Thought I'd start a football blog, we might keep this going until 2010.....England doing well....did not see the match or even the goals....I'd like Michael owen back in the squad though....and I think Peter Crouch would make a very good substitute...remember against Argentina in Geneva a few years ago....with Michael Owen and some very good movements on and off the ball...they caused havoc.....did see Scotland's missed chance....that could be very costly losing those 2 points !.

RFI am not a Spurs fanbut I know a good player when I see onehad Jermain Defoe been called RonodonodinnioorJazonodondinnio.he would be the envy of English fans and have a 70ml. Price tag

Tab - Just a thought If Rooney and Defoe were companys, which one would you buy and who would pay the highest Divi? :o)

Chriswithout wishing to be a Politicianyour question has not got a straightforward answerif the players were companiesI would go with the better marketed and known brandRooney.if I was a football manager that needed a goal scorerI would buy Defoe without questionRooney is a superb talent that works hard for his teamif as a Manager I owned both playersin the current marketwhich is tightI would value Rooney at around the same price City paid for Tevez.47ml and Defoe around 35ml.I favour Rooney value wise as he would be worth more to a club taking into account his commercial valuebums on seatsshirts etc, . I have been saying Defoe is Englands best Goalscorer for the last five yearsI have not seen anything in those years to make me change my mind. Just my opinion of courseI am going to upset RF nowand say I value Michael Owens free transfer to United as expensive

The problem is Spurs are not exactly playing in Europe that much and great strikers in my book have to.....the defenders in those games are much better than the average run of the mill premiership ones where one little turn sends them the wrong way, that won't work against the Barca's, Milans etc...so J.Defoe has to carry on scoring when playing for the national side...he's doing well and let's hope this form carries on.....because a couple of years ago he was hopeless...what a change now !........M. Owen....needs to get on the field and achieve some sharpness...

RFthe Premier League is Europe!!!! and the best league in the World to say Defoe was hopeless a couple of years agoastounds meSpurs were the bottom club in October 2008.Harry comes.soon signs Defoebingounder two years and challenging the big threewhat part of that dont you get?

He used to miss chance after chance, at some stage, I think it was against Jamaica it was like missing an elephant in a corridor......not now, he's a much better striker...I wish him well...and could be one of the revelations of the world cup because outside Britain not many people will know about him.....must go because the markets are costing me...damn...

If you compare Defoe's Premiership record v Rooney, there is little comparison. Rooney has outscored Defore most seasons and that whilst playing behind other recognised strikers. This season Rooney is already five ahead, indicative of his new role post Ronaldo. Whilst Defoe rarely tracks back (fair enough for a striker) Rooney can be found all over the pitch, his energy is astonishing.

RFhe appears to miss chances because he creates so many.any footballer is only in possession of the ballon average around 3-4 minutes in a full matchso what do they do with the other 86 minutesdo me a favour and watch how Defoe makes runsbends runspulls off defendersswitches sidesgets in more shots than mostwhich other players benefit fromsavesfollow upsdeflections.he shuts down defenders.is like a whippet and his work rate is phenomenalis it a coincidence that clubs he leaves do badand clubs he joins do good?RF dont ever apply for the England job.please.

Tab - As an Evertonian Rooney and I admit this is a very childish view in the red of Man Utd is a fat greedy bastard! However In an England shirt he is the finest player our country has witnessed for many years and provided he avoids injury can get even better! No brainer who is more important to the National team. :o)))

Since making his debut at the age of 17 in 1999 Defoe has scored 95 Premiership goals, an average of just over 7. Or put another way he scores a goal every 3 games.

Rooney on the other hand has scored 100 premiership goals since making his debut in 2001, an average of just over 11; however, he scores on average once every 2 games, pretty good for someone who has not historically played as the main front man.

There really is no comparison.

If you want more proof how much Rooney means to his team he has accumulated 88 assists compared to Defoe's 44 during their Premiership careers, not dificult to see who adds more to the team ethic!

Chrisof course Rooney is more important to the National team.that is a no brainerhe commands huge respect from the very best players in the Worldand he is high profile throughout the World because of Man Utds success arguably the biggest club side in the World.that was not the question you asked meI stand by Defoe being the best Goalscorer England have.I believe Harry has gone on record as saying as muchRooney is a superb player.but I bet he is a nightmare to managewhatever shape a manager tries to createRooney will run everywhereif he is asked to play on the last defenders shoulderyou will see him in midfieldif he is not getting the ballits not unusual to see him in the left back position coming to get it he is a law unto himself .if he is on a yellow cardyou can lip read him telling the ref. to fu*k offbut he is our best playerand if Fergie cant tame him? still remember that stunning goal against Arsenal at Goodison in 2002

Aye but the thing is Tab if you asked Fergie was he worried about as you put it taming him ? you would get short shrift, up to last weekend when Man U destroyed Arsenal, United were mediocre but still managed to get the results and that was down to the performances of Rooney. To say Defoe would be capable of eminating that is questionable. Ask the Mancs they have the privalage of watching Rooney every week! I sincereley hope Defoe continues to progress as a striker as that can only be good for England, but to compare him to Rooney on any level just isn't a question! :o))

Edit - I'm old enough to remember watching Alan Ball, he was the ultimate midfield dynomo, he was part of what was called on the blue side of the Mersey the holy trinity Ball, Kendal and Harvey. Rooney is head and shoulders above him in my humble opinion cause he is even hungrier, now for an Evertonian to say that is not easy trust me! Sadly I'm also old enough to remember the 'Golden Vision' Alex Young, but I digress forgive me :o)

hit by the bad weather.

Baylis - Wrong thread mate, go do your ramping elsewhere :o)))

Chrisyour statement but to compare him to Rooney on any level just isn't a question!my humble opinion is Defoe is fasterand dramatically so from a standing start turns quickershifts his body weight better needs very little backliftand so shoots a split second quicker than anyoneDefoe is also more disciplined with his teams tactics they are both equally effective with both feetand have the same heading abilityRooney is strongerand tackles much betterRooney has played most of his career with a team that scores a lot of goalsand very rarely losesDefoe has never played for a top four team.so his clubs over the years have scored far less goalsGoal ratios would probably favour Rooneybut they also favour Crouch in an England shirt?
Now for his temperament:-
The United forward's luck might actually run out if Uefa decide to act retrospectively on the first-half spat with Aalborg midfielder Kasper Risgard that left the Dane with Rooney's boot in his chest. French referee Laurent Duhamel missed that act of brutality, but the television cameras can be a powerful witness and Rooney will grimace as much as Risgard when he sees the replay.

Wayne Rooney revealed once again that his temperament is not one that can be tamed last night as he threw down a boot in anger at his substitution in Manchester United's 1-0 Group C victory at Besiktas

WAYNE Rooney has escaped further punishment from the FA following his red card at Fulham and will serve just a one-match suspension. However, the 23-year-old was sweating on referee Phil Dowd's report. Rooney reacted to the sending off by punching a corner flag

Ten men in a World Cup match is not a position England can afford to be in.as Beckham can verifyRooney is self winding.those clever Italians etc. will test him big time. He is our best playerbut not our best Goalscorer Just my opinion?

tabasco - I guess we will both have to agree to disagree, either way the futures looking bright :o)

Future is looking bright ChrisExcept for a few womenwho are not aware that Terrys All Gold is a chocolate.

Terry dropped as England Captain.