Liverpool FC Forum

by **Alex G.** » Mon May 18, 2009 9:20 pm

Rush, because he added to his quality the titles.

by **Number 9** » Mon May 18, 2009 9:27 pm

Fantastic as Torres is he has not been here long enough to be beside Fowler and rush..for me anyway!
There is no doubt that if he stays for a few more years he will but in todays climate,football is so unpredictable.I take nothing for granted!
We could wake up one day and read on the back of some rag..Torres to Barca for £50million,you just dont know,whether it would be true or not is a whole new debate but thats football.

Ian Rush for me,more meat on a butchers apron..feck all to him,but what a player!!

by **bigmick** » Mon May 18, 2009 9:44 pm

GYBS wrote:As a pure goal scorer Mick do you still rate Torres higher than Rush ?

And back in Rushes day he was the best goal scorer in the world - proved it in europe as well just shamer he never had the chance to show it on the international stage . And think back to how many other strikers there would aroound back then that were world class ? the itallians , brazilians , germans , etc lot more competition around than compared to now for torres .

A pure goal scorer, is a difficult one mate. Rush was the purest of goal scorers in that other than score and work the line (which he did fantstically well), his contribution wouldn't have been as "rounded" as a Torres. For me his touch wouldn't have quite been as sure, his vision so all encompassing, I couldn't imagine Rush playing Gerrard in like Torres did against Everton for instance. Neither could I amagine Rush hitting the back of the net from as many areas as Torres. Our man is a danger if he picks it up 35 yards out, he can pull the trigger and cause a problem from range.

I don't think either that Rushg would have enjoyed the role Torres currently plays, where he very much leads the line on his own. You could equally argue that Torres rarely flourishes with a partner, but he's done well with Villa for Spain.

Ultimately though were arguing about nuances. There's certainly no argument in terms of achievemnt in a red shirt. I've the utmost respect for the "he's got a long way to go" theory, because of course he has. My feeling is though that a club like ours who have had so many great players, such wonderful performers kind of spoils you as a fan. Midfielders such as John Wark don't warrant a mention, simply because there are others who were much netter. A fine player he was though, a goalscoring midfielder out of the top drawer. We have European footballer of the year strikers (Keegan) who don't even get on the list, fantastic players such as Aldridge.

The other way in which is spoils us though, is that sometimes we look backwards rather than focusing on what is right in front of us. I notice it most with Gerrard, where many local fans buy into the "Stevie me" thing and don't give him the crediut he deserves. They hear the "one man team" jibes and are keen to stress that he is merely a cog in our machine. They choose to ignore the fact though that he is a truly wonderful player, the equal and better of any midfielder we've ever had IMHO (the only debateable for me is Sounness).

And in Torres, what a fantstic player, what a privilage it is to watch him play for us. Yes Rush was unbelieveable, I had love (only Man love mind) for Fowler, Aldridge was the man and all that. I just think when push comes to shove, none of those guys would get in our current team in front of Torres.

by **GYBS** » Mon May 18, 2009 9:49 pm

Oh i dont know mick - when you have a guy who can get you 25 goals plus a season he is in the team - rushes first touch was the best i have ever seen as most of the time that first touch either scored the goal or set him up to score a goal . and he himself set up plenty of goals for others . Read his auto bio mate - it beats gerrard and carras books hands down. They are both two different type of strikers but as a pure goalscorer dont think anyone comes close to rush . fowler is second . But as an overall striker i think thats where torres wins

by **aCe'** » Mon May 18, 2009 10:01 pm

GYBS wrote:But as an overall striker i think thats where torres wins

yep...

Torres (not 'has been' but probably will be if he sticks around)
Rush
Fowler
Owen

by **aCe'** » Mon May 18, 2009 10:02 pm

yet still, i cant help but vote for fowler....

by **GYBS** » Mon May 18, 2009 10:04 pm

im guessing you grew up watching fowler bang those goals in ace ? - Rush for me was when i was growing up so was a hero .Fowler for you hence why you will be unable to not vote for hiim .

by **SupitsJonF** » Mon May 18, 2009 10:51 pm

I'm thinking nostalgia plays a big part in the voting, no matter how much you try to stay away from that sort of bias. Just something that happens, everyone does it.

by **JC_81** » Mon May 18, 2009 11:15 pm

I think people are afraid to put Torres top of the pile because perhaps it suggests they have not been fans for a long time or do not remember the days of Rush or Fowler.

I've seen Fowler and Owen in their prime and I can remember the second coming of Rush (although admittedly am too young to remember his pre-Juve days and rely on videos). I have to say though that Torres is an unbelievable player and overall has to be the best striker I've seen in a Liverpool shirt. Fowler was the best finisher but had deficiencies in his all-round game, Owen was the quickest in his prime and a damn good finisher but again had deficiencies to his all-round game. Rush had it all, much like Torres, but I will upset older fans by saying that football at the top level in England has progressed a lot since Rush was in his prime so it's difficult to say whether he'd have had the same impact in today's game. I'd like to think he would have.

Therefore for me it has to be between Rush and Torres, and for me Torres at the age of 23-24 has probably proven himself to be the world's best striker. I'm not sure we could genuinely say that about any of the others even in their prime. In terms of club legends, Torres still has some to do to oust Fowler and Rush (perhaps even Owen in some peoples' eyes), but for me there is no question he is the best.

1 - Torres
2 - Rush
3 - Fowler
4 - Owen

I have a soft spot for Fowler, he'll always be my favourite, but if I'm honest he's not the best in that list.

by **Kharhaz** » Mon May 18, 2009 11:18 pm

Fowler for me. Seemed to suffer a lot from the "Spice Boy" image at the time through the press but nobody, although they tried, could deny the talent that was Robbie Fowler. Glenn Hoddle at one time didnt pick him for England but then had to admit he is a natural goalscorer. Rush benefits from being a legend, and yes he scored goals (a lot of them) but when Liverpool first signed him he was poor and a few seasons he went through bad patches, one during Graeme Sounness' reign.

Torres is also on the right track, but again many a game, including recently against West Brom, he just hasnt turned up.

If I had to pick a player at his peak, to play in todays squad, Fowler would be the one. He was nicknamed "God" for a reason.

by **GYBS** » Tue May 19, 2009 7:15 am

I will have to take you up on the first part about rush being poor when he first arrived at Liverpool ? didnt he score 19 goals in his first season and thats without playing the full season ?! Yeah he didnt have the best when souness came along but he was in his 30s then and souness also got rid of all the creative players in the team - and Fowlers later years werent filled with lots of success as well .

by **GYBS** » Tue May 19, 2009 7:40 am

Sorry It was 17 goals in the league and 30 in total for his first full season.He only played 3 times when he first joined and took a season coming through as he had to work his way into the first team like everyone did back then .

by **supersub** » Tue May 19, 2009 8:07 am

peewee wrote:Who do you think?

I have tried to keep the names as players we remember so no Hunt,

by **Festy** » Tue May 19, 2009 8:27 am

Fowler at his peak, Owen when he looked real potential and Torres now.

by **112-1077774096** » Tue May 19, 2009 8:39 am

supersub wrote:
peewee wrote:Who do you think?

I have tried to keep the names as players we remember so no Hunt,

I was born 1967 and I don't remember him playing

I believe you went to school with him

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