Robin van Persie is the best striker we have ever had in the PL...

[OverratedOpinion]

The reason i'm adding assists is that Yorke got an outrageous number of assists in 98-99. Think it was near the 20 mark and equaled David Beckham's assist tally that season as well as banging in 29 goals overall. Easily one of the best seasons of a striker here.

Yorke is criminally underrated in general.

I feel like some fans miss how good he was as a footballer outside of goals, lead to him doing pretty well as a deep lying midfielder at the end of his career and he is definitely a striker from that era who could still do well today.

 

[davidmichael]

In his first season RVP was unplayable for us but as a whole I’d say it’s Cantona or Rooney or RVN for me, it’s a bit like saying Ronaldinho is the best ever based on that two season unplayable spell he had at Barca when his peak was as good as I’ve seen but it wasn’t over the longer term like Messi or Maradona.

 

[Giggsy13]

RVP may have had the greatest single season of them all but longevity is the issue. It’s a shame it didn’t work with LVG, as I think RVP would’ve done well in his later years with Jose.

 

[Big_Bro]

They were both fearsome strikers. But I'd take RVN any day, any time.

 

[Loon]

I regret he didn't have another season under Ferguson. I'm sure he treasures his winner's medal as compensation, but I do feel he was short-changed by Ferguson's sudden departure.

 

[DJ Jeff]

Rooney in 09/10 is the best striker I've seen for United. That Bayern injury changed him forever.

 

[lex talionis]

They were both fearsome strikers. But I'd take RVN any day, any time.

This.

And no disrespect to Robin is intended, but Ruud > Robin.

 

[NotoriousISSY]

On a purely individual basis it's RVN for me.

 

[devilish]

Ruud

 

[arthurka]

Ruud

 

[Jeppers7]

That first season was just insane, I see where you are coming from with the post. I’d say Eric, Ronaldo and RVP are the most influential players in successful seasons I’ve seen.

Robson for example had better seasons or at least taking away injuries, but we weren’t successful

 

[Cloud7]

In terms of sheer quality, for that one season I would agree. Obviously longevity comes into the question, but purely in terms of peak performance, yeah.

 

[RuudtheRed]

He's not even the best Dutch striker we have had in the PL and you could say that he was only great for 1 season. Even so, he was prone to missing sitters (the game against Real Madrid stands out). No disrespect though, he was still a great striker that probably tipped the balance in our favour for our last league title and scored some amazing goals

 

[Fortitude]

For single seasons, Dwight Yorke is the #1.

He was ballon level for a season. Doing it against the very best in Europe.

 

[Nevilles.Wear.Prada]

cnut : Lukaku/Tevez
Peak : RVP
Lethal : RVN
Smiles: Hernandez
Class: Berbatov
Pairing : York/Cole
Charisma : Zlatan/Cantona
Absolute Best : Rooney

my SAF loved his strikers huh, how did we go from these guys to Martials and falcaos

 

[RedPed]

Irrespective of ability/ranking, Robin van Persie is one of my all time favourite players. I absolutely love that guy and was always jealous of Arsenal even though he was crocked quite a lot there. The fact that he came to United and virtually got us the title and incensed Gooners worldwide makes that endearment even stronger.

It was good to see the clips of him at Carrington today.

 

[Fingeredmouse]

Ruud Ruud Ruud

 

[Cassidy]

Ruud
RVP
Rooney

 

[kidbob]

I think its hard to really include Rooney in the conversation. I view him as a hybrid his whole career, never really a true number 9. That's why I also rate him much higher than the rest. He's ultimately a better player than RVP, Ruud and even the likes of Shearer, Kane and Aguero etc. @Irwin99 makes a great point with assists. Rooney is literally in the top 3 for all time PL assists and the top 3 for goals. As an all around player he is basically unmatched in his output. However I'd have Ruud as the best striker we've had and Cole as a close second. Andy Cole never gets the credit he deserves. An absolute monster of a striker. Hell along with Yorke and RVP even Ole deserves a mention. We've had some incredible strikers. Cantona is a bit like Rooney for me, an all around incredible player but never really just a true striker.

 

[Valencia Shin Crosses]

I think its hard to really include Rooney in the conversation. I view him as a hybrid his whole career, never really a true number 9. That's why I also rate him much higher than the rest. He's ultimately a better player than RVP, Ruud and even the likes of Shearer, Kane and Aguero etc. @Irwin99 makes a great point with assists. Rooney is literally in the top 3 for all time PL assists and the top 3 for goals. As an all around player he is basically unmatched in his output. However I'd have Ruud as the best striker we've had and Cole as a close second. Andy Cole never gets the credit he deserves. An absolute monster of a striker. Hell along with Yorke and RVP even Ole deserves a mention. We've had some incredible strikers. Cantona is a bit like Rooney for me, an all around incredible player but never really just a true striker.

Rooney at his best actually would have thrived in today's modern interpretation of a striker, especially under ETH. Press like a maniac, drop deep to playmake for inside forwards, and powerhouse runs to get on the end of chances. He just never wanted to be a pure poaching type that stood around the box waiting for service, and much of his career was played in the previous era where wingers were more true touchline players looking to swing in crosses.

 

[Blood Mage]

Nope, Henry and it's not close. Ronaldo doesn't count as he was a winger in his first stint at United.

 

[Jeffthered]

Ruud Van Nistelrooy for me. Guy was the devastating, no nonsense, goal scoring machine. Not interested in shots outside the area, just thrived on service.

Brilliant.

 

[kidbob]

Rooney at his best actually would have thrived in today's modern interpretation of a striker, especially under ETH. Press like a maniac, drop deep to playmake for inside forwards, and powerhouse runs to get on the end of chances. He just never wanted to be a pure poaching type that stood around the box waiting for service, and much of his career was played in the previous era where wingers were more true touchline players looking to swing in crosses.

Absolutely agree. He could never be a true number 9 because he always wanted to be involved. Kane is kind of similar but, while he has good passing ability, he lacks the explosiveness of early Rooney. Peak Rooney is the one player I'd bring back right now for ETH if I could. Basically output wise he is amongst the best number 10s and number 9s that the PL has seen, all while also playing on the wings and in midfield. Stupidly good player.

 

[tomaldinho1]

Ruud is best finisher we have had
Cole remains criminally underrated
RVP scored sexy goals though

Rooney was better than them all

 

[The White Pele]

I think people forget (me included) that in Van Persie’s good season he went missing for the business end of the campaign.

We had all but wrapped up the Premier League at the turn of the year and had a good opportunity to do something special if we could progress in the cups but Van Persie had a run from mid Feb to early April of 10 games without a goal during which we were knocked out of the CL by Real Madrid and the FA Cup by Chelsea, whilst also losing to City at Old Trafford in the league.

He was genuinely excellent for the first half of the season and seemed to score every half chance that came his way but because he didn’t deliver at that key stage of the season I struggle to think of many big goals in pressure games and therefore overall would probably have him below the likes of RVN, Ronaldo, Rooney, Yorke, Solskjaer, Cole etc.

I have no doubt that had he played under SAF for longer then he would have delivered some big moments but in that one season he had it just didn’t happen for him in that big pressure period.

I think the season Rashford is having is on course to surpass RVP’s season of 2012-13 personally.

 

[Hughie77]

Rudd, Yorke Cole Rvp. I liked RVP though scored us important goals, so did Rooney, and Cole and Yorke in 98-99 those two if I can remember hit over 25 goals each . Its tough to call the best.

 

[032Devil]

Obviously, he’s no Giggs/Scholes etc type legend, but when I think about it - I think it’s fair to say that his best with us was not bettered with us from any centre forward. Rooney and Cantona were top players and bigger legends, but neither were as good as Persie in 12/13. He's the best we’ve had in the PL era.

One season wonder. Once he got the Premiership Winning Medal his form dropped.

 

[Demon Barber]

Ruud all day. Best striker since Law (as has already been posted)

 

[Tarrou]

Nope, Henry and it's not close. Ronaldo doesn't count as he was a winger in his first stint at United.

the ‘we’ in the title means United

it’s Ruud for me

 

[Fingeredmouse]

Nope, Henry and it's not close. Ronaldo doesn't count as he was a winger in his first stint at United.

Thierry Henry? The Utd legend.

 

[Von Mistelroum]

It's a really tough one because he wasn't here long really, but he was different class. I would always say Ruud and RVP were the best in terms of out and out striker.

Rooney and Cantona make a very strong case if we extend to central attackers though.

 

[Blood Mage]

Thierry Henry? The Utd legend.

I misread the thread title it would seem.

 

[Danish Wizard]

Different players, different team-mates around them, different style of play. But;
Ruud van Nistelrooy is for me the most amazing number 9 we have had in the Premier League era. Absolutely brilliant in the penalty area.

No disrespect for van Persie and several others, they were great as well. We have had some superb strikers. But Ruud edges it for me.

 

[Raoul]

Different players, different team-mates around them, different style of play. But;
Ruud van Nistelrooy is for me the most amazing number 9 we have had in the Premier League era. Absolutely brilliant in the penalty area.

No disrespect for van Persie and several others, they were great as well. We have had some superb strikers. But Ruud edges it for me.

Agreed. No disrespect to RvP or any of the others, but Ruud will always be the best. Ruud's 110 goals in three years to RvP's 58 in 3 years should settle any doubts.

 

[Sandikan]

Yorke is criminally underrated in general.

I feel like some fans miss how good he was as a footballer outside of goals, lead to him doing pretty well as a deep lying midfielder at the end of his career and he is definitely a striker from that era who could still do well today.

Mad isn't it?
He came into an absolutely fantastic team and didn't for a second look out of place.

What he did for Andy Cole was really significant too, as well as helping himself to a tonne of goals back when you actually fielded 2 strikers as well.

 

[Sandikan]

Agreed. No disrespect to RvP or any of the others, but Ruud will always be the best. Ruud's 110 goals in three years to RvP's 58 in 3 years should settle any doubts.

Always RVN for me.
Such a shame his spell coincided with what we thought were barren years! In the context of the last decade post Fergie they'd be close to our best!

 

[Sandikan]

Nope, Henry and it's not close. Ronaldo doesn't count as he was a winger in his first stint at United.

The "we" refers to United, not a collective every team

Henry drifted wide a hell of a lot as well, and latter day first spell Ronaldo had massive licence to go where he wanted.

 

[Moston Red]

Ruud for me, but the caveat being I’m not sure he’d have been so prolific for united without Beckham.

 

[AdNani]

In Terms of individual seasons for Us

1.Yorke in 99
2. Rooney 09/10
3. Ruud 02/03

He was fantastic though. Incidentally if you're talking Ideal #9 for Ten Hag i think Yorke would be sensational in this team.

 

[phonics_tid]

RVP is the player I fell in love with the quickest out of any other player we’ve signed. Couldn’t stand him at Arsenal and it was almost instantaneous, the moment he pulled on our shirt I absolutely adored him from the off.

Licha is giving me similar vibes now. A real pleasure to see a guy come in with no real association or affinity with us in the past and just immediately click.

I also love the fact that despite being at Arsenal for 8 years, playing many more games and scoring more goals for them, he‘s basically regarded as a Utd legend now. Seems to be at Carrington a lot and whenever he’s a pundit, seems to love speaking about us. Would love to see him come back to the club in some capacity.