Problem with RVN isn't the figures it's that he's a poacher, that needs a specific system and all the team feeding him to score goals. He's the greatest poacher in PL history but I would take complete strikers before him in order to build a team

Maybe, but lampard did play in a deeper role post mourinho more effectively than Gerrard did at Liverpool in the recent past.

Not really relevant to this as it's about peaks, but speaks volumes how Liverpool went from (not actual quotes)

"Stephen has the ability to reinvent himself, he doesn't have the engine he had, but he still has huge value defending and passing in front of the back four. He can extend his career for many more seasons"

To "Stephen is going to MLS for a new challenge"

Within 12 months

Edit - Steven...

Yea fair enough re the hat trick every 20 games. Just reporting the facts as I see them.

Re: the second part of your comment. Liverpool were actually sitting 12th in the table when he joined. He did flat track some teams, but one a mediocre side that struggled against those teams before Suarez came. 2 of Alan Shearer's hat tricks came in a 7-0 and 8-0 games. That flat tracking?

The fact that only two other players could score makes everything he did even more remarkable. Maybe I am biased because I watch Liverpool week in and week out, but he did so so so so much both with scoring goals and overall on the pitch that made guys so much better than they were. Plus your argument is kind of moot because of the fact he took zero penalties. So it's not like he was getting cheap goals anywhere. He created so many chances for himself, for others, and did so with a very average squad. How many of Shearer's goals were from the spot in his 34 and 31 goal seasons? And I know Ronaldo had a good amount when he had 31.

If you are playing 442 the other striker can be more "complete" and the poacher hoovers up the bits and pieces created by the rest of the team. No need for the system to be built around him at all.

RVN was basically a free agent to hang around in the box and somehow just always be in the right place to poke in a rebound.

describing Brent FC as 'a club in the top half' is damning with the faintest of praise

wtf is Bill Ageo btw?

Fair comment, shearers flat tracking faded in the memory a bit more than john ruddy picking the ball out his own net a dozen times!

It was supposed to be a Bellagio play on words!

Should have been as creative as yours was ;-)

The Suarez penalty comment is a huge tick in his favour tbf.

FYI I sit in the Park end at Goodison every other week so take anything I say about Liverpool with a pinch of salt. God knows what I'll do if I have to draft one of them

Was more having a go at your spelling of Stephen gerrard combined with the fact I can't recall seeing you post anywhere before

what does the bolded even mean?

relative to the era he played in bergkamp spent several years being the most complete footballer in the league and he was the finished article before he even arrived

You said that Suarez matched the record for most Premier League goals in a single season. That is not true.

I corrected the spelling error.

You haven't seen me in this part of 2p2, was clear about that when I asked to be involved. Stumbled across the thread on page one of my tapatalk

However, I'm enthusiastic, have been immersed in the premier league since it began so id like to think I can contribute! Unless our objective is to produce something a 12 year old could with YouTube

Welcome to this part of the forums Bill, it's a tough crowd round here.

RVN was fantastic at holding up the ball and bringing others into play, was also great in the air, he had much more to his game than just being a poacher even if that was how he got most of his goals.

Why is a bad thing that Ruud had a lot of poachers goals? This was a guy who knew how to be in the right position a lot of the time to get those goals. If have to double check the full stats, but if be willing to bet that he was more efficient than an undrafted who also has a lot of goals.

I don't even think you have your own arguments straight. LOL 42 game season acknowledged shearer's 34 goal season and matched (for a 38 game season if you're that thick and need me to connect the dots) clearly shows that he's not the solo goals leader for a 38 game season.

I'm sure you have watched the prem a long time. But spelling Steven gerrard Stephen multiple times is not a great indicator of that. That's not a typo or spelling error just awful. Not sure a 12 year old could do my write up. But I bet most 12 year Olds in liverpool know who Steven gerrard is. Wtfau

RvN on European nights was excellent.

He did get a lot of his goals from 'poaching' but does it really matter? The guy just scored goals at a sick rate before Messi and Ronaldo came on the scene. Although it's completely irrelevant to this, he had the best goals to games in the CL before Messi became GOAT.

I can't remember what manager it was that said it but it was regarding Ruud, it was something like: He done absolutely nothing all game but got 2 touches in the box and scored and United won the game at the end.

Think that sums him up reasonably well, he'll get you goals and goals win games.

Erm lfc you are arguing with the wrong bloke. I said nothing about the game per season comparison. Who's thick?

My point was Suarez's window for hat tricks was a short one. If suarez started his career at Southampton for a year or two, went to Blackburn for a few more, then to Newcastle and played until his mid-30s as his skills and physical talents declined I suspect he wouldn't have maintained a hat trick every 20 games. I may be wrong, but I don't think the stat served a purpose.
Besides 1 goal in each of 3 games is more beneficial to the team than a hat trick, in my opinion

Pretty sure everyone knew who I meant by Stephen, I corrected it before anyone said anything, couldn't be arsed to make multiple changes on my phone.

Round 1 pick 20

An attacking midfielder who's side did not win a game in which this player did not play for almost 5 years. Generally delivered at moments of pressure in a season but it's the pure quality of so many of his goals that he's perhaps best remembered. Arguably the most underrated player to have played in the Premiership he was simply known as "Le God" to his adoring fans.

And the YouTube comment wasn't pointed at your write up, which I already said was good.

You asked why I was in this thread. I justified it. You don't work in Rocket Science do you?

Seriously are we talking about the same player? In no Universe was RVN ever someone who needed a team built around him or specific system he was prolific everywhere he went. 62/67 for PSV, 95/150 for Utd, 46/68 Madrid and 35/70 for Holland, did all these teams make up a system to suit him?

He was 6'2 strong as **** with great feet/finishing/football brain/dangerous in the air and much quicker than he get's credit for. If I was putting together a United team from the past 20 years to start tomorrow he'd be my first choice 9 all day.

hahaohwow @ le tissier

yeah rvn is a sick player, way more complete than given credit for. like do u guys even get this football business if u think u need to build anything around RvN, he aint no tactical illiterate gloryhogging hollywooder

ah, the days when we were hyped for street fighter ii

i was hoping le tissier would drop to me

outside of messi/maradona he has prolly the the GOAT highlight reel and scored 47/48 of his career penalty kicks