[Archived] Rooney V Torres

[Lathund]

If pure technical ability with the ball is all you rate, then I assume you'd rate a "goal poacher" as low as a shoddy defender? Since their strength lies in reading the game and being in the right place at the right time and not in technical ability.

Bit pointless discussion to have I guess. You rate only technical ability, I rate things like reading the game as well. Each to their own.

You're still wrong though

[AndyC]

Should I expect an answer, or eight paragraphs on why you hate Souness. Strongly suspect you hate souness at all. Probably dig out your photo of him brandishing the shotgun, shove in your batteries, pull up the quilt and buzz the night away.

[FourLaneBlue]

I'd take Rooney as Torres is shockingly inconsistent and a lot of Spaniards don't rate him that much. Another example of a writer on La Liga who doesn't think much of 'the kid' is the excellent Phil Ball, who regularly and eloquently writes for espnsoccernet.com and When Saturday Comes about the Spanish game. Ball also wrote a readable history of the game there, Morbo, which I'd recommend if I could be bothered resurrecting the Holiday Reads thread. So in my opinion...

Torres - even more overrated than Wayne "Greatest thing since slice breadTM" Rooney.

Now, if we were talking about Villa that would be a more interesting debate. Much more clinical than Torres, especially so at domestic level.

[neekoy]

Mate, I’m not beating on Australians here so don’t get in a tizz but …

…don’t you have the capacity to admit you mightn’t be the best every single time? This idea that ‘Aussie is the best and I’ll never admit anything else’ is a myopia which baffles me.

And once again because I know that you are a sensitive bunch deep down, I think Australians are superb company.. aw heck, I’ll even admit that some of my mates are Australian. It’s just this weird belligerence I don’t get.

I won't admit it until the game is over, I know Australia is not the best in every sport and I know Australia has been beaten by better performances, the Ashes as an example.

As Australians we believe that we can win against anyone, whether we do on not is decided at the final whistle.

As far as England go, it goes back to our roots, because of our deep history with the mother land it reflects directly from our 'convict' history.

Even now the English still see us a group of anti-establishment no gooders deserving a good thrashing, as displayed on this board for ever and a day. It is part of the rebel mentality that we would always want to get one over these people.

Take a centre half and play him as a striker and he'll be crap.

Except if you are Chris Sutton

[FourLaneBlue]

Even now the English still see us a group of anti-establishment no gooders deserving a good thrashing, as displayed on this board for ever and a day. It is part of the rebel mentality that we would always want to get one over these people.

Drivel. If you really are stupid enough to believe a couple of posters on here winding you up constitutes a whole nation of people that view you as "anti-establishment no gooders" then I guess there's no use hoping for a more reasoned or perceptive reply from you. All the English are loosely to be bracketed as "these people" are they? You seem to be confusing banter (and a few may take it a little too far but haven't some always) for some deep-rooted dislike. Have you even been to England? If you did you'd meet plenty of "these people" who are perfectly normal and without a view of Aussies as "anti-establishment no gooders deserving a good thrashing" but are very like most Aussies.

[jim mk2]

Even now the English still see us a group of anti-establishment no gooders deserving a good thrashing, as displayed on this board for ever and a day. It is part of the rebel mentality that we would always want to get one over these people.

[neekoy]

Drivel. If you really are stupid enough to believe a couple of posters on here winding you up constitutes a whole nation of people that view you as "anti-establishment no gooders" then I guess there's no use hoping for a more reasoned or perceptive reply from you. All the English are loosely to be bracketed as "these people" are they? You seem to be confusing banter (and a few may take it a little too far but haven't some always) for some deep-rooted dislike. Have you even been to England? If you did you'd meet plenty of "these people" who are perfectly normal and without a view of Aussies as "anti-establishment no gooders deserving a good thrashing" but are very like most Aussies.

Settle down FLB, it was meant in jest, I don't believe on either side, except in JIMMK2, that there is any deep resentment

If you read my posts before hand instead of going off the handle you will see that I do actually like the company of Brits and my dislike of English sporting teams, when we are playing you none the less, starts at the whistle and ends on the whistle

I was merely giving a reason as to why it is so much fun to enter into such banter with the English, and I will catagorically state that if we had Dutch heritage it wouldn't be the same

Who do the English like playing in sport? Germany, Argentina, Australia, why? due to history we share.

There is nothing personal in anything I ever say, it is meant for a rib and nothing more. Whether or not you would FLB, even the people that 'wind us aussies up' would still be welcome in my home for a bite to eat and a beer anytime.

Yes I have been to England, yes I enjoyed it except for the over crowding of London, and I have many many heavy drinking sessions with English backpackers over a football game and loved every moment of it.

[SouthAussieRover]

Hey Birchy he's crawled back out from under the rock.

Watch out mods there'll probably be a pm on its way to you now

[FourLaneBlue]

Sorry Neekoy - I overreacted at what I thought was your...er...overreaction

[American]

Am I the only one who was far from impressed with Torres against France?

[philipl]

No you are not- a performance that convinced me he'd be an excellent mega million acquistion for the Mancs.

[T4E]

Interesting to see how this develops in light of todays happenings......

[ABBEY]

didnt think roo did a whole lot wrong at least when you see mard arse baby face wink at the ref or whoever it was and when the beeb showed him nut roo before the game

[daren]

Jaysus, why would you compare the two players (to bring the thread back on track)? Rooney's best position is as an foward playing between midfield and attack. Torres is a striker. They're both technically brilliant, although Torres is faster (lord the lad can run!) and Rooney's passing is better. They both have rockets for shots and the real difference between them is that Rooney has some great players playing with him at club level, and Torres doesn't have as many. I'd love to see Torres as the striker with Rooney playing behind him actually.

Looking at world cup performances, I was disappointed with both and both times it was because of managers and systems. Spain started a 4-3-3 formation against France, which gave them no width and Raul, Villa and Torres were ineffective (3 strikers! WTF) as were the spanish midfield. It was madness, and Spain will be back. England, for the whole tournament, played 4-5-1 with poor Rooney as the 1, and he hated every minute. A fish out of water (and why not, he was playing out of position). I hope McClaren shows more sense than Eriksson did there.

Put them under a _GOOD_ manager like Sparky, and they'd both be amazing

(Incidentally, I like Torres as well because he told AC Club De Milano that he would not leave unless Atletico Madrid told him to!)

Both those players have yet to show their best, though (I hope). Experience will make them better. Also, Eto'o for Barca, what a player