Tbf to @Beachryan all those passes to the left are short ones (i.e the ones that are less noticed) while all the passes to the right are the big long diagonals (that are a lot more noticeable and stick in the mind).
10
Season Average Rating
- Appearances
- 37
- Goals
- 14
- Assists
- 6
- Yellow cards
- 4
- Red cards
- 1
- Status
This, this and this.
True enough. I just personally feel that at least the balls Rooney plays generally are going forward, and also generally go to a teammate. It's not his fault when it's Valencia who then makes a haimes of it! You have to give the ball to your teammate in space, can't be taking the time to look up, see him, then think "Oh, that's Valencia. Won't pass to him".
Add to the fact he was playing as a left centre midfielder (LCM) so his passes to the left are bound to be short. Had he played as a right centre midfielder (RCM), I have no doubt he would have made those long diagonal balls to the left.
I'm concerned about Rooney's decline. Once his finishing is completely shot (pun intended) I'm not sure there's left for him to contribute.
Who says his finishing is in decline? Just because he missed a couple against Palace...
Doesn't look comfortable in his new role. One of our most profilic scorers should be in scoring areas rather than in the middle covering for Fellaini, who has headed up to chest the ball.
Having Fellaini playing ahead of Rooney is scadulous. In fact, having to shunt Di Maria to the wing and Rooney into midfield, just to fit Fellaini in the team is utter madness.
I really, really (REALLY) want to see Rooney start up top for a couple of games for us. He's one of the best CFs in the PL and we're playing him in CM.
I do too. Then it allows us to move ADM back into the midfield or play Herrera there. Unfortunately I think RvP really hinders us at the moment.
This and it's not like we are seeing the massive benefits, offensively, of Fellaini's advanced position. I'd prefer to have Rooney occupying such roles with Blind, Di Maria and Herrera slicing teams open at will, Carrick is back so we'd put him somewhere there to provide a calming presence. If we had Carrick at Leicester there is no way we'd have thrown away a 3-1 lead in twenty eight minutes.
Yeah, Mata plays the ball out wide a lot as well, but never really gets criticized for it, because there's a perception of him as someone who plays through the middle. In contrast to Rooney, where it's constantly noticed and commented up on.
But here are Mata's passes from the last few games:
Vs Palace:
Vs Chelsea:
Vs WBA:
Could it be that our No.10s and midfielders are being specifically instructed to get the ball out wide? Because Mata doesn't appear to be doing it any less than Rooney does.
Last edited:
I think so. In those games they've both been played out of position too.
I watched Rooney a fair bit on Saturday, and for me he was probably one of the main reasons RVP didn't get much service. Rooney when in the hole behind RVP was slow to react and lay off a good ball. He was frustrating at times as he only really passed sideways and not forward. RVP didn't do much with ball when he had it but some of the runs he was making were very good.
I think Rooney is not so much wasted in the #10 position he just isn't reallly good enough in that position. His long passing is very good but his short, sharp and decisisive passing when surrounded by opposition is not good enough for this role - we have better at the club.
Would love to see him up top with either RVP or Falcao but I just can't see LvG doing this.
There has been a lot posted about players who dissapointed on Saturday but if Rooney could play the #10 properly, then RVP would have had a good few clear cut chances inside the area - something that we really failed to create. He drifts has too much in this role, whether or not that is his instructions to do so, we won't know. Can't fault his workrate though.
I think Rooney is not so much wasted in the #10 position he just isn't reallly good enough in that position. His long passing is very good but his short, sharp and decisisive passing when surrounded by opposition is not good enough for this role - we have better at the club.
Would love to see him up top with either RVP or Falcao but I just can't see LvG doing this.
There has been a lot posted about players who dissapointed on Saturday but if Rooney could play the #10 properly, then RVP would have had a good few clear cut chances inside the area - something that we really failed to create. He drifts has too much in this role, whether or not that is his instructions to do so, we won't know. Can't fault his workrate though.
I thought he should have been playing much higher up the pitch on Saturday, especially when it became clear Palace had no intention of coming out and playing.
He was wasted just sitting in midfield, when RVP was basically in the box alone with 4 defenders half the time.
Blind / Carrick / Fellaini were dictating just fine by themselves, so I was a little miffed why when we were struggling to make chances he didn't move him more forward.
He was wasted just sitting in midfield, when RVP was basically in the box alone with 4 defenders half the time.
Blind / Carrick / Fellaini were dictating just fine by themselves, so I was a little miffed why when we were struggling to make chances he didn't move him more forward.
Yeah, Mata plays the ball out wide a lot as well, but never really gets criticized for it, because there's a perception of him as someone who plays through the middle. In contrast to Rooney, where it's constantly noticed and commented up on.
But here are Mata's passes from the last few games:
Vs Palace:
Vs Chelsea:
Vs WBA:
Could it be that our No.10s and midfielders are being specifically instructed to get the ball out wide? Because Mata doesn't appear to be doing it any less than Rooney does.
That's because RVP is not getting into any good positions or making runs for our midfielders to play the ball through the middle or behind the opposition defence so they are forced to shift it wide.
That's the exact opposite to what Gary Neville thinks RE: RVP.
RVP seems very lethargic to me these days, not sure what everyone else's views are.
I think he's looked frustrated at times but overall I don't think he's been that bad. Apart from at the beginning of the season where he was clearly unfit.
Gary found a paltry three half-decent runs over 90 minutes. Two of would Pirlo himself would have found tricky enough to pick out.
If anything that piece on MNF confirmed what a lot of people on here have noticed. He's just not covering enough ground to play up top on his own.
Someone should start a thread to find out or something.
Also, when he plays on his own, he seems to be a million miles away from everyone else from some bizarre reason. (Okay, City we had 10-men, but then the same thing happened with the Palace game).
The problem he's having right now is that he's short on goalscoring form. And we've seen previously that it can take him a while to get it back.
Yup. All part of the same problem IMO. He can't or won't put in the hard yards anymore.
The most frustrating thing is seeing Di Maria putting in these fantastic crosses and Robin is not in the box or trying to get onto the end of them.
For Those Interested
Roo has been scuffing shots he would have nailed in his sleep five years ago. But he still has a few in his locker, such as his brilliant strike off the short Rafael cross recently.
"Decline" should not be confused with "crap". The man can still play at a very high level, but he's undeniably in decline now. Not a severe decline at all, but his gas tank got topped off about 4-5 years ago.
I just hope van Gaal stops this nonsense with the 4141 and 'balancing the side' and puts Rooney back where he needs to be; as close to the opposing goal as possible. He scores goals, and he makes goals. Simple. Even at his worst in 4-5 games as a #10/striker, he'll manage at least 2-3 goals with a few assists. That's what we need, especially when the team is in a bit of awkward phase.
Rooney is the youngest player to win his 100th cap for England.
Had a decent game tonight, so much better in the final 3rd as a forward than as a CM.
Funnily enough once he retires he'll most likely be the highest England goal scorer of all time and people will still say he's shite for England. 
Some will still refuse to see him as a United legend as well...Funnily enough once he retires he'll most likely be the highest England goal scorer of all time and people will still say he's shite for England.
OT - I think he's looked much better in the past few games, he's actually picking the ball up and running now. I've been watching some of our games when we had Ron/Roo/Tev and I think we could make something like that work with ADM and Falcao.
Not to mention England's most capped player. Even if he has his annual cnut session he surely has cemented his place in both United and England history. Just would have loved to see what he could have done if he had the same hunger as Ronaldo to be the best.
A lot of that is Mata and Rooney switching the play which is a big part of the way LvGs teams play. It's why Januzaj and Di Maria have been pinned out close to the touchline in recent games with the hope that they will receive the ball in space when the play is switched. Mata and Rooney will have pass maps that look like that because they do it more than any of our other players. It's one of the things I noticed when Mata came on vs Palace, he was immediately doing it and it must have been a direct instruction.Yeah, Mata plays the ball out wide a lot as well, but never really gets criticized for it, because there's a perception of him as someone who plays through the middle. In contrast to Rooney, where it's constantly noticed and commented up on.
But here are Mata's passes from the last few games:
Vs Palace:
Vs Chelsea:
Vs WBA:
Could it be that our No.10s and midfielders are being specifically instructed to get the ball out wide? Because Mata doesn't appear to be doing it any less than Rooney does.
Last edited:
Just seen the BBC are debating whether he'd get into England's best ever XI. Most people are saying no but what do others think. He's played at a high level since he was a teenager so his stats are not surprising, but how do they compare with the other great English strikers?
That was good from Rooney yesterday. 0-1 down and a potentially mutinous crowd, he takes the initiative, strong dribble, wins the pen and buries it. Nice.
Suppose it's a tough one. He'd have a lot of competition, although England in recent times haven't had a striker who went down as good as the very best of all-time like Pele, Ronaldo etc. In recent times alone, he'd be up against Cole, Fowler, Owen and Shearer for example. Going further back he'd have competition in the likes of Lineker and Hurst, and then some would even go further back to someone like Dixie Dean. So he could arguably get into a team like that, although it wouldn't be easy for him at all.
I'd like to think in an England's greatest it wouldn't just be Rooney trying to make something happen and instead he'd be able to focus more on actually being a striker rather than a playmaker, so for that reason I'd put him in. If I'm being honest when I watch England there are only two players I actually see who I think could make something happen for themselves or others and that's Rooney and Sterling.
- Status