Rival Watch

[Old Man Andrews]

would he get into Leeds' team OMA?

No I don't think so, Leeds have a team good enough to finish top 10 in the Premier League so a little bit beyond where Rooney is at this stage of his career.

How would you compare Leeds to that Fulham side that went up a couple of years back? They were one of the best teams I've seen in the champ - but then obviously dropped a huge bollock when they went up

All the Leeds bashing aside, I'm intrigued to see Biesla in the Prem. Despite what you say, player for player, I'm not sure they are all that - but he has done an amazing job there tbf

The one that went up in the playoffs? Leeds are superior, no question. They will finish 1st or 2nd in the League and go up by right so thats the end of the argument for me. Only area I would say Fulham were better is in the striker department, Leeds would seriously need to spend huge money on a striker when they go up.

Bielsa is a great manager by all accounts, the current crop of top managers today always refer to him so he defintiely has something.

[Hound]

No I don't think so, Leeds have a team good enough to finish top 10 in the Premier League so a little bit beyond where Rooney is at this stage of his career.

How would you compare Leeds to that Fulham side that went up a couple of years back? They were one of the best teams I've seen in the champ - but then obviously dropped a huge bollock when they went up

All the Leeds bashing aside, I'm intrigued to see Biesla in the Prem. Despite what you say, player for player, I'm not sure they are all that - but he has done an amazing job there tbf

The one that went up in the playoffs? Leeds are superior, no question. They will finish 1st or 2nd in the League and go up by right so thats the end of the argument for me. Only area I would say Fulham were better is in the striker department, Leeds would seriously need to spend huge money on a striker when they go up.

Bielsa is a great manager by all accounts, the current crop of top managers today always refer to him so he defintiely has something.

yeah that one - had a terrible start after losing to us in the play offs, but then played very well for the rest of the year

Leeds need to sort out their CB position. White is on loan and no way on earth he'll stay there. Cooper would get found out very quickly. Hernandez is 34 and I don't rate Bamford particularly. I think they'd need to strengthen massively

[leon]

would he get into Leeds' team OMA?

No I don't think so, Leeds have a team good enough to finish top 10 in the Premier League so a little bit beyond where Rooney is at this stage of his career.

How would you compare Leeds to that Fulham side that went up a couple of years back? They were one of the best teams I've seen in the champ - but then obviously dropped a huge bollock when they went up

All the Leeds bashing aside, I'm intrigued to see Biesla in the Prem. Despite what you say, player for player, I'm not sure they are all that - but he has done an amazing job there tbf

Get the fcuk out of here Hound.

[sandman]

Wayne Rooney is a great player. One of the best I have ever seen and a true legend.

And if he'd stayed off the chips, the fags, the booze and the grannies he would or could have been even better.

No doubt he has had a lot of success, more than many players.

However, there is a reason he is playing the anchor role in Midfield for Championship Derby and the likes of Ronaldo and Messi are still at the top level.

[Hound]

No I don't think so, Leeds have a team good enough to finish top 10 in the Premier League so a little bit beyond where Rooney is at this stage of his career.

How would you compare Leeds to that Fulham side that went up a couple of years back? They were one of the best teams I've seen in the champ - but then obviously dropped a huge bollock when they went up

All the Leeds bashing aside, I'm intrigued to see Biesla in the Prem. Despite what you say, player for player, I'm not sure they are all that - but he has done an amazing job there tbf

Get the fcuk out of here Hound.

thought that might make you show your face

[sandman]

I only had the football on in the background last night whilst I was doing something else, but I had to have the Swansea game on, couldn't stand to listen to Sky just fawning over Rooney for 90 minutes.

Get used to it. They were calling it, "The beginning of the Wayne Rooney era" after our game against QPR the other day.

[Old Man Andrews]

Sky have now invented stats just so they can mention Rooney

https://twitter.com/SkySportsStatto/sta ... 95366?s=20

[Simmops]

Wayne Rooney is a great player. One of the best I have ever seen and a true legend.

And if he'd stayed off the chips, the fags, the booze and the grannies he would or could have been even better.

No doubt he has had a lot of success, more than many players.

However, there is a reason he is playing the anchor role in Midfield for Championship Derby and the likes of Ronaldo and Messi are still at the top level.

Yeah, nothing to do with Messi and Ronaldo being freaks of nature and naturally incredible talented. How many other players from Rooneys era are playing top class football still? Absolutely none consistently performing.

[Hound]

Wayne Rooney is a great player. One of the best I have ever seen and a true legend.

And if he'd stayed off the chips, the fags, the booze and the grannies he would or could have been even better.

No doubt he has had a lot of success, more than many players.

However, there is a reason he is playing the anchor role in Midfield for Championship Derby and the likes of Ronaldo and Messi are still at the top level.

Yeah, nothing to do with Messi and Ronaldo being freaks of nature and naturally incredible talented. How many other players from Rooneys era are playing top class football still? Absolutely none consistently performing.

Messi is only 32 anyway. Not much older than Mesut Ozil, and I think younger than David Silva, Vincent Kompany, Jamie Vardy, Jan Ventonghen and no doubts plenty more I can't be arsed to think of.

[sandman]

Wayne Rooney is a great player. One of the best I have ever seen and a true legend.

And if he'd stayed off the chips, the fags, the booze and the grannies he would or could have been even better.

No doubt he has had a lot of success, more than many players.

However, there is a reason he is playing the anchor role in Midfield for Championship Derby and the likes of Ronaldo and Messi are still at the top level.

Yeah, nothing to do with Messi and Ronaldo being freaks of nature and naturally incredible talented. How many other players from Rooneys era are playing top class football still? Absolutely none consistently performing.

Rooney is "naturally incredibly talented". His upside when he was young was huge, probably higher than Cristiano. But he hasn't looked after himself well enough to remain at the very top level.

[WestYorksRoyal]

Rooney has always been a victim of his success when he exploded onto the global scene at Euro 2004. We all thought he would go on to be the best player in the world. As it was, Messi and Ronaldo went on to be all time greats, while Rooney was merely an exceptional player who was key for both Man Utd and England. He's still class now and has achieved a lot in his career, but when we think back to 2004, there's always a feeling be could have defined himself in the same league as Cruyff, Charlton, Rivaldo etc. (I'll steer clear of Pele and Maradona though)

[3points]

I think there's another slight difference comparing Rooney to Messi & Ronaldo as well. Rooney has always been seen as a centre forward through the bulk of his career. Therefore, there's a very high expectation of scoring goals; so when he didn't he was deemed not to be playing well. However, I never really consider Messi or Ronaldo as a centre forward. Messi is more of a No 10 / playmaker and Ronaldo has been a winger or, more recently, a wide forward. Therefore, to me, it seems less important if Messi & Ronaldo don't score, as that's not their primary role.

Also, the premier League is a much tougher, more relentless league, to be playing in week in and week out than La Liga. Would messi be better than, say, David Silva or Kevin de Druyne, playing in England? Ronaldo flourished once he left the Premier League.

Rooney however cannot be compared to Ronaldo when it comes to carrying his international team though. Ronaldo is truly remarkable in that respect and has nearly twice as many goals as Rooney. Portugal have often been a one man team carried by Ronaldo. Messi is underwhelming on the international stage, which probably shows that he needs the entire set up to be built around him (as it has been in Barcelona).

[URZZZZ]

Wayne Rooney is a great player. One of the best I have ever seen and a true legend.

And if he'd stayed off the chips, the fags, the booze and the grannies he would or could have been even better.

No doubt he has had a lot of success, more than many players.

However, there is a reason he is playing the anchor role in Midfield for Championship Derby and the likes of Ronaldo and Messi are still at the top level.

Yeah, nothing to do with Messi and Ronaldo being freaks of nature and naturally incredible talented. How many other players from Rooneys era are playing top class football still? Absolutely none consistently performing.

James Milner for one

Came onto the scene around the same time as Rooney, has been a professional his entire life and always kept in good shape and is now playing at a consistent level for the best team in the world who haven’t lost in over a year now

[Simmops]

And if he'd stayed off the chips, the fags, the booze and the grannies he would or could have been even better.

No doubt he has had a lot of success, more than many players.

However, there is a reason he is playing the anchor role in Midfield for Championship Derby and the likes of Ronaldo and Messi are still at the top level.

Yeah, nothing to do with Messi and Ronaldo being freaks of nature and naturally incredible talented. How many other players from Rooneys era are playing top class football still? Absolutely none consistently performing.

Rooney is "naturally incredibly talented". His upside when he was young was huge, probably higher than Cristiano. But he hasn't looked after himself well enough to remain at the very top level.

Which is fair. He is still top 10 players I have ever seen.

[URZZZZ]

Middlesbrough pretty active so far in the window, signing Patrick Roberts and Lukas Nmecha

[Old Man Andrews]

Middlesbrough pretty active so far in the window, signing Patrick Roberts and Lukas Nmecha

Roberts is a great signing, they have come into a little bit of form too.

[NewCorkSeth]

Sky have now invented stats just so they can mention Rooney

https://twitter.com/SkySportsStatto/sta ... 95366?s=20

That is so oxf*rd embarrassing.

[NewCorkSeth]

And if he'd stayed off the chips, the fags, the booze and the grannies he would or could have been even better.

No doubt he has had a lot of success, more than many players.

However, there is a reason he is playing the anchor role in Midfield for Championship Derby and the likes of Ronaldo and Messi are still at the top level.

Yeah, nothing to do with Messi and Ronaldo being freaks of nature and naturally incredible talented. How many other players from Rooneys era are playing top class football still? Absolutely none consistently performing.

James Milner for one

Came onto the scene around the same time as Rooney, has been a professional his entire life and always kept in good shape and is now playing at a consistent level for the best team in the world who haven’t lost in over a year now

Milner is a ledge tbf.

[From Despair To Where?]

Pretty sure James Miller us the only current professional footballer to have played for Leeds in the Premiership.

Oh no, tell a lie, there's Aaron Lennon as well

[Sutekh]

Pretty sure James Miller us the only current professional footballer to have played for Leeds in the Premiership.

Oh no, tell a lie, there's Aaron Lennon as well

Scott Carson (now at Derby) is another and Matthew Kilgallon is now plying his trade for Hyderabad FC in India.

Ian Harte and Michael Duberry both played for Leeds in their last PL season (to date) and had subsequent spells at Reading before retiring.