Rooney used to be pretty quick 4 or 5 years ago to be fair. Look at his counter attack goal vs. Arsenal, his speed was impressive.
Fastest player to ever play for United
- Thread starter Rossa
- Start date
Rooney used to be pretty quick 4 or 5 years ago to be fair. Look at his counter attack goal vs. Arsenal, his speed was impressive.
I don't know. I have been watching him for years, and yes, Rooney was quite fast a few seasons ago. But certainly not 7th in the world fast, my mind can't compute such a fact.
I've witnessed him keep up with Henry and out pace the french defence with ease. He was Rapid around 5 years ago.
Rooney's out and out pace without the ball is very underrated. He's probably lost a yard by now (like I reckon Valencia might have) but still quick on his day. I used to be a sprinter and I can say that on some days, you can push yourself as hard as you have any other time but you just can't find that speed you sometimes have. Happens to everyone.
This video shows Rooney almost matching Ronaldo's flat out off the ball speed for two great counter attack goals:
Also if I remember correctly, Arsenal played Djourou in defence as they thought he was their fastest defender to keep up with United on counter attacks, then he just gets done by Ronaldo anyway
But just for things as a fact and not what any of us think, it is correct that at least without the ball, it's Tony V for sure.
This video shows Rooney almost matching Ronaldo's flat out off the ball speed for two great counter attack goals:
Also if I remember correctly, Arsenal played Djourou in defence as they thought he was their fastest defender to keep up with United on counter attacks, then he just gets done by Ronaldo anyway
But just for things as a fact and not what any of us think, it is correct that at least without the ball, it's Tony V for sure.
Last edited:
Kanchelskis should be getting mentioned here more
and Young Giggs was lightning fast
Lee Sharpe was also pacey as f*ck
Off the ball runs Chicharito deserves a shout
So...
1. Chicharito (Andy Cole and Bellion as runner ups)
2. Ronaldo (with Kanchelskis and Lee Sharp as runner ups)
3. Ronaldo (with young Giggs and on-form Nani as runner ups)
4. Fastest Defener... Japp Stam in the treble season.
and Young Giggs was lightning fast
Lee Sharpe was also pacey as f*ck
Off the ball runs Chicharito deserves a shout
So...
1. Chicharito (Andy Cole and Bellion as runner ups)
2. Ronaldo (with Kanchelskis and Lee Sharp as runner ups)
3. Ronaldo (with young Giggs and on-form Nani as runner ups)
4. Fastest Defener... Japp Stam in the treble season.
Andrei Kanchelskis is the fastest United player I've seen.
Him on one side and Giggs on the other, total dream. The way United should play Football.
Rooney is still fast, once he gets going. His acceleration/agility and running with the ball is nowhere near what it was before though.
Fastest without the ball: Cristiano Ronaldo
Fastest with the ball: Giggs
Fastest with great agility and skill: Giggs
Fastest with the ball: Giggs
Fastest with great agility and skill: Giggs
Fastest without the ball: Antonio Valencia
Fastest with the ball: Ryan Giggs
Fastest with great agility and skill: George Best
Fastest with the ball: Ryan Giggs
Fastest with great agility and skill: George Best
I just remembered - Ronny Johnsen was pretty rapid. I remember him having Owen in his pocket for pace. Stam was fast, but ultimately I think Rio was faster. Fastest defender sounds like Pallister, which I find hard to believe, but if not him, then I would have Rio, then Smalling then Evra, for top speed that is.
Rooney was very fast at his prime - he really was. Not Ronaldo fast, but not too far from it. His first couple of steps weren't like Giggs/Ronaldo though. In terms of acceleration, I think Anderson deserves a shout also - rapid off the mark, even with players holding his shirt, impossibly quick and strong - then that translated into an eating contest.
Rooney was very fast at his prime - he really was. Not Ronaldo fast, but not too far from it. His first couple of steps weren't like Giggs/Ronaldo though. In terms of acceleration, I think Anderson deserves a shout also - rapid off the mark, even with players holding his shirt, impossibly quick and strong - then that translated into an eating contest.
Giggs was faster. I think Kanchelskis gets a shout because he was all about pace whereas Giggs could go games without resorting to just running past players - a bit like the difference between Bale and Ronaldo. Ronaldo is still faster (I think), but he doesn't rely on using it every moment every match as he has more in his locker.
Sharpe
Giggs
Best
Giggs
Best
everyone has its own way of expressing. Some people like to be sarcastic me included. But I just don't get it, recycling the same old jokes all the time, I don't know maybe it's still funny in your school/work. And if you spent all your 15000 comments commenting in this manner in a "wrong forum" and enjoy it then yeah I have not much to say, maybe... what a life, congrats:-)
Kanchelskis was the fastest over short distances - without a doubt. But over 100 meters - Ronaldo must have been the quickest, some of his runs from box to box was insane.
Ronny Johnsen was fast. He was so fast he could to block the pass, and if he didn't make it, he'll run up the striker the next second.
Cole and Giggs were super fast
Luke Chadwick
Luke Chadwick
Luke Chadwick
Luke Chadwick
Luke Chadwick
I seem to recall the same.
Without the ball - the players that stand out in my memory are Lee Sharpe in his teens 1st, Kanchelskis 2nd and Ronaldo 3rd.
With the ball - Ronaldo 1st, Giggs 2nd
It has more to do with whoever gets the chance to make the longest run at full pace. So a midfielder/defender can't do very well at all as they never have 60 metres of ground to cover in full pace.
Very random way to measure it.
Came in to the thread to mention Kanchelskis. I'm a United fan and still had nightmares for the poor Norwich centre halfs in the 92-93 season when Giggs and Kanchelskis broke through and were charging towards him. Imagine being a defender and having to put up with those to back then?
EDIT: God, how good was Paul Ince back then? He looks like a £50 million player the way he's carving Norwich apart on that. What a team that 92 to 94 team were.
EDIT: God, how good was Paul Ince back then? He looks like a £50 million player the way he's carving Norwich apart on that. What a team that 92 to 94 team were.
Fantastic. Still my favourite ever United team. I think they would have done well in the Champions League too but for that ridiculous 'foreigners' rule that was around at the time.
Rossa you are absolutely obsessed with players pace. Admit it. It's all you think about!
Does sound quite hard to believe that Pallister was the quickest over 100metres.
Yes, you can confuse acceleration with pace, and your Giggs and Kanchelskis gave the impression of being the fastest with their rapid acceleration, but you still can't see Pallister beating them!
As for that chart of speedsters, Walcott would surely beat anyone. He was doing sub 11secs for 100metres as a kid! He could have been a pro sprinter
Yes, you can confuse acceleration with pace, and your Giggs and Kanchelskis gave the impression of being the fastest with their rapid acceleration, but you still can't see Pallister beating them!
As for that chart of speedsters, Walcott would surely beat anyone. He was doing sub 11secs for 100metres as a kid! He could have been a pro sprinter
Rooney showed outrageous pace when he kept up with Ronaldo to score that counter attack goal against Bolton - I think - in the 2006/07 season.
It starts at around 1:42 in this video.
[YOUTUBE]D9nzMoRRlho[/YOUTUBE]
The most crazy speed I think I've seen from a United player recently would definitely be Valencia. Some people have mentioned that they don't think he was really that quick, but I can remember a couple of examples where he was genuinely rapid. There was the 5-0 win (or 5-1, possibly) away against Wolves in the 2011/12 season, where Valencia tore them to bits repeatedly. The other standout example is in this video.
[YOUTUBE]qU4lOZC52ww[/YOUTUBE]
EDIT: Why aren't my YouTube links working? I've taken the part of the URL after the equal sign and put it inside [YOUTUBE] brackets.
It starts at around 1:42 in this video.
[YOUTUBE]D9nzMoRRlho[/YOUTUBE]
The most crazy speed I think I've seen from a United player recently would definitely be Valencia. Some people have mentioned that they don't think he was really that quick, but I can remember a couple of examples where he was genuinely rapid. There was the 5-0 win (or 5-1, possibly) away against Wolves in the 2011/12 season, where Valencia tore them to bits repeatedly. The other standout example is in this video.
[YOUTUBE]qU4lOZC52ww[/YOUTUBE]
EDIT: Why aren't my YouTube links working? I've taken the part of the URL after the equal sign and put it inside [YOUTUBE] brackets.
Last edited:
Kanchelskismfor me, in terms of pure speed. Was absolutely lightening. I wonder where Di Maria would rank with these lot being mentioned, especially with the ball.
Jesus I miss Giggs, one of the best wingers ever. He literally had everything a winger should have. Gosh I hope we'll have someone like him in the future.
Last edited:
You're confusing good timing with raw acceleration.
Robben has to have one of the most insane accelerations ever, Evra or Alba sureley don't even come close to Robben in terms of that, although they are/were very fast accelerators. Some graphics show Robbens acceleration > Ronaldo's acceleration, measured over the first 5-10 metres or so.
For United it's between Valencia and Giggs and Ronaldo without the ball, but if Pallister had the record for 100 meters, it obviously depends on what distance you're looking.
Ronaldo and Giggs with the ball in recent times. Shame it'll probably be impossible to know how George Best would compare to them.
Very high, but a bit early to include him. Kanchelskis would be 3rd for me in terms of pure speed behind Valencia and Sharp and 2nd behind Giggs with the ball (Ronaldo 3rd). Lightening quick player (one of my favourite Utd players ever).
I heard it multiple times that Valencia is the fastest but that sprint vs Liverpool is just
Interesting that you mention Sharpe. I wouldn't have him anywhere near Kan-Kan, and he's not someone who springs to my mind in discussions such as this. Although my memory is hazy for that generation, it was when I was very young and just getting into United. Kanchelskis was my playground hero!
I remember looking back at Sharpe and being amazed by his pace and indeed his all-round game. I sadly wasn't born when he was performing at his highest level for Utd, but I've watched numerous matches from the period and he always sticks out in the early 90s. Sharpe may have slowed down in later years (he used to drink and go out a lot though didn't he?), but from what I've seen of him, he was very fast. No doubt Kanchelskis had amazing pace though.
Form has absolutely nothing to do with pace
I'm sure I read something before about how Giggs, after the hamstring injuries he had earlier in his career, never sprinted at full capacity again. It may even have been him that said it actually. If that's true it's insane, he was rapid for a long long time.
It sounds a difficult thing to do, to not use your full pace when trying to get to a football before an opponent.
Bellion was fecking rapid although shit.
Disturbing lack of Kanchelskis in this thread....Did football start when Ronaldo broke through or something?!
Valencia is probably the fastest though....Giggs (before the injuries in the 90's) Kan Kan, Evra, Ronaldo and Silvestre.
Also, quite surprisingly, Keane was quite fast when he had to be (Not the fastest though)
Check out Owen's goal in the 2003 carling cup final and the ground Keane makes up on him
Valencia is probably the fastest though....Giggs (before the injuries in the 90's) Kan Kan, Evra, Ronaldo and Silvestre.
Also, quite surprisingly, Keane was quite fast when he had to be (Not the fastest though)
Check out Owen's goal in the 2003 carling cup final and the ground Keane makes up on him