Wayne Rooney | 2012-14 Performances

[Red Dreams]

I agree with Bilbo. Fergie would not have fought to keep him when all us had Rooney leaving.

He is still the most important player in the team. the Real game was just tactics.

 

[Name Changed]

Jesus, did people actually watch that match?

Yes. Superb in second half.

 

[Plechazunga]

My two cents worth:

A lot of our fans are always saying that no player is ever bigger than the club, or should ever be undroppable at United. I agree with this, and because of that I think far too much is being made of this.

Lets be honest, Ferguson and co know far more about tactics and conditioning than any of us ever will. We were playing superbly for the first hour, and whatever set-up they had envisaged for this was clearly working. I'm a big Rooney fan, and personally I feel that he could have replaced any one of our front four and performed at least as well on the night, but we aren't paid to make these decisions, and Ferguson got it right.

Regarding Rooney's temperament, I think that Ferguson realises by now that he might be on those players that needs a reminder every now and again of what they represent here. With Wayne, it usually occurs after an incident. Perhaps this time, given the circumstances, it might simply be some pre-emptive, clever man-management.

Unless there is a major red flag that we aren't aware of, we'd be crazy to let Rooney go.

Good post

 

[Sam]

I agree with Bilbo. Fergie would not have fought to keep him when all us had Rooney leaving.

He is still the most important player in the team. the Real game was just tactics.

He's clearly not anymore.

 

[Cheesy]

I don't think we're going to just let Rooney go personally. It'd be crazy to do that due to how much he can contribute and because of how good a player he is. Perhaps there has been something behind the scenes or Fergie simply feels Rooney hasn't been giving his all and needs a reminder as a previous post said. We're now in a position where, despite his quality, we're no longer anywhere near as dependant on him as we once were due to Van Persie. Hopefully it's not as bad as the media seem to be painting it to be.

 

[amolbhatia50k]

I agree with Bilbo. Fergie would not have fought to keep him when all us had Rooney leaving.

He is still the most important player in the team. the Real game was just tactics.

Which most important player/heartbeat of any big team gets dropped for their biggest game of the season?!

He's clearly very important, but it's overstated by some.

 

[KM]

Look how angry he is

 

[redevil2]

I don't think we're going to just let Rooney go personally. It'd be crazy to do that due to how much he can contribute and because of how good a player he is. Perhaps there has been something behind the scenes or Fergie simply feels Rooney hasn't been giving his all and needs a reminder as a previous post said. We're now in a position where, despite his quality, we're no longer anywhere near as dependant on him as we once were due to Van Persie. Hopefully it's not as bad as the media seem to be painting it to be.

Situation like this is always because the media wants stories to stir things up, and it's good stories for many ABU. I agree we re not going to let Rooney go. But then if there is any reason we do, I would be more inclined to believe there are good reasons.

Rumor like this is not good for us especially in this crucial periods when we need to focus on football and not some attempts in unsettling players or an uncertain dressing room. Hopefully the players (Rooney included) know what is important in front of them. Club > individuals

 

[Red Dreams]

Which most important player/heartbeat of any big team gets dropped for their biggest game of the season?!

He's clearly very important, but it's overstated by some.

tactics.

Giggs instead of Rooney slowed down the game. suited us rather than Real...who were all over us first leg.

of course Rooney is the most important player in the team...by a long shot.

 

[wr8_utd]

Look how angry he is

Clearly the celebration of a man very annoyed at not playing and set to have talks with United and leave in the summer.

 

[Castia]

It's annoying how the club or himself haven't come out today and rubbished these reports though. I mean he could have killed this story off in 20 seconds with a tweet but there's been nothing. Im looking forward to the SAF press conference tomorrow.

 

[Red Defence]

Is it me or do the media just grasp at any opportunity to sell papers however daft the story may sound. Must admit it's the first time I'm aware of anyone taking the Daily Star seriously though.....

Anyway....the Real game....

Fergs et al got the tactics spot on for that match. Probably messed up Real's tactics too because they would have set themselves up for Rooney playing. Good move there by us.

Also, particularly in games of this magnitude, imo who you have on the bench is just as important as who starts. We could well have had a plan to change the tactics later on (opposition tiring etc) by bringing Rooney and Hernandez off the bench. Such formidable running power would no doubt have caused Real some problems and maybe given us a goal or two.

As it was we planned our own tactics well, controlled Real beautifully but unfortunately we couldn't legislate for the quality of the refereeing.

If Nani hadn't been red-carded we'd probably have seen a very different result and seen the Daily Star with a very different story.

 

[Black Adder]

Look how angry he is

Fake joy if I ever saw one.

And what's more pathetic are Kagawa and Evans following his antics.

 

[wr8_utd]

Fake joy if I ever saw one.

And what's more pathetic are Kagawa and Evans following his antics.

 

[amolbhatia50k]

tactics.

Giggs instead of Rooney slowed down the game. suited us rather than Real...who were all over us first leg.

of course Rooney is the most important player in the team...by a long shot.

I look forward to seeing barca drop messi or real drop Ronaldo for their biggest game of the season. Maybe Liverpool would drop Suarez for some tactical reason too.

By a long shot

 

[Red Dreams]

I look forward to seeing barca drop messi or real drop Ronaldo for their biggest game of the season. Maybe Liverpool would drop Suarez for some tactical reason too.

By a long shot

dont tell me...
RVP is the best player..

 

[Ole's_toe_poke]

If Rooney was the most important player we would've built the formation around him rather than build a formation and then decide he didn't fit in it.

He's a damn fine player but looking at the selection on Tuesday one must conclude that Fergie no longer sees him as indispensable as he was in 2010. This was our biggest European night since Wembley 2011 and he wasn't deemed required to start.

 

[Sixpence]

Harlem Shake needs working on.

 

[MrMojo]

I look forward to seeing barca drop messi or real drop Ronaldo for their biggest game of the season. Maybe Liverpool would drop Suarez for some tactical reason too.

By a long shot

Exactly, his omission might be nothing more than a one off, but to claim it was because of tactics is a bit sad. It sounds like a kid still desperately believing in Santa Claus. The manager said before the game that Rooney needed games. That's him telling us Rooney isn't at his best. Crystal clear.

 

[Steven Seagull]

dont tell me...
RVP is the best player..

What's so funny? You said yourself he was 2 or 3 in the world just a couple of months ago? Unless you have Rooney down as #1?

He is.

2 or 3 in the world.

As wonderful a player as Rooney is, he's not as vital to us as he was 2 years ago. We have since developed Welbeck, Hernandez and bought 2 of the best attackers in Europe.

 

[Red Dreams]

If Rooney was the most important player we would've built the formation around him rather than build a formation and then decide he didn't fit in it.

He's a damn fine player but looking at the selection on Tuesday one must conclude that Fergie no longer sees him as indispensable as he was in 2010. This was our biggest European night since Wembley 2011 and he wasn't deemed required to start.

don't mix up the importance of the match to the tactics that was needed.

Fergie wanted to slow down the game. Giggs helped do that. All this Rooney is no longer the main man..is media built up nonsense...

what evidence is there to suggest this other than th fact he did not start Rooney? Rooney was brilliant second half v Norwich.

In fact he has been among the top 3 players since he came back from injury.

 

[gza the genius]

Fake joy if I ever saw one.

And what's more pathetic are Kagawa and Evans following his antics.

This doesn't really prove anything, quite a few of the papers are saying it's Fergie that wants him gone and not Wayne demanding to leave.

 

[Red Dreams]

What's so funny? You said yourself he was 2 or 3 in the world just a couple of months ago? Unless you have Rooney down as #1?



As wonderful a player as Rooney is, he's not as vital to us as he was 2 years ago. We have since developed Welbeck, Hernandez and bought 2 of the best attackers in Europe.

RVP is among the top 2 or 3 forwards atm.

But Rooney is much more than that. he is as important to us as was Roy keane in those days.

And I would have Rooney over all those you mentioned...for that reason. So I would disagree he is not as important.

 

[gza the genius]

RVP is among the top 2 or 3 forwards atm.

But Rooney is much more than that. he is as important to us as was Roy keane in those days.

And I would have Rooney over all those you mentioned...for that reason. So I would disagree he is not as important.

Would Sir Alex have dropped Roy for tactical reasons in the biggest game of the season?

 

[Ruud10]

Whether Roo is our first or second "most important" player is hardly the right debate to have right now. What is beyond all dispute is that Rooney adds a massive dimension to our attack and our overall balance as a squad. He can create, he can score, he can defend, he can dictate tempo and he's a leader.

Any one player does any one thing better. RvP is a better finisher. Carrick is a better passer. Vidic is a better defender. But no player is as "complete" as Rooney.

It may have made sense to drop arguably our best player and undeniably our most complete player, but the evidence tells us we only scored one goal -- an own goal -- on Real at home. The red card had a lot to do with that, but not everything to do with that.

We should have started Rooney.

As for the rumor gossip, all I can do is to note that there wasn't a whiff of these rumors before the match. Typical British tabloid crap, nothing more at this point.

 

[Shark]

Look how angry he is

It's good to see Kagawa starting to fit in, on and off the pitch.

I completely agree that Rooney isn't nearly as important to us than he was two or three years ago. We have more players that can run a game for us now and make us tick in the final 3rd. Be it Danny, Kagawa, RVP or Cleverly.

Rooney is still a very important player to us though.

 

[amolbhatia50k]

But Rooney is much more than that.

So important he's left out of the biggest game of the season?

I'll ask again, would messi, Ronaldo, bale or Suarez be left out by their respective managers? Did arsenal ever leave out Rvp out when he was their talisman? Doesn't happen. But keep on dreaming. Wayne Rooney is a fantastic footballer. But all of this over top "he's more than that" "he's the heart beat" stuff is bullshit.

 

[Steven Seagull]

As for the rumor gossip, all I can do is to note that there wasn't a whiff of these rumors before the match. Typical British tabloid crap, nothing more at this point.

That's not true, there's been quite a few rumours in recent weeks regarding PSG. It's more likely than not there's nothing in it, and Ferguson will probably explain in more detail tomorrow why he wasn't involved.

I suspect something like a virus..

 

[amolbhatia50k]

It's good to see Kagawa starting to fit in, on and off the pitch.

I completely agree that Rooney isn't nearly as important to us than he was two or three years ago. We have more players that can run a game for us now and make us tick in the final 3rd. Be it Danny, Kagawa, RVP or Cleverly.

Rooney is still a very important player to us though.

Of course he's very important. He is a top player and one of the best playing in England right now.

 

[amolbhatia50k]

Whether Roo is our first or second "most important" player is hardly the right debate to have right now. What is beyond all dispute is that Rooney adds a massive dimension to our attack and our overall balance as a squad. He can create, he can score, he can defend, he can dictate tempo and he's a leader.

Any one player does any one thing better. RvP is a better finisher. Carrick is a better passer. Vidic is a better defender. But no player is as "complete" as Rooney.

It may have made sense to drop arguably our best player and undeniably our most complete player, but the evidence tells us we only scored one goal -- an own goal -- on Real at home. The red card had a lot to do with that, but not everything to do with that.

We should have started Rooney.

As for the rumor gossip, all I can do is to note that there wasn't a whiff of these rumors before the match. Typical British tabloid crap, nothing more at this point.

He played the first game. And we scored as many as that in the second and were on top till the red, so we weren't worse off in that regards without him than we were with.

 

[Ekeke]

RVP is among the top 2 or 3 forwards atm.

But Rooney is much more than that. he is as important to us as was Roy keane in those days.

And I would have Rooney over all those you mentioned...for that reason. So I would disagree he is not as important.

He's really not. We finally have the players to cover for him unlike in recent seasons. RVP is a better striker and a good second striker if he plays there instead of Rooney. Kagawa is starting to show what hes about and his specialised position is behind a striker. And then we have Welbeck and Hernandez too.

He is important and theres no reason to sell him but he's not our most important player.

 

[Chabon]

Wayne Rooney is a fantastic footballer. But all of this over top "he's more than that" "he's the heart beat" stuff is bullshit.

In all this debate about Rooney's importance one simple fact about Rooney being dropped seems to be being overlooked: We lost the match.

Hell, if you discount dead rubbers we've lost just the five matches this season, and Rooney only started one of them.

 

[Escobar]

He is benched for one important game and he is off? Ok

 

[Shark]

In all this debate about Rooney's importance one simple fact about Rooney being dropped seems to be being overlooked: We lost the match.

Hell, if you discount dead rubbers we've lost just the five matches this season, and Rooney only started one of them.

But we played absolutely brilliant against an in-form Madrid before the red card and we most likely woud have went on to win it otherwise. Would you be able to say that in seasons past, if Rooney wasn't in the team? I think not.

 

[gza the genius]

In all this debate about Rooney's importance one simple fact about Rooney being dropped seems to be being overlooked: We lost the match.

Hell, if you discount dead rubbers we've lost just the five matches this season, and Rooney only started one of them.

I think there's something else that happened that can probably explain a little better why we lost.

 

[Chabon]

We were playing well, sure, but I think the extent of that is being exaggerated. We really should have had a comfortable lead by the time the ref fecked us.

 

[Ryan's Beard]

He's really not. We finally have the players to cover for him unlike in recent seasons. RVP is a better striker and a good second striker if he plays there instead of Rooney. Kagawa is starting to show what hes about and his specialised position is behind a striker. And then we have Welbeck and Hernandez too.

He is important and theres no reason to sell him but he's not our most important player.

Who is our single most important player then if not Rooney?

RvP might be a better striker, true. Kagawa, Welbeck and Hernandez are all excellent too but most important?

Overall I still think he's our most important if only because he's the most versatile, not only that but he's good at whatever he does. He might not be the very best in all of his various positions (although to be fair I think only RvP can claim to be truly better than him) but that doesn't mean all round he isn't our top player.

 

[Red Dreams]

So important he's left out of the biggest game of the season?

I'll ask again, would messi, Ronaldo, bale or Suarez be left out by their respective managers? Did arsenal ever leave out Rvp out when he was their talisman? Doesn't happen. But keep on dreaming. Wayne Rooney is a fantastic footballer. But all of this over top "he's more than that" "he's the heart beat" stuff is bullshit.

keep missing teh point.

 

[Chabon]

Who is our single most important player then if not Rooney?

The only other real candidate in recent times has been Vidic, but he too was left out of a massive game recently. Some say it's Van Persie, but that seems ridiculously premature to me. It's either Rooney or Carrick.

Rooney's demonstrably our best player though. Nobody else in the squad has come near his achievements on an individual basis.

 

[Red Dreams]

The only other real candidate in recent times has been Vidic, but he too was left out of a massive game recently. Some say it's Van Persie, but that seems ridiculously premature to me. It's either Rooney or Carrick.

Rooney's demonstrably our best player though. Nobody else in the squad has come near his achievements on an individual basis.

Rooney, Carrick, Vidic..when fit are the spine of the team...the fact other players have improved or new players...like RVP have come into the side have taken the spotlight away from Rooney so to speak.

even when Ronaldo was here and there was this similar debate...Rooney was the player we could not lose. Has Fergie changed his mind since he fought to keep him?

If as some here think Fergie no longer considers Rooney the most important player in his team, that would be the biggest surprise to me...not his absence in one match.