[Empire]

I don't really understand your point.

It is a fact that if Rooney was not there, the defender would have easily been able to clear or be calm. Yes he may still have back passed it. However Krul wouldn't have had to make a snap pass if rooney wasn't there. He would have had yeons to clear it peacefully. It is directly because rooney pressed them both that the situation panned out like it did. Whether it was 90% involvement in the goal I don't know.

I have already told you to and shown you in my post the credit was given to Rooney for pressing. If this was United who conceded the goal the blame would be on the defender who made the error and not credit to the attacker who pressed. Defenders often are pressed and usually they deal with that pressure from the striker.

And as for the 90% point, why then respond to my post? I responded to a post that said 'His finishing and touch let him down today, but he compensated with very high work rate. 90% of the goal is because of him.' I disagreed Rooney was 90% responsible for the goal…

I can't forsee that if Rooney wasn't there that they would or wouldn't make the same mistakes but I can tell you for a fact that it would have been significantly more unlikely.

So now you're just repeating what I said in the very post to which you are responding?

had Rooney not pressured it was more likely the defender would clear the ball

Furthermore just because Rooneys pressure will not always lead to a goal, it doesn't mean he isn't responsible. Every time he does that he creates the opportunity for a mistake. Just because a mistake isn't made every time doesn't therefore mean that when it is made he isn't that responsible for it.

I've already addressed this in previous posts.

it wasn't an unforced error due to Rooney's pressure

And to the very post you are responding to:

I've already credited Rooney for his pressure in my post, I am saying however his pressure was not responsible for 90% of that goal, if you think that then watch him pressure defenders in future and also observe how often the ball is cleared.

Despite crediting Rooney for his pressure numerous times now you still don't seem satisfied...

Anyway, we are debating intricacies of "how much" Rooney was responsible. The fact he was was my main point, anyway. Your initial post seemed to make it sound like it wasn't totally insignificant but largely insignificant which is what I disagreed with.

As for the rest of your post about relying on his pressure to score goals and God help us if so, it has no relevance to what I'm saying. Don't even know where that fit in.

You must put a post into context, when the post to which I am replying says '90% responsible' and then I say I disagree then it probably means I disagree with the very statement in that post, I did not mention how responsible he was, I made clear his pressure made it a forced error but I still maintained it was an error by the defender.

You assumed I mean't largely insignificant but that's not my problem, I didn't say that, it's yours for assuming. And also the fact I referred to it as a forced error due to Rooney's pressure makes it quite clear I didn't think his role was largely insignificant, I'm not sure how you came to that conclusion.

 

[RoadTrip]

I have already told you to and shown you in my post the credit was given to Rooney for pressing. If this was United who conceded the goal the blame would be on the defender who made the error and not credit to the attacker who pressed. Defenders often are pressed and usually they deal with that pressure from the striker.

And as for the 90% point, why then respond to my post? I responded to a post that said 'His finishing and touch let him down today, but he compensated with very high work rate. 90% of the goal is because of him.' I disagreed Rooney was 90% responsible for the goal…



So now you're just repeating what I said in the very post to which you are responding?





I've already addressed this in previous posts.



And to the very post you are responding to:



Despite crediting Rooney for his pressure numerous times now you still don't seem satisfied...



You must put a post into context, when the post to which I am replying says '90% responsible' and then I say I disagree then it probably means I disagree with the very statement in that post, I did not mention how responsible he was, I made clear his pressure made it a forced error but I still maintained it was an error by the defender.

You assumed I mean't largely insignificant but that's not my problem, I didn't say that, it's yours for assuming. And also the fact I referred to it as a forced error due to Rooney's pressure makes it quite clear I didn't think his role was largely insignificant, I'm not sure how you came to that conclusion.

This debate is utterly pointless, so if it makes you happy, you win.

 

[Adebesi]

Nah he doesnt. It was 90% Rooney.

 

[Empire]

This debate is utterly pointless, so if it makes you happy, you win.

Every debate on here is pointless.

 

[RoadTrip]

Every debate on here is pointless.

We can pretty much agree there!

 

[NessunDorma]

A reminder that Rooney has basically been around forever, and is still only 29 (bearing in mind Di Maria isn't really young either):

 

[The Man Himself]

He is making strong case each game to stay in what is his best position. Long may it continue.

 

[Nighteyes]

That pass to Di Maria was class Better than the goal itself.

 

[sizzling sausages]

Wtf was that chip about though? When did he last score one of them actually? It must be around 7 years.

 

[Cheesy]

Great header for the goal.

 

[Walters_19_MuFc]

This is why you play him up top. As Shearer said, 'it's a no brainer'.

 

[Zoo]

Looking very sharp tonight. If we can get him more involved he can win this.

 

[Devil may care]

Makes you wonder if we might have had more points if we'd played him up top instead of the Jurassic duo for most of the season......

 

[Señor]

10/10 performance from him this half. Let's hope he continues that in the second.

 

[sullydnl]

Makes you wonder if we might have had more points if we'd played him up top instead of the Jurassic duo for most of the season......

Yeah, an in form striker might have papered over a lot of the cracks we've been seeing all season.

 

[Acole9]

One of the positives for us tonight if there are any.

 

[Orton]

Nice header. Barely involved apart from that. His free kicks need to improve. Always hits the first man or skies a shot.

 

[NessunDorma]

Reminded me a bit of 09/10 Rooney. The headed goal, the hold up play, the surety of touch. And to think, we've been playing him in midfield for 70% of the season.

 

[Ballache]

Our best player tonight. Keep him as a #9

 

[Amar__]

Some of the comments are over the top since he's been nothing special. Not by his fault mind you, he can't play alongside Fellaini, that's clear as a day, but still, he was average apart the goal.

 

[DWelbz19]

Touched the ball about 10 times and was fed in twice but still was by far and away our best outfield player. This possession lark is ridiculous if we can't create chances for our strikers.

 

[holyland red]

He was average at best. Can't fault the players up front when it turns out the philosophy is to hoof it up to Fellaini.

 

[Red Shorts]

Touched the ball about 10 times and was fed in twice but still was by far and away our best outfield player. This possession lark is ridiculous if we can't create chances for our strikers.

Been the story all season for our strikers. Absolutely zero creativity and all about possession.

 

[Orton]

He was average at best. Can't fault the players up front when it turns out the philosophy is to hoof it up to Fellaini.

Yep. Horrible tactics

 

[Nighteyes]

He was very good in the first half. Did everything you want from your striker.

Barely noticed him in the 2nd half except for when he tried to bail out our divers. Should be giving them diving lessons in training.

 

[Sparky_Hughes]

Lovely finish, beautiful ball for adm, wrong person to take the free kick near the end, should have been a left footer in that position

 

[Devil may care]

I thought he did all he could, our best player behind De Gea.

 

[Walters_19_MuFc]

Did good with the service he got, but there's no one behind him to create chances for him.

 

[Will Singh]

If only we played him up top all season! We would be comfortable top 4 team

 

[NessunDorma]

4 goals in 5 games since he went back to being a striker. Man is a goal machine.

Why would there even be a DVD about him called Goal Machine if he wasn't, eh!? Ahh! Stumped you with that one, haven't I hater?

Joking aside, while I won't say he's been out of this world since his return to the front line, he has looked far more dangerous than RvP and Falcao were looking.

And . . . well, frig it: LvG has to take some blame for not deploying him correctly this season.

He basically said after the QPR home game, in which Rooney started as a forward, scored and got an assist, that Rooney had been 'good', but not 'spectacular', and that others could perform the role better.

Those others being Falcao and RvP, presumably. He then stuck with Falcao and RvP as his front players, while Rooney 'did a job' in midfield. When it became clear the Falcao/RvP combo wasn't working, Fellaini, Mata, Januzaj and Wilson all got a turn playing up front as a #9 or #10.

The only one who didn't is Wayne - at least until very recently, when he's as if by magic started to score goals and look threatening again.

 

[Shark]

Busted a gut tonight, fair play to Wayne. Still our most important player aside from De Gea.

 

[Amadaeus]

It is a pity how Van Gaal has treated Rooney this season. Had he played as striker since the start of the season, he will be battling aguero, Kane and costa for the golden boot.

 

[ZDwyr]

Thought he was our best player (equal with De Gea). Led well as a captain and was generally solid in his game (freekicks aside). Would keep him as the #9 - should have been there all season.

 

[Hernandez - BFA]

Only good outfield player we had tonight. Acted as a true captain and never stopped. Brilliant header too.

It was quite funny at the end of it all when you see the moment he realises ADM fecked up with that referee shirt tug.

 

[Orton]

Did good with the service he got, but there's no one behind him to create chances for him.

Same things been said for the other strikers hasn't it yet it was all their fault? Simply the team is broken. Don't see anything changing this season regardless of who is up front. Using Fellaini to partner a striker is horrible to see. We've become the Everton of old without the good set pieces. So disappointing.

We need a striker who offers more and can take players on. We simply don't have one. Rooney is a good finisher but he lacks a lot of qualities now and struggles to influence matches.

 

[Roman Bellic]

He always delivers against Arsenal - Performance,goals,heart etc Its just sad to see him play with these lot as opposed to Vidic,Ronaldo,Rio and the rest

 

[Walters_19_MuFc]

Same things been said for the other strikers hasn't it yet it was all their fault? Simply the team is broken. Don't see anything changing this season regardless of who is up front. Using Fellaini to partner a striker is horrible to see. We've become the Everton of old without the good set pieces. So disappointing.

We need a striker who offers more and can take players on. We simply don't have one. Rooney is a good finisher but he lacks a lot of qualities now and struggles to influence matches.

Not really. Rooney in a few games has up top, has been a lot better than Van Persie and Falcao, who had Di Maria, Rooney, Mata and co. there to create. They just didn't move.

 

[Orton]

Not really. Rooney in a few games has up top, has been a lot better than Van Persie and Falcao, who had Di Maria, Rooney, Mata and co. there to create. They just didn't move.

They also played as a pair which never worked and was a complete detriment to the team. Just find it funny seeing the same excuses getting churned out again. Rooney goal came from the best cross of the season from any of our players in this same game. Like I say he's a good finisher but his performances since going back up top haven't changed much.

 

[Cheesy]

He was probably our best outfield player overall today, definitely looking quite good again up front.

 

[Cassidy]

He wasn't that great today, but he scored and also setup a decent chance for Di Maria.
Apart from that though, didn't hold up the ball well enough and gave it away a bit. So so performance