Think it's unfortunately a case of him peaking earlier on as a footballer. He's been playing high level football for many years. I can't see him being very effective in the following seasons but neither can I see him moving on.
Poll: Is Wayne Rooney past it and should he be sold?
- Thread starter Raees
- Start date
I voted to sell him last season and that hasn't changed bit in fact grown stronger, looked awful last night again, all the attributes that once made him great have declined sharply.granted he will get better after a few games, but he does not warrant huge wage on recent showings.
IMO a player, or any sportsman (apart from Roger Federer/Ronaldo and a few others), can only maintain peak form for around 7 years.
This means that a player who peaks late in life (eg. Alan Shearer) can maintain a high standard into a later age. A player (like M.Owen. W.Rooney), who will peak in their teens, can only maintain top form into their mid 20s.
Rooney played better when he was 17 years, than he has in the last few years.
IMO, Rooney has declined to the level we'd expect of a 35 year old and we need to consider selling him off. Not just benching him...but actually selling him.
He is a striker, who lacks energy AND who can't score many goals - this is a striker who no club (big or small) would want.
Even if he's been shit so far this season, and didn't have a great last half of the last season I think it's too early to judge at the moment. If he plays like crap for the majority of this season and hardly scores I think we must get rid of him. Who's going to take him though? We might dump the asking price but his wages are nuts.
No, but he should be benched.
He's was worryingly poor yesterday. it was a real concern.
Forget the shit and inconsistent touch he is infamous for, doesn't he seem to be "weaker" from a physical POV. He couldn't win a single header last night and he gets bullied off the ball way too easily these days. Where is the pitbull Rooney ?
Annoyingly that's probably the last thing we should do. Rooney tends to play himself into form; dropping him and then starting him again a few games later probably would do more harm than good. Then of course you've got to consider our options up front which are pretty sparse. If we get a decent, and I'm talking 3-4 goals, result against Brugge then I definitely think LVG should try out Hernandez on the away leg.
It wasn't just yesterday either, it hasn't been truly on it for a couple of seasons.
He is shocking these days, but not entirely convinced that he will continue being so. We'll have to wait and see, if things don't improve then we need to be in market for an another top striker and get rid of Rooney. Until then, Chicha should get some minutes instead of Rooney when he is having performances like yesterday.
I don't think we should sell him but we shouldn't have sold Van Persie. Maybe it's the way we are playing that is hindering Rooney. I'm not a Rooney fan at all but I think he needs time.
And a captain?
We can't sell him. He's got 4 years left on his contract at over 200k a week. Van Persie only had a year left so we could subsidise a year's salary to shift him.
There isn't time. In any case given his weekly salary and responsibilities he shouldn't need time.
We can't sell him because no one is that stupid to take on his contract.
That's basically what he said.
Chelsea would, they've taken on Falcao remember!
I said in the preseason predictions thread that Rooney not scoring would be one of our worries. I don't think he's capable of carrying the goal scoring burden and hasn't been capable of it for a few years.
I understand that but that is managements fault, they should have kept Van Persie or bought a new striker. Hernandez is here why not play him (personally think he should leave for his own sake), can't do any worse than Rooney.
I think the 'sell' option here is really pay ££££ to move him on isn't it? We should be able to manage that but won't be pretty on the balance sheet.
It's just he needs games, is always quiet on returns from breaks playing, (hopefully).
It's just he needs games, is always quiet on returns from breaks playing, (hopefully).
We should have sold him in 2010 itself. 
He doesn't need time, he needs to get himself into the opposition penalty area instead of dropping deep and farting about on the wings for most of the game.
I'd happily bring in a top striker and have Rooney as a sub. I don't think Rooney would be so happy with that though.
I actually think he's finished as a top striker in world football.
The way he's been playing for a while now, slow movement, slow to react, touch of a wall, poor backwards only passing, needing several touches before he can shoot, never trying to take anyone on ever etc...
You'd swear he was 35 not 29. He peaked a few seasons ago and it's quite clear we're not getting that player back.
The way he's been playing for a while now, slow movement, slow to react, touch of a wall, poor backwards only passing, needing several touches before he can shoot, never trying to take anyone on ever etc...
You'd swear he was 35 not 29. He peaked a few seasons ago and it's quite clear we're not getting that player back.
In his defence, has anyone seen any of our strikers play well under van Gaal? Falcao, van Persie, Wilson, Rooney, Di Maria and Fellaini have all played as a striker but I am struggling to think of a game any of them had in which they were effective.
Perhaps the tactics aren't working, rather than the player - we weren't getting anyone near him yesterday, despite having 3 attackers around him, and he kept feeling that he had to come deep to get involved.
Perhaps the tactics aren't working, rather than the player - we weren't getting anyone near him yesterday, despite having 3 attackers around him, and he kept feeling that he had to come deep to get involved.
We need a top class striker to replace Rooney and if we can't have that then VG needs to sub him when he's "absent" from games, just as he would any other player. We won't win anything playing with 10 men.
Rooney was a key player last season for us. van Gaal's experimentations has Rooney isolated.
And we are not playing 4-4-2. Mempis is not a striker.
I have not seen the Villa game yet. I thought he was good against Spurs.
And we are not playing 4-4-2. Mempis is not a striker.
I have not seen the Villa game yet. I thought he was good against Spurs.
Think he should be given more time before judging him as finished, he always has these patches
However for a player getting paid 300k p/w more consistency should be expected. If he does not offer the levels that is expected for that money, then he should either take a pay cut (big) or be sold at the end of the season.
I think he come good and score 20 goals, but he still on wages he should not be on for what he offers.
However for a player getting paid 300k p/w more consistency should be expected. If he does not offer the levels that is expected for that money, then he should either take a pay cut (big) or be sold at the end of the season.
I think he come good and score 20 goals, but he still on wages he should not be on for what he offers.
Everything he tried to do last night was awful, he is nowhere near match fitness probably because he was living it up during the summer break. I wouldn't panic though because when fully fit he is as we know a fantastic player.
Wayne has proven to be an excellent
Robin in the past and if we can find him a Batman than I still feel like he would be an asset.
Robin in the past and if we can find him a Batman than I still feel like he would be an asset.
Gash from Wazza for the second match in a row. LVG isn't blind, this won't be for much longer if he continues like this.
I dont know whether the system particularly suits any striker but he needs to improve. It was an awful performance yesterday.
He's miles past his best, anyone who questions that is seriously deluded or doesnt rate peak Rooney at all imo. But should we sell him? Ideally yes if we could bring in another good striker but at the moment we cant.
Wilson has done well and scored in the limited time he has been given. But he is young with pace/energy to burn. LVG's style of play doesn't allow strikers seeing the ball in the box much
I think he needs someone to apply some pressure to his position. Right now he is guaranteed a place. As captain it's pretty hard to drop him but more than that there's nobody to apply pressure. Hernandez is a good back up but I don't think LVG really rates him? Certainly not to start games because he's not big enough to hold up the ball or clever enough to bring others in to play. Plus LVG made the decision last season he wasn't needed. The only reason he's kept him now is because Falcao didn't work out and RVP has gone.
He's not fully fit yet. It always takes him a while to lose all of that holiday fat. Not denying he's past his best though.
I agree - seems to have lost some of that physicality. But it's always been a struggle for him to maintain that discipline to take care of his body, which unfortunately gets harder as you get older.
he's had a full pre season and no injuries, and to be fair since the World Cup the leanest he has ever been (losing some strength I might add).
He always starts seasons in bad form though. I can't remember the last time he started on fire?
LVG is the presser after the match said Rooney lost the ball to many times, it was criticism I haven't heard LVG say about Rooney before. Perhaps LVG is now beginning to see Rooney isn't the player he once was...?
theres bad form and there's not being able to pass or control a ball. last night was the worst, reminded me of fellaini in moyes season. You were just waiting for his next touch to be a carcrash. He's only human and ok it happens but jesus, take the guy off. we were playing with 10 men. Any other player would have been dragged off