[Art Vandelay]

He is back to his 2011 twitter form. Looks like he got the login to his twitter back from his PR guys

I'm outright refusing to get any more information on that and am choosing to believe he is running around Manchester being panicked by an imaginary boat like that old Monty Python sketch where Dinsdale Piranha was being chased by a giant hedgehog that only he could see.

 

[stevoc]

He's finished as a starter now. There's no way he plays ahead of Zlatan up front, Mickey in the wings, and Pogba in Midfield.

Well he isn't a winger or midfielder so that won't be a surprise to anyone. Ibrahimovic will be first choice up top so i reckon the plan is for Rooney to play in the middle behind Zlatan.

 

[Camilo]

Rooney's been playing in shit teams for 3 seasons. Everyone else, excepting players who have a very obvious physical advantage, has been shit during this time. Players that don't have huge speed or strength only work in tactically smart setups, obviously. Schweinsteiger isn't shit! We all know this. And yet he's looked poor here? Hmm. Same with most of the squad. Martial, Rashford and Smalling have looked better partly because they're fast, regardless of tactics. We'll get to see this season just how good they are in a functioning team (how exciting!)

But I for one am happy Rooney is in the squad. I think he's gonna surprise us - he wasn't just a fast and strong player in his younger days, he was one of the best in the world, and with the right tactics who knows! Mourinho and Rooney.. I really want to see if it works!

 

[Womp]

Rooney's been playing in shit teams for 3 seasons. Everyone else, excepting players who have a very obvious physical advantage, has been shit during this time. Players that don't have huge speed or strength only work in tactically smart setups, obviously. Schweinsteiger isn't shit! We all know this. And yet he's looked poor here? Hmm. Same with most of the squad. Martial, Rashford and Smalling have looked better partly because they're fast, regardless of tactics. We'll get to see this season just how good they are in a functioning team (how exciting!)

But I for one am happy Rooney is in the squad. I think he's gonna surprise us - he wasn't just a fast and strong player in his younger days, he was one of the best in the world, and with the right tactics who knows! Mourinho and Rooney.. I really want to see if it works!

We are going to play counter-attacking, fast transition under Jose, so don't see how anything will be different.

 

[Ole90+3]

Well he isn't a winger or midfielder so that won't be a surprise to anyone. Ibrahimovic will be first choice up top so i reckon the plan is for Rooney to play in the middle behind Zlatan.

So you expect Pogba to play in a 2 man midfield?

Personally, I can't see that happening. I predict we will play a 3 man midfield with Pogba being the most attacking option in the midfield 3.

I guess against weaker opponents where we expect to dominate possession, Zlatan and Rooney up top with a midfield of Pogba and another more defensively minded midfielder would work.

 

[Dobbs]

Couldn't get james as the club at been at pains to stress, we already have a very stretched relationship with Madrid, that wouldn't happen and Madrid and zidane have already gone out of their way to say he is staying. I honestly don't see a viable alternative.

You don't think there's a player in the world we could sign who's a better 10 than Rooney? Mate that's nuts. There's already better options at the club.

 

[stevoc]

We are going to play counter-attacking, fast transition under Jose, so don't see how anything will be different.

Not everyone who plays in a counter attacking system has to be lightning quick.

 

[stevoc]

So you expect Pogba to play in a 2 man midfield?

Personally, I can't see that happening. I predict we will play a 3 man midfield with Pogba being the most attacking option in the midfield 3.

I guess against weaker opponents where we expect to dominate possession, Zlatan and Rooney up top with a midfield of Pogba and another more defensively minded midfielder would work.

At first yes, Jose has said himself Rooney will be an important player for him. So i imagine he is thinking of having him in the line-ups at least at the beginning of the season. The only place Rooney would fit in the side given our signings is at no10.

Whether he's still in the first team after Xmas is another matter but i fully expect him to start the season in the side. Which would obviously mean Pogba would be in midfield.

 

[Womp]

Not everyone who plays in a counter attacking system has to be lightning quick.

Never mentioned speed. From what I've seen from the past few seasons, being very sluggish on the ball, having an erratic first touch and usually slowing down play, usually aren't very good attributes though.

Hope I get proven wrong, but have thought for a few years that we could do better in that position.

 

[Smoking_Owl]

But that's still not ideal is it, because even if Rooney is not on his game big time (and I hope he is) and we move Pogba forward, who then plays the box-to-box role? We are stuck until January and, realistically, next summer. Whereas, if we plan now to play Pogba in his best position, we can make arrangements this summer to also buy a box-to-box mid, someone like Matuidi.

You don't specifically need a box to box CM in the team. When Chelsea won the league title under Mou last, Fabregas and Matic were the two deep CMs and neither are true box to box players.

 

[dichinero]

This is the untruthful truth. This should be saved as the default response when people say "he is a legend, he deserves..this and that"

Sadly, many are still waking up to a Rooney poster that has been hanging on the wall for a decade and make their decision based on that.

 

[stevoc]

Never mentioned speed. From what I've seen from the past few seasons, being very sluggish on the ball, having an erratic first touch and usually slowing down play, usually aren't very good attributes though.

Hope I get proven wrong, but have thought for a few years that we could do better in that position.

He at times displays all those faults you're right, he can be sluggish and his touch is wank for stretches. But i think he is still more than capable of playing in a counter attacking side if he regains form.

Whether he actually regains form is another matter though.

 

[Perrick Dubois]

Sadly, many are still waking up to a Rooney poster that has been hanging on the wall for a decade and make their decision based on that.

No they aren't. A lot have gone so far off the deep end on the anti-Rooney bias that they can't tell where rational and logical are on the scale anymore. I have not seen one single person blindly claiming Rooney has been good enough and doesn't have to raise his game to stay in the team.

 

[Hammondo]

No they aren't. A lot have gone so far off the deep end on the anti-Rooney bias that they can't tell where rational and logical are on the scale anymore. I have not seen one single person blindly claiming Rooney has been good enough and doesn't have to raise his game to stay in the team.

No instead you guys use the word form and clearly do not understand what the word means which is evident by the use of it.

 

[itso 7]

At first yes, Jose has said himself Rooney will be an important player for him. So i imagine he is thinking of having him in the line-ups at least at the beginning of the season. The only place Rooney would fit in the side given our signings is at no10.

Whether he's still in the first team after Xmas is another matter but i fully expect him to start the season in the side. Which would obviously mean Pogba would be in midfield.

We might as well pull out of the Pogba deal before we throw another bundle down the drain, if that's the case. You sign a player for that amount of money you have to create the best possible environment for him to perform i.e play him in the position that he excels in not push around to accommodate a declining player who has underperformed for the last two and a half seasons.
Worse still Rooney and Ibrahimovic as a forward duo is not the best combination we can put forward because they are both slow and like to drop deep meaning we are most likely recreating a Rooney-RVP situation that held us back previously.

 

[stevoc]

We might as well pull out of the Pogba deal before we throw another bundle down the drain, if that's the case. You sign a player for that amount of money you have to create the best possible environment for him to perform i.e play him in the position that he excels in not push around to accommodate a declining player who has underperformed for the last two and a half seasons.

Tell Jose Mourinho that then if he does play Rooney regularly. I am only sharing what i think Jose will do.

Lets also take into account Rooney will be 31 in a few months and Pogba has just turned 23. Plenty of time for him to move further forward later on. Maybe Mourinho sees him as a central midfielder we don't know. It will be interesting to see how we do line up next season.

Worse still Rooney and Ibrahimovic as a forward duo is not the best combination we can put forward because they are both slow and like to drop deep meaning we are most likely recreating a Rooney-RVP situation that held us back previously.

Come on mate they scored almost 50 goals between them and we ran away with the league in 2013.

 

[Stacks]

We might as well pull out of the Pogba deal before we throw another bundle down the drain, if that's the case. You sign a player for that amount of money you have to create the best possible environment for him to perform i.e play him in the position that he excels in not push around to accommodate a declining player who has underperformed for the last two and a half seasons.
Worse still Rooney and Ibrahimovic as a forward duo is not the best combination we can put forward because they are both slow and like to drop deep meaning we are most likely recreating a Rooney-RVP situation that held us back previously.

This seems to be slipping under the radar

 

[Kag]

No instead you guys use the word form and clearly do not understand what the word means which is evident by the use of it.

This is a fair point. Rooney hasn't been in bad form, per se. He's quite simply just nowhere near the footballer he once was. Form has nothing to do with his lack of pace, lack of spontaneity and his inability to burst past opponents. We need players that can do these things, and, sadly, he just can't.

 

[Camilo]

We are going to play counter-attacking, fast transition under Jose, so don't see how anything will be different.

Jose knows what he's going to be playing, and I'm sure he knows Rooney well. I'm intrigued... He was a great player.

I think (club) experience and being English are important things - without him, and with Carrick on the way out, it's a bit scary on paper.. Zlatan has experience, sure, but he's never going to be a man united player - he's just a guy who plays for my team (and I'm delighted he does!). Where's the core though? Potentially we've got Pogba (still a kid), schneiderlin (maybe? Never won anything), and someone else (if not Rooney) in midfield.. The defence has no experience (if Valencia is replaced). Martial and Mkhitaryan are great players, but they don't know winning yet.

And until this team steps up and actually wins something together, I think that link to the winners Fergie had is still important. Apart from the manager, there's a worrying lack of winners. That's why I'd love Rooney to work.

 

[Sparky_Hughes]

He was not dropped either. This is a very infuriating myth used to perpetuate the idea that SAF was railroading his departure. Danny Welbeck played as the 10 to play on Alonso because of his solid work in the first leg where Rooney started wide left.

Of course he was dropped. He was left out of the team for that game because individual opposition players needed to be nullified in certain ways, and there were better options for that task. That's no slight on Rooney, as in any walk of life you use the best tools for the job in hand, but yes, he WAS dropped for that game and brought back for the next game as he was best suited to provide something different to what we needed against Real.

Also http://metro.co.uk/2013/03/05/colee...usons-decision-to-drop-husband-wayne-3528105/
Nothing particularly shocking or interesting, but I find it easy to believe that scumbag agent of his didn't encourage it. (No proof of that at all, but I despise Paul stretford and will willingly believe the worst about him at every opportunity)

 

[Green_Red]

Expecting a bit of a renaissance from Wayne this year. He will turn back the clock and surprise many under Jose, but it may not be enough to convince the pitchfork brigade.

I thought that last season. I'll be happily surprised if you're right. His mini revival after christmas showed he has something but the injury from putting in a shift or two points to him coming to the end. Hope you're right and am wrong.

 

[itso 7]

Tell Jose Mourinho that then if he does play Rooney regularly. I am only sharing what i think Jose will do.

Lets also take into account Rooney will be 31 in a few months and Pogba has just turned 23. Plenty of time for him to move further forward later on. Maybe Mourinho sees him as a central midfielder we don't know. It will be interesting to see how we do line up next season.



Come on mate they scored almost 50 goals between them and we ran away with the league in 2013.

I think "in 2013" say it all really and both players have since failed to reach those heights again but surprisingly only one of them paid for that.

 

[stevoc]

I think "in 2013" say it all really and both players have since failed to reach those heights again but surprisingly only one of them paid for that.

Well obviously almost everyone was shit under Moyes bar De Gea, Rooney and Januzaj. By the time Van Gaal arrived both players were on the decline. Van Persie more so than Rooney.

 

[LouisDanGaal]

You don't think there's a player in the world we could sign who's a better 10 than Rooney? Mate that's nuts. There's already better options at the club.

Honestly not, I'm not even saying he is in the top ten number 10s out there, I just don't think anyone of that calibre is available. An available ten who is definitely better than an on form rooney, if you name me a couple I could change my mind.

 

[Art Vandelay]

Honestly not, I'm not even saying he is in the top ten number 10s out there, I just don't think anyone of that calibre is available. An available ten who is definitely better than an on form rooney, if you name me a couple I could change my mind.

What do you mean by an on form Rooney though? Fair enough the team has been poor for the last few years, but when was his form last anything above average at best for more than one game? That spell at the start of the year wasn't even that good, it looked world class compared to what he'd been producing before it, but it still wasn't that good. By on form do you mean how good he was was 3 or 4 years ago?

 

[Ish]

Well he isn't a winger or midfielder so that won't be a surprise to anyone. Ibrahimovic will be first choice up top so i reckon the plan is for Rooney to play in the middle behind Zlatan.

Seems the likeliest lineup this season. Though what Mourinho does in the big matches, especially aways, will be interesting. I imagine Rooney might simply be asked to play deeper, or he'll get dropped (depending on form).

 

[LouisDanGaal]

What do you mean by an on form Rooney though? Fair enough the team has been poor for the last few years, but when was his form last anything above average at best for more than one game? That spell at the start of the year wasn't even that good, it looked world class compared to what he'd been producing before it, but it still wasn't that good. By on form do you mean how good he was was 3 or 4 years ago?

He was the top scorer in the country from the start of the year for months. By on form I mean if he played like that for a whole season. That would be a very acceptable level of performance.

 

[dichinero]

He was the top scorer in the country from the start of the year for months. By on form I mean if he played like that for a whole season. That would be a very acceptable level of performance.

Very convenient to isolate one month, not months mind you? Ever heard that the broken clock is right twice a day or once if it's digital ?

 

[LouisDanGaal]

Very convenient to isolate one month, not months mind you? Ever heard that the broken clock is right twice a day or once if it's digital ?

I said months. Think it was in to march. Its very convenient for you to isolate of about 4 months where he was terrible from a pretty much astounding career.

 

[dichinero]

I said months. Think it was in to march. Its very convenient for you to isolate of about 4 months where he was terrible from a pretty much astounding career.

So it's a player's glittering past that will do the job in the present? Well done. Go on, let's keep being RAWKish about the whole thing and hope that our history will steer to another title.

 

[LouisDanGaal]

So it's a player's glittering past that will do the job in the present? Well done. Go on, let's keep being RAWKish about the whole thing and hope that our history will steer to another title.

When the glittering past isn't that long ago then yes. If a player has a bad game he isn't then awful. He was bad from the start of the season up until new year and then very good for while then injury then the season frittered out. He is 30 not 35, probably wait and see rather than assuming he is shite.

 

[dichinero]

When the glittering past isn't that long ago then yes. If a player has a bad game he isn't then awful. He was bad from the start of the season up until new year and then very good for while then injury then the season frittered out. He is 30 not 35, probably wait and see rather than assuming he is shite.

Sorry mate but many would argue that Rooney's decline has been obvious for almost 4 years now. It's no longer unusual anymore which is why people like myself are just frustrated with putting up with the same thing season in season out for a while.

The common defence is that his body clock is about 3/4 years older since he has been playing top level from a young age BUT why is it an argument that is convenient for only Rooney. He's not the only footballer in history to have started young and have many appearances under their belt.

So let's say that his body is shot from physical exertion, negating the fact that his physical fitness and physique has always been under scrutiny, and he has the body of a 33/34 year old, wouldn't it make sense to phase him out? Does it not make sense that his performances are below expectations? Personally, that would raise the question of his level of performances when I compare with other 33/34 year old footballers. Or if he has been in a decline for 4 years with the added "3/4" years, meaning he's been dropping since he "30" which still isn't impressive.

That said, there is no question on his past, no one can argue that but that he is just shot physically which is why I'm not at all confident in the turn around of a 34 year old Rooney. His time is just up or close. It's not hate just accepting the facts.

 

[stevoc]

Seems the likeliest lineup this season. Though what Mourinho does in the big matches, especially aways, will be interesting. I imagine Rooney might simply be asked to play deeper, or he'll get dropped (depending on form).

Obviously just my opinion but i think he might drop Rooney in some of the big matches and play 3 in midfield. He's been known to do that in the past.

 

[LouisDanGaal]

Sorry mate but many would argue that Rooney's decline has been obvious for almost 4 years now. It's no longer unusual anymore which is why people like myself are just frustrated with putting up with the same thing season in season out for a while.

The common defence is that his body clock is about 3/4 years older since he has been playing top level from a young age BUT why is it an argument that is convenient for only Rooney. He's not the only footballer in history to have started young and have many appearances under their belt.

So let's say that his body is shot from physical exertion, negating the fact that his physical fitness and physique has always been under scrutiny, and he has the body of a 33/34 year old, wouldn't it make sense to phase him out? Does it not make sense that his performances are below expectations? Personally, that would raise the question of his level of performances when I compare with other 33/34 year old footballers. Or if he has been in a decline for 4 years with the added "3/4" years, meaning he's been dropping since he "30" which still isn't impressive.

That said, there is no question on his past, no one can argue that but that he is just shot physically which is why I'm not at all confident in the turn around of a 34 year old Rooney. His time is just up or close. It's not hate just accepting the facts.

That decline isn't obvious to me as they have coincided with periods when the team has been abysmal and Rooney thrives on being a team player. Yes he hasn't dragged us up like a truly world class player but he has always thrived on bringing out the best of other top players, now we have a couple it is worth seeing how that works out.

I don't buy into the whole physical exhaustion angle 100%, I just say we should see what he does this season before writing him off, maybe you are right, but lets see him in a better functioning team first.

 

[Ish]

Obviously just my opinion but i think he might drop Rooney in some of the big matches and play 3 in midfield. He's been known to do that in the past.

Yeah I'd agree with that as well. Probably play 2 of Carrick, Schneiderlin, Schweinsteiger or Herrera behind Pogba. Maybe even Fellaini.

 

[dichinero]

That decline isn't obvious to me as they have coincided with periods when the team has been abysmal and Rooney thrives on being a team player. Yes he hasn't dragged us up like a truly world class player but he has always thrived on bringing out the best of other top players, now we have a couple it is worth seeing how that works out.

I don't buy into the whole physical exhaustion angle 100%, I just say we should see what he does this season before writing him off, maybe you are right, but lets see him in a better functioning team first.

Since it looks like he is staying, I guess it's a matter of "Let's wait and see" but one must accept that many have been down this road one too many times in the name of hope which is a good enough reason not to be confident in him anymore. All can hope, not all can expect!

 

[krombacher92]

He is back to his 2011 twitter form. Looks like he got the login to his twitter back from his PR guys

At first I thought this was about Sean Connery's brother

 

[Perrick Dubois]

Of course he was dropped. He was left out of the team for that game because individual opposition players needed to be nullified in certain ways, and there were better options for that task. That's no slight on Rooney, as in any walk of life you use the best tools for the job in hand, but yes, he WAS dropped for that game and brought back for the next game as he was best suited to provide something different to what we needed against Real.

He was on the bench (I could wholeheartedly understand if he was not even on the team sheet for that night), then brought on for TC after Ronaldo scored. We played what was essentially a 4-3-1-2 with TC/Jones/Giggs in midfield and Nani/Van Persie starting from wide up front. Welbeck had scored and done an almost perfect job on Alonso in the first leg and maybe it was because Rooney had just played 90 and Nani was fresh, who knows? I'm willing to go with the Gaffer, who in his own words said the complete opposite. If you want to ignore that, then more power to you. Like a phoenix, the myth soars from the ashes once more I guess.

 

[Sparky_Hughes]

He was on the bench (I could wholeheartedly understand if he was not even on the team sheet for that night), then brought on for TC after Ronaldo scored. We played what was essentially a 4-3-1-2 with TC/Jones/Giggs in midfield and Nani/Van Persie starting from wide up front. Welbeck had scored and done an almost perfect job on Alonso in the first leg and maybe it was because Rooney had just played 90 and Nani was fresh, who knows? I'm willing to go with the Gaffer, who in his own words said the complete opposite. If you want to ignore that, then more power to you. Like a phoenix, the myth soars from the ashes once more I guess.

Your just arguing over semantics now. A player who up until that point starts when fit was deemed not the best option for the game. It doesnt matter if you call it dropped, rested rotated whatever, we are saying the same thing ffs.

 

[jojose]

I don’t think Rooney at his best, was as good as the majority make out. However, the current Rooney isn’t as bad as most make out.

For me, his problem is that he doesn’t have a special attribute or physicality. A kind of USP if you like. He never has had and that’s why he has never had a proper position. LVG came in and said “he’s not a 9”. Jose has come in and said “he’s not a 6 or a 8” , he couldn’t even commit to if he was a 9 or a 10. Fergie played him in various positions as have most England managers.

He’s not a pure finisher like a Owen or Hernandez. He has never had particularly great movement in getting in behind like a Vardy or an Ian Wright. He’s not a cantona / sheringham / bergkamp style forward. He’s not a pacey, powerful player in the Saha / Martial mould. He’s not a silva / mata / ozil type of #10. I also agree with Mourinho in that he is not a midfielder….of any type.

Id personally set our midfield and forward line up like this:-

------------------carrick or Morgan----------------------

----------------Herrera---------------Pogba--------------

Miki--------------------------------------------------Martial

-----------------------Zlatan-----------------------------------


For me, all of those players are better suited in those positions than Rooney. For the life of me. I can’t come up with a line up where I can fit Rooney in. The only one would be:-

----------------Morgan---------------Pogba--------------

Miki------------------Rooney-----------------Martial


-----------------------Zlatan-----------------------------------

But why spend £100m on a football and restrict him. So assuming we start with something similar to my first selection, I am then struggling to envisage a scenario whereby Rooney would add something from the bench. Height??? You’d go Fellaini. Width??? Young, Memphis. Guile??? Mata. Pace in behind??? Rashford. Tighten up the game?? Carrick, Basti or even TFM.

With Zlatan being your static, focal point centre forward (another thing Rooney can’t offer), I cant for the life me see them being any kind of partnership.

The best thing for all concerned is after his testimonial, we flog him on to Everton at a knock down price so they can cover his wages. PR wise we can make up some tale that “as part of the deal to bring him to United, Everton inserted a buy back clause, the player wants to go there and he’s a great servant to he goes with our blessing”. Rooney gets to tell every body who will listen that he “choose” to return to everton as he wanted to make sure he returned whilst he still thought he could do the business, he’s excited by the new owners and managers plans. Koeman and the owners get a marqee signing and take a bit of pressure off a poor window and the sale of Stones.

We replace him with a flying type right winger. A Kanchelskis type that offers an option we don’t have in that position, can compete with miki or play alongside him with miki in the #10.

Fantasy land maybe. But that’s how I see things and what I hope happens.

I don’t dislike Rooney, not by a long shot. He’s been brilliant for us for the most part. I also fully agree with the “united are not showing an ambition” statement. He was right. Replacing Ronaldo and Tevez with Valencia is not what a super club should have done and that is why we are now having to throw the cash about to catch back up. How Rooney went about it was wrong, but the sentiment was correct. Like I say, I don’t dislike him, but I would like somebody more derserving to break Bobby’s record.