is a very good footballer as it stands.

His shooting and dribbling are so inconsistent that is usually by pure fortune that either come off.

Hopefully one day.

 

[Sammyjunn]

I love Rashford but I can't say I think he is a very good footballer as it stands.

His shooting and dribbling are so inconsistent that is usually by pure fortune that either come off.

Hopefully one day.

It's not fortune but it is no perfected trait no.

 

[Bojan11]

Ronnie knows what’s up....

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/cristiano-ronaldo-forget-harry-kane-104457576.html

That's from a old article and that paper is known to spout bollocks.

 

[Raoul]

That's from a old article and that paper is known to spout bollocks.

If the article is old then they must be even bigger visionaries to acknowledge Marcus' world beating talents.

 

[Rozay]

Great game by Mbappé last night by the way, as no one has mentioned it.

Highest ever goalscoring teenager in CL history now too.

 

[Snow]

Great game by Mbappé last night by the way, as no one has mentioned it.

Highest ever goalscoring teenager in CL history now too.

His goal was straight at the keeper and he missed a great 1v1 chance and shot wide in front of an open goal.

wink

 

[red_devil83]

I don't watch the French league so I only see Mbappe in CL highlights but he looks like he's playing a different sport to Rashford tbh.

I see Rashford more at the Welbeck level. His greatest strength when he burst on the scene was his lethal finishing. That seems to have vanished for the time being.

 

[Rozay]

His goal was straight at the keeper and he missed a great 1v1 chance and shot wide in front of an open goal.

wink

Ah fair enough. Perhaps he's not that good after all then.

 

[RedRom]

You don't see Mbappe scoring a free-kick like that now do you?!

 

[breakout67]

The hierarchy is as follows:

Martial >>>>>>>>>>> Ruben Loftus Cheek >>>>> Mbappe >>>>>>>>>>> Rashford

 

[izzydiggler]

There is a constant stream of 'next Messi's' - Mbappe looks good from what I've seen but only time will tell. As for Rashford, I don't see anything close to that level.

I like that he's a young player that runs and stretches teams but for me, he's nowhere near the likes of Rooney or Owen, who looked spectacular English youngsters. He seems to have a good attitude, has talent and will get better but do people genuinely think he's going to be a 'star'?

There's no shame in not being comparable with all-time greats or whatever and I'm not at all writing him off or saying he can't be great but I just don't see him as being this 'nailed on' talent. I like him and obviously hope he succeeds but the expectation surrounding him seems ridiculous to me.

 

[superdry]

Rashford = sporadically brilliant, occasionally good, bambi-esque often, piss poor now and again, Mbappe like or better.......when?

 

[Hamadovich86]

Mbappe is phenomenal and if he stays injury free he'll be one of the best players in the world. Rashford has great potential and I think he'll be one of the top English players and if he manages to make better decisions with the ball he'll be something special. Mbappe is far ahead for me hes performed incredibly in CL level and is basically keeping Martial out of the French squad.

 

[Classical Mechanic]

Mbappe is ahead. Rashers still needs to work on his game a fair bit and follow a more traditional path to being a top player.

 

[Jeffthered]

Mbappe is a better player than Rashford right now. Has more to his game, and has the ability to 'pull off' much of what he attempts to naturally. What I like about Rashford is that he is willing to learn and take responsibility, like young Cristiano did at Man Utd. Work and improve your game. Harry Kane, Gareth Bale.. they also did this, and I love seeing that in good young talent. It is why I think Rashford has a great chance, because he wants to be better.

And it is also why I worry about Martial, who rarely looks happy, let alone look like developing his game. And he has all the natural talent and physique.

 

[Von Mistelroum]

I'm really not convinced about Rashford. He sometimes looks really good but regularly seems to lose control of the ball, regularly runs in a straight line into a defender, often looks confused by his own legs when dribbling and his final ball is average when he's playing well.

He clearly has talent and drive to improve which is great, but I would much prefer to see Martial on the left and a new winger who can regularly beat his man and cross out on the right, with Rashford as a sub for Martial or as a striker in a front two at times.

 

[Adam-Utd]

Mbappe is consistently 8/10 or higher, Rashford has that 8/10+ ability but he pulls out way too many 6/10's to be considered the worlds best.

It doesn't help playing as a winger though, his close dribbling isn't neat enough when he's matched with pace. His kick and run style only works when he can breeze passed his fullback. Play Martial as the LW and put him up top, we will see him be more threatening regularly.

 

[Trizy]

I love Rashford but I can't say I think he is a very good footballer as it stands.


Hopefully one day.

Exactly this. People are too in love with the whole local-youth lad. He's not great by any means apart from being very mature for his age.

 

[Siorac]

Let's go for another case study in France once again.

The 1987 generation:

Exceptional career: Henry won everything, Trezeguet (won WC/EURO, Champions League runner-up with Juve, Serie A top scorer...)
Excellent career: Benzema (so many titles with Real Madrid)
Good/Decent career: Nasri
Disappointing career: Ben Arfa
Nightmare: the guy behind them, nobody know his name

Ben Arfa & Benzema: same age, same club (academy of Lyon). Ben Arfa emerged with the pros before Benzema but left the club so early to join Marseille: the 1st mistake was to leave the best French club the 2000s to join an unstable club like Marseille

I realise this post was from a week ago but including Henry and Trezeguet confused me; wasn't this supposed to be about the 1987 generation? They were both born in 1977.

 

[Ecstatic]

I realise this post was from a week ago but including Henry and Trezeguet confused me; wasn't this supposed to be about the 1987 generation? They were both born in 1977.

You're right. If you re-read my post, you would notice I wrote "the 1987 generation: Nasri/Benzema/Ben Arfa"

The previous post was about the 1977 one: Henry-Trezeguet-Anelka

 

[Mainoldo]

I agree. He was called the New Zidane

My point was just to say that Benzema > Nasri > Ben Arfa

I think Benzema > Menez would have done just fine. Benzema was the substitute whilst Menez was the star of both Nasri and Ben Arfa. Made his debut and scored a terrific hattrick even had SAF grooming his parents!

 

[JPRouve]

I think Benzema > Menez would have done just fine. Benzema was the substitute whilst Menez was the star of both Nasri and Ben Arfa. Made his debut and scored a terrific hattrick even had SAF grooming his parents!

Unfortunately for him, Menez didn't meet Simeone like Griezmann did. It took to much time for people to realize that he was more of a second striker than a winger.