If Pogba got all the time and touches Rooney is afforded, then it wouldn't be a contest...but that midfield three of Matuidi, Kante and Pogba was a joy to watch. Three gifted number 8s.
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If Pogba got all the time and touches Rooney is afforded, then it wouldn't be a contest...but that midfield three of Matuidi, Kante and Pogba was a joy to watch. Three gifted number 8s.
Maybe people just don't like him in midfield and can't see what he brings there, because a player whose first thought when receives the ball is to hoof it to a right back shouldn't generally be considered as a good midfielder. His way of playing isn't really getting the best out of attacking players, only right backs. He simply isn't really good midfielder and doesn't play how midfielders should play, that's what I think when I see Fellaini playing there too, neither of them have that midfield awereness and never look like good midfielders to me, altough they aren't really that similar. He looks pretty much how Gerrard looked for Liverpool or England playing in midfield, I simply didn't think they are natural there and Gerrard actually played much better in Africa for instance than Rooney but I criticised him and never understood why he plays there. His play pretty much reflects on his teams play, England are slow, predictable easy to defend against, same as Rooney.
One thing that people who like him in midfield also tend to ignore, is that he is non existent defensively when playing in midfield, his reading of the game is terrible and mostly his only interception in games are those one or two heroic runs towards the back where he makes some heroic tackle or something so he can be praised by pundits for playing like a captain. He is regulary one of the worst in the team when it comes to intercepting and winning the ball back.
Everybody is average then compared to Payet. He has created 14 chances in 2 games. Only Zidane created more for France since 1980 in an entire tournament and thats 15!
Those who criticize his performance after a game like this probably don't see his contribution to the NT team in a objective way. If they can't recognize that he's one of England's best player in this tournament then they are biased or having an agenda against him.
I have been very critical against him this season, mainly when he was playing as a striker in a three man attack. But after his transformation to midfield he has improved his game once again and showed that he still is a quality player worthy of playing both for his NT and United. I'm quite sure that Mourinho has no thoughts about replaceing him if he contributes like he did today and against Russia. He will not play every game, or two games a week for a full 90 minutes, that's to much to ask for but he still has the quality to be labeled a starter when fit and healthy.
A midfield with Rooney, preferd dm and Mhkitaryan would be mouth watering with two new addition together with Rash and Martial in our attack. I have full confidence that Wayne Rooney still can play on highest premier league level for another season.
I have been very critical against him this season, mainly when he was playing as a striker in a three man attack. But after his transformation to midfield he has improved his game once again and showed that he still is a quality player worthy of playing both for his NT and United. I'm quite sure that Mourinho has no thoughts about replaceing him if he contributes like he did today and against Russia. He will not play every game, or two games a week for a full 90 minutes, that's to much to ask for but he still has the quality to be labeled a starter when fit and healthy.
A midfield with Rooney, preferd dm and Mhkitaryan would be mouth watering with two new addition together with Rash and Martial in our attack. I have full confidence that Wayne Rooney still can play on highest premier league level for another season.
He was good but that's about it. I'd like to know what people's basis for comparison are before calling that an excellent performance.
He didn't just hoof to right back, I know you watched the game so you know it's not true. Based on the past 2 games, I disagree with your opinion to say Gerard was better in Africa. And Rooney's defensive positioning is not bad at all. For instance against Wales, I see he restricted Allen's movement quite well, if defensive work only about interception, Carrick was never a good CM as well. Rooney is not there as a DCM.
Actually, I think you really hate the man, in the matchday thread you even called him horrible after 28 minutes
.Ran the game, but it's only Wales so I can't say too much before I get attacked.
Good game, Wayne.
Good game, Wayne.
Great again today.
England's best player.
England's best player.
Played superb and looked like the talisman of the England team...
So far he's been alright circulating the ball. We need to see him having the edge on last third, though.
People who dismiss set-pieces are just foolish, half of the goals scored at euro if not more were results of set-pieces. It is absolutely vital for a team to have a good delivery and England's delivery was improved against Wales.
As for Rooney he did well in both games, i think today he was slightly better because he had more responsibility including corners and stuff. I don't think he was great or very good, but he did put in reliably good performances and was one of better England's players in both games.
As for Rooney he did well in both games, i think today he was slightly better because he had more responsibility including corners and stuff. I don't think he was great or very good, but he did put in reliably good performances and was one of better England's players in both games.
I like his performance as midfielder today. I hope he can keep his performance and stay out of injury..
Looked like England's most dangerous player again to me. Seems to have that little bit of quality that others maybe lack. I mean, *of course* he does. He's Wayne f*cking Rooney.
Certainly looks better than Alli, Kane, Sterling, and all these other young guns who some would have you believe are his superior.
Certainly looks better than Alli, Kane, Sterling, and all these other young guns who some would have you believe are his superior.
A bit poor 1st half like the rest of the team but in 2nd I think he was one of the best England players. Another captain performance.
This passage in bold is pretty telling as to your pre determination. You could just as easily say "he offers nothing in attack but scores the odd 30 yard screamer so he can be praised by pundits etc." Its just negating things to suit your argument.
Rooney was decent nothing more. His set pieces were good but he can take them playing in any position.
He's slow on the ball and always picking the safe pass sideways or backwards. He definitely did not run the show or was not even close to man of the match.
He did do some good things in the game to be fair to him but people are vastly over rating him.
He's slow on the ball and always picking the safe pass sideways or backwards. He definitely did not run the show or was not even close to man of the match.
He did do some good things in the game to be fair to him but people are vastly over rating him.
Englands second game and Rooney was the best player in both games.We should be pleased.
Watched the game in Leeds and a huge chunk of the crowd absolutely love Rooney despite all the associations.
A huge chunk is at least a 100 Yorkshire men (it was a big crowd).
I'd swap him for scrabble.
A huge chunk is at least a 100 Yorkshire men (it was a big crowd).
I'd swap him for scrabble.
Had a good game, if he could play like that for the whole season it would be great. But he can't, can he do a job as a squad midfielder, certainly. Should he be our first choice and the player we build our midfield around, not with his consistency or lack of.
The Wayne Rooney debate is all down to how individual fans on here judge players on a whole.
Personally, I find it weird how a football fan can watch a midfield performances like the ones Modric, Kroos and Iniesta put on their opening games of the Euros and think that Rooney's performances have been excellent. Particularly Modric's performance, which was a 8/10 at best, a brilliant performance against a solid midfield opposition, playing some high intensity stuff. What basis are we using to judge player's performances these days? If Modric's was an 8, I don't see how Rooney's can be pushing past a 6. IMO, standards have been lowered so much that fans are comfortable to judge Wayne Rooney with the players around him rather than what top professionals put it. His performances in midfield is bread and butter to this top guys, on a slow day at the office. I don't remember one of his performances in the last 6 months that tops the one I saw from Modric the other day.
On the other hand, you get the media, pundits and some fans waxing lyrical about what I consider an average to ok performance with respect to the highest level of football. Yet, we want to be taken serious as far as quality is concerned. Sometimes, when I see comments like;
"He has a sat nav passing range
This new role for him looks to have given him a new lease of life and could extend his career at the highest level for a few more years Atleast.
Not every footballer can reinvent themselves in different roles especially this late in the game.. So credit to Rooney for that. True World Class footballer.
He has always put the team first above his own aspirations.. Ronaldo for example would never accept not being the "the main man" anymore on a team. Rooney is a good captain.
Mourinho must be drooling at this.. He has a massive hard-on for Rooney he tried to sign him after all."
It begs the question, what is the basis for our comparison? Otherwise, we would keep going on in circles.
Personally, I think he is just ok as a midfielder. If a random player in the league put in the performances that he is putting in, I really doubt that there will be any bigging up of the player in question. Everything Wayne Rooney does is magnified because of of the past and nothing to do with now. While his performances are not terrible, they are nothing to write home about.
Personally, I find it weird how a football fan can watch a midfield performances like the ones Modric, Kroos and Iniesta put on their opening games of the Euros and think that Rooney's performances have been excellent. Particularly Modric's performance, which was a 8/10 at best, a brilliant performance against a solid midfield opposition, playing some high intensity stuff. What basis are we using to judge player's performances these days? If Modric's was an 8, I don't see how Rooney's can be pushing past a 6. IMO, standards have been lowered so much that fans are comfortable to judge Wayne Rooney with the players around him rather than what top professionals put it. His performances in midfield is bread and butter to this top guys, on a slow day at the office. I don't remember one of his performances in the last 6 months that tops the one I saw from Modric the other day.
On the other hand, you get the media, pundits and some fans waxing lyrical about what I consider an average to ok performance with respect to the highest level of football. Yet, we want to be taken serious as far as quality is concerned. Sometimes, when I see comments like;
"He has a sat nav passing range
This new role for him looks to have given him a new lease of life and could extend his career at the highest level for a few more years Atleast.
Not every footballer can reinvent themselves in different roles especially this late in the game.. So credit to Rooney for that. True World Class footballer.
He has always put the team first above his own aspirations.. Ronaldo for example would never accept not being the "the main man" anymore on a team. Rooney is a good captain.
Mourinho must be drooling at this.. He has a massive hard-on for Rooney he tried to sign him after all."
It begs the question, what is the basis for our comparison? Otherwise, we would keep going on in circles.
Personally, I think he is just ok as a midfielder. If a random player in the league put in the performances that he is putting in, I really doubt that there will be any bigging up of the player in question. Everything Wayne Rooney does is magnified because of of the past and nothing to do with now. While his performances are not terrible, they are nothing to write home about.
It's only Wales...
This is really all I'm personally doing. I just want United to be progressing in this post-Ferguson period and the idea of his performances being good enough to fulfil this is just not entertained by me.
I couldn't care less if RedCafe thinks I'm a mindless and cruel 'hater'. I have plenty of detailed footballing reasons why I think we'd be better to move him on.
I personally take the view that some folks just can't let go of Rooney as an entity and I can tell some genuinely grew up with him as a personal footballing hero. They expected him to be a real legend of the game like Messi and he's nothing of the sort. They want to drag out every last purpose he can have at United until he retires. Something that at many other clubs we would be laughing at. So they will turn average performances into 'great' ones and poor performances into 'well he wasn't the worst' and so on.
Just imagine if Gerrard decided he was going to drop back and be a centre-back and Liverpool went along with it. Yeah, just imagine our reaction to that.
Aaah thanks for clearing that up, Urgh some of my friends said payet would get player of the tournament and I'm erring to the side of agreement. I know he's too old but he really deserves a few years at the top of his game at a top top side
Everyone in this thread needs to view this post.
This comment doesn't deserve a reply, so I won't.
I share these sentiments.
It seems that on here if you say he's doing well in the midfield you'll get replied with "Oh really? He's doing well? Then what is Modric doing?! What is Iniesta doing?!" I don't get such reasoning. Why can't some people just accept that he has done well, regardless of whether or not he should be a key player of the club moving forward.
I have hopes that Rooney will gradually reinvent himself as a very capable midfielder. He will have his own unique style of play. At times it seems like the perfect gel between the forward attacking line and the midfield.
He created twice as many chances in tbe game than anyone else but he played it 'safe. '
Obviously modric, kroos and iniesta are better midfielders than Rooney, but i dont see what is the point of saying this?
We don't have those players in our team. Unless we buy them or have players with same abilities in the team, there's no way Rooney is going to be benched for the like of Herrera, Fellaini etc.
But I agree that better midfielders will do us good, but atm Rooney is the one of the best options we have in midfield.
P/S: @Silverman, thanks for not replying, i would assume your reason for your sadness is going to be daft anyway.
We don't have those players in our team. Unless we buy them or have players with same abilities in the team, there's no way Rooney is going to be benched for the like of Herrera, Fellaini etc.
But I agree that better midfielders will do us good, but atm Rooney is the one of the best options we have in midfield.
P/S: @Silverman, thanks for not replying, i would assume your reason for your sadness is going to be daft anyway.
What makes Rooney a better midfielder than Herrera? Herrera can do all the things Rooney does with the ball apart from being a classy finisher.
Herrera has similar abilities to Kagawa IMO. the ability to seem like a brilliant player despite doing little to suggest so on the pitch. Tremendous ability I say.
Watch Dortmunds games from last season before making such a statement. And Herrera has been poor all season but the same goes for Rooney, they both lost the ball easily often.
I frankly don't give a feck what Kagawa does for Dortmund, all that maters is what he did in a red shirt, which is very little yet a lot of people on the Caf vastly overrated his performances. Saying Rooney has been as poor as Herrera is ridiculous.
I'm glad someone's said it. I remember last season, everyone kept going on about how RVP and Falcao are past it and Rooney is wasted in CM as he's our best striker and needs to be played up front regularly the following season.
Look how that turned out.
If we sold Rooney and kept RVP this season, we would have probably won the league. And now he's playing in midfield again because he can't be dropped. What happens when he starts playing shite in midfield? "Oh he's a natural striker, he needs to be played up front"... rinse and repeat. We'll never get rid of this guy.
I didn't really see anything great from him against Wales to be honest. it was decent, nothing more although he does have potential in this new role.
I kept saying that Rooney should be played as 9 or not at all. Never have been convinced when he played as 10.
However, in his role as a deep(er) lying midfielder he is really good so far. I have not seen what Modric, Kroos or any other midfielder in a similar role has done so much better in this tournament.
In fact Rooney 2016 playing this role is quite similar to Schweinsteiger 2016.
Difference is that Rooney is in a much better physical condition and can be a Goal threat as well.
However, in his role as a deep(er) lying midfielder he is really good so far. I have not seen what Modric, Kroos or any other midfielder in a similar role has done so much better in this tournament.
In fact Rooney 2016 playing this role is quite similar to Schweinsteiger 2016.
Difference is that Rooney is in a much better physical condition and can be a Goal threat as well.
He monopolised the corners and in-swinging free kicks though, so the stats would be inflated by that (credit to him, he put some great crosses in).
It all comes down to what "doing well" means. I don't think it's unreasonable that for some doing well means more than just being tidy in possession.
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