Is Wayne Rooney good enough to play as a central striker?

[James Kent]

Wayne Rooney is a good player for sure, but is he good enough to score goals on a consistent basis?

 

[ArmchairDiehard]

Yes, if he's given the right service.

 

[Pagnell]

Worth a bump after the City game?

£300k a week.
£300k a week.
£300k a week.
£300k a week.

Money well spent United, he's showing some classy form this season.

I wonder what that works out at per goal so far since January last year when all his Christmasses came at once and he signed the new deal?

As for the thread question, no longer it would appear.

 

[Christian Slater]

He defended quite well yesterday...

As an attacker he's done. He has no pace, he doesn't score goals, he doesn't shoot, he doesn't assist, he struggles to hold up the ball, he gives possession away too often. The clearest indicator was his drop back and play the Hollywood ball to the right flank routine didn't even come off yesterday, it was embarrassingly wide of target.

 

[Stevencc]

His wage was ridiculously OTT even before his latest drop in form so nothing has really changed there.

The problem at hand now is that he remains undroppable - to the detriment of the team and the development of some of our younger players.

 

[Pagnell]

The problem at hand now is that he remains undroppable - to the detriment of the team and the development of some of our younger players.

That's always been the case though, hasn't it? Even Ferguson played him into form regularly. I really don't get it now though, there isn't a forward that's lived that wasn't past their prime at 30 years old. Is it simply a case of a club-lead abhorrence to paying nearly £1.5 a month to someone that isn't being picked, even if it's to the detriment of results?

 

[Christian Slater]

We paid Falcao the same to sit on the bench so I don't see wages being an issue. His marketability would be a leading factor if we're being conspiratorial. The most likely reason is LVG likes him as a player.

 

[Pagnell]

The marketability of a barely literate, potato-faced Scouser. The world is mad.

 

[Whitechapel]

I think United are the problem. He's happy to make demands out of them, but they seem happy for him to be a lazy bastard. He's coasting through his career where he should be taking it by the horns and playing out of his skin.

Despite his goal records, he'll be forgotten in years to come.

 

[ArmchairDiehard]

I don't think attitude is his problem. Far from it in-fact.

 

[Christian Slater]

If anything he's trying too hard.

 

[sl1k]

His wages are ludicrous regardless of contributions on the pitch and form, so that obviously points to his marketability as Chirstian suggested. I think it was on Sky Sports I saw that his shirt is currently the 6th most popular replica shirt based on sales and he's been playing football at the top level for donkeys, so I'd imagine he rakes it in for United.

By making Rooney - a centre forward - captain LVG put himself in an awkward position. You just cannot have an undroppable striker and atm there's atleast two or three better #10s.

 

[Stevencc]

That's always been the case though, hasn't it? Even Ferguson played him into form regularly. I really don't get it now though, there isn't a forward that's lived that wasn't past their prime at 30 years old. Is it simply a case of a club-lead abhorrence to paying nearly £1.5 a month to someone that isn't being picked, even if it's to the detriment of results?

Yeah it has and it's totally ridiculous. It's a big problem to United but also it's not an ideal situation for England either. Roy is under the same spell that Van Gaal is, it seems.

 

[Nilsson]

Shamefully I hope he gets injured, it seems to be the only way he's not going to play. Such a pisstake that he was so much better at getting injured when he was in form than he is now he's complete and utter dogshit.

 

[Whitechapel]

Shamefully I hope he gets injured, it seems to be the only way he's not going to play. Such a pisstake that he was so much better at getting injured when he was in form than he is now he's complete and utter dogshit.

Which shows he doesn't push himself as hard as he once did.

 

[Stevencc]

I'd like to point out that I've wanted Rooney out for years - on TFF I copped a bit of stick for saying as much but I'm some sort of revolutionary soothsayer, it turns out.

I always knew I was.

 

[thespus]

He's obviously been a detriment to Manchester United's attack. However, he isn't the only one to blame for their being nearer Watford's league-low 8 goals than Man City's 24. I think a lot of the problem is LVG's philosophy (and misuse of Martial/Herrera/Mata). Man United's better moments have been on quick counters, i.e. Rooney's goal at Goodison. United average 10.5 shots per game (4.1 on target) - only Stoke, Newcastle, West Brom, and Sunderland are averaging fewer. That's 8-9 fewer than Arsenal and Manchester City and only 1 more than cellar-dwellers Sunderland.

Given they have the 2nd most expensive squad in the league - about £350 million invested in transfer fees - it's indicative that they've created fewer chances than Villa this season. Had Moyes not been a buffer between SAF and LVG, I suspect we wouldn't be seeing much positive LVG sentiment.

 

[Nilsson]

Which shows he doesn't push himself as hard as he once did.

Not really, just shows he's not as susceptible to injuries as he was when he was younger. Attitude isn't a problem, he's just not good enough anymore.

 

[robosys]

The crazy part is Wayne puts out a performance in the number 10 role to the extent people say push him forward to the number 9 role and he'll do more.... he's been having a go at it for a while now and utter shit... annoying part is he doesn't even shoot.

sent from Le Han Nexus

 

[TheArtfulDodger]

That's always been the case though, hasn't it? Even Ferguson played him into form regularly. I really don't get it now though, there isn't a forward that's lived that wasn't past their prime at 30 years old. Is it simply a case of a club-lead abhorrence to paying nearly £1.5 a month to someone that isn't being picked, even if it's to the detriment of results?

Di Natale?

Rooney's game was never about pace, I don't buy that it's age, more lack of drive and desire to be the best any more. I think a move at the end of the season would be best all round.

 

[Christian Slater]

He's obviously been a detriment to Manchester United's attack. However, he isn't the only one to blame for their being nearer Watford's league-low 8 goals than Man City's 24. I think a lot of the problem is LVG's philosophy (and misuse of Martial/Herrera/Mata). Man United's better moments have been on quick counters, i.e. Rooney's goal at Goodison. United average 10.5 shots per game (4.1 on target) - only Stoke, Newcastle, West Brom, and Sunderland are averaging fewer. That's 8-9 fewer than Arsenal and Manchester City and only 1 more than cellar-dwellers Sunderland.

Given they have the 2nd most expensive squad in the league - about £350 million invested in transfer fees - it's indicative that they've created fewer chances than Villa this season. Had Moyes not been a buffer between SAF and LVG, I suspect we wouldn't be seeing much positive LVG sentiment.

The style of play is very ridgid and reliant on the opposition to make a mistake which we can capitalise on. It's the reason the stats show we're clinical, we only shoot when the chance is glaring. LVG doesn't like speculative efforts, he sees them as a waste.

This is why I find it even more confusing that he prefers to stick with Rooney, the tactics we play cry out for attacking players that are skillful and/or quick. Rooney breaks our moves down and causes those around him to be jittery.

I think it has to be said that the central midfield has been poor thus far. Schweini has been decent but I feel he's limited being in a static role. Schniderlin and Carrick have been very poor.

 

[Christian Slater]

Which shows he doesn't push himself as hard as he once did.

It really isn't effort, it's more a case of him trying to be Ozil when he doesn't have 1/5 of the ability.

 

[thespus]

The style of play is very ridgid and reliant on the opposition to make a mistake which we can capitalise on. It's the reason the stats show we're clinical, we only shoot when the chance is glaring. LVG doesn't like speculative efforts, he sees them as a waste.

If we look at the current 5 league leaders in England, Spain, France, Germany, and Italy, each side is among the top 3 in shots per game in their respective league. Of the 5, only Roma are 3rd - the rest are 1st or 2nd. I'm not a big believer in coincidence.

While it does improve Manchester United's solidarity at the back, the two sides leading the league in chances created—Arsenal and Manchester City—have conceded equally few goals. It's a shame because the likes of Martial and Herrera would flourish with more freedom. United won't win the title under him this season, and while they should finish in the top four, is that really enough given the massive wages/transfer fees paid?

Edit - To expand, re: quality of chance, Manchester United average 4.9 shots from within the penalty area per match. Manchester City average 9.3 and Arsenal average 12.6. A higher % of Arsenal and City shots are taken within the penalty area than Manchester United's - a style can be both proactive and patient.

 

[merseyboyred]

Di Natale?

Rooney's game was never about pace, I don't buy that it's age, more lack of drive and desire to be the best any more. I think a move at the end of the season would be best all round.

His game may not have been about pace but his sheer physicality was a huge part of what catapulted him through, particularly when he was first emerging. In the modern game too, in the role he plays, mobility and the physical aspects are a key element. Once the physical elements of a player's game are gone they're abysmal in that lone forward role.

To use a far inferior player as an example, you could say Rickie Lambert's game was never about pace as he never had any, but with us he clearly had lost any sort of mobility and he's now simply not a patch on the player he used to be.

It happens to every player eventually, but with Rooney he was always likely to burnout sooner, considering his lackadaisical attitude to looking after himself (always coming back overweight in pre-season, smoking etc.), how he was much more physically developed than his peers at a young age and how often he played as a youngster.

 

[Pagnell]

Lackadaisical is a word that should be used more often.

 

[Blitzballer]

£15,600,000.00 per year wages

 

[G-Dragon]

But but Scholes said he is just lacking the service...

 

[Stevencc]

He meant room service.

 

[SALTIRE]

 

[Stevencc]

Being a Liverpool fan is a bit like being possessed by an evil spirit - good point buddy.