Poll: Is Wayne Rooney past it and should he be sold?

Is Rooney past it?

  • Total voters
    1,482
Not going to blame him for lack of goals, but his overall performances, especially against Villa are worrisome. It looked like he could not give a feck yesterday. Looked like his mind was somewhere else yesterday. Lost the ball every time he received it and just generally stood around doing nothing.
 
He'll score a goal in a big game and people will go back to praising him, this is nothing new with Rooney.
 
kouroux said:
It is a real waste of talent. He should really look at Giggs for maintaining a decent lifestyle. More than ever he has to take care of himself no.
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some of us relish keeping fit as a passion.
so to see someone paid so much find it such a struggle for say 15 years max, seems unbelievable.

he can balloon up and smash the fags and booze for 50years after
 
septic said:
He's been past it for a long time. And people think he's capable of 20+ goals. Lol
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did they specify 20 in the league though?

as 20 in a season all competition where he might play 55-60 games doesn't sound out of the question
 
I don't think he looks unfit or overweight right now, he just looks like he's deteriorated physically like RvP and Falcao.
 
Devil may care said:
I don't think he looks unfit or overweight right now, he just looks like he's deteriorated physically like RvP and Falcao.
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Yeah unfortunately I have the same feeling about him that I had about these two. Maybe it's due to us having these two around when they had seemingly lost their edge that I feel the same is happening to Rooney but so far it really looks like we have seen the best of Rooney and we won't get that Rooney back.
 
What does he actually do that is special?

Terrible touch, not very mobile anymore. Never scores outside the box. Doesn't create much.

He is completely past it in my opinion. He is going to/has really dropped off ala RVP style.
 
NoLogo said:
Yeah unfortunately I have the same feeling about him that I had about these two. Maybe it's due to us having these two around when they had seemingly lost their edge that I feel the same is happening to Rooney but so far it really looks like we have seen the best of Rooney and we won't get that Rooney back.
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I think it's very noticeable in how easily he is out-muscled these days and how little pressure he applies on the defense. In the past when Rooney had his patches of poor form these two things still remained in tact, his physical edge was still there even if his technique and goal scoring were off the boil, right now even his physical side looks diminished.
 
For the first time I'm quite concerned about his form. It's been six games since the first pre season game and his touch hasn't been good enough for a professional footballer let alone a Man Utd CF. I get that he takes his time to get up and running, I've seen it all before over and over again after a break in games, but six games is a lot to not master a basic of the game. Without it he's useless.
 
Summit said:
Yes and Yes to your opening questions.
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His peak should have been up there with the top 4 or 5 players in the world. He possibly done that for a few months in 11/12, but reaching it and maintaining it I suppose is what I should have differinciated between. He didn't maintain his top form at all for the period required of a top rated player.

Don't think he is passed it as yet, still think if he can be arsed to put the effort in, he can't still get goals for us and take chances that fall to him.
 
Sandikan said:
did they specify 20 in the league though?

as 20 in a season all competition where he might play 55-60 games doesn't sound out of the question
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As our main striker I would hope they're talking about league goals.
 
A striker playing for one of the biggest clubs in the world can't keep getting away consistently with mediocre performances like Rooney has for the last 3 years.

I think it's time LVG showed his balls once again like he did with Luca Toni a few years back.
 
Devil may care said:
I don't think he looks unfit or overweight right now, he just looks like he's deteriorated physically like RvP and Falcao.
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It is just that IMHO. He can't beat defenders for any duels (ground or aerial) like he used to before. Despite his height, he used to be a beast physically. Nowadays he seems so lethargic and weak.
 
For all the talk of him being gone physically, he'd still be much better in a system that required him to bomb up and down the pitch every game. He does almost everything better once he's gathered momentum. Shoots better, controls better, dribbles better, passes better.

If we sat back, then countered, stretched defences and attacked into the space - he'd still not be Suarez level, but he'd look closer to the Rooney we've previously seen.

The issue is that we're now playing like England. Really slow, really suffocating, with little space to play/run into. He's looking like the Rooney we often see in an England shirt. Not even the touch and control, but the general awareness in terms of where to position himself.

This type of football has never been his cup of tea. He's an instinctive player. There has to be an element of counter attacking and increased tempo for him to thrive.

It's time for a different type of striker, if this is how we're planning to play from now on.
 
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Devil may care said:
I don't think he looks unfit or overweight right now, he just looks like he's deteriorated physically like RvP and Falcao.
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its easy to throw the weight thing at him and was valid in the past, but he has kept himself as lean as he can be since before the world cup. He knew that was his last chance on the world stage to prove himself, but even though he knuckled down and got focused in the WC he was still no talisman anymore. Even then the debate was whether he should be automatic number 10 with sterling about, and the defense was ' nah but its Wayne Rooney'. he wasn't deemed a better no.9 than Sturridge, but for some reason had to be in the side

his game was all about instinct, chasing the ball around the pitch. Ironically what LVG doesn't want in his teams. I don't mean this in a insulting way but now he has to think too much about what he is doing
 
Mr Anderson said:
His peak should have been up there with the top 4 or 5 players in the world. He possibly done that for a few months in 11/12, but reaching it and maintaining it I suppose is what I should have differinciated between. He didn't maintain his top form at all for the period required of a top rated player.

Don't think he is passed it as yet, still think if he can be arsed to put the effort in, he can't still get goals for us and take chances that fall to him.
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Rooney broke on the scene at such a young age like with an almighty bang, that we as fans then dreamed of what potential this lad achieve, when in reality he wasn't that far from his best (IMO) as he was playing then. We have seen it a few times with young players that break onto the scene, and when they are 29 they look shot and far from their best.

You say that he isn't passed it yet and suggest that it is Rooney himself that can't be arsed and for me that is just excuses and hiding from the actual truth that he is well on the decline. Rooney 8 years ago was immense, whether he was playing bad in a game or not, you could always expect a little magic from him. We will never see that Rooney again, he will never reach those levels of football, let alone surpass them like you suggest.

I don't doubt that Rooney is good for a few goals a season, but I honestly believe that if want to mount mount a serious tittle challenge, then doing it with Rooney will be our downfall. People keep saying that they believe Rooney can get us 20 goals in the league this season, but seriously come on, 20 goals should be the absolute minimum we expect off our main striker at United and people are talking like it would be some achievement for Rooney. 25 plus is what we really want off our main striker and I can not see Rooney getting towards those figures.

I really hope he can prove me wrong though, and it would honestly bring a smile to my face. I am not a Rooney basher by any stretch (although it seems like it) and have backed Rooney to the hills before now. But lately over the last season I feel his time as our top striker is over and for me it's time to move on.
 
Over 60% of responders to this poll think Rooney is past it. I find that astonishing.
 
antsmithmk said:
Over 60% of responders to this poll think Rooney is past it. I find that astonishing.
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I find the 37% astonishing. I mean one could argue whether to keep him or sell him, but how could anyone argue with whether or not he is past it?! It's quite obvious that he peaked a bit too early and is totally past it. Should be a sub. player at best, but I'd rather have him sold.
 
His form has obviously been poor and very disappointing. I can't say whether he is past it as he's played rubbish before but we can't be reliant on him. He needs to know that if he is going to play this badly for this long, he will be dropped.
 
He's evidently on the down-turn of his career and has been for a good while now.

We won't sell him - no one would buy him. He should simply have better competition and more than likely, be placed on the bench.
 
Subho611 said:
People are talking like he is a waste of space. Two summers back Mourinho would have given everything to have him.

The truth is somewhere in between. He has regressed for sure and doesn't have the same edge like before but to suggest he is past it is extreme. At the moment it looks like he is still getting back into match fitness and will definitely improve over the course of the season.

It is not his fault that he is the sole top player in his position. Some of that anger is also being directed at him it seems.
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Two summers is a very very long time in professional sport, especially one as physical as football.

As for whether he is past it, it depends on what your expectations are of a United striker. If you are happy with 15 goals a season in all competitions from your main center forward then he is fine but if you want to have a player similar to the Aguero, Costa, Lewandowski of the world then he is most certainly past it.
 
I wonder is SAF roaming the corridors of Old Trafford saying I told you so. Rooney has been a spent force for some time and at the end of season 12/13 he was as good as gone. SAF was moving forward with a forward line led by RVP and supported by the likes of Kagawa. Rooney has continued to decline in the last 2 years despite finding ways to charm Messers Moyes and Van Gaal into believing that he is first choice CF for Manchester United.

Wayne Rooney should not be playing for us anymore because he is shot as a top class forward in the EPL.
 
Shouldn't be sold yet, but sadly he is past it. Devastating he isnt going to break the scoring record now clearly, but then anyone who doesn't break it, doesn't deserve too if that makes sense haha.

he 100% should be second fiddle now to someone else uptop. Hernandez would be way way more of a threat now than Rooney.
 
just saw the Villa match. Rooney was isolated and our build up play slowed down as we are getting to the final ball.

He takes a few matchs to get to his peak ususally and the way van Gaal has us playing does not help.

We need to get back to 4-3-3.
 
Shark said:
He always starts seasons in bad form though. I can't remember the last time he started on fire?
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His two 30 goal seasons he started of with something like 6 goals in 6 and then 9 goals in 6.

It's been clear for me for a while. I've thought he's past it, not necessarily poor enough to sell, but past it nonetheless. I now think he's at the level where he's not good enough for the team. I thought at the time we sold RVP he would be a better option up front as he was more mobile and his control is still fantastic.
 
What I'd like to know is why Rooney looks so hesitant. From the time he dawdled on it in the Spurs box last weekend, he's not looked at all confident. On tour he looked fine, ever since though...

Unlike many of you I don't think he's past it. I think the problem is in his head. He just looks afraid. If he can just relax and play his natural game he'll be fine.
 
GeneralGattuso 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.
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Agreed. Problem is, he's being asked to carry the team without either the capability or credentials. The more he fails to achieve, the more managers place burdens on his shoulders. It's the ultimate example of management incompetence.
 
Guy said:
A good servant to the club, and I wonder how much of a role United played in his relative decline through the tactical roles they forced Rooney into, like playing left wing to allow Ronaldo to shine, or being slowly converted into a midfielder only to be started as a striker again.
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Barca played Messi in midfield in a ucl final...he's played right wing, left wing, 10, 9...that too with Argentina...that excuse doesnt cut...when he was at 10, people cried for him to be put up top where he'd score lots of goals...now some want him at 10 because he's not an out striker supposedly...every other playr gets dropped, he just gets moved around
 
Raoul said:
You could make easy arguments that Beckham and RvN were let go too soon as well. Collectively that's 3 world class players let go within a 5 year span, each of which went on to have productive careers elsewhere. I love Fergie just as much as the next person but am equally uncomfortable with this idea that he didn't make mistakes.
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Beckham hardly pulled up any trees at Madrid honestly...he was decent, but the one true season where he shined there was his last after being dropped by Capello.
Rvn had a top goal scorer season with Madrid, but United improved without him...

And yes, Fergie made plenty of mistakes, but Rooney's perfomances in the last two years have at least shown that he probably had a good point
 
K2K said:
Beckham hardly pulled up any trees at Madrid honestly...he was decent, but the one true season where he shined there was his last after being dropped by Capello.
Rvn had a top goal scorer season with Madrid, but United improved without him...

And yes, Fergie made plenty of mistakes, but Rooney's perfomances in the last two years have at least shown that he probably had a good point
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He still managed another decade in football and could've been much more effective for us for at least a few more years. I don't disagree that Rooney is in decline at the moment, the numbers and performances certainly back that up, but I doubt Fergie could've predicted what we are seeing now and my understanding of their dispute was it was over contract issues at the time.
 
Raoul said:
He knew particularly well on Bebe, Obertan, and Zaha didn't he.
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Those were bad signings but in his defense, Fergie' d barely watched them play.

He was Rooney's boss for nearly a decade and definitely knew it was going to be something bad. Well, not terrible bad, Rooney is United's top goal scorer after all but he's heading to the same road as Gerard and being the club's icon it isn't easy for Louis to get rid of him.
 
He's been excellent thus far against Spurs and Villa. I wouldn't say he's the best in the league though.

I'd say he was in the top 5.
 
van Gaal wants to build a winning team. He is not going to keep players he thinks cannot help him win matches.

Clearly he is experiementing with different formations. A lot of players are adjusting or getting used to this. Fortunately we have won the first two matches. I expect once he has all the players he wants and what he sees as his best side everything will click. It is too simplistic to blame Rooney.

I am sure we will see Rooney and the rest of the team all come together playing teh smooth football we saw last season.
 
It is worrisome just to compare him to what our rivals have on offer. I think even Giroud would be more effective in our current style of play than him, and he's regularly criticized on here.
 
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