Rooney+Welbeck stats

Chabon

Full Member
Joined
Aug 18, 2009
Messages
5,517
I don't think this partnership gets the praise it deserves, and as we'll be likely seeing a lot of it in the next few weeks I thought I'd show exactly how good it is. So I went through the last few seasons and tried to find every match they've started as a pair, ignoring any time one was on the wing or we were playing a more unusual formation, which mostly involved discounting matches with Hernandez or RVP also in the 11.

It appears they've started just the 22 games together in 17 wins, 2 draws and 3 defeats during which we scored 63 goals. More important is their own records, which are 12 goals for Welbeck and a remarkable 23 goals for Rooney. Which for the mathematically-challenged is 35 goals in 22 starts as a pair. There's also at least three occasions I recall where they've ended up in tandem following changes and Welbeck's scored, but I'd have to look into that more to give a fuller picture.

Anyway, here's all the matches, if someone can think of one I've missed I'll correct the stats:
West Brom 2-1, Rooney x 1
Spurs 3-1, Welbeck x 1, Rooney x 1
Arsenal 8-2, Welbeck x 1 Rooney x 3
City 1-6
Wolves 4-1, Rooney x 2
QPR 2-0, Rooney x 1
Fulham 5-0, Welbeck x 1, Rooney x 1
City 3-2, Welbeck x 1, Rooney x 2
Bolton 3-0, Welbeck x 1
Arsenal 2-1, Welbeck x 1
Chelsea 3-3, Rooney x 2
Liverpool 2-1, Rooney x 2
Spurs 3-0, Rooney x 1
Fulham 1-0, Rooney x 1
QPR 2-0, Rooney x 1
Villa 4-0, Welbeck x 1, Rooney x 2
Everton 4-4, Welbeck x 1, Rooney x 2
City 1-4
Villa 3-0, Welbeck x 2
West Ham 3-1, Welbeck x 1
Hull 3-2, Rooney x 1
Spurs 1-2, Welbeck x 1
 
Yeah, and it was the same with the fourth at Swansea back in August. But I only counted starts because it can be a lot harder to tell where someone was playing when they're subbed on.
 
iI also agree it will be the partnership, although to me it makes sense to play Mata number 10, Rooney number 9 and see what Welbeck can do LAM for the time being with Januzaj RAM.

I can't believe we signed Mata to be on the right flank. I do agree Welbeck and Rooney have had a very good partnership but I am even more intrigued to see how Mata and Rooney combine.

I would even prefer 451 / 433 so Mata drops even deeper, Carrick plays anchor man with Cleverley or Fellaini as the other midfielder. The attacking trio would consist of Januzaj and Welbeck drifting centrally somewhat with Rooney playing up top but when that space is vacated then Januzaj or Welbeck will naturally drift there.
 
In Mata, Januzaj, Rooney and Welbeck we have 4 players who can play in any of the 4 positions in a 4231 - it would be incredible to see them all given license to rotate and exchange in a fluid system.
 
Mata just tracks back on the right flank, he's doesn't stick to his position going forward at all. I don't know where that idea comes from. Januzaj seems to really stick to the left flank when he plays - presumably to balance mata ie. counter matas lack of width. Mata and Rafael on the right have the potential to be terrifying cos Rafa has so much stamina and offers so much width, I really like the potential there
 
I think it's a very good partnership - reason why it was so successful in 11-12. But I do think it lacks something against the very top teams. Can't quite pinpoint what that might be but it lacks something.

Would be good enough vs most of the teams in the PL.
 
wonnie said:
I think it's a very good partnership - reason why it was so successful in 11-12. But I do think it lacks something against the very top teams. Can't quite pinpoint what that might be but it lacks something.

Would be good enough vs most of the teams in the PL.
Click to expand...

In really tight UCL knockout games it's so often shear world class quality that opens teams up (think recently of Messi/Robben winning those penalties or Kroos from outside the box) and makes the difference. Welbeck/Rooney have great chemistry but are a bit low on the world class quality front.
 
Blasphemy said:
In really tight UCL knockout games it's so often shear world class quality that opens teams up (think recently of Messi/Robben winning those penalties or Kroos from outside the box) and makes the difference. Welbeck/Rooney have great chemistry but are a bit low on the world class quality front.
Click to expand...
Rooney has an outstanding record in the CL against top teams.
 
Blasphemy said:
In really tight UCL knockout games it's so often shear world class quality that opens teams up (think recently of Messi/Robben winning those penalties or Kroos from outside the box) and makes the difference. Welbeck/Rooney have great chemistry but are a bit low on the world class quality front.
Click to expand...
You don't think Rooney, especially when in form, is world class?
 
Blasphemy said:
In really tight UCL knockout games it's so often shear world class quality that opens teams up (think recently of Messi/Robben winning those penalties or Kroos from outside the box) and makes the difference. Welbeck/Rooney have great chemistry but are a bit low on the world class quality front.
Click to expand...

I think we'd require a match winner who can play on the flanks to really even it up - someone like Ronaldo, Hazard etc. reason I like Welbeck is that he offers the team so much and makes us play better like Saha did.
 
In the 2011/2012 season, when the Rooney/Welbeck partnership first came to prominace, Manchester United scored 89 goals that season. The most league goals scored for us in the past 8 years and still continuing. They have a good understanding between themselves and if our coaching staff had developed it furthur, we might have seen similiar numbers between this partnership and Sas duo for Liverpool this season if taken into regards both players forms.

With Van Persie injury, Moyes might give this duo a chance to remind United fans how potent and cohesive this United attack can be.
 
Last edited:
wonnie said:
I think we'd require a match winner who can play on the flanks to really even it up - someone like Ronaldo, Hazard etc. reason I like Welbeck is that he offers the team so much and makes us play better like Saha did.
Click to expand...

When we were at our best in 11/12 it was Nani who provided that. People talking about the top class sides are missing the point in the exact same way Fergie did in the summer of 2012. We didn't need to change anything about a brilliant attack (though Kagawa was a smart addition), what we needed was a better base to support the front 2.

Sir Alex learned completely the wrong lesson from that season, even though the need has been obvious for years now: we needed to strengthen in holding midfield and at full back. Instead he went for Van Persie and ignored the midfield, and we're living with the foolishness of that decision now.
 
Ish84045 said:
You don't think Rooney, especially when in form, is world class?
Click to expand...
I do, but he's in world class form about 20% of time. I don't think we've seen sustained world class play from him in three years, which to my mind means he's not a world class player
 
You must log in or register to reply here.