"Last chance of a big payday", you would think he was playing for Everton or Spurs.At 28 years old, you don't need a medical team to predict that he'll enter a declining phase of his career within the next few years ... That's what happens for a huge majority of players, they decline slowly but some of them can still perform at a high level
Wayne Rooney | 2012-14 Performances
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That was the season you would thought Rooney have peaked. The maturity in his play was very evident. He looked extremely composed and level-headed leading the the line for us as the lone striker. In Europe, especially, he was a beast.
I suppose.
I just suspect he may have a specific conditioning issue. Fergie has moved players on before when he believed it was time anyway, and they were not all totally useles by then either.
No one knows whether or not Rooney is going to get sold, but why in the world would we want to sell him? That being said, like any other player, he's not bigger than the club or even irreplaceable. If (a very big if) the manager felt he needed to be shipped off, then he'd be shipped off.
^ Up front on his own vs Chelsea in 09/10
^ In a deeper role as a number 10 vs Chelsea in 10/11
Two fantastic performances
Quite a interesting thing about that list is that I would expect Rooney to take over all 3 players above him in less matches than they took to score their goals, might be close with Rowley. providing he isn't sold of course.
not true, I vividly remember many many posters here claiming Rooney being better and more important than Ronaldo throughout the 2006-2009 years, ESPECIALLY when he left for Real Madrid and a lot of vocal anti-Ronaldo posters on the Caf had the attitude of "we don't need him, we have Rooney who is better anyways". To be consistent, it is only right to continually compare the career tracks and individual accomplishments of the two, even now.
Well, the fact that United remained a force when Rooney had to shoulder the burden of both "R"s kind of reinforces their opinions. Especially when you consider how many goals he scored the season after Ronaldo left. Who knows what he/the club could have achieved if he hadn't had his ankle fecked playing Bayern?
Obviously, Ronaldo has gone on to become the better player but Rooney's importance to United was only reinforced when The Portugeezer fecked off to play for his "boyhood club" in Spain, not the other way round.
Oh and "vocal anti-Ronaldo posters"... Hehe...
Fergie's would stop drinking red wine if it meant he could swap Rooney for Ronaldo
Even if he hasn't forgiven him for the past, and thinks he's approaching the years of decline, Fergie won't move Rooney on to the detriment of the team. If he could swap him for Falcao though....?
You would hope he wasn't on the decline. Quite simply he should be getting better if anything; he's 27, approaching the best years of his career and he should in the best physical shape of his life. He isn't. To echo what an earlier poster said, he needs to look after himself better both in pre-season and during the season. The job of a professional footballer demands it, that's without bringing the fact that he plays for us into it.
He's been impressive today, but if there was one game where we'd get away with him in central-midfield, it would be against Stoke. Whelan, N'Zonzi and Adam are so unimaginative and archaic in style that Rooney's genius was always going to shine there alongside Carrick and Kagawa. I'm unsure if it's a long-term solution, though.
Started brilliantly but faded badly. He'll need to be more involved second half.
He's playing well. Looks good in midfield next to Carrick.
hey, you can only beat who's infront of you.
I remember him doing a good job in CM against Everton last season as well.
I remember him doing a good job in CM against Everton last season as well.
I hope people dont get any ideas about playing Rooney in CM just because he might impress today.
Might be worth trying him there at Arsenal. The match almost certainly wont matter and it'd give him a real test.
Should start the next game in CM as well, I dont see the point if its only for the odd game here and there.
this!
He was great today, definitely like to see him there again against a better side. Would allow Kagawa to play off Van Persie too.
Why? If he takes naturally to the position and starts dictating the games what would be the problem?
No one has said he should be moved there permanently right away, just that it's worth experimenting with to see how it works. For all we know he could be incredible there.
Thought he did very well today. He also mentioned in an interview not too long ago that CM could be his position in a few years, so you never know.
When he has his poor days though we could get in trouble. During those games it often looks like his touch is totally gone and you can't afford that in CM.
When he has his poor days though we could get in trouble. During those games it often looks like his touch is totally gone and you can't afford that in CM.
With the title almost in the bag I would like to see him there a few times now until end of season to see how it goes.
Not a bad idea to throw him into midfield if we need to give some games for Chicharito. I'd much rather Rooney play centrally than on the wings. So much more effective when he is playing in a position where he can touch the ball more often.
There isn't another player in the league who can do what Rooney can, play in numerous positions, still perform well and not complain about not playing in his favorite spot
Even at his worst, he can hardly be any worse than what we've seen in midfield from most apart from Carrick.
So versatile and as you say he never seems to moan about it.
Has had brilliant games on the wing when Ronaldo was up front too.
Has had brilliant games on the wing when Ronaldo was up front too.
Which is one of the many important things he gives us and makes it almost impossible to find anyone like him in the world.
He was fine without doing a whole lot. His touch has been good the last two games at least. I don't think he's a long term solution in center mid though. Our strikers still had almost no service, the only real chance from open play that I can remember was created by Chicharito from a long ball.
Despite his antics for his contract renewal, I managed to get over it sort of, I still hated the way he behaved himself but I have no pb wishing he never leaves United
this!
We have another in Jones.
Agree with that. Can't think of a striker in the league that could play CM so effectively.
so true...which is why some of those fans who say they wouldn't be too bothered to see him sold are living in some weird weird world!!
I hate this argument, if we signed an actual center mid or two we wouldn't need Rooney to be able to play in center mid.
I honestly see no signs of that happening. CM is a position which takes a lot of experience to get a good at. If you're talking about Rooney playing in a position where he doesn't have too many defensive responsibilities but still referred to as a CM then I may entertain the idea a bit more.
I don't see the reason to experiment though. Not when we have youngsters who I think could use some game time. It just doesn't sit well with me.
You're right but Jones is still a youngster, he is learning his trades and is using all the experience he can get from all the positions he plays.Rooney is far more established, you rarely have players of Rooney's age and importance accepting to be shifted in so many positions
Who knows? Rooney could do a Schweinstieger and become a midfield general.
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