Despite not being the type of player many of us thought he could be, he is still an awesome player on his best days and in general a very good one
Wayne Rooney | 2012-14 Performances
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How often did we really play him out of position? I would say we played him as a forward in 90% of the games (either as an out and out striker or behind). He only played on the flanks in important games when we had Ronaldo
Sounds strange, but I actually thought we didn't get the best out of them as a unit. The excuse back then was that Rooney and Tevez were 'sacrificed', but they were simply nowhere near as good as Ronaldo during that season, and underperformed given their talent in my opinion. It was one of Rooney's poorest seasons for us on an individual basis, and Tevez has been twice the player for City at times than he was for us back then.
Can't complain, though...was a hell of a year.
Wow hard to believe its 10 years since this. I was listening to that Arsenal game and went nuts when he scored. Just a few minutes later he tried an outrageous chip that could have been goal of the season if it had gone in. He really was a freak talent as a teen.
I remember watching him v Bolton as a 17 yo and he was absolutely sensational. Back then I used to think we could be witnessing the greatest English player ever. It hasn't quite worked out that way. But so far he still has had an excellent career .
I remember watching him v Bolton as a 17 yo and he was absolutely sensational. Back then I used to think we could be witnessing the greatest English player ever. It hasn't quite worked out that way. But so far he still has had an excellent career .
I thought we did, tbh. It was part of the trend towards defensive forwards, though. & it worked. Stopping the opposition full backs playing and lending a hand to the midfield. In Rooney & Tevez we had top draw forwards who were also exceptional at tracking back and putting in hell of a shift for the team. Something Ronaldo wouldn't do. So it was logical to play them wider and deeper with Ronaldo up top.
Helped to win us the PL and CL so was very effective defensively as well as attacking, with all 3 changing positions when we had the ball. Although in fairness I do remember being very frustrated at the time, seeing Rooney out on the left. But not everyone can be the goal-scorer in a team. And the team is more important than one individual.
Tevez appears to be better at City because he's playing the role Ronaldo did for us. Or at least he was the season before they won the title. Same with Rooney in 2009/10 when he scored 30 plus by March. Interestingly, neither team won the league that way. The following year we won the title back playing Hernandez as the 9 and Rooney deeper.
10 year old Rooney 
have a bad feeling rooney won't be so sharp today
10 year old Rooney
I remember my husband telling me in 1999 about this young lad at the club who was going to be a world beater. He had no idea of course they'd be selling him to us
Glad to be wrong. He usually is a bit sluggish after int'l break.
His first touch is awfull in this game, for such a good player it's ridiculous to watch.
Played his part in 3 of our 4 goals and also one of Stoke's.
Apart form his first touch he has been very good today. (bar some sloppy moments).
His touch can be a bit shit though.
His touch can be a bit shit though.
Hat-trick hero
He never hides.
That own goal was unfortunate, but his response afterwards tells us everything you need to know about him. Goals, an assist and terrific workrate all over the pitch.
That own goal was unfortunate, but his response afterwards tells us everything you need to know about him. Goals, an assist and terrific workrate all over the pitch.
Started slowly but grew into the match brilliantly. Created, scored and dictated the play at times.
Must be the his foot getting fat.
Wonderful performance, only eclipsed by RVP/
tbh I think he did start sluggish, couple of lazy passes and tried to be a bit too cute. Seemed like the OG really lit the fire under him as his picked up his runs and movement and never looked back.
Commentator said it was his 200th goal, I imagine thats PL goals?
No it's club career goals http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/shared/bsp/hi/football/statistics/players/r/rooney_243973.stm
Very good today. Horrible own goal but more than made up for it after that.
Understand the points, but still think that they could've gelled more as a unit. When I say we didn't get the best out of them, that's not really to direct any blame on the coaching staff or anyone else either (nor is it to imply they didn't play well together) - it's just the way it worked out. Irrespective of the roles Tevez and Rooney were employed in, I think it stands that they were playing way beneath their top level, and that given that we're talking about players of that quality, absolutely magical stuff could've been produced (Messi, Iniesta, Xavi type stuff). How much they defended seems irrelevant here - you can defend whilst still playing somewhere near your top level, which I don't think Tevez or Rooney did very often that year. There were some games - Newcastle, for example - whereby it really did all click - but not that many whereby they were all somewhere near the top of their game dicking on the opposition simultaneously. Tevez and Rooney were not often at their top level regardless of their role, in my opinion. Touch off a lot of the time, goalscoring/finishing not at their best, etc...
Still, like I say, couldn't care less looking back.
Both played a big part in our success that year.As for today, Rooney was great I thought. Scored a couple, and could've had a couple more assists. That Evans header still amazes me now!
Good to see Rooney back on the scoresheets. Though hopefully he sticks to putting them in the right net. I was quite happy with his reaction to the own goal. Got his head down and helped United get back into it.
If thats the way he reacts to scoring an og he should score one every game.
Already has more assits than in whole last season, says much about his last season in terms of creativity.
Maybe...but it also says something about the positions he's been playing this season.
Or it says more about the quality of finishing improving in the team this year (RVP) compared to last season where it was mainly just Rooney scoring the goals.
Rooney is really maturing, and has looked in prime form since his come back. He has also lost a few kilos since the beginning of season.
He's playing in same position, except for those two games against newcastle and Cluj.
Not that his every assist was for Robin. I remember him assisting for Nani, cleverley and Welbeck, so that's almost his number of assists last season(I think he had 4 last season).
He's been fantastic since coming back. The arrival of RvP and Kagawa, and the added competition, has made him even hungrier I think.
He's been on fire since coming back, has played very well and assisted a lot of goals, great to see he started scoring again.
I gotta say our defense (and midfield, although surprisingly not as much as last season) still worries me, but I'm sure that we'll get it under control, however our attack has been phenomenal at times, and if Rooney and RvP can keep playing like this then we might be in for a very, very entertaining and successfull season.
I gotta say our defense (and midfield, although surprisingly not as much as last season) still worries me, but I'm sure that we'll get it under control, however our attack has been phenomenal at times, and if Rooney and RvP can keep playing like this then we might be in for a very, very entertaining and successfull season.
I think it's made him more relaxed, knowing it is not completely up to him to be the main goalscorer. He seems to be playing with more freedom now, similar to how he was when Ronaldo was here.
Including internationals: he has 5 goals and 6 assists in 7 starts.
To think that there was an article in The Telegraph this week asking 'are Rooney's best days behind him?'
Absurd.
To think that there was an article in The Telegraph this week asking 'are Rooney's best days behind him?'
Absurd.
Agree with this.
Good game for him today. Gave the ball away a few times but some of his touches just oozed class and his understanding with RVP was just a joy to watch. His work rate seems have to improved quite a bit in the past couple matches and hope he builds on this.
Overall bagged a victory with his first captaining of United this season.
Overall bagged a victory with his first captaining of United this season.
His understanding with RVP reached another level tonight.
I hope the two of them peak against the Chavs, kouroux. With a solid backline, it doesn't matter what they do, we will definitely get a good result.
While him and van persie showed some moments of great understanding, I didn't think either had a great game individually. Rooney was pretty quiet in the second half and Van Persie missed a great chance in the second to score and wasn't as much of a goal threat as usual. Fairly goof games from both I'd say without being great or anything.
But I'd say the fact that they're developing an understanding is actually more relevant.
But I'd say the fact that they're developing an understanding is actually more relevant.
Our most important player. The linkup play with RvP and others in general was sensational tonight.
I was just wondering. How many of our goals over the years have come as a result of Rooney pinging the ball to someone on the wing who crosses it in? He's really good at linking up with the winger/fullback on the right wing.
I was just wondering. How many of our goals over the years have come as a result of Rooney pinging the ball to someone on the wing who crosses it in? He's really good at linking up with the winger/fullback on the right wing.
I will admit, after seeing Kagawa's initial performances and some of his displays for Dortmund last year, I felt it should be him we should be playing through and around. Rooney's been quality since coming back though - our standard of football as a team has improved remarkably.
Him and Van Persie were both good tonight, I felt.
Him and Van Persie were both good tonight, I felt.
27 today.
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