Have a horrible feeling we'll see Mourinho persist with him. Mourinho is a man who thought he could revive Falcao after his diabolical season with us!
We'll also see Carrick persist in midfield for another season
The end of Rooney
- Thread starter imperi
- Start date
-
In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik (@Rood) is joined by CEO Duncan Drasdo and Financial Director Andy Green from the Manchester United Supporters Trust for a special episode on all things behind the scenes at Old Trafford including a brief history of MUST and their aims today, views on INEOS and Sir Jim Ratcliffe so far, and the Old Trafford regeneration.
Have a horrible feeling we'll see Mourinho persist with him. Mourinho is a man who thought he could revive Falcao after his diabolical season with us!
We'll also see Carrick persist in midfield for another season
id say that was more agent based. He is/was a fan of rooney, its whether he can pull the plugHave a horrible feeling we'll see Mourinho persist with him. Mourinho is a man who thought he could revive Falcao after his diabolical season with us!
We'll also see Carrick persist in midfield for another season
Yeah he would have to play alright, because that would be the ball that's 300 grand a week..
It's so true. Last week I'd a row with a mate of mine who is usually pretty sensible about football. He was saying how Rooney should be playing midfield for United and England. When I said he himself had complained about how bad Rooney was in midfield last year he acted like I was totally making it up and Rooney had never been given a chance there. Then when Rooney had a good game in the semi final he got all smug and "I told you so".
I literally have messages on my phone of him saying "this is fecking shit. Rooney is a striker, he's shit in midfield. What the feck is Van Gaal still playing him there for?".
Going to wait until he's dug himself in a little further before I reveal them.
Yeah, exactly. It's the same pundits saying he was wasted in midfield last season and needs to go back to being a striker because he's world class there that are now saying he is the answer to everything in midfield.
We know how this goes. First it will be the players around him not being what he needs, then it will be the specific midfield position and when enough time has passed he's not a midfielder he's a striker and should always have been there because he's world class.
Holy crap you've described the exact same thing that has happened to me. One of my friends has said word for word "don't you get it? He is the team." Some people is so spineless. No wonder media can make money selling rubbish and they would keep buying.
Mourinho almost won the league with an aged and already declined Eto'o plus Torres and Ba a couple of seasons ago when he desperately wanted to sign Rooney from us. He probably would have gone all the way too, if Chelsea hadn't been robbed in the game against Sunderland. Nevertheless, he got them very close to winning the league with limited options up front. I guess that Rooney, even now, is in better shape and can be more reliable than the choices Jose had back then.
Maybe Mourinho can figure out a way to play him up front (or behind the lone forward) without affecting the overall quality of the first xi. I'm saying that because, as many have pointed out, it's difficult to ditch him while he's on his current contract. This, of course, means that Mourinho will have to sort out the rest of the team, create a formidable defense and fill the midfield with runners (on and off the ball) and players who can be productive on both ends of the pitch.
We can blame LvG for many things but i believe that the notion that Rooney's future lies in a midfield role is truly the worst thing he can leave behind when he leaves the club. Given Rooney's presence in the dressing room and the fact that he has a lot of friends in the press, this could turn into a real problem for LvG's successor, whoever that may be.
Ferguson made the decision to make Rooney a second striker because he believed that he wasn't the man he could rely upon for 20+ goals per season. On the other hand he believed that Rooney's best traits, his work rate-his tendency to chase second balls in the attacking half and his ability to create pockets of space for others or spot late runs in the box, could prove useful, if he was utilized in the hole. These traits have nothing to do with all the great attacking midfielders of the past who were successfully converted into midfielders in deeper roles. Those were players who could dictate tempo, who could run with the ball through the lines and had an exquisite passing range.
Whenever you play Rooney in the midfield, you still get a forward in a deeper role. You get the nerves, the -full of risks- decision making, the frantic positioning and the enthusiasm to chase the ball all over the pitch... abilities that can prove quite useful in an attacking role but, unfortunately, they don't make a good midfielder.
LvG is acting like Pontius Pilate in this matter. He doesn't want to make Rooney angry and he surely senses that this may not be his problem anymore in three games time. After all, if he truly wanted a risk taker in that role, he had Herrera, who is actually a midfielder, for that role. But he knows that he's hanging by a thread for quite some time now and therefore he's doing whatever he can to please his captain.
Maybe Mourinho can figure out a way to play him up front (or behind the lone forward) without affecting the overall quality of the first xi. I'm saying that because, as many have pointed out, it's difficult to ditch him while he's on his current contract. This, of course, means that Mourinho will have to sort out the rest of the team, create a formidable defense and fill the midfield with runners (on and off the ball) and players who can be productive on both ends of the pitch.
We can blame LvG for many things but i believe that the notion that Rooney's future lies in a midfield role is truly the worst thing he can leave behind when he leaves the club. Given Rooney's presence in the dressing room and the fact that he has a lot of friends in the press, this could turn into a real problem for LvG's successor, whoever that may be.
Ferguson made the decision to make Rooney a second striker because he believed that he wasn't the man he could rely upon for 20+ goals per season. On the other hand he believed that Rooney's best traits, his work rate-his tendency to chase second balls in the attacking half and his ability to create pockets of space for others or spot late runs in the box, could prove useful, if he was utilized in the hole. These traits have nothing to do with all the great attacking midfielders of the past who were successfully converted into midfielders in deeper roles. Those were players who could dictate tempo, who could run with the ball through the lines and had an exquisite passing range.
Whenever you play Rooney in the midfield, you still get a forward in a deeper role. You get the nerves, the -full of risks- decision making, the frantic positioning and the enthusiasm to chase the ball all over the pitch... abilities that can prove quite useful in an attacking role but, unfortunately, they don't make a good midfielder.
LvG is acting like Pontius Pilate in this matter. He doesn't want to make Rooney angry and he surely senses that this may not be his problem anymore in three games time. After all, if he truly wanted a risk taker in that role, he had Herrera, who is actually a midfielder, for that role. But he knows that he's hanging by a thread for quite some time now and therefore he's doing whatever he can to please his captain.
Man, that chip yesterday pissed me off no end, keeper right on his line - wasn't an absolute sitter or anything, but typically the sort of situation an actual world class player would have made something out of.
I just love the idea that centre mid in the Premier league is some sort of retirement position.
"well, I've had my proper years up front, now I'm gonna just chill in midfield" type sentiments.
We cannot have a year of him in deep midfield. Surely Mourinho won't allow it.
"well, I've had my proper years up front, now I'm gonna just chill in midfield" type sentiments.
We cannot have a year of him in deep midfield. Surely Mourinho won't allow it.
incredible isn't it.
Maybe CB next year?
There was also all sorts of subtle comments in the media on Sunday (inc Shearer on MOTD) saying how Rooney 'had a good game in midfield' etc.
Even though he was for the most part ineffective and lucky not to be sent off.
Its as if, if they keep perpetuating the idea that he can transition in to playing in midfield, they wont have to acknowledge the fact that the reason he can't play as a striker anymore to begin with, is because he's finished at this level and his legs have gone.
Why do you think most of the pundits on Sky Sports are ex scousers? They all enjoy to see United fail so they will want to prolong Rooney's United career somehow.
Rooney can still do a job up front if he gets the right service.
Not even if he owns a service station.
I've just given up hope that we'll see him as a squad player next season, he'll be waddling around in midfield instead, he wont want to go back to playing as a striker as he's not going to get ahead of Kane in that role now, so he'll be looking to prolong his status as Captain of United and England by pretending to be a CM for a season or 2.
This sentiment that he has to play because we're paying him so much money.
We pay the same amount whether he plays or doesn't play.
We're better with him not in the starting line up.
The ultimate goal is for United to win, not for Rooney to get more minutes.
So we just bench him. We keep paying him and play him sporadically as a backup. He will be a bloody expensive backup but oh well. At least we will be a better team.
We pay the same amount whether he plays or doesn't play.
We're better with him not in the starting line up.
The ultimate goal is for United to win, not for Rooney to get more minutes.
So we just bench him. We keep paying him and play him sporadically as a backup. He will be a bloody expensive backup but oh well. At least we will be a better team.
Rooney did not play for two months. I didn't see a better team.
every excuse is a good excuse to sit down and get that high salary for an extra more year. Big clubs are having to push their legends out of the door these days (Giggs, Gerrard, Totti etc)
This is just another round of the Rooney boom-bust cycle, which has been revolving since 2013. I can't believe how many people have been falling for it. Look back at my post history, I predicted this would happen way back in September/October!
I didn't see a worse team during his absence either.
And with younger players taking his place, there's potential for it to be better.
To be fair to Moyes, about the one good thing he did do was get a fairly good season out of Rooney.
Being fair to Moyes is not something I'd want to get involved in.
He also tucked the club up with a final mega contract.
I have always had this love/hate relationship with Rooney.
At the start it was "How much? We must be mad to pay that much for a 17 year old. Then, as a few seasons passed, I came to see that he actually made the team tick and was indispensable, then there was the first contract dispute, then the play well for 2 -3 months, get injured, take 2 months to get form back, play well for 2-3 months, get injured etc, but even then, I could still see how important he was to the team. We played better when he was in the team and the periodsof good form made up for the injuries and time to play himself back into form.
Then there was the 2nd contract dispute, but he was still very good in the increasingly shorter periods of form. Now, I don't think he'll ever be the player he used to be, except for the odd 20 minutes in a game.
When Scholes came back from retirement, he was still wonderful, for 60 minutes. Giggs justified his position, up to the end and was used more and more sparingly.
Rooney, unfortunately, is finished at the highest level.
At the start it was "How much? We must be mad to pay that much for a 17 year old. Then, as a few seasons passed, I came to see that he actually made the team tick and was indispensable, then there was the first contract dispute, then the play well for 2 -3 months, get injured, take 2 months to get form back, play well for 2-3 months, get injured etc, but even then, I could still see how important he was to the team. We played better when he was in the team and the periodsof good form made up for the injuries and time to play himself back into form.
Then there was the 2nd contract dispute, but he was still very good in the increasingly shorter periods of form. Now, I don't think he'll ever be the player he used to be, except for the odd 20 minutes in a game.
When Scholes came back from retirement, he was still wonderful, for 60 minutes. Giggs justified his position, up to the end and was used more and more sparingly.
Rooney, unfortunately, is finished at the highest level.
Our aim is to build a better team, through recruitment and further development of our younger players. Rooney being in the side inhibits both of these things.
this thread is classic caf. been a while since I had a proper laugh in the Utd forum
So what's your take then?
Does that service include making runs in behind, holding the ball up, linking up play with anything other than a ball to the right wing and actually staying up top where he's supposed to be? Because if not then what's the point? There's better poachers and that's all he would be.
Was it knocking anybody else sick, watching Rooney play against Leicester, knowing he earns more in a week, than most of the Leicester team ?? It certainly did me, he truly is David Moyes's curse that keeps on giving. Fergie knew he was on his way out, he's one lucky bloke is Wayne, stealing a wage on par with a ballon'dor winner/nominee's.
I aggree to the largest extent possible that Rooney is past it. I also find it very weird that people continuously disavow his obivious decline. The reason why I found this thread hilarious was the way in which people conveyed this a la..
However as painful as it is to admit I dont see him leaving until at least another season. Because of all the contract/ club symbol nonsense. To me rooney is like the late 30's early 40's uncle who was really good at football and can shine for moments in a 5 a side...'moments' being the key word.
Rooney is in decline. There can't possibly be a single caftard who doesn't see that. Question is, how much can he contribute to the squad next season -- one has to assume he can't be sold -- and in what way?
I say screw the midfield experiment and rotate him in the XI as a support striker, with 3 and 4 week absences from the starting XI if form by our starters requires it. Any attempt to shoehorn him in as a starting midfielder will be met with contempt by opposing midfielders.
Ideally, we'd find a Chinese or MLS club to sell him to, but that's probably out of the question.
I say screw the midfield experiment and rotate him in the XI as a support striker, with 3 and 4 week absences from the starting XI if form by our starters requires it. Any attempt to shoehorn him in as a starting midfielder will be met with contempt by opposing midfielders.
Ideally, we'd find a Chinese or MLS club to sell him to, but that's probably out of the question.
but you saw better strikers linking up. If basti was fit and Herrera hadnt pissed his pants this season Rooney would be fecked
If by up front, you mean as a #9 like where he was playing most of the season and where Rashford has been playing recently, then no. He simply does not have the tools to play that role. He's too slow, too weak, too bad in the air, too bad at holding the ball up, and doesn't make the right runs. He is terrible at that role, and has been since he started losing his pace a few years back.
He might be able to do the job at #10 if we surround him with pace (Rashford, Martial and another for example). But even then I'm not particularly confident about it.
this. Its ridiculous to think that a striker with absolute zero football intelligence can move in CM and become the next Paul Scholes
The reasons why he plays so uninspiringly, are so imaginative and varied, it puts him on a never ending loop of get out of jail cards. I fear it'll be the day after he sheds his mortal coil, before some on here will admit he's done!
To even suggest that is an insult to the man who was perhaps the best midfielder the PL has ever seen.
Actually PS was the most consistent creative midfielder of his generation, Zidane was a better player but he wasn't as consistent. Seriously guys its about time we stop thinking about the player's welfare and start thinking about the club's once in a while. Rooney in midfield is simply not good enough for a team whose seriously competing for the EPL title. If he cant cut it upfront anymore then he ends up out of the team or on the bench
Or in China!