Best Forward of this Generation

Pro. F

About, Cantona
I personally worship the immortal Eric but I'm a ManU fan. I didn't mention him because he didn't do much on the international stage. But his international career was curtailed because of his ban and the French manager not wanting him back after.
Seems a bit unfair. If he had returned to the French side he might have fit in and won a World Cup and then be on this list but I suppose that's life.

Reganio 2

Paulo DiCanio
Hounerable mention to Bergkamp

Jivin Turkey

The little I saw of Van Basten was pure class, but seeing as I've been more exposed to Ronaldo I'll go with him, and by some distance.

Peyton Manning

I wasnt old enough to see Van Basten play, but Ive seen a lot of compilations and highlights, and even old recordings of some games hes played but I still say Ronaldo by a distance.

kinaldo

Seeing as this is 15-20 years then it's only fair to mention the Real Madird legend, Hugo Sanchez, who won the Pichichi (Spain's Golden Boot) 5 times in 6 seasons, including a record tying 38 league goals in 89/90!

1984-85 Hugo Sánchez Atl. Madrid 19
1985-86 Hugo Sánchez Real Madrid 22
1986-87 Hugo Sánchez Real Madrid 34
1987-88 Hugo Sánchez Real Madrid 29
1988-89 Baltazar Atl. Madrid 35
1989-90 Hugo Sánchez Real Madrid 38

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pichichi_Trophy

He scored 207 league goals for Real Madird in 283 games between 1985 and 1992. Also 23 goals in 45 European Cup games overall, and 29 goals in 60 caps for Mexico.

gosplan

Right here's my two cents worth, I'm being as brutal as I can, mainly pointing out faults and whoever has the least I'm going for.

Van Basten: Perfect forward really, never slumped, career endded early so guess he never had the chance but the post said Romario/Battistuta was as far as you could go and Van Basten was just before that.

Shearer: Great center forward in England but for years the only really good defence he came up against regularly was Man U.

Henry: I love him being an Arsenal supporter, as much skill as anyone but probably still not the best.

Ronaldo: Someone pointed out his time at Barca but what about afterwards? He's 30 now and hasn't really done anything since he turned 27. I'm not denying his talent but he's gotten lazy, not a classic center forward thing to do. Many on this list would play at the top level into their 30's, look at Larsson!!!

Raul: No way. Great finisher, great instinct but has really gone to the dogs in recent seasons. if he deserves a mention then so does Owen.

Del Piero: Again slowed down on his game too much.

Baggio: In with a really good shout. Best one on one player ever in that he just went round the keeper.

Cantona: didn't score enough, lack of international stuff, quit young.

Bergkamp: love him but didn't score enough(for this list)

Larsson defo deserves a mention for consistancy.

Inzaghi; Ugh, for some reason I just hate the little git, falls over too much anyway. Also spends half his life offside.

Ok....in the end I'm also going for Ronaldo. However if he does di*k for the rest of his days and Henry shines on then the mantle may well pass.

Honourable mentions to Hugo Sanchez, Stoickov and Larsson.

Jivin Turkey

gosplan wrote:

Right here's my two cents worth, I'm being as brutal as I can, mainly pointing out faults and whoever has the least I'm going for.

Van Basten: Perfect forward really, never slumped, career endded early so guess he never had the chance but the post said Romario/Battistuta was as far as you could go and Van Basten was just before that.

Shearer: Great center forward in England but for years the only really good defence he came up against regularly was Man U.

Henry: I love him being an Arsenal supporter, as much skill as anyone but probably still not the best.

Ronaldo: Someone pointed out his time at Barca but what about afterwards? He's 30 now and hasn't really done anything since he turned 27. I'm not denying his talent but he's gotten lazy, not a classic center forward thing to do. Many on this list would play at the top level into their 30's, look at Larsson!!!

Raul: No way. Great finisher, great instinct but has really gone to the dogs in recent seasons. if he deserves a mention then so does Owen.

Del Piero: Again slowed down on his game too much.

Baggio: In with a really good shout. Best one on one player ever in that he just went round the keeper.

Cantona: didn't score enough, lack of international stuff, quit young.

Bergkamp: love him but didn't score enough(for this list)

Larsson defo deserves a mention for consistancy.

Inzaghi; Ugh, for some reason I just hate the little git, falls over too much anyway. Also spends half his life offside.

Ok....in the end I'm also going for Ronaldo. However if he does di*k for the rest of his days and Henry shines on then the mantle may well pass.

Honourable mentions to Hugo Sanchez, Stoickov and Larsson.

Shevchenko?

I can't believe Larsson is even getting a mention TBH. He was good but nowhere near the best of a generation.

Savman

Some serious names in this bunch, however I'm not convinced some of them would be considered Forwards in the traditional sense. Despite the feirce competition, I have to go for Alan Shearer simply because of his consistency and ability to score all variety of goals.

I loved Bergkamp but you'd not see him score many headed goals, Ronaldo had a bad patch where it was touch & go whether he'd return from injury to top form (in my opinion he never did). Romario is defo up there as is Shevchnko. Larsson is hindered due to the fact a lot of his goals were against crappy SPL teams but he was/is a super striker.

I dunno it's too hard...no mention of Niall Quinn?

Savman

Interesting....
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Top_international_goal_scorers

Can't believe Bashar Abdullah hasn't been mentioned yet :D:D

cournioni

Has to be Romario.

iregk

Ok he is well outside the 20 years but you've got to sya. Now thats a return:

2 Hungary Ferenc Puskás 84 (89)

eirebhoy

Aye great return but it was 50 years ago. I doubt Puskas ever played in a 0-0 draw in his life.

iregk

eirebhoy wrote:

Aye great return but it was 50 years ago. I doubt Puskas ever played in a 0-0 draw in his life.

I would tend to agree with you!

Dublin's Finest

Can't believe Batistuta's getting so few votes.

Ronaldo was phenomenal in the mid 90s. A shadow now.

Not many on the list would match Van Basten's technical finishing though.

stovelid

I'll go for Van Basten although I also loved watching Romario in his prime.

Seaneh

I can't believe howmany people here are choosing Henry, caling him "the best player the world has seen since Maradona" what a fecking joke!

I could name off the top of my head 10 players in the the last 15-20 years who were better than Henry, and not only strikers!

Zvonimir Boban, much sharper passer, better vision, not as fast.

Roberto Baggio, better in every way besides pace, but he didn't ned it.

Gabrial Batistuta, same as above really.

Fernando Carlos Redondo, The best midfeilder of the last 15 years, even alex ferguson agrees!

George Weah, 4 times African player of the year, FIFA, Euro and Italys forgien player of the year.

Dejan Savićević, the very essence of the "complete" midfeilder!

Michael and Brian Laudrop, I don't think I even need to explain!

Josep Guardiola, still considered the benchmark for the "perfect" midfeilder by spanish youth coaches.

Gheorghe Hagi, the man was a genius!

Stefan Effenberg, a beast with sublime technique.

And that'd just off the top of my head!
Henry is a very very very good player, but to call him the best player since Maradona is near balsphomy and in my view, ignorant.
He isn't even the best player in the world at present, I'd rate both Kaka and Ronaldinho as better players then Henry and neither of then are near prime yet while Henry is what, 29 i think? Meaning that this is as good as he gets and while that is very very very good, it's not the best in the world and it's certainly not the best of the last 20 years.

iregk

Seaneh I completely agree with you. Henry is a flash player but best since maradonna, please. Go out and actually watch some footie thats not off sky! Everyone you mentioned sean is spot on, I'd even throw Mathais Sammer into that list pre injury...

Like the fact that you mentioned Savicevic. For anyone who wants to see how to play football properly, watch the '94 champions league final and just watch that man dominate it.

Seaneh

I cryed tears of joy when that chip went in...

kinaldo

Seanah, I see you've slightly back tracked from your first idiotic post in this thread. Or was it just ignorant?

You really think Brian Laudrup was a better player than Henry? Quit fuicking trolling.

Seaneh

If you don't think both Laudrups were better than Henry you're insane.

MrJoeSoap

Seaneh wrote:

If you don't think both Laudrups were better than Henry you're insane.

Together or individually?

bucks73

Other - Shearer. The best striker in english football in the last 15 years and my pick for this poll. Scored consistently for club and country for years and had he succumbed to Fergies advances and chosen not to join his home town team he would now probably have a very full trophy cabinet. Still managed to bang in 19 goals in his final season. Pure class.

Brian Laudrup? Lol...he played for rangers when there was absolutely no opposition in Scotland and they won 9 in a row titles. That must have been tough.

event

gosplan wrote:

Right here's my two cents worth, I'm being as brutal as I can, mainly pointing out faults and whoever has the least I'm going for.

Van Basten: Perfect forward really, never slumped, career endded early so guess he never had the chance but the post said Romario/Battistuta was as far as you could go and Van Basten was just before that.

Shearer: Great center forward in England but for years the only really good defence he came up against regularly was Man U.

Henry: I love him being an Arsenal supporter, as much skill as anyone but probably still not the best.

Ronaldo: Someone pointed out his time at Barca but what about afterwards? He's 30 now and hasn't really done anything since he turned 27. I'm not denying his talent but he's gotten lazy, not a classic center forward thing to do. Many on this list would play at the top level into their 30's, look at Larsson!!!

Raul: No way. Great finisher, great instinct but has really gone to the dogs in recent seasons. if he deserves a mention then so does Owen.

Del Piero: Again slowed down on his game too much.

Baggio: In with a really good shout. Best one on one player ever in that he just went round the keeper.

Cantona: didn't score enough, lack of international stuff, quit young.

Bergkamp: love him but didn't score enough(for this list)

Larsson defo deserves a mention for consistancy.

Inzaghi; Ugh, for some reason I just hate the little git, falls over too much anyway. Also spends half his life offside.

Ok....in the end I'm also going for Ronaldo. However if he does di*k for the rest of his days and Henry shines on then the mantle may well pass.

Honourable mentions to Hugo Sanchez, Stoickov and Larsson.

you say shearers only tough defence was manu yet mention larsson??

what great defences has henry played against?

kinaldo

Seaneh wrote:

If you don't think both Laudrups were better than Henry you're insane.

ok if you say so. :rolleyes:

Jivin Turkey

Thierry Henry, yeah, definitely doesn't deserve a mention....

http://uk.sports.yahoo.com/fo/profiles/2717.html

pickarooney

Romario, though I never much liked the guy, for his consistent output.
Batistuta likewise, always guaranteed effort and return.
Baggio was my favourite forward to watch. Had a great run despite being pissed about by a succession of managers.

Imagine what van Basten could have become if he'd not been injured? Well, he could have become a fat, lazy shadow of himself cruising about half-arsed on a trillion-dollar contract.

kinaldo

Ronaldinho hasn't been mentioned yet...

I wouldn't consider him a great (yet) or judge him on his goals, but if people are gonna talk about Cantona and Rivaldo then you have to at least mention him.

redzerdrog

what about Ian rush absolute legend....

iregk

redzerdrog wrote:

what about Ian rush absolute legend....

In England yeah. couldn't hack it anywhere else.

acquiescefc

Chris Waddle.

End of story

Blazer

Went for Gabrial Batistuta..fantastic striker and some great goals..
The Great George Weah..another fantastic player but only saw some of his later years.
Shearer--One chance =One goal..Newcastle is my club and he deserved a lot more than what he got from them..I wouldn't have begrudged him a move to Manu..same as Given if he leaves..
Ronaldo..absolutely brilliant but getting too lazy now though..still kicked a bit of ass in the world cup.
Romario-one of the finest players I've ever seen..mercurial talent..

jank

Ronaldo.

Power, Pace, Balance and Accuracy. Unstopable in his prime.
Had a nightmare time with Injuries but came back to win the world cup in 2006 as tournament top scorer

No mention of Bergkamp though

Peyton Manning

jank wrote:

Ronaldo.

Power, Pace, Balance and Accuracy. Unstopable in his prime.
Had a nightmare time with Injuries but came back to win the world cup in 2006 as tournament top scorer

No mention of Bergkamp though

*sigh*

Why on earth dont people actually research their posts?