Wayne Rooney | 2012-14 Performances

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Only during emergencies he should play as a CM. He had a decent game today but he is sloppy sometimes due to lack of focus and it can be dangerous when he loses the ball in the midfield trying silly passes. If he plays regularly he can make the spot his own but I don't want that. He's a striker and he should be playing alongside RvP. One world class CM can change the whole outlook of this team. Rooney should not be playing in midfield
 
I like him in midfield and think he could grow into the role. This might have been a sign of things to come, with Falcao on his way.hahalolzy
 
Fergie thinks Wayne is like Bryan Robson in that aspect. Has mentioned it several times.
 
gza the genius said:
Yeah fair enough. I don't see it personally but I suppose if Sir Alex thinks Rooney can be molded in to the calibre of midfielder Manchester United requires then I don't have much of an argument. I guess we'll find out.
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Well Fergie seems to think he can trust Giggs to play CM in big games so I'm sure he thinks Rooney is good enough for that role too.
 
Wayne Rooney proved his versatility with an accomplished performance in midfield during the 2-0 win against Stoke City.

The United star was selected in a deeper role for the Britannia Stadium assignment and was unflustered throughout, adding real composure by making time for himself on the ball.

Rooney's display was sufficiently impressive to earn him Sky Sports' man-of-the-match award and Sir Alex Ferguson explained afterwards the thinking behind his tactical decision.

"I thought he was brilliant," enthused the boss. "I think he was possibly needing a different role in terms of getting his confidence back.

"He's been getting a little bit of criticism, not seriously so, but a few doubters. He's a fantastic player and our job is to get his confidence and form back. I thought a spell in midfield today would do him the world of good and, of course, it worked for us.

"With Chicharito, Robin van Persie and Wayne on the pitch, they have got 55 goals between them and that counted for me," he added. "One of them is going to score for you and that was important.

"I also thought a spell in midfield for a while could be good for Wayne."

When asked if Rooney is likely to play there again this term, the boss replied: "Yeah, it's a possibility we'll utilise players who can get you goals. I think we tried to do that today with Antonio Valencia wide right and Shinji Kagawa on the left, who I thought was fantastic, as it gave ourselves options to score."
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manutd.com
 
"He's been getting a little bit of criticism, not seriously so, but a few doubters. He's a fantastic player and our job is to get his confidence and form back. I thought a spell in midfield today would do him the world of good and, of course, it worked for us.
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Fergie reads the Caf!
 
I'd quite like to see one of those every touch videos that sometimes get made, not least because a couple of his long passes today were glorious, but also for the general quality of his passing.
 
Chabon said:
I'd quite like to see one of those every touch videos that sometimes get made, not least because a couple of his long passes today were glorious, but also for the general quality of his passing.
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He had a couple of beauties, that's true. He had one serious blunder (when he lost possession and Stoke hit us on the counter), apart from that he looked comfortable in the role.

Whether he can function in a similar role for us long-term is another matter. I think it will depend largely on the rest of the set-up: Fergie once said something about Rooney's Robbo-like qualities...I really don't know about that. For someone to become a truly great midfielder after having spent years as a forward - well, it's a stretch. But I can see him becoming an excellent option for us in a more advanced CM role, with the right personnel around him and against the right kind of opposition. If he can grow comfortable in the role and start providing goals from back there, this would add an extra dimension to our game.
 
Doesn't say much for what SAF thinks of Cleverley at the moment... but Rooney showed his class in that role today. As said, it'll be good to see him play against better players in that position.

Wouldn't be surprised to see SAF change his role to fit in another forward.
 
He was good in central midfield today but I don't think he'll be moved their permanently yet, maybe in his early 30's if he is still playing.
 
acrebo said:
Doesn't say much for what SAF thinks of Cleverley at the moment... but Rooney showed his class in that role today. As said, it'll be good to see him play against better players in that position.

Wouldn't be surprised to see SAF change his role to fit in another forward.
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Purely hypothetical, this – but IF the old man is looking to convert Rooney on a more permanent basis that doesn't look particularly well for Cleverley (or Ando). Rooney as CM of sorts can only work if he's partnered with Carrick. That's the ONLY plausible combo at the moment. And Rooney won't simply become another rotation player (like Cleverley and Ando) overnight. He will still start most games in his new role too – anything else would be a huge surprise. That necessarily means precious little game time for Cleverley (Ando).

All hypothetical, of course. Perhaps Rooney will be completely out of his depth as a CM against better opposition. Perhaps the transition will be very slow. Perhaps there won't be a proper conversion at all – just a matter of Rooney being used in the role sporadically. We'll see soon enough. If the boy gets to play in the middle against, say, Arsenal – and does well, we can start to speculate for real.
 
Works his ass of for the team and sacrifices himself a lot for others in my opinion. There aren't many strikers in world football who can comfortably drop back into a 2 man midfield and not only do a job but be the best player on the pitch. Top class player i'll be fecking gutted if he ever leaves.
 
I think over the course of a season he could potentially be better in midfield then in the hole, because when he plays in that number 10 position, he looks like he wants to do too many things, like control the game, and get himself amongst the goals and be a creator, but he can't do it all at once. His game occasionally suffers for that and he doesn't get the same consistency. When he plays as a main striker, I think he is much more consistent, and if he were to be given a consistent role in midfield next to Carrick I think it could work. He'd need some time to grow into it but I don't see why he wouldn't be able to be a good player in that role. He's got a great work ethic, a very good range of passing (even though the short and simple passes occasionally let him down), and he's good when put under pressure (unlike a few of our other midfielders). He'd need to be more consistent with our touch, but I think something next season we could see a lot of him there, if we don't buy a first team midfielder to fill in there.
Van Persie
Winger Kagawa Winger
Rooney Carrick​
It could work brilliantly, and there's no harm trying as it gets the most out of Kagawa and Van Persie while having all three of them on the pitch.
 
Chesterlestreet said:
Purely hypothetical, this – but IF the old man is looking to convert Rooney on a more permanent basis that doesn't look particularly well for Cleverley (or Ando). Rooney as CM of sorts can only work if he's partnered with Carrick. That's the ONLY plausible combo at the moment. And Rooney won't simply become another rotation player (like Cleverley and Ando) overnight. He will still start most games in his new role too – anything else would be a huge surprise. That necessarily means precious little game time for Cleverley (Ando).

All hypothetical, of course. Perhaps Rooney will be completely out of his depth as a CM against better opposition. Perhaps the transition will be very slow. Perhaps there won't be a proper conversion at all – just a matter of Rooney being used in the role sporadically. We'll see soon enough. If the boy gets to play in the middle against, say, Arsenal – and does well, we can start to speculate for real.
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Whatever the case, I can't see Cleverley being seen as a first choice midfielder next season as many of us want him to be this year. He's definitely not good enough, at least not yet, to be a starter at a team like United, but given our lack of options there he is seen as a starter by us. If Rooney can consistently play well there, as he has so far, albeit against weak opposition, there is no reason not to keep playing him there. People so too much sympathy to Cleverley because he is home grown, but he doesn't look to be anything special for me, and I don't think he will ever become a starter or a key player at United. He's a good player, but we shouldn't settle for simply good in our starting 11. Also he's turning 24 years old this summer, so it's not like he should be seen as a young and promising player anymore.
 
Pogue Mahone said:
He sprained his ankle. It wasn't even a bad sprain. As the reports said at the time, "he suffered only minor ligament damage".

Christ, if an injury like that really did permanently slow footballers down the game would be played at walking pace.

Each and every injury Rooney has had would be something from which you'd expect a complete recovery. Bar the two metatarsal fractures (in different feet) he's hardly ever had the same injury twice (which might have long-term consequences) If his ankle had been anything less than 100% recovered after the Bayern injury then you would expect some kind of weakness of instability in that same ankle and recurrent injuries to the same joint.

What it definitely would not do is somehow stop him running as quickly as he once did. Ankles have little or nothing to do with generating pace in a sprint. Just ask Oscar Pistorius.
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Well, considering he re-damaged his ligaments in next game that means those reports, precicely- medical diagnose, wasn't correct.

As for his injury record, he's had few ankle injuries, quick googling proves it:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2010/mar/31/wayne-rooney-injury-record

I don't know if you ever injured your ankle ligaments, but from my own experience(I sprained my ankle twice in last two years), I am definitely sprinting and accelerating much more cautios than I used to. I know I am not Wayne Rooney, but ankle ligament injuries definitely takes it's toll on anyone.
 
bosnian_red said:
Whatever the case, I can't see Cleverley being seen as a first choice midfielder next season as many of us want him to be this year. He's definitely not good enough, at least not yet, to be a starter at a team like United, but given our lack of options there he is seen as a starter by us. If Rooney can consistently play well there, as he has so far, albeit against weak opposition, there is no reason not to keep playing him there. People so too much sympathy to Cleverley because he is home grown, but he doesn't look to be anything special for me, and I don't think he will ever become a starter or a key player at United. He's a good player, but we shouldn't settle for simply good in our starting 11. Also he's turning 24 years old this summer, so it's not like he should be seen as a young and promising player anymore.
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I agree with that - certainly. Cleverley is what he is - and if Rooney can do a better job as a partner to Carrick, then by all means let him play. I don't see Cleverley as anything special either: He's a decent player, no more, no less. The problem, if there is a problem here, is that IF Rooney becomes a first choice CM who will start most games, Cleverley and Ando will be reduced to sheer back-up options. Neither of them can play the Carrick role - and that's the biggest worry: We need someone who can do just that. Carrick isn't getting any younger. Perhaps Cleverley's game can evolve a bit in that direction - perhaps he can become a more rounded CM by and by, capable of playing a bit deeper. I don't quite see it, though. Like Ando he is a player who would fare better in a different set-up, i.e. a three-man midfield.

Well, anyway, it's far too early to say anything about Rooney's future as a CM. Stoke in their present state isn't a proper test - we need more data here.
 
Chesterlestreet said:
I agree with that - certainly. Cleverley is what he is - and if Rooney can do a better job as a partner to Carrick, then by all means let him play. I don't see Cleverley as anything special either: He's a decent player, no more, no less. The problem, if there is a problem here, is that IF Rooney becomes a first choice CM who will start most games, Cleverley and Ando will be reduced to sheer back-up options. Neither of them can play the Carrick role -.....
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That is why the Fletcher role really must be filled this summer.
 
Red Indian Chief Torn Rubber said:
That is why the Fletcher role really must be filled this summer.
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Aye. I hope it will. I don't think we need someone out-of-this world either - just a decent cover for Carrick. If Rooney will indeed get more and more minutes in midfield (and he might - even if it turns out he can't play in a midfield two against top opposition, he may still be preferred in the role against weaker sides), we may be overly heavy in the "Carrick's partner" department. That might spell the end for Ando. So be it.

I'd be happy enough going into next season with Carrick (DM), New Man (DM), Cleverley (AM) and Rooney (AM) as our options in the middle. And you may of course add Giggs (AM) to that quartet - and possibly even Scholes (CM).
 
Carrick - Rooney


Jairzinho - Kagawa - Ciderman9"0reoccuring"

Van Persie - Falcao​

3 at the back with Dave in goal.
 
acrebo said:
Doesn't say much for what SAF thinks of Cleverley at the moment...
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I think Cleverley is the real deal but there's no doubt at the moment there's a question mark over his stamina not just in games but seemingly over the course of the season also
 
Amar__ said:
He scored 34 goals that season before that injury, so it's fair to say he was already matured back then?



Yet, he used to dribble a lot even that season before the injury.

As for poor touch, I know, I was just saying how injury negatively affected on him.
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So many great headers and one touch finishes. There are a few great dribbles and finish and some touch turn finishes.

These are the advantages of playing closer to goal. He was neat and tidy last night and definitely good on the ball but he still felt like a bit of a gimped Gerrard and was probably to passive.

Unbelievable talent though, again, hope he breaks Charlton's record and he's alive to see it. Against City or someone as well.
 
acrebo said:
Doesn't say much for what SAF thinks of Cleverley at the moment...
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It's just a case of Fergie managing a young player who's having his first real and proper season for the first team. It's been constantly been documented that Fergie is cautious of burning out young players by playing them too much. It's exactly what he's doing with Cleverley, who has had a very good first half of the season.
 
Amar__ said:
Well, considering he re-damaged his ligaments in next game that means those reports, precicely- medical diagnose, wasn't correct.

As for his injury record, he's had few ankle injuries, quick googling proves it:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2010/mar/31/wayne-rooney-injury-record

I don't know if you ever injured your ankle ligaments, but from my own experience(I sprained my ankle twice in last two years), I am definitely sprinting and accelerating much more cautios than I used to. I know I am not Wayne Rooney, but ankle ligament injuries definitely takes it's toll on anyone.
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The next game was a fortnight later. It's obvious he was rushed back because it was such an important game. Doesn't make the original diagnosis any less correct. Even a minor sprain could take three or four weeks to heal fully.

The rest of your post is just anecdotal nonsense. If your ankle is healed properly you should be sprinting and accelerating as normal. If you feel cautious that's your problem. It's irrelevant to Rooney's game. You're not an elite athlete being advised by a top physiotherapist.
 
Red Indian Chief Torn Rubber said:
SAF claims he is playing Rooney in midfield to boost his confidence.
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I sometimes think Fergie is just trolling reporters, of course he can't admit that our midfield is pretty thin and we are pretty much out of options so he just comes up with something like that.

Of course no one is really buying that but he avoided having to answer stupid questions over the quality and quantity of the our central midfield.
 
Bearing in mind we bossed midfield from start to finish, without playing Cleverley, Anderson, Scholes, Jones or Giggs in the centre of the park what does that say about the quality and quantity of midfield options available to Fergie?

I just think he wanted to play Hernandez because of his record against Stoke, Van Persie for his height (and to break his duck) then decided he needed to find a way to give Rooney a game. Basically, what he said in that interview.
 
Pogue Mahone said:
Bearing in mind we bossed midfield from start to finish, without playing Cleverley, Anderson, Scholes, Jones or Giggs in the centre of the park what does that say about the quality and quantity of midfield options available to Fergie?
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Doesn't say much about the quality. Our striker looked every bit as good, if not better, than specialist midfielders like Cleverley, Anderson and Giggs have looked in their recent performances.
 
kps88 said:
Doesn't say much about the quality. Our striker looked every bit as good, if not better, than specialist midfielders like Cleverley, Anderson and Giggs have looked in their recent performances.
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So the most versatile striker in the league can look as good as our specialist midfielders playing poorly. What does that say about anything?
 
As Ive said in the other thread, if Rooney is going to become a CM one of two things needs to happen, He either needs to become droppable when out of form as having him gifting possession to the opposition repeatedly in front of the back four is unacceptable or his form needs to be a lot more consistent. Its one thing playing poorly and still scoring goals, but I will take more than 75 minutes of barely acceptable play with a moment of brilliance to be a regular Utd midfielder. I say leave him upfront where when out of form he can still be a threat and his form fluctuations don't have such drastic potential outcomes.
 
Freak said:
It's just a case of Fergie managing a young player who's having his first real and proper season for the first team. It's been constantly been documented that Fergie is cautious of burning out young players by playing them too much. It's exactly what he's doing with Cleverley, who has had a very good first half of the season.
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I hope so as I like Cleverley and think he's developing into a decent Premiership player. However, he has been particularly noticeable by his absence recently, in games that would be well suited to keep his fitness and confidence up.

I doubt he'll play against Spam as that has become a big game in order to get this wrapped up as soon as possible, so hopefully he'll feature in our next home game...
 
http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/articles/457145/20130415/wayne-rooney-signs-psg-deal.htm

Former Paris Saint Germain sports advisor Michael Moulin says Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney has already agreed to join the Ligue 1 leaders in the summer.

Rooney was linked with a move away from Old Trafford after being omitted from the United team which were knocked out of the Champions League last 16 by Real Madrid last month.


Manager Sir Alex Ferguson has since moved to quash speculation regarding Rooney's departure, rumours which were again sparked following suggestions United were moving for Atletico Madrid striker Radamel Falcao.

But Moulin has thrown into doubt Rooney's future at the Premier League champions-elect by suggesting his summer departure to PSG had been ratified.

Rooney has scored 12 league goals this season.

"Wayne Rooney to PSG is a done deal. You will see. He is a PSG player," Moulin claimed.

The 52-year-old was sports adviser to PSG shareholders in 2008 but is currently the boss of 10 Sport.

Rooney's recent career at United has been undermined by constant suggestions of unrest, with the England international announcing his departure from the club in 2010, before later agreeing a new contract.

The signing of Robin van Persie has forced Rooney to drop deeper for United this season, often occupying a midfield role, most recently in the 2-0 win over Stoke City.

In signing Thiago Silva and Zlatan Ibrahimovic last summer, PSG, who lead the Ligue 1 table by nine points, provided a signal of their intent in the transfer market, while their performances in the Champions League this season, in which they came close to knocking out Barcelona at the quarter final stage suggests they're also making significant progress on the pitch.

But club president Nasser Al-Khelaifi denied earlier this month that the club have already made a move for Rooney.

"I think we didn't talk honestly, he is a great player, he is one of the best strikers in the world," he said.

"I think everyone would like to have him but if you want to talk about the fact, we didn't approach him."

Rooney has scored 12 goals in 22 games for United this season as they hunt down a record 20th Premier League crown
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I have to say, whilst I really don't think Fergie would ever sell him, the persistent rumours are a bit curious.
 
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