I hope it isn't Dzeko or Aguero. Hate it when a player I like signs for Man Yoo.

You seem to be clued up on the world football scene. I'd like to know what you think about Hernandez?

Robbie Rotten wrote:Anyway, as for Rooney's replacement, it all depends on what way Fergie wants to go. If he wants a proper striker, Dzeko would be a class signing, if he wants a striker with pace, then Aguero would be a good shout. If he's looking for a midfield player, then he should go straight to Brazil and sign Ganso. Ganso, is he the lad from Santos? Heard many good reports of him but not seen him play. May be too late on Dzeko if some reports are too be believed: http://www.goal.com/en/news/10/italy/20 ... urg-report On Rooney, he's not gash though mate. He may be overrated with how some people see him on the world scene but he's far from gash. I'd say he's only second to Drogba in the PL, he's better than Tevez IMO - although the way he's going this season that could change - he's as good as, if not better than, Torres.

Robbie Rotten wrote:Anyway, as for Rooney's replacement, it all depends on what way Fergie wants to go. If he wants a proper striker, Dzeko would be a class signing, if he wants a striker with pace, then Aguero would be a good shout. If he's looking for a midfield player, then he should go straight to Brazil and sign Ganso. Ganso, is he the lad from Santos? Heard many good reports of him but not seen him play. May be too late on Dzeko if some reports are too be believed: http://www.goal.com/en/news/10/italy/20 ... urg-report On Rooney, he's not gash though mate. He may be overrated with how some people see him on the world scene but he's far from gash. I'd say he's only second to Drogba in the PL, he's better than Tevez IMO - although the way he's going this season that could change - he's as good as, if not better than, Torres.

I think Suarez might be an option, Utd also linked with a midfielder from there too.

You seriously believe the best clubs won't want Rooney, you will be proved wrong.

Dan_FC wrote:Ganso, is he the lad from Santos? Heard many good reports of him but not seen him play. May be too late on Dzeko if some reports are too be believed: http://www.goal.com/en/news/10/italy/20 ... urg-report On Rooney, he's not gash though mate. He may be overrated with how some people see him on the world scene but he's far from gash. I'd say he's only second to Drogba in the PL, he's better than Tevez IMO - although the way he's going this season that could change - he's as good as, if not better than, Torres. Juve have apparently signed half of the world XI according to the Italian press, but they're not going anywhere fast IMO. Torres, IMO, is just a far greater player - when on form - than Rooney. I just don't see the complete physical figure, the pure striker's instinct, the ability to pose every threat to the opposition. What I see is a striker who tries hard without express pace, without imposing height, without the natural predatory instinct and without the discipline to control himself. In Rooney's favour, he plays in a position/role that I hate, I hate small strikers and I hate 'second strikers'.

Dan_FC wrote:Ganso, is he the lad from Santos? Heard many good reports of him but not seen him play. May be too late on Dzeko if some reports are too be believed: http://www.goal.com/en/news/10/italy/20 ... urg-report On Rooney, he's not gash though mate. He may be overrated with how some people see him on the world scene but he's far from gash. I'd say he's only second to Drogba in the PL, he's better than Tevez IMO - although the way he's going this season that could change - he's as good as, if not better than, Torres. Juve have apparently signed half of the world XI according to the Italian press, but they're not going anywhere fast IMO. Torres, IMO, is just a far greater player - when on form - than Rooney. I just don't see the complete physical figure, the pure striker's instinct, the ability to pose every threat to the opposition. What I see is a striker who tries hard without express pace, without imposing height, without the natural predatory instinct and without the discipline to control himself. In Rooney's favour, he plays in a position/role that I hate, I hate small strikers and I hate 'second strikers'.

He may not have the strikers instinct like Torres but then he's not really an out and out striker like Torres is, we've seen the past how good he can be, I would say he poses as much threat to the opposition as Torres does in and around the box without the predator instinct. Remember that goal against Newcastle? That's a postion he can be threatening from whereas Torres wouldn't. He does need to learn to control himself especially if he was to go abroad, referee's would be sending him off regular. He's a quality footballer and if/when he's available there'll be some of top clubs in the world in for him. He's proved himself over here, I'd like to see what he can do abroad, like Torres and Tevez did by coming here then I think he could be classed amongst the world's elite.

Come on, Dan, you know full well Torres has the all-round package. His goal versus Marseille in Europe that year, his volley versus Blackburn, he can do it all. Add to that he has pace, agility, strength, aerial prowess and quite possibly the best movement after David Villa in the world. As you mention, Rooney is a second striker, but I don't think the second striker is a great position anymore, or at least as influential as it was back in the days of Bergkamp and co. Today is about the complete '9', IMO, Torres and Drogba are the two finest 9's in world football, whilst I'd put them both in the top 5 in terms of best strikers in the world, whilst I could probably leave Rooney out of a top 10 list with a bit of thought, although it would be too controversial to post such a list on here

Where is Torres going? He is clearly going to be leaving January 1st as well as Rooney.

What do you think about Torres at the moment. I am not convinced that he's not finished. Since his injuries last season he hasn't made the return to physical condition he should have done. He was injured well before the world cup and had time to play well there. He was terrible, the most undeserved world cup medal in the history of the event. This season for Liverpool he has been similarly off colour despite what should have been a good off season for him. He looks sluggish in games, always just late for the ball, not beating the men he used to and completely lacking the sharpness and pace that made him what he was. He looks very much like Michael Owen to me now, clearly never going to get it back.

If he goes to another club and returns to his form of the previous season it means he's been incredibly childish and disrespectful to Liverpool IMO.

As for Wazza, he's clearly got a club lined up already. Paul Merson was on Sky Sports News tonight and he said something along the lines of, "When you are the biggest name, the only big name, in the biggest and most successful club in the country recently, you don't go into the Manager's office and tell them you are leaving". He went on to say he's convinced that he's already agreed his destination as it would just be a stupid thing to do if he hadn't as Real Madrid might not want/need/have the budget for him, Barca might not fancy him, City might want to do without the mega-controversy it would cause and the disruption to their already over populated squad. He could end up without a club to go to and have made himself a massive target for abuse from the fans and having ruined his relationship with the United players and staff.

I just can't see him playing in Spain. I don't think he's got it in him to adapt to the culture change properly. He's still ultra close to his scruffy scouse family. But the only possible destinations in this country are Chelsea and City. United would be very reluctant to sell to either club. I just hope that it's not just his agent filling his head with angry thoughts in order to bump up his commission for the move rather than just a contract extension with United.

I dunno where Torres is going. Teams have to pay the cash first, which is unlikely in January, whilst I still feel he has enough patience in him to leave it 'til the summer.

But, with regards to his own personal form, I see a player that found a 'groove' in the way he played at Liverpool, but he's never been allowed to get into that groove for several reasons: injury, Steven Gerrard being starved of any kind of form due to an inept midfield, and, more recently, playing in a side that he quite clearly doesn't fit in. Torres isn't Bobby Zamora or Carlton Cole, he is, in spite of his strength and size, a player who prefers it on the deck and through the channels to run in. His own personal game is suffering at the moment, but I feel that is more down to the team. He is being starved of support, so much is being expected from him and no one else is stepping up in an attacking sense, which means more is being heaped on his shoulders, when he really needs less so he can get back into the form where he can handle more expectation. It's just poor form and a massive lack of confidence, fitness and support from teammates. We aren't playing to his strengths, which makes things even harder. He'll be back to his best, I dunno where he'd go if he left here - most probably Chelsea if they would pay - but I hope we can do enough in January/2011 to convince him we will compete for - and hopefully win - trophies.

Also, I don't think he's like Owen, purely because he has so much more than Owen did. Owen relied purely on his pace and movement, but Torres has more strength, height, skill and a much better all-round game IMO. I don't think he's lost pace, that will come back, he's had similar phases of form before (remember when you KO'd us out of the FA cup and he was woefully off the pace?), this is similar, only it's taking a lot longer for him than previous times due to the team and manager.