Barney
"We're going to smash them (Crystal Palace)"
Sterling is better when he is played out wide.
Absolutely not.
Must be all those clueless managers, right? Roy Hodgson, Louis Van Gaal...
Not a great argument...
Sterling is better when he is played out wide.
Must be all those clueless managers, right? Roy Hodgson, Louis Van Gaal...
Well, he'd won his fair share of individual honours at club level prior to that so yeah, slow starter at international level. And stats concerning goals bore me really... sure Robbie Keane is one of the all time leading international goalscorers, right? Yeah, Robbie Keane... gas.
Not a great argument...
Goals are kind of a big deal in football but each to his own.
Keane's a better striker than a lot of people are willing to give him credit for. A bit like Rooney. So they've got that in common. Along with all the goals.
I know. If only I mentioned another manager in there...
I was joking mate.
The logic behind some of these arguments is interesting. Or appalling. Or completely absent. Depends on one's point of view, I suppose.
Anyway, Rooney isn't really a problem for us at the moment. I honestly don't think so.
Good night.
He scored the opening goals in the most important league match of the season and started every other important match of the season.
God, don't get me started on Keane too! We'll agree to disagree I think.
Goals are kind of a big deal in football but each to his own.
Really, I thought Rooney asked for a transfer?
What arguments, exactly? In regards to his first touch, control and passing, you know, the basics, much of the criticisms are warranted and have been for some time. He isn't a #10 and he has no right to be playing there.
I don't think he is a 'problem' for us at club level, but I do think the England team could benefit from allowing four younger, faster, more dynamic players to take up the mantle and play in that front four.
Did I say he should play as a number 10? No, I did not. I said good night. And I repeat it: Good fecking night.
What arguments, exactly? In regards to his first touch, control and passing, you know, the basics, much of the criticisms are warranted and have been for some time. He isn't a #10 and he has no right to be playing there.
I don't think he is a 'problem' for us at club level, but I do think the England team could benefit from allowing four younger, faster, more dynamic players to take up the mantle and play in that front four.
I'm not just talking about this season which is three games old. I am including last season. When RVP and Rooney played together last season. Rooney was the #10 and he was poor there. People were constantly asking for Kagawa to come in instead of him. Mata hasn't played that many games but Giggs did drop him. RVP has been injured a lot last season which means he wasn't available to start or be dropped. However a year and half ago RVP won us the league single handedly which is a lot more than what Rooney ahs done for us recently.When has RvP been dropped? When has Mata been dropped? The two of them have had as many, if not more, poor games off late and they don't get dropped either.
Here I was, reading your post thinking you had put so much thought into it (not that I agree with you), but then I got to that last bit and it cracked me upHis decline is inevitable. It's like a great band. When they are raw, young and creative they make great albums. Time, money, and the world eventually catch up to them but they continue to make professional & respectable music, because people will still buy the records and the concert tickets. They recognize the band's name and the songs are familiar but the performance is nothing like it was during the early days. Rooney's basically on the football equivalent of a reunion tour. Huge money for uninspired performance. In short, he has become what he loves. An old prostitute.
His decline is inevitable. It's like a great band. When they are raw, young and creative they make great albums. Time, money, and the world eventually catch up to them but they continue to make professional & respectable music, because people will still buy the records and the concert tickets. They recognize the band's name and the songs are familiar but the performance is nothing like it was during the early days. Rooney's basically on the football equivalent of a reunion tour. Huge money for uninspired performance. In short, he has become what he loves. An old prostitute.
His decline is inevitable. It's like a great band. When they are raw, young and creative they make great albums. Time, money, and the world eventually catch up to them but they continue to make professional & respectable music, because people will still buy the records and the concert tickets. They recognize the band's name and the songs are familiar but the performance is nothing like it was during the early days. Rooney's basically on the football equivalent of a reunion tour. Huge money for uninspired performance. In short, he has become what he loves. An old prostitute.
His decline is inevitable. It's like a great band. When they are raw, young and creative they make great albums. Time, money, and the world eventually catch up to them but they continue to make professional & respectable music, because people will still buy the records and the concert tickets. They recognize the band's name and the songs are familiar but the performance is nothing like it was during the early days. Rooney's basically on the football equivalent of a reunion tour. Huge money for uninspired performance. In short, he has become what he loves. An old prostitute.
I just saw a video from when he scored a hattrick against Bolton in '07, and his finishing was sublime. I know he was on a goal drought before that game, but I don't think anyone will disagree with me when I say his finishing doesn't seem anywhere near as good as that now a days - or at least not as consistent.
Yep although it almost impossible to keep that style up and then add the way Rooney looks after his body it was never going to last. But as you say there's still moments of genius there and unlike any other player I've seen when's he's good he's very good but when he's bad he's... well you get the point,there is no middle ground.Taking all the the 'sides' away, all the Rooney 'haters' all his 'defenders', taking all the bullshit away, contracts, captaincy, not thinking about any prejudice against him for previous indiscretions...the truth is...I miss the old Rooney. I really genuinely do. I loved watching him play. The power, the pace, the unpredictability. He was a joy to watch. And he just isn't anymore, in fact, aesthetically speaking he's probably one of the least exciting players nowadays. Yes, he's capable of the odd moment of genius still, a killer pass, a beautiful goal, but they're few and far between now. His play is boring, its predictable, its just stale.
He'll continue to rack up the stats, because he's still a good player, but he's not ever going to be the great player he once was. He's lost to much of what made that player so fantastic. And its a shame.
I agree with you - he only turns it on when contract time comesa round (like early last season before he extended).His decline is inevitable. It's like a great band. When they are raw, young and creative they make great albums. Time, money, and the world eventually catch up to them but they continue to make professional & respectable music, because people will still buy the records and the concert tickets. They recognize the band's name and the songs are familiar but the performance is nothing like it was during the early days. Rooney's basically on the football equivalent of a reunion tour. Huge money for uninspired performance. In short, he has become what he loves. An old prostitute.
Maybe the question should be directed to non United England fans. Rooney got a goal for them today, despite by all accounts, another sub par performance. Is it still in the team's best interest to have him?
His decline is inevitable. It's like a great band. When they are raw, young and creative they make great albums. Time, money, and the world eventually catch up to them but they continue to make professional & respectable music, because people will still buy the records and the concert tickets. They recognize the band's name and the songs are familiar but the performance is nothing like it was during the early days. Rooney's basically on the football equivalent of a reunion tour. Huge money for uninspired performance. In short, he has become what he loves. An old prostitute.
The problem is that his passing can be really inconsistent. His short passing in particular is very hit and miss. He needs to get his form back and fast.From what I've seen this season, Rooney has to adapt his game for me now. I think his days as a striker seem numbered and if he wants to continue playing at the top level he has to be willing to change his game. You don't really fancy him in a foot race with quick players anymore and he seems to get muscled quite easily by top centre backs. If he drops into a deeper role then I can still see him being effective. He can still spot a pass, he can still shoot and finish well and he does seem to have the stamina to run a full 90 minutes.
Maybe he is still to trying to regain his full fitness and he is not 100% for some reason but it just looks very bleak for him.
From the England fans I know it's pretty evenly split. Some don't think he's good enough to start and would have him on the bench while others think he's our best player and should start every game. The latter is where quite a lot of journalists and pundits stand, though I think that's starting to change with some.