To stimulate a bit of discussion on here I will be posing a daily debate question - comparing two relatively similar sports stars to see who the great minds in TFK rated higher
Day 1
Two Dutch strikers who were prolific goal scorers but very different players. Who does TFK rate higher?
0 voters
RVP a better all round player. RVN a better finisher. I’d have RVP in my team ahead of him every time.
This reminds me a similar series run by Match magazine in the summer of 1987 called “Who’s The Greatest?”
Ian Rush v Gary Lineker was one such contest and the all-star panel agreed that Ian Rush was the greater of the two - grammatically speaking the feature should have been titled “Who’s The Greater?”
Van Persie was the superior all round player. Ruud was an amazing finisher.
I would agree that RVP was a better all round player but Ruud was an excellent finisher and far better striking instincts imho
Van Hooijdonk was better than either of those
Neither really fulfilled their potential either on the international stage or in terms of trophies. Van persie should have signed for man united much earlier.
If both were in a weak team against superior opposition then Ruud is basically a passenger as he offers nothing outside of the opposition box. RVP can slot into a few positions and was well able to finish.
If both were in a top class team against weaker opposition then Ruud would likely stand out more.
Great discussion to be fair.
Good question.
I’ve gone for Ruud. I think Van Persie was elevated by the end of his Arsenal career and his first season with United. Before then he was a nice silky player but didn’t score much and was never a candidate really for individual honours.
Ruud obviously had his ups and downs too but he had a lower floor. Think he’d have scored 20 goals any season he played fully.
Van Nistelroooy’s teams tended to fail quite a lot though.
He only won one league title with Manchester United, the Dutch team didn’t do particularly well when he was in it.
When he was no longer part of those teams, they improved.
I can’t quite work out why that was, but it was definitely a real thing.
Ronaldo being the main reason with man united to be fair.
I’d take Van P - More adaptability and versatility to his game. Horse face was a lethal scorer tho…But an old skool type of player who needed others to set up a lot of his goals- not taking away from his finishing tho. Van P could create something from nothing. Both had that arrogant Dutch side to them.
Did ruuds ACL injury prevent him from becoming even greater maybe.
Ruud was a goal poacher a old fashioned striker who was always in the right place at the right time.
Van Persie was on another lever could score from anywhere weather it be outside the box or a tap in.
Could ruud pull off the diving head rvp scored in the world cup I would doubt it.
Who had the greater impact for the Dutch rvp.
But neither would lace bergkamp boots
Van persie wasn’t far off scoring a goal every other game in his entire career which isn’t bad considering he start off fairly young and had a good few injuries and played in a weak enough arsenal team.
Van Persie played wide a lot didn’t he?
They were completely different types of player.
In terms of impact and importance to a team I’d give van Persie the nod as he could do more
Very different - Van P drifted, and wasnt an out n out striker. Van N was a total poacher… His runs and ability to get in on goal were unreal. How many of his goals did Beckham set up?
Beckham was a centre forwards dream. Those deliveries whipped between the goalie and defence are crying out to be buried.
Van Persie was a modern footballer. Van Nistelrooy was a 1980s type footballer, he came after his time.
