He had a couple of pretty good passes. Ruined by some feck-ups though, notably that sexy counter we cooked up until he decided to nearly pass it out for a fecking throw-in.
10
Season Average Rating
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He talked about Rooney's movement for five minutes but never mentioned the fact that his attempted shot hit his knee and bounced off the ground.
His body language is almost as if to say "What the feck am I dealing with here?". Have to say though Zlatan's fitness is seriously fecking good for his age, has to be on par with Ronnie. If only Wayne looked after himself physically he might not have gone to shit as quickly as he has.
I couldn't even tell what role Rooney was told to play when he came on though. Almost as if he was just like a child in a playground running wherever the feck he wanted.
Was fine today other then that terribly overhit pass to pogba. Honestly, I think he can have a good role for us, but as a sub or the occasional start against certain teams. I've always said a big part of why he looks a bit shit is that he just isn't fit enough and those fitness levels probably aren't even good enough for the championship these days. So when he gets subbed on after about an hour, everyone else on the pitch is at a similar level to what his norm is, so he just doesn't look as shit as when he starts. Looks more relaxed and less rushed. Would be best for him if he lost like 15 lbs though, could probably prolong his career a bit if he did.
What a captain!
Even against a tired Zorya Luhansk team he looked crap. He knows he's finished so he tries to make up for it by running around the pitch like a headless chicken, getting in the way of everyone. Standards have sunk so low some people now think making a couple decent passes is an okay performance. Just embarrassing all round really.
He's basically a buffoon these days. Whenever you need a laugh you put on Wayne Rooney.
The ex pros in this country are cringe worthy at times. Andy townsend came out recently saying how Ibra was a bad signing for Rooney. If Wayne was Spanish they'd be absolutely hammering him a la torres.
It's sad but he's finished, it wasn't an okay performance it was horrible.
Playing like that against tired EL opponent in his favourite position is just awful.
If Herrera was playing like this every week everybody on this forum would want him sold asap.
Playing like that against tired EL opponent in his favourite position is just awful.
If Herrera was playing like this every week everybody on this forum would want him sold asap.
Love Zlatan's effort to press even at 80 something minutes at his age. He's a true leader and I think will be a big part of the reason why we will be able to slowly shift Rooney's (lack of) influence on and off the pitch.
lol. Thanks for posting these clips. Missed the game.
When i saw that i thought to myself he must be taking the piss. Here comes the highest paid player and club captain on to the pitch with fresh legs, and he does not even bother to press when we are defending a one goal lead
And this pissed me off to no end. Under no pressure what so ever and he manages that.
I had kind of hoped that him getting dropped would light a fire under his arse and spur him into performing better, but by yesterdays evidence it would seem it had no effect what so ever.
I can accept physical decline, but lazy shit like this infuriates me.
The best thing about this is Ibra's body language after he signals Rooney to press the guy that's the most realistic passing option. It's like his entire body is saying "Oh, it's Wayne... Why did I even bother?"
Listening to Robbie Savage last night and it reinforced the concept that Rooney has the best spin doctors in football. Before Rooney came on Savage mentioned him as much as any Utd player on the pitch and when he scuffed the ball to Zlatan for the goal Savage called it everything other than the miss hit it was. In a replay he criticised TFM's pass as too hard. I like Rooney, I always have but the guy has got to be either put in his place (squad member) or sold.
Silent domination.
In all seriousness, he can barely trap a ball these days, nvm pass it. He's finished, stop with dignity
I hate that there is so much talk about Rooney even after a performance like last night. If that was Mata, Herrera, Mkhitaryan or anyone else that came on last night and did that exact same performance there would be nothing written in any articles, no column inches discussing it, no questions to Mourinho post game etc. It was a bang average sub appearance with an accidental assist and doesn't need so much scrutiny, just treat him like every other player FFS.
Those other players havent turned in 3 years of woefully inadequate performances, arent suspected of leaks to the press everytime they dont get their own way and arent known for having wildly inflated opinions of themselves.
didn't he have another pass 10 yards from side of the pitch that he put out of play (like Watford game), or did I imagine it?
None of those players are the club captain.
He has to be held to a higher standard, maybe if he plays better he wouldn't have to worry about such scrutiny.
I think the closing down is a bit like us having a go at him for everything but the pass just says his touch is gone, not that he messes it up in itself but nearly getting it out for a throw-i is tremendous.
These clips are painful to watch. I feel embarrassed for him.
HE doesn't even have to be held to higher standard. In fact even with low standard his performance deserves criticism from people. Even if the likes of Fellaini whom people don't hold to much standards had played such a poor pass to kill the counter, he'd have rightly been slated on the Caf or by anyone else.
Same applies for Mata and Herrera. If they start failing to make single passes and mess dangerous attack, they'll get slated.
If we're pissed off, imagine how Pogba felt after sprinting 100 yards in the 85th minute for that...
It just doesn't work having a captain who keeps letting the team down. Defeats the whole point of having a captain in the first place.
What's the deal with his fitness then? Do we think it's just down to playing a huge amount of games by the age of 30 and his body suffering the inevitable deterioration which now means he has to be cautious about his work load?
Or is he a bit of a lazy bugger these days who up until now has had little motivation to keep himself in peak condition?
Or is he a bit of a lazy bugger these days who up until now has had little motivation to keep himself in peak condition?
He's played 90 less games than Ronaldo, 80 less games than Ibrahimovic, he's younger than them both, but significantly less fit. He's just not looked after himself properly. Simple as that.
The Daily Mail is definitely getting behind Rooney. Rob Draper their Chief football writer has been backing him. Martin Samuel did that Stretford sponsored fluff piece on him and they gave him a 6.5 for his cameo last night (the ball ricocheting off his knee to Zlatan being the only positive). Zlatan got a 7.
Of course he has to be held to a higher standard, otherwise why is he captain? It's his job to lead by example, he has to be the person everyone looks to.
Comparing him to Fellaini is utterly pointless.
He has been given special treatment for years. Under Van Gaal certain players would have one sub-par game and be dropped while Rooney would serve up dross week after week and continue to play. Even worse he was played in various positions just to avoid dropping him. The whole situation was ludicrous and finally we may have a manager who will judge based on reality and not what he once was.
He's promised them naked pics of Colleen.
If they slag him off?
Mixture of genetics and a shit lifestyle. He's naturally bulkier than Ronaldo and Zlatan, both of whom have very slim frames but are also very rigid in terms of their application to fitness.
I'd say if he had looked after himself, he'd still have been past his peak by 32 but the years 27-31 should have been very strong years for him.. but that is where his poor lifestyle has cost him.
Rooney's injury record is also considerably worse, which will have an effect.
There are just a number of factors that don't exactly go in Rooney's favour, which makes it likely that his body can't handle the demands of the game any more.
1. His weight, which puts a bigger strain on his legs
2. His diet and lifestyle, particularly during off-season
3. The miles on his clock, having played a lot of games with a high-intensity playing style
4. His injury record compared to the likes of Zlatan and Ronaldo. Particularly playing through injuries in championships and against Bayern in 2010
5. The fact that he's an extremely early bloomer. He looked 30+ when he was in his early 20s
Couple the physical decline with the fact that his physique, pace and stamina was his number one asset as a player it's not exactly shocking that he's fallen off a cliff in the last few years. The same happened to Gerrard, who also lacked the technique and intelligence to get by when he couldn't run around trying to do everything himself, and it will continue to happen to similar players as long as physical decline is still a thing.
Only just noticed Scholes said he expects Rooney to play a key role in big matches this season. If we shoehorn him in against Liverpool, Spurs, Arsenal, City etc we might as well just forfeit. It's a big enough challenge with 11 players, with Rooney we essentially play with 10.
Not to mention, style of play as well as physical fitness can have a self-perpetuating effect on injury-proneness.
Someone like Zlatan is so strong, lean and fit, he avoids injuries even though he does get involved in some very physical confrontations. He doesn't run around like a maniac either or get caught up in silly challenges.. Ronaldo avoids physical confrontation and would rather dive then get caught heavily. Both of them have slender physiques which doesn't put excess stress on the muscles to move around. Zlatan also has a more lackadaisical style.
Rooney's size, frame make him more likely to pick up injuries.. because he was a very explosive player but in a fat mans body, hence his weak metatarsals.. those feet and ankles, have to carry a elephant who thinks it is a ballet dancer and moves at the speed of a cheetah.. and that is what Rooney was at his best. He was a powerhouse.. perfect mixture of strength, huge physique, speed and balance but that is why he has fallen off the cliff in terms of performances because it isn't sustainable. For him to play well, his entire body had to be at full throttle for 90 minutes, similar to Gerrard in that respect but worse because Gerrard a) healthier lifestyle b) leaner physique and therefore Gerrard still had a good season in him aged 33/34.. Rooney would never be able to do that.
Watch the other clip and you should feel for Pogba too. Run the whole field and do all the thing right...I remember seeing this and understanding Zlatan's pain
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