“I can play better” – Robben

Or so he says. I sincerely hope he can prove it. I can find no fault with how Robben played. His willingness to take chances and shots himself can’t be criticised really. He was encouraged throughout the game to take on the Serbian defense: to run at them. I can think of only one clear opportunity when it would have been better for him to pass than continue on.

Can Robben be better than Rooney? I’m a United fan so I’m in an interesting position to wax on about this issue. My opinion…I…I think I disagree with Marco van Basten and that could be a first.

On the one hand its difficult to compare the two since they, in a way, have different styles of play. But on the other hand they have very similar styles of play. I know, I’m being vague and in-concrete but bare with me. I have seen Rooney make tackles that his compatriot John Terry would be jealous of. Can I say something similar for Robben? No, I can’t. I think I see in Rooney more of a finished product. I see young Wayne as being aware of his abilities and able to use them to most of their extent. Robben, however, is very much an untapped resource shall we say. Robben could…Robben might one day be better than Rooney but at the moment the pendulum swings to Rooney.

May I meekly back out of the confrontation by saying that they could be equally explosive and brilliant?