Van Nistelrooy dribble

[littleman]

I just found this clip of Ruud vs Henry on Maxxed:

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=LFQAFW87

What's different about this is how I remembered people usually lauding Henry is a better overall player and Ruud nothing but an advanced Filipo Inzaghi (tap-in/right-place-at-right-time-man). Well, the part about Henry is probably right with his free kicks, assists and distance shooting.. but I'm not sure how people can justify that Ruud lacks ball control, or doesn't have dribbling skills, or whatever crap.

The video has some very very mean Ruud moves.. :eek: Considering I only started watching matches this year, I was very suprised and delighted. This year, most of Ruud's goals *have* been tap-ins, but the clip has many examples of his supreme ball control and vision. He also does a "Zidane" (marseille roulette) perfectly at one point. It's also nice to see the part when the clip starts showing Henry's free kicks, you do remember "Oh, Ruud doesn't do those...." And then they start showing Ruud doing headers :D

Well, I thought it was nice. First, the footage has the best video quality consistenly that I've ever seen in any compilation.. no fuzzy *#(@* or 1980s black and white with two pixels per person. Well, it's probably because the footage is mostly of those these couple of years where video files have largely improved clarity. I definitely recommend it.

Uh, my point is not Ruud vs Henry, but to show that Ruud isn't a one-dimensional player. Definitely more than an Inzaghi on 'roids.

[Dark Savante]

Get yourself a video of Ruuds first two seasons here. Two of the best seasons from a striker in quite some time.

[johno]

Well, I've been saying Ruud is a very very well rounded player and striker for years now.... glad someone else has seen the light.

[littleman]

Will it appear if I pray hard enough? :p


Where do I look?

[Mac_Howard]

Ruud's ball control is variable. Sometimes it's superb, other times he lets the ball get too far away from him. He's best when setting up the ball for a shot when he needs to get the ball from under his feet to give his shot leverage and the power that comes from that. That works for him in shooting situations but when he needs close control to shield the ball or hold it while colleagues join him it's not as useful. That's one reason why our 4-5-1 system doesn't operate as well as it might.

He's a professional footballer - he'll sometimes show the quality control that comes from that. But he doesn't show it as consistently as the best.

[Howard Zinn]

No way was I going to download that video. It was going to take like 30 minutes. :eek:

[Kavster]

That video should be renamed: "Henry vs. Van Nistelrooy ft. Antonio Cassano" ;)

Did anyone else notice that? :confused:

[johno]

Ruud's ball control is variable. Sometimes it's superb, other times he lets the ball get too far away from him. He's best when setting up the ball for a shot when he needs to get the ball from under his feet to give his shot leverage and the power that comes from that. That works for him in shooting situations but when he needs close control to shield the ball or hold it while colleagues join him it's not as useful. That's one reason why our 4-5-1 system doesn't operate as well as it might.

He's a professional footballer - he'll sometimes show the quality control that comes from that. But he doesn't show it as consistently as the best.

that's something that's true of almost all players... the fact that they don't maintain the same level of play all the time. I've disagreed w/ you in the past about Ruud's holding up skills and I'll jump in again.

Ruud is fine as long as he has an option. However, when he's got no one to pass to - he looks horrid trying to hold up the ball. The situations you seem to criticize his touch/hold up play in are situations that even strikers whose sole purpose is to win/hold those balls have a poor success rate, perhaps 4/10. Ruud's not Drogba (thank god) nor Jan Koller so he might only get 3/10 or sometimes less. What makes this seem worse than it is, is the way United are used to playing, dominating possesion and rarely losing the ball. Playing disjointed football makes us look like a crap team and that in turn leads to Ruud being cast in a poor light.

I maintain, that when he's got support Ruud's one of the better players at holding the ball up for a couple reasons... 1 he's always got fairly good touch and sometimes its immaculate. He's got midfielders vision and while he doesn't show off a huge range of passes, he can make many difficult passes look simple just by waiting and timing them properly. When he doesn't have support though he tries things all forwards in his position would try to do... take down a ball that's hard to take down if unmarked due to his position but doing so with a defender riding him, or try an impossible flick on, or nod down. In those type situations Drogba's better than him, because he's got good acceleration and he's very strong... but I maintain, as long as there's obvious support, Ruud does well holding up the ball and his control then becomes better. Instead of having to take down a ball and put a move or secure an advantage all in one touch/move he has the option to flick on, nod down or go by his marker... when given options - he is lethal.

[Mac_Howard]

I have no problem with that johno. Ruud's style is to get on with the game and attack the defence as quick as he can. When Utd play an attacking game and there is support then his control and layoff ability is good. But with Utd playing 4-5-1 and the need to hold the ball while the midfielders catch up then he's not nearly so good. As you say, he's no Drogba. We can agree on that :)