A) Is this a bad thought process? Getting a Rasengan to the face sounds like a pretty effective way to end a battle.
B) Don't get me wrong; I'm not trying to say Naruto's method is perfect. I agree that he has a tendency to rush into situations, but Sasuke also rushes in. Where was his planning when he decided to take on five Kages? I think Naruto's brazen attacking style is just a part of his personality.
C) Yes, it was not a smart move to use the Rasengan when he had just figured out the ability, but what would you have suggested if a giant chameleon had you wrapped up in its tongue and someone was trying to remove your soul? You'd probably be throwing some Rasengan's his way.
And again, I'm not saying Naruto deserves a 5. Itachi has a 5, and he's clearly demonstrated that he is an extremely capable analyst. But comparing Naruto to Sasuke...Sasuke's not that great. Yes, he's quite good, but he's nowhere near Shikamaru or Itachi's level. He's demonstrated quite a few clever strategies, but so has Naruto. Even in his first fight with Zabuza, Naruto was the one who released the water prison technique from Kakashi, not Sasuke.
I honestly don't think Sasuke is any smarter than Naruto. He's just cool and was labeled a "prodigy", so people assume he must be. But if you look at the way they fight, they're both extremely capable.
