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2016-17 Performances


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pseudo_canadian

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Wasn't able to catch the game because I was traveling for work, but after reading in here it looks like h managed to play even worse than against Watford.

Colored me shocked.
 

Cheesy

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He looks like hes a year away from retiring really. Needs to lose 10-15lbs at least if he wants to prolong his career, as he just looks so heavy on the pitch always and he can't adjust to get his touch right, or anything. So slow on the turn, heavy footed, slow to adjust to a ball slightly out of reach, slow to react. Its his fitness which I think is dragging every part of his game back, and making him look hardly championship standard. Should be nowhere near the team as it is. Its a shame, as he will go down as a club legend, but he is just a terrible footballer these days.

Actually looking at the individual highlights of a standard game of his in 2009/10 when he was at his prime for me, its staggering to think its the same player. Just look at how lean he looks first of all, has to be like twice the size these days. Then his touch being sharp, quick movement, agile, powerful, hungry, and just a huge threat every time he got the ball. Also not afraid to use either foot unlike these days

Anyone who doesn't think Rooney's had a stark decline needs to watch that, or other such similar highlights. He's just so much sharper, faster, more incisive with his passing and of course was much more prolific back then.

In that video he's all over the pitch, but is capable of making a contribution wherever he finds himself. Notably he isn't afraid to take risks there either; he makes some clever passes, takes player on etc. Not like now where he looks to knock a sideways pass to someone or plays a long ball out wide to absolve himself of any responsibility.
 

NinjaZombie

Punched the air when Liverpool beat City
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You can see in that clip though, that even during his peak years his touch was often very heavy and he would make up for it by outrunning the opponent to retrieve the ball.

Likewise, his method of beating an opponent was basically 'kick and rush', you see this numerous times in that clip.

Add 6 years to the player in that clip, and those technical limitations become more and more obvious, and that's where we are now.
Yeah. I've brought this up before, using clips of his performance against Milan at home in 06/07, when he scored that last minute winner.

He made up for his bad first touches by hustling and winning the ball back, or doing enough to get a free kick.

That high energy Rooney is nowhere to be seen nowadays.
 

Adam-Utd

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Wasn't able to catch the game because I was traveling for work, but after reading in here it looks like h managed to play even worse than against Watford.

Colored me shocked.
He wasn't worse than Watford, but it was hardly any better. Missed a sitter and generally did nothing apart from a few backwards and square lay offs. Still managed to run the ball out of play twice also.
 

Vaibhav Raj

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Alright guys, as you all know I've been a big fan of Rooney. Even though I've been accused of blindly defending him I never though that was the case and I still think that some of criticism past 3 years has been too much.

However, I am starting to see he simply has to be dropped now. I personally don't understand how a player who was one (imo) worldclass can lost their touch and finishing ability like that. It's honestly depressing. I always think of Rooney as a club legend. I hope he does break the record somehow but for now he does not deserve a starting place.

In my mind I knew he had declined but did not believe even his finishing had declined so much. I still wish people would stop being so degrading regarding him and be a bit more respectful. Over the years he has worked his socks off for us and one thing I still believe is he always gives his absolute best on the pitch. Unfortunately it's not enough anymore.

I still have hope. Maybe drop him for a month or two, see him rejuvenate and come back with a better impact for the second half of the season? Idk. Likely something that has to be figured out later. First step is no more Rooney in the team :(
There are two main reasons as to why Rooney has waned so badly, I believe.

Firstly his heart is just not into it. You can see that every time he dribbles, makes a first touch pass or tries to go past a player. He just does it halfheartedly most of the times. This could stem from various factors such as him having stared his career so early, him getting paid so much, him being virtually undroppable under most Post-SAF managers he has played under. I think they have all been a bit too soft on him. I have always thought that actually dropping Wayne Rooney (publicly) and relieving him of captioning duties (where he has to keep himself cool and composed) could actually do him a favor and bring a bit of flair back in his game.

Secondly, United just don't play the fast-tempo passing and counter attacking game anymore and it exposes some of the weaker attributes Rooney has always had. His first touch was never that good, he was never good at dribbling past players but always had good pace to run in open spaces created for him by marauding Ronaldo/Giggs/Nani/Valencia etc. He only ever thrived with fast wingers around him (loves to pass out wide and run into the box, doesn't he?) and a United team playing quick, one touch passing football. The possession based, dictate the game from deep role that managers (even SAF) always want him to play him in simply doesn't suit him. The fact that we have lacked good quality on the wing since SAF's second last season and that Rooney had severely under-performed in that time is no co-incidence. His best season came when Antonio Valencia was on fire on the wings and before that he had world class wide players in Ronaldo/Nani/Giggs.

I was hoping Mkhitaryan and Martial will bring some tempo to our game but we continue to look quite pedestrian. Both have underwhelmed so far and Rooney's game is not going to improve anytime soon. He should rightly be dropped for someone who is more agile and adaptive. At least until we have some great quality on the wings and good pace is our build up. Don't expect to put a player like Rooney is a slow team and expect him to thrive. He will simply add to the problem. I share your admiration for Rooney and unlike most people on here, I still remember the days he was good. Really, really good. But time to move on.
 

sunama

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He is bad, but then we all know this.
In that video it looks like a guy off the street has been given the Rooney jersey and he has been told to have a knock about.
He can't even keep the ball inside the touch line, which you'd expect even a 12 year old to be able to do.
 

sunama

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You guys should be delighted he played the full 90 mins today. I don't see him starting at the weekend now and Jose has a valid excuse.
I think he will be the first name of the team sheet for Saturday.
Playing 2 games in 4 days is not difficult unless you are unfit or old. Carrick won't be able to play (due to age), but Rooney would do it easily.
 

Šjor Bepo

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do we have a full Pub mode performance from our captain or just few specific actions, i only found the latter one for this game :(
 

sunama

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If there was some bizarre kind of playing time clause in the contract how would it be enforced?

If Rooney was suddenly dropped what could he plausibly do? Sue the club? I'm working on the assumption that such a clause exists because there is simply no other excuse for his inclusion nearly every game for the past 4 years.
There is no contract clause.
As you stated, how would it be enforced? And I doubt even Moyes would agree to that.

As for why managers keep picking him?
Hodgson and now Allardyce, have no contract to adhere to - yet they made him England captain and Allardyce is openly admitting that Rooney can play in any position he wants.
For MUFC - LVG and Jose clearly see something in him. I am not sure what, but they love him; so maybe he is very good in training.

And notice that no official source has ever suggested the contract theory. This has been made up and then perpetuated by fans who feel Rooney is a bad player.

If Jose continues to play him and put Rooney ahead of his own winning ambitions, then he too, will be sacked, like LVG & Hodgson.
 

rotherham_red

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Hand on heart, can any of you see him score the 4 goals he needs to break the record this season?
 

Rossa

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I can't believe how much pace he has lost. There are no injuries to explain it like it did Giggs (Giggs at 40 was much, much faster than Rooney at 30), and the amount of football played may explain some, but not that much. He is still 30-31, not 34-35. His agility is also completely shot. He looks like that player who used to be good but his body just won't do it for him any more.
 

PlayerOne

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Weird how he doesn't challenge for 50-50 balls in the air, he sorta just jumps but makes no real effort to win it. His heart is not in it any more, I reckon. Besides declining physically that is
 

montpelier

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Holy shit. That other thread with the poll is merciless. This one is a summer stroll in the park.
 

Walters_19_MuFc

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You use one game to lambast that group of players yet you refuse to see do the same after one game for Rooney? None of the players you mentioned were as bad against Feyernoord as Rooney was against Watford.

Surely that is the definition of hypocrisy.
. When did I 'lambast' the group of players? I simply said I personally feel people didn't expect that performance with Rooney out of the side.
 

superdry

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Weird how he doesn't challenge for 50-50 balls in the air, he sorta just jumps but makes no real effort to win it. His heart is not in it any more, I reckon. Besides declining physically that is
Probably doesn't want to risk loosing that expensive bumfluff he's cultivated.
 

Pexbo

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Weird how he doesn't challenge for 50-50 balls in the air, he sorta just jumps but makes no real effort to win it. His heart is not in it any more, I reckon. Besides declining physically that is
Aerial duals:

Vs Watford: 1/3
Vs City: 0/2
Vs Hull: 1/2
Vs Southampton: 0/0
Vs Bournemouth: 0/0

Last season:
Vs Bournemouth: 0/0
Vs West Ham: 0/2
Vs Norwich 1/3


8 games, 3 headers won. Fair to say he's not really trying anymore?
 

Duafc

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I'm heading to the Leicester game and even as a self confessed fan of Rooney I hope to see him sat squarely on the bench!

Hope that's what getting the 90 last night means.

He had an average start to the season, productive, though troublesome signs were there. However it has dropped off a cliff the last few weeks.

I'm not saying he doesn't have a part to play this season but it's simply unfair to keep pushing forward with a front 4 that isn't working. It's past time others got the same kind of run he has gotten.
 

K2K

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"Can Manchester United score? They always score"
. When did I 'lambast' the group of players? I simply said I personally feel people didn't expect that performance with Rooney out of the side.
Just rubbing your hands in glee after Feyernoord game when they dont play well and run in here to to tell anyone that will listen to show how your Rooney point had been proven.

It just smacks of hero worship.

It's now two games of pathetic Rooney perfomances yet you ran to conclusions after just one game with the rest of those players.Again it's hypocrisy at its finest.
 

K2K

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"Can Manchester United score? They always score"
For a long time a lot of people said Rooney's goals were masking very poor perfomances that a lot of other fans back then simply refused to acknowledge.

This perfomances have not suddenly come out of the blue. He's poor ball control ,evident as far as 3 years ago.Yet they are glimpses.A good player like him will have one of those once in a while


But we are Manchester United. We need players performing week in and week out.
Rooney knows that.He is simply isn't up for that.
 

PlayerOne

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Aerial duals:

Vs Watford: 1/3
Vs City: 0/2
Vs Hull: 1/2
Vs Southampton: 0/0
Vs Bournemouth: 0/0

Last season:
Vs Bournemouth: 0/0
Vs West Ham: 0/2
Vs Norwich 1/3


8 games, 3 headers won. Fair to say he's not really trying anymore?
Good that stats back it up then. So he doesn't even do what a lot of his fans and pundits say he does well, fight for the ball.
 

Womp

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Apologies if this has been posted, was quite funny. Their reactions say it all "you can't discount what he's done for United in the past". That really is the issue though, isn't it, the past.
 

Dumbat12

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Apologies if this has been posted, was quite funny. Their reactions say it all "you can't discount what he's done for United in the past". That really is the issue though, isn't it, the past.
My god.

"He is not fecking good enough"

And the guy in the studio is like, "But remember how good he was before. That counts, right?"

Wtf does it matter how good he was 10 years ago?
 

clarkydaz

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Apologies if this has been posted, was quite funny. Their reactions say it all "you can't discount what he's done for United in the past". That really is the issue though, isn't it, the past.
its quite significant to see their reaction though, I mean they are personally offended if dare to judge the player he is now
 

Burrow

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It's quite amazing that the 'pundit' in the studio has literally no argument whatsoever that he has to resort to the 'I disagree with you'-line.
 

horsechoker

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Apologies if this has been posted, was quite funny. Their reactions say it all "you can't discount what he's done for United in the past". That really is the issue though, isn't it, the past.
Been posted but this is much better quality.
 

Sparky10Legend

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United old boys really disgusted me with this.

I fear we are heading into dippers type oblivion, the only saving grace being Ed and his chequebook
 

rocks13

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Really wonder how legends of the past like Best, Law and Charlton would be have been viewed in the later years of their careers if Redcafe had been around at the time. Charlton failing to score double figures in his last 3 seasons would surely be seen as a has been outstaying his welcome in a team that was struggling badly and heading to relegation. Best could hardly be forgiven for walking out on the club while still in his prime at a time when we really needed him. And despite a lack of celebration you could hardly forgive Denis Law for first moving to City and then relegating us.
 

The-Natural

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3 games in less than 7 days is too much for most 30+ footballers never mind His Chunkiness. If he starts, plays badly again, and doesn't get subbed off then I truly despair of this whole situation.
 

SteveJ

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Really wonder how legends of the past like Best, Law and Charlton would be have been viewed in the later years of their careers if Redcafe had been around at the time. Charlton failing to score double figures in his last 3 seasons would surely be seen as a has been outstaying his welcome in a team that was struggling badly and heading to relegation. Best could hardly be forgiven for walking out on the club while still in his prime at a time when we really needed him. And despite a lack of celebration you could hardly forgive Denis Law for first moving to City and then relegating us.
It's a pointless question given the cultural changes that have taken place since those days, and yet another backdoor defence of Rooney.
 

rocks13

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It's a pointless question given the cultural changes that have taken place since those days, and yet another backdoor defence of Rooney.
Hardly a defence. Just think the level of antipathy and hatred aimed at someone just because their not as good at football as they used to be seems a bit disproportionate.
 
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