Not a bad list at all. It's between Iniesta and Lahm for me.
Third Best Player this Generation
- Thread starter RedDevilCanuck
- Start date
Hard to say anything precise before you clarify the time-frame of this geneation. 1980-1990? 1985-1995?
Rooney was better than Robben imo. Small margins but peak Rooney over peak Robben.
Nah, peak Rooney was great, would personally pick him even ahead of Zlatan, but Robben was/is unstoppable on form. Pretty much could win you games on his own. Rooney for all his ability wasn't on that level.
He really was, though.
Edit: I should qualify that by admitting I was a critic of his decline even before SAF retired.
Rooney before that was at times unplayable, and usually turned games our way, unless Ronnie was doing it.
Zlatan
Zlatan
Disagree
Neymar hands down! He’s phenomenal and will break records and win loads.
The argument is he’s only doing it in a poor french league.
The argument is he’s only doing it in a poor french league.
Iniesta, really. Good list by @Invictus, also agree on Neymar.
It was definitely his best season in the league. The problem was he was literally a one-man team in the league. Pirlo, Seedorf, Nesta, Maldini, etc, they didn't give a shit about the league that season and played accordingly. He had to win games entirely by himself. By the run-in in the CL he began to pace himself on the CL and his league performancea dropped, but overall he was incredible. And clearly the best player in the world
Too rare for me. When he was young he could run through the defence and get goals out of nothing. But, that dribbling ability which Robben has is something else. Would describe it best as creating chaos on a regular basis throughout the match.
When Rooney had his best season by some (that 2009/10, for me, that wasn't his best) he was a brilliant goalscorer, but already beginning to rely on service of other players. The way I see it, Rooney never put together on the highest level that capability to run through defence which he had at the very young age along with his goalscoring, which would make him a genuine contender for a place in this thread.
That is also perfectly fine.
That's a good list you got there.
I didn't realise you were so knowledgeable about World football.
Well done.
Would choose his performances in the league in the next two seasons, especially his last season, above that one. He was even more of a one-man team and with a much weaker side (Jankolovski, Flamini, etc).
I digress. I think Rooney was more of a match winner.That is also perfectly fine.
True that but he wasn't quite as good. First half of 2006/07 in the league he was a comet.
Killed us in the 2009 final too after our early burst with that through ball to etoo. Arguably the best big match player of this generation
I wouldn't class Iniesta/Xavi this generation, they was at their best 08-12.
I'd probably say Neymar.
I'd probably say Neymar.
That was my first thought reading the post above.
Robben egdes it for me because of 2014. As for Rooney, it's actually a good shout, what holds him back is that he was second-fiddle to cristiano until 2009 and then only had two truly great seasons after Cris left...compared to Robben who dragged bayern to a CL final on his own, Holland to a WC SF, and was THE game winner in the run in of bayern's domination in 12/13I digress. I think Rooney was more of a match winner.
Think I get what you mean. I'm a big fan of young Rooney. He and Robben are of similar age and by the age 24,25, Rooney has advantage. But Robben shifted to another gear from that time.I digress. I think Rooney was more of a match winner.
Anyway, a matter of personal opinion.
See now we agree. But would you put young Rooney over older Robben.
Who edges it overall?
Young Rooney was better than young Ronaldo and on par with Messi.
Robben never got there imo.
Suarez. He even outperformed Ronaldo for a while
It's a tough one, but I would take Robben from 2010 - 2014. Robben at times and when he was on form got very close to Ronaldo/Messi who were on a much higher level than at the start of their career. Even absolutely outperformed them on the international level.
If I had to choose one of them for a deciding match, I would choose that version of Robben. Ideally, would take them both.
Iniesta hands down.
Xavi by far was the most influential player for club(bar Messi) and country over the last decade. Followed by Iniesta. The rest doesn't come close.
Surprised how many are saying Iniesta, absolutely glorious player during his purple patches but his form has had various periods where something clearly wasn't right and is clearly a lesser player without Xavi next to him.
It's Xavi for me.
It's Xavi for me.
It's so close. Still I'd go with early Rooney.
Many people go by Invictus' assumption that Xavi belongs to the different generation. If they both belong to the same one, Xavi edges is — even though Iniesta outperformed him (and pretty much everyone) in big games.
What do you mean by early Rooney?
After 10pm Rooney is usually 4 beers in and halfway through a kebab.
That's why he's faded ao badly. As a brit it should be 6 beers and fish&chips
Bloody foriners ruinong good english cuisine
Up until about 2 years ago I would have had Xavi second behind Messi. Ronaldos updated his CV big time since then, so for me the top 3 are clearly Messi, Ronaldo and Xavi followed by Iniesta.
The fiery pissed off Rooney.
But i mean, what years are you talking about?
Jesus Christ
When he was just killing it. I'm not a stats guy. The rage was his key. Fighting. Pissed of he was gonna be subbed. Middlesbrough and Newcastle come to mind
I'm not a fighter never have never will be.
But don't push me because I'll light you up
That's what I mean. It might be an English thing but it the time when you say feck off you cnut. When he did it he wasn't thinking. It was feck you for subbing me. feck you got tackling me. It obviously was going to boil over.
But when the rage came out it was glorious.
Im from billinge and had to literally steal potatoes from the farmers field to eat.
Liverpool and Manchester were close to me. I picked a team and here I am.
When you see someone that's from close to you you can't help but love it.
And I'm no Rooney fan.
It's a tribal thing.
But don't push me because I'll light you up
That's what I mean. It might be an English thing but it the time when you say feck off you cnut. When he did it he wasn't thinking. It was feck you for subbing me. feck you got tackling me. It obviously was going to boil over.
But when the rage came out it was glorious.
Im from billinge and had to literally steal potatoes from the farmers field to eat.
Liverpool and Manchester were close to me. I picked a team and here I am.
When you see someone that's from close to you you can't help but love it.
And I'm no Rooney fan.
It's a tribal thing.
Since Xavi already retired, probably Iniesta, or Neymar.