Er, I didn’t expect any bashing at all. Rooney had the better career and the better moments but was he better than RvP? That’s the question! Don’t think that anything than a fair question, considering just how good Robin was good for us and Arsenal.
Wayne Rooney vs. Robin van Persie
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik and Imran hold a long overdue conversation about United's awful league form with 1 win in 7. They discuss a disappointing draw at Bournemouth, a not so disappointing draw against Liverpool and a crushing defeat at Chelsea - Is time nearly over for Erik Ten Hag?
Then in a special second half of the pod, Nik welcomes Natalie ( https://twitter.com/natalie_17) to discuss the fortunes of Manchester United Women as they booked a place in the FA Cup Final after a historic first ever win vs. Chelsea.
Rooney. Watching him as a kid coming through taking on anyone and scoring all types of goals, he really was a real talent and only the most basic brained supporters can't see how good he actually was looking back and seeing past the last year or two.
RvP was great too, but didn't have the complete package Rooney did imo.
RvP was great too, but didn't have the complete package Rooney did imo.
More creativity? Than why is Rooney 2nd for most assists in the club's history, behind only Giggs who also played like 400 more matches for us?
Not only top goalscorer, but almost top assist maker at United. Rooney absolutely was a catalyst for our team for around a decade before his serious decline.
I thoroughly disagree with that. I thought RvP had far more incisive passing with Rooney. I thought that RvP was always a step ahead of his peers. As for long rang passing, that’s not something that personally rate as I think it doesn’t add anything except for the tv cameras.
He didn't really just drop deep at times. Labelling it "dropping deep a bit" is a bit of disservice to his actual performances at the time. He covered a lot of ground, controlled the midfield for large portions of the time and was incredibly creative. Giggs and Scholes were wonderful obviously but they were also 40. Without Rooney and Park that run in the last portion of 10/11 season never happens.
Rooney at his best was as good if not better than those two seasons from RvP and he had a far better standard throughout his career overall and was a better overall player.
Rooney was both a great goalscorer when asked to play as a lone striker and a great #10 behind a striker too. He was just better overall, and comfortably.
Rooney was midfielder + attacker rolled in to one. Superb work rate, good passer and also passing range, good at winning possession and a great team player.
Van Perise was better in the air. Struggling to say he was in any other area.
Edit: That doesn't mean I think he was inferior at everything else before anyone starts, the two were equal at many things imo. I'd side with Rooney in the end though.
Edit: That doesn't mean I think he was inferior at everything else before anyone starts, the two were equal at many things imo. I'd side with Rooney in the end though.
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Imagine having had RVP, Rooney, and Ronaldo together whilst at their peak..
I just think RVP probably was more talented than Rooney, but wind he clock back and have the choice of the two, then it'd be Rooney again every time.
I just think RVP probably was more talented than Rooney, but wind he clock back and have the choice of the two, then it'd be Rooney again every time.
RVP looked better, more graceful, poised close control etc... but Rooney had a lot more in his locker for me.
That’s absolute drivel ffs. If anything, I’m pretty sure he was told to stay up front. He certainly didn’t control it. He was a creative number 9 and half as RvP coined the position.
I’ve never seen RVP split a defence like Rooney did, for example, against Spurs at home in 2009 to play Carrick through and kick-start a really important comeback (he was phenomenal in that second half playing from the left). As for long range passing - consider the pass for RVP’s famous volley against Villa. Again it’s something RVP just didn’t really have in his locker. Yet the volley itself is something Rooney certainly did have, he scored a very similar volley against Middlesbrough in the Cup in 2005, an incredible goal that is often overlooked because his collection of worldies is so vast.
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So just like RvP then? Seriously...
In terms of their peak, I'd take van Persie 2011-2013. I think that Rooney only reached that level once in his career — in 2009/10, but he lost his form after the injury and never regained it (and we had lost the league to Chelsea and got undeservedly eliminated by Bayern in the CL). So yeah, definitely peak RVP.
It's hard to say about their talent, as their skillset was so different. We usually mean technique when we say talent, but Rooney's endless stamina and aggressiveness were also something he was born with, really. I'd still say that van Persie edges it because of his immaculate touch and elegant playing style.
If we're picking which one to sign as a youngster, then it's Rooney, no debate.
It's hard to say about their talent, as their skillset was so different. We usually mean technique when we say talent, but Rooney's endless stamina and aggressiveness were also something he was born with, really. I'd still say that van Persie edges it because of his immaculate touch and elegant playing style.
If we're picking which one to sign as a youngster, then it's Rooney, no debate.
Someone seems a little tetchy his thread didn't go the direction he wanted 
I’ve seen van Persie’s passing for Arsenal plenty of times. His creativity is not credited because he never dropped as deep as Rooney — it’s that simple. I’m not saying that Rooney had no effect in dropping deep but his long range passing is vastly overstated because at the end of the day it had little end product.
For me, this sums it up. RvP had better peak seasons than Rooney ever did. Rooney had a better career.
I mean fine, but it isn't innit. He was spending shitloads of time in midfield with great effect. I know RvP said they were both number 9.5, and they did interchange quite a bit, but it was always clear who was playing deeper of the two, to a point where Rooney started games as a 10 in a diamond, finished the season playing in a midfield of two and went on to play significant portion of his later career as a midfielder. RvP was always further up the pitch than Rooney and he never really played as a 10 in his peak.
His pass to Ronaldo in CL finals was very good too, sort of sums up Rooney as a player. Wins the ball at RB position, carries the ball and plays superb long pass to Ronaldo, who then creates chance to Tevez.
He was so good that he played well with almost any striker and formed good partnership.
And RvP started off as a left winger at Feyenoord so he had another position he could play on. RvP also played right winger for our national team sometimes.
I love RVP, but it's Rooney. People really forget how Rooney was in his prime, his last few seasons has clouded peoples minds about his ability.
It’s an excellent example of how players’ careers aren’t linear. I mean of course we’d all pick Rooney. But I mean, after that, harder and harder to pick.
The only way anyone would pick RVP is if they are voting for aesthetics, his game was easier on the eye than Rooney. Fun fact though, as Van Persie seems to be noted for his technique and finishing, and Rooney playing deeper and practically everywhere on the pitch, Rooney is still both the better goalscorer and creator in terms of assists.
He actually repeated it a year later by hitting 34 goals again and carrying the team. And then began to decline a bit until he fully became a midfielder. You'd have to be really picky to choose RVP in an head to head, personal preference aside.
Yeah I had that pass in mind as well, but I haven’t seen highlights of that match in so long I wasn’t sure if I remembered that move right.
Rooney's best performances were in 2011.
Rooney played more games, and scored more goals just playing for Utd than RvP did in his entire professional career.
Someone seems a little tetchy his thread didn't go the direction he wanted
I love both. Check my threads I’m extremely biased toward any United player.
Rooney's peak lasted a bit longer as he peaked much earlier, being an astounding player from a very young age, faded a little bit in his late 20s but was still very good right up until the last couple of seasons here.
However, RVP had a 3 year period where he was one of the very best centre forwards in the world. Rooney's best seasons tended to be separated by average ones.
RVP had the better peak. Rooney had the better career.
However, RVP had a 3 year period where he was one of the very best centre forwards in the world. Rooney's best seasons tended to be separated by average ones.
RVP had the better peak. Rooney had the better career.
He goes by the name of Wayne Rooney.
I agree with you. RVP at his peak was absolutely devastating but Rooney was a force of nature in his prime.
Personally, I prefer 2009/10.
I think Rooney during the 2nd half of 2010-2011 was his peak and the best he ever played.
Was genuinely the best player in the world for me outside of the La Liga giants(Messi, Ronaldo, Xavi, Iniesta).
Rooney's short peak is why I'm going against the consensus and picking RVP. Rooney put up some good stats after that season, but they papered over so many indifferent to poor performances. I don't know what it was that stopped 09/10 Rooney from ever emerging again, but that was him at his absolute peak for me. RVP at his peak was the full package and it's a shame injury prevented his peak from being longer.
Rooney. He was the better player for all but about 2 years and his peak around 2009 / 2010 was higher than Van Persie's. I liked Van Persie a lot though. he was pretty outstanding in his first season for us
RVP at his best was a level above. I’ve always wondered how Rooney would be regarded if he wasn’t English. He was a great player for us but was a streaky goal scorer and often his touch and weight of pass was off.
I much preferred to watch RVP and liked him more, but Rooney was better.
So true; these comparison threads using Rooney vs others are very short sighted.
I think it's very close.
I think Van Persie was just exceptional during 2012-2013. Especially from like August-February. It seemed like every goal he scored was either to put us ahead or an equalizing goal. He was just incredible. Might be my favorite season a United player has had(that or Ronaldo 2007-2008). He easily should have won the PFA Player of the Year award again. He was just a majestic footballer. He's a bit 'easier' on the eye than Rooney for sure.
Rooney's best form for me came at the turn of 2011. About a month or so in 2011. He turned the corner and was just on fire. He was playing as a #10 basically and seemed to combine his deft passing with goalscoring to the best of his abilities. He was still in great physical condition too(perhaps a slight decline from his physical peak in 2009). His hat-trick at Upton Park to bring us back from 2-0 down just personifies him as a player. He was incredible away to Schalke in our 2-0 win(Neuer prevented that from being a complete rout). Was great vs Chelsea in every encounter to close the season(the CL legs, the league title decider). It was peak Rooney for me.
Career, it's clearly Rooney.
At their peak, I think Robin Van Persie is the better center forward, but Rooney is the better overall player. Very very close though.
I think Van Persie was just exceptional during 2012-2013. Especially from like August-February. It seemed like every goal he scored was either to put us ahead or an equalizing goal. He was just incredible. Might be my favorite season a United player has had(that or Ronaldo 2007-2008). He easily should have won the PFA Player of the Year award again. He was just a majestic footballer. He's a bit 'easier' on the eye than Rooney for sure.
Rooney's best form for me came at the turn of 2011. About a month or so in 2011. He turned the corner and was just on fire. He was playing as a #10 basically and seemed to combine his deft passing with goalscoring to the best of his abilities. He was still in great physical condition too(perhaps a slight decline from his physical peak in 2009). His hat-trick at Upton Park to bring us back from 2-0 down just personifies him as a player. He was incredible away to Schalke in our 2-0 win(Neuer prevented that from being a complete rout). Was great vs Chelsea in every encounter to close the season(the CL legs, the league title decider). It was peak Rooney for me.
Career, it's clearly Rooney.
At their peak, I think Robin Van Persie is the better center forward, but Rooney is the better overall player. Very very close though.
Van Persie 2011-2013 was a level I think Rooney only sporadically reached.
He was the main man in that season after Ronaldo left, I remember he surprised everyone by scoring a ton of headers as well. Also Berbatov and later RVP, also Fergie's insistence on not signing a midfielder meant that he dropped deeper and deeper to provide creativity, as well as the physical decline. Rooney was the guy who would make sacrifices for his team.
The same could be said about van Persie. There is no question that he was the best number 9 in the 18 months before it transpired that he’d join us. I mean he was sensational and I cannot believe that people are forgetting the quality just because it was for Arsenal.
I think United fans especially hold RVP in such high regard because he brought us our 20th title, Fergie retiring and all the drama that happened in the previous season (Agueroooooooooooooo). It's like that quote "You either die a hero (RVP) or live long enough to become a villain(Rooney)".
A prime Rooney would have been so good for us right now. People talk about Pogba this and Pogba that, Rooney was definitely a cut above above Pogba in terms of talent.