His peak would be a level up from any of the forward players at our club. His ability and willingness to play anywhere across the front threee, even if it meant sacrificing his individual output, was a key to our success from 06-09. His workrate and tenacity are things I'll always appreciate.
How good was Wayne Rooney? [Peak]
- Thread starter Mr.Ridiculous__
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Was my idol as a kid, honestly felt in that 2009/2010 season he was going to break into the Messi/Ronaldo conversation but it never happened (maybe I was just being a fanboy 
). Still a top player and excellent servant of the club, it was sad to see some the of the venom thrown his way during the latter years even if I understood it. My all time favourite United player.
). Still a top player and excellent servant of the club, it was sad to see some the of the venom thrown his way during the latter years even if I understood it. My all time favourite United player.He was incredible, one of the best young players I’ve seen.
I remember when he burst into international scene in Euro 2004. What he did to us in a group match wasn't human.
At his peak. Brilliant. Similar to Fabregas that he burnt out so early. Last 3,4 years he was half the player. Him, Tevez, Ronaldo were epic. I so hoped at the time we kept them together and many years from now we’d see a similar statue to the Law, Best, Charlton one. Infuriating though how it took him a good few matches to get going again
He declined in 10/11? I have to disagree, we won the league, got to CL final, Rooney scored his bicycle kick vs City, he was great. He got a few injuries so that limited his appearances. However in 2011/12 he made 43 apps scoring 34 in all comps. He actually didn't start to decline IMO until Fergie left.
Peak Rooney would be the most dominant player in the league right now. Maybe not the most productive, but he would single-handedly transform us from where we are to being challengers at the top. That's just how good he waz.
My favorite player in the 27 odd years I’ve supported the club. Pity that his decline happened at such a young age (although not surprising considering the miles he had clocked). One of those players that are like a fast burning candle- burned very bright but very quickly. At his prime he was everything I valued in a player, both in terms of ability and desire.
Rooney's greatest form has always been matched by some of his worst.
2009 - 10 for 3/4 of the season - injury vs Bayern kind of ended this run. Top 5 player in the world
2010 Absolutely horrible at the world cup, massive disappointment. (personally I don't give a toss about the WC, but it has to be said)
2010 - 11 absolutely horrible for the first 2/3s of the season, clearly did not give a toss - lost a great deal of his fan support. There was a point around Xmas that year where Rooney had just 4 goals and Bebe had three. but then he turned it around and was absolutely unplayable for the last 1/3 of the season driving us to the title and the CL final.
2009 - 10 for 3/4 of the season - injury vs Bayern kind of ended this run. Top 5 player in the world
2010 Absolutely horrible at the world cup, massive disappointment. (personally I don't give a toss about the WC, but it has to be said)
2010 - 11 absolutely horrible for the first 2/3s of the season, clearly did not give a toss - lost a great deal of his fan support. There was a point around Xmas that year where Rooney had just 4 goals and Bebe had three. but then he turned it around and was absolutely unplayable for the last 1/3 of the season driving us to the title and the CL final.
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I actually think of his peak as being before the 09-10 season, even though he didnt score as many goals.
In answer to the OP, very, very good. He was incredible.
In answer to the OP, very, very good. He was incredible.
Was always amazed at his versatility. 07/08 he played often as part of a mobile front 2 with Tevez and accommodating Ronaldo also. 08/09 he played several big games on the left wing. 09/10 he had arguably his best season playing as sole striker often, and then in 10/11 he turned back to playing as 2nd striker with Chicharito and was still one of the most productive attacking players in the world.
Does anyone remember that for that Tevez diving header in the box in the CL final vs Chelsea (saved by Cech), the cross was from Ronaldo, but the play started with about a 70 yd long ball from Rooney?
Does anyone remember that for that Tevez diving header in the box in the CL final vs Chelsea (saved by Cech), the cross was from Ronaldo, but the play started with about a 70 yd long ball from Rooney?
Those of us who saw Utd live from 06-12, will know just how good and how important he was. When he was missing, even though we would win, you always got the feeling we aren't playing at our best. It wasn't not only his talent, but the aggression and fight he bought into the team. I would take a peak Rooney over a peak Zlatan, Aguero, RVP etc because he could do all they could and then just a little bit more.
I find it hard to look back on his time here fondly due to all the feck acting in his second half of his United career.
But as for ability, he was top 3 for a brief period. What a player he was.
But as for ability, he was top 3 for a brief period. What a player he was.
One of the best players in the world then.
He was top player and one of the best despite us misusing him badly. He literally was a one man midfield linkup...which is astonishing considering we had an abysmal midfield with likes of O'Shea, Hargreaves and Anderson behind him. Carrick and ageing Scholes were the only saving grace in the middle during those times and it was Rooney doing almost all the linkup.
Then we had to shuffle him out wide for defensive duties and to accommodate Ronaldo...which again he was great at esp in 2008 with that flexible attack (probably the 2nd best attack in United history after the Trinity imo).
An all round complete forward and team player.
5th in Balon d'Or in 2011 after Messi, Crisitano and Xaviesta. Deserved that position!
United legend!
Then we had to shuffle him out wide for defensive duties and to accommodate Ronaldo...which again he was great at esp in 2008 with that flexible attack (probably the 2nd best attack in United history after the Trinity imo).
An all round complete forward and team player.
5th in Balon d'Or in 2011 after Messi, Crisitano and Xaviesta. Deserved that position!
United legend!
If you are referring to contract/transfer saga...it was bad form (but not really unjustified). Our transfers were abysmal and it was a sentiment voiced by many fans too.
A player that would have walked into any team in the world. World Class up until about the age of 28 or so and then was still better than most. I think the only thing that stopped him from staying at the top was himself - he never changed his play style which meant he was always going to burn out a bit. But even a 'burned out' Rooney is still better than most.
He also had all the power. Ronaldo and Tevez gone and he was the one remaining major front man. He knew he was needed and, like most people in any walk of life, would use it to their advantage.
I say this now, but at the time I was ready to kill.
The last 3-4 seasons tarnished his record but on his day he was up there with the best. He didn't score enough at international level at the big tournaments to justify world class, but at a lot of games he was a 9/10. I think his last great season was when robben knocked us out of Europe 2010 or 11. He slowly then later on steeply declined. He did more than enough to be called a legend, including breaking Utd and England scoring records
Steady on Coleen, he was good, but not that good
Scholes, Gerrard, Lampard okay... But in terms of English strikers that are better, only Shearer! After that Wazza is definitely #1.
My breakdown of his United career:
04/05 - 05/6: Young and swashbuckling. A force of nature at times, if a little immature and inconsistent, which was to be expected.
06/07 - 08/9: Often inconsistent in terms of his goal-scoring (he'd score in bursts before going on long runs without a goal), he functioned primarily in a supporting role to allow Ronaldo the freedom to become the best player in the world. Very valuable in this period, yet there was always that nagging feeling that he wasn't being allowed to fulfill his potential.
09/10: We got a taste of what his full potential was this season, and it was about as good as anyone else in football that year, barring the obvious two in Spain.
10/11 - 11/12: This spell began with by far his worst run of form up to this point following his injury at Bayern, a disastrous World Cup, and his transfer request. Played himself into incredible form during the 2011 run-in. The following season he started where he left off, and maintained his goal-scoring form throughout, but in the second half of 11/12 I think we begin to see the first signs of his decline - and I think Fergie also saw them. His general play began to get really sloppy, and his energy levels weren't quite the same.
12/13 - 14/15: For me this is just one long, slow stretch of decline, during which he was still a very useful forward at times, but nowhere near his former self. By the end of 14/15 it was doubtful if he was worth his place in the team at all.
15/16 - 16/17: A liability on the pitch 90% of the time.
04/05 - 05/6: Young and swashbuckling. A force of nature at times, if a little immature and inconsistent, which was to be expected.
06/07 - 08/9: Often inconsistent in terms of his goal-scoring (he'd score in bursts before going on long runs without a goal), he functioned primarily in a supporting role to allow Ronaldo the freedom to become the best player in the world. Very valuable in this period, yet there was always that nagging feeling that he wasn't being allowed to fulfill his potential.
09/10: We got a taste of what his full potential was this season, and it was about as good as anyone else in football that year, barring the obvious two in Spain.
10/11 - 11/12: This spell began with by far his worst run of form up to this point following his injury at Bayern, a disastrous World Cup, and his transfer request. Played himself into incredible form during the 2011 run-in. The following season he started where he left off, and maintained his goal-scoring form throughout, but in the second half of 11/12 I think we begin to see the first signs of his decline - and I think Fergie also saw them. His general play began to get really sloppy, and his energy levels weren't quite the same.
12/13 - 14/15: For me this is just one long, slow stretch of decline, during which he was still a very useful forward at times, but nowhere near his former self. By the end of 14/15 it was doubtful if he was worth his place in the team at all.
15/16 - 16/17: A liability on the pitch 90% of the time.
One of our best players, ever.
He was everything I ever wanted out of a footballer. Until he got fat and couldn’t trap a ball
He was horrendous before the new year, I remember. That hatrick away to West Ham was when he truly took off. Even during that game vs City at Old Trafford, he was bang average before the wonder goal.
Yes he was poor tbh but he wasn't fully recovered from the injury, but he gave us some great moments after the new year. The winning goal in CL 1/4 final at Stamford bridge 1st leg (0-1), obviously the bicycle goal and the winning penalty at Blackburn to win us our 19th league title, the hattrick at west ham that got him fined for swearing at the camera, to name just a few moments. Turned out to be a very good season in the end for him. His best seasons in terms of numbers though was obviously 09/10-11/12, shame we didn't win PL in those years narrowly missing out by 1 point and then goal difference to the Emptihad
.09/10 was his best season by some distance, and the only one in which it could be reasonably claimed that he was the 3rd best player in the world behind Messi and Ronaldo (debatable, but he'd certainly be in the conversation).
Most other seasons between 2007-2012 he was generally very good, but suffered from inconsistency with regards to his overall performance. However this was often covered by goals, especially between around 2011-2013.
Never understand it when people claim that early Rooney (around 2004-2006) was his best period. He was frequently frustrating during this stretch, as you'd expect from even the world's best youngsters, and his all-round game hadn't developed to anywhere near the standard that he set in later years. Sure, the doggedness and sheer determination was great to watch it times, but it wasn't nearly as effective.
Most other seasons between 2007-2012 he was generally very good, but suffered from inconsistency with regards to his overall performance. However this was often covered by goals, especially between around 2011-2013.
Never understand it when people claim that early Rooney (around 2004-2006) was his best period. He was frequently frustrating during this stretch, as you'd expect from even the world's best youngsters, and his all-round game hadn't developed to anywhere near the standard that he set in later years. Sure, the doggedness and sheer determination was great to watch it times, but it wasn't nearly as effective.
To be honest I preferred the younger Rooney compared to the 09/10 one, he was capable of moments of absolute magic in his younger years and his all round link-up and build-up play was top notch. I felt like he was absolutely world class at a young age, and slowly deterioated as he got older.
Yeah. Fecking Bayern
That injury was basically the end of the dynamic, all action Wayne Rooney. At the start of that season he'd matured into a smarter player but retained his edge, so that was the only time we really got to see his 'peak'.
This summary is pretty much perfect, take a bow son!
He was a fecking beast. The only problem was that when he was at his most beastly, we had Ronaldo and Tevev being beastier?
Rooney was always better for us than Tevez was.
Till he was 23, I was sure that him and Ronaldo will win the ballin dor some day. As I said to a fiend of mine when they were very young "they are the future of European football, we will be discussing about them a lot". He laughed at me and told me about Messi and ... Reyes, because he was a Spanish football fan, a Real Madrid fan.
Then they bought Ronaldo, he shut his mouth forever.
I mean... we tend to say things about our team's players that are almost fictional. But Rooney's career started with signs of one of the biggest players to ever play this game. And yes, in the end, Manchester United's top goalscorer is one of them.
One of the best ever
Then they bought Ronaldo, he shut his mouth forever.
I mean... we tend to say things about our team's players that are almost fictional. But Rooney's career started with signs of one of the biggest players to ever play this game. And yes, in the end, Manchester United's top goalscorer is one of them.
One of the best ever
Second best player we had in a while.
Would only put Ronaldo ahead.
Others might say De Gea but i generally dont rate goalkeepers as high as forwards.
Would only put Ronaldo ahead.
Others might say De Gea but i generally dont rate goalkeepers as high as forwards.
This is true. Tevez had a very good first season, but people seem to forget that he was mostly awful in his second (I believe he only scored 5 league goals?) And he still got plenty of opportunities, contrary to popular belief that he was always being benched for Berbatov.
Agreed. Good first season but behaved like a pr*ck in his second and was poor outside of cup competitions.
Those weren’t really because of Rooney though, were they? He scored what, 16 goals that year? He had his whole contract dispute, issues with his private life plus injuries in 2011 so I guess it’s to be expected, but his general game wasn’t quite as sharp. After that, even though he scored 34 goals the next season, to my mind he never really got back to where he was - he just wasn’t the same player. Then his numbers got worse and he just got more static with each passing year.
He was an excellent player and very versatile with a good footballing brain. I wondered at times if he was too versatile for his own good.