Rooney is finished

[Bobcat]

Rather than everyone repeatedly saying how poor he is playing how about reasons as to why this may be?

He's only 30 and does have an intelligent football brain. He's also a winner with plenty of drive and determination so what's gone wrong with the rest of his game and why?

His touches are heavy and he is regularly the weak link in the breakdown of our moves. Even his shooting is weak. Literally everything falling apart for him.

Disagree. Imo, he was never an intelligent footballer. What he had was pace, power, determination and finishing ability in abundance. His technique was never outstanding, but he was a lot more agile in his prime. Why hes declined so badly:
1) He peaked very early
2) He has played a lot of football, and it has taken its toll on his body
3) He does not have the insane genetics like Ronaldo or Robben, his physique is entirely different from them
4) Hes not taken good care of himself. Bad food, fags and alcohol will do you no good, especially at that level
5) The constant pampering by media and managers alike must have made him complacent, "He has nothing to prove"

Some players age like wine and Rooney was never going to be one of them. I think Scholes/Gerrard is a good comparison to highlight this. Both formidable players in their prime, but aged completely differently

Gerrard, being a much more physical player (while still having superior intelligence and technique compared to Rooney) looked shit in his final years because the fulcrum of his game declined with age. Scholes on the other hand, relied much more on guile and technique, and was fantastic right up until the day he retired.

Other examples includes Torres, who pretty much built his game on his pace and agility, and when age caught up with him he went from superstar to laughingstock in no more than a season.

 

[Bobcat]

SAF saw the writing on the wall 4 years ago, and would have sold him back then if he'd not retired. Rooney was never world class..proved that with England, never had a decent game in a tournament part from 2004. No footballing brain, just plays on instinct but I'm afraid that's gone and all that keeps him motivated these days is 300k a week .

He was never world class we all know that. I don't think he was professional enough to push himself to the next level. He always has been overweight and not really treated himself like an athlete.

Hes shit now, but let's not rewrite history here. In his prime he was certainly world class

 

[Jackylad]

3% of the man of the match votes on the front page are for Rooney...

 

[horsechoker]

Stephen Hawking has an intelligent brain but he couldn't open the fridge door if he wanted to. Rooney might have the knowledge but it is obvious he can't get his body to do what he visualises in his head.

 

[Jackylad]

Stephen Hawking has an intelligent brain but he couldn't open the fridge door if he wanted to. Rooney might have the knowledge but it is obvious he can't get his body to do what he visualises in his head.

Hawking has a better first touch than Rooney does

 

[Ramshock]

Look why is this even an issue, is there pressure on the board to keep Rooney relevant in the team? Surely they arentinterfering with team selection.

 

[Classical Mechanic]

Stephen Hawking has an intelligent brain but he couldn't open the fridge door if he wanted to. Rooney might have the knowledge but it is obvious he can't get his body to do what he visualises in his head.

And that is why you adapt the fridge door specially for him.

 

[sglowrider]

His peak years were his bald years. Stop the transplants and your form will come back. Besides it's more aerodynamic.

 

[settembrini]

The way Sammy McIlroy got up, it was a good job he wasn't in the same room or he might have belted him one. He was really annoyed. It's a phone-in, like this is a forum, it's for discussing the team and how players are performing.

This. It continues to amaze me how angry and upset Rooney supporters get at the idea he is no longer good enough to command a place in the team. He has under performed for years, literally years, and they still treat the idea of dropping him as heresy. How can that attitude be remotely good for the club they profess to support?

 

[Vialli_92]

Hes shit now, but let's not rewrite history here. In his prime he was certainly world class

There have always been better players in his position. World class means you can walk into any team and improve them.

All the big teams had better players in his position than him.

 

[Classical Mechanic]

There have always been better players in his position. World class means you can walk into any team and improve them.

All the big teams had better players in his position than him.

Can't agree with that. He made UEFA team of the year once, came 5th, 8th and 8th in the Ballon D'Or and Messi (described him as unique and the strongest player he had faced) always included him in his dream teams for a while.

He might not have been everyone's cup of tea but he was world class for a number of years.

 

[Witchking]

Can't agree with that. He made UEFA team of the year once, came 5th, 8th and 8th in the Ballon D'Or and Messi (described him as unique and the strongest player he had faced) always included him in his dream teams for a while.

He might not have been everyone's cup of tea but he was world class for a number of years.

Some players still include him in their lists, just to piss off the united fans i guess. Rooney was a great player for United from 2004 - 2011. But world class is debatable.

Even Zlatan was praising Rooney when he was at PSG and said he wanted to play with him.

Zlatan would be so frustrated watching Rooney run around like an idiot.

When he was at his peak, you would want him in the team for his tenacity and never giving up. Yesterday's game has showed again how far he has regressed.

 

[sosolid4u09]

what i find strange about rooney for the last few years is the way his game goes to hell when he's playing badly...

we've all seen great players lose it. falcao torres etc... but they could still do the basics like control a football or make a 3 yard pass. when rooney loses it he looks like a 5 year old

 

[roonster09]

what i find strange about rooney for the last few years is the way his game goes to hell when he's playing badly...

we've all seen great players lose it. falcao torres etc... but they could still do the basics like control a football or make a 3 yard pass. when rooney loses it he looks like a 5 year old

Falcao could barely run in a straight line when he was at United.

 

[sosolid4u09]

Falcao could barely run in a straight line when he was at United.

id take that Falcao over current rooney in a heartbeat

 

[Pexbo]

what i find strange about rooney for the last few years is the way his game goes to hell when he's playing badly...

He's never had a great first touch or short passing game. When coming back from injury he always looked awful because he struggled to dominate games physically with his power, engine and pace. I'm convinced that what we are seeing now is the permanent version of that Rooney. A Rooney that can no longer beat anyone in a foot race, isn't the quickest over 5 yards, can't be at left back one minute, in the 6 yard box the next and back covering the right back position straight after.


He'll never make the switch Giggs and Scholes made because quite simply he doesn't have their first touch and awareness. His footballing brain isn't focused towards controlling a midfield and the little nuances involved with that.

 

[Sparky10Legend]

I think he'll come on around the hour mark and from a 1-0 position we will lose 2-1.

Joking aside i really do think the end is nigh now for him.

 

[BringNaniBack]

After last season I don't have any feelings about him starting...it is what it is. Inevitable, part of the world, etc. I can't get myself angry about it.

It's come to a point now though where literally everyone can see he shouldn't be starting. Last season Rooney still had the press backing if him. Now even they are turning on him. If he plays against Leicester something underhand is going on.

 

[Bobcat]

There have always been better players in his position. World class means you can walk into any team and improve them.

All the big teams had better players in his position than him.

Well, i find that a very narrow definition of "world class" since it would limit it to being used exclusively on an All Star XI. I would say "world class" is top 10 in you respective position and Rooney was well within that definition in his prime

 

[horsechoker]

Falcao could barely run in a straight line when he was at United.

Falcao's problem was staying upright

 

[Sparky10Legend]

Well, i find that a very narrow definition of "world class" since it would limit it to being used exclusively on an All Star XI. I would say "world class" is top 10 in you respective position and Rooney was well within that definition in his prime

There isnt 10 great No'9s though?

But i take your point. Personally never thought he was world class but each to their own.

 

[Ixion]

He was definitely world class for a while, he wasn't that far behind Ronaldo for most of their time together here until the last season and a half and he stepped up after Ronaldo left. If he hadn't gotten that ankle injury against Bayern he'd probably have scored 40 goals that season. Shame he didn't look after himself, lost his pace and power which was a huge part of his game.

 

[roonster09]

There have always been better players in his position. World class means you can walk into any team and improve them.

All the big teams had better players in his position than him.

Lets consider that criteria, who wasn't world class among these players?
Henry, Sheva, Raul in early 00s
Ferdinand, Vidic, Puyol, Nesta and other great CBs.
Casillas or Buffon at their peak.
Xavi, Iniesta, Pirlo, Vidal.
Robben, Ribery, Ronaldo
Torres or David Villa post 2006

There are many examples to give. Just 1 player per position is very narrow bracket.

 

[JPRouve]

Well, i find that a very narrow definition of "world class" since it would limit it to being used exclusively on an All Star XI. I would say "world class" is top 10 in you respective position and Rooney was well within that definition in his prime

Top 10? you are a generous man. Top 5 is more realistic, basically if you can start for a perennial CL semi finalist.

 

[Jed I. Knight]

Rather than everyone repeatedly saying how poor he is playing how about reasons as to why this may be?

He's only 30 and does have an intelligent football brain. He's also a winner with plenty of drive and determination so what's gone wrong with the rest of his game and why?

His touches are heavy and he is regularly the weak link in the breakdown of our moves. Even his shooting is weak. Literally everything falling apart for him.

The second you lose a bit of spring in your step, everything changes. I just don't think he has been able to adapt to his more limited physicality as a player.

Still surprising, given the amount of training he does, but it's a clear case of the yips, and he's not the first footballer to be struck by it, and he most certainly won't be the last.

 

[Manny]

Tweet

— Twitter API (@user) date

Amazing call!

I bet the MUTV bosses were shouting down their ear pieces telling them to earn their money. They looked uncomfortable as feck

 

[Adisa]

Tweet

— Twitter API (@user) date

Amazing call!

Sammy is all over the shop here.

 

[Skåre Willoch]

World class = one of the best in the world in a position. This depends on the position, how many world class players there are in that position, etc. Rooney certainly was world class as a striker, at least the season he broke his ankle. Whether he was top 3, top 5, or top 10 is personal preference, and largely based on what kind of qualities etc. you look at. But, based on goal scoring and ability to do magical stuff out of nowhere, he was world class.

The key though, is this is in the past. Not really relevant to this discussion, as Wayne Rooney in 2016 is a very different player to Wayne Rooney in 2011.

 

[Sparky Rhiwabon]

I've got it...

"ROONEY: TEARING US APART SINCE 2011"

 

[Sparky Rhiwabon]

Whoever is in charge of this website should send the results of this poll to all the major newspapers and media outlets

95% of Manchester United fans think that Wayne Rooney is finished

 

[Amir]

Tweet

— Twitter API (@user) date

Amazing call!

And all they can offer in response is talk of what he's done for United in the past.

Charlton was brilliant for us, but we're not bringing him back, are we?

 

[Vialli_92]

Lets consider that criteria, who wasn't world class among these players?
Henry, Sheva, Raul in early 00s
Ferdinand, Vidic, Puyol, Nesta and other great CBs.
Casillas or Buffon at their peak.
Xavi, Iniesta, Pirlo, Vidal.
Robben, Ribery, Ronaldo
Torres or David Villa post 2006

There are many examples to give. Just 1 player per position is very narrow bracket.

For example in Premier League, Drogba, Henry, Torres, Suarez and RvP were all better than Rooney. He wasn't even at the elite level in the Premier League compared to the other strikers.

I didn't watch much of Tevez or Berbatov so I dont know if he was better than his own team mates or not but all those other strikers were definitely better than Rooney.

That's why I just never seen him as world class because he was still behind just the Premier League strikers never mind the rest of the world.

 

[Smithy_123]

Sammy is all over the shop here.

This is quite frankly embarrassing.

How can a player, one who doesn't even have anything to offer anymore, be bigger than a club like United?

If I paid for MUTV I would cancel it on the spot.

 

[Carlsen19]

And all they can offer in response is talk of what he's done for United in the past.

Charlton was brilliant for us, but we're not bringing him back, are we?

It's absolutely mental. Nobody would deny that he's been a great player for us, but to use that as justification for persisting with him even though he's quite obviously nowhere near good enough anymore is just ridiculous.

 

[Piratesoup]

Whoever is in charge of this website should send the results of this poll to all the major newspapers and media outlets

95% of Manchester United fans think that Wayne Rooney is finished

It's been all over the news already

 

[SirAF]

Tweet

— Twitter API (@user) date

Amazing call!

That is absolutely spot on. Incredible that Sammy starts talking about "Do you know what he's done for United and England?" That's got nothing to do with it With that attitude we'd never move forward ffs!

 

[VanGaalEra]

Just saw this on Twitter, guy is spot on!

Tweet

— Twitter API (@user) date

 

[SirAF]

Just saw this on Twitter, guy is spot on!

Tweet

— Twitter API (@user) date

I quoted that tweet four minutes before your post, bro

Totally agree though!

 

[Shark]

Just saw this on Twitter, guy is spot on!

Tweet

— Twitter API (@user) date

You're a bit late to the party, man.

 

[roonster09]

For example in Premier League, Drogba, Henry, Torres, Suarez and RvP were all better than Rooney. He wasn't even at the elite level in the Premier League compared to the other strikers.

I didn't watch much of Tevez or Berbatov so I dont know if he was better than his own team mates or not but all those other strikers were definitely better than Rooney.

That's why I just never seen him as world class because he was still behind just the Premier League strikers never mind the rest of the world.

You saud 1 world class player per position, at least as per your criteria and that's what I disagreed with.

Also Rooney was at his peak from 2006-12, in that time frame

Henry - Wasn't in PL.
RVP - Wasn't better than Rooney. He had superb 2011-12 season but before that he was always injured.
Torres - Apart from 2007-08 season, Rooney outscored him in all seasons.
Drogba - Rooney outscored him more often than not.
Suarez - Till 2012 Suarez played 1 and half seasons in PL and scored 21 goals (in all competition), Rooney scored more than 30 goals in 2011-12 season alone.