How good was Wayne Rooney? [Peak]

From when he signed, to around 2012, he was immense, from then till he went had sometimes off him, I think we should have sold him the year Moyes took over, Chelsea I remember wanted him for big money?

Ronaldo Rooney, Tevez, were unstoppable, Best front 3 we've had I think. But 250 plus goals top scorer for country as well , how can you have a negative about him. I think he left himself down at times but hasn't everyone.
 
Edgar Allan Pillow said:
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!
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Hargreaves was genuinely brilliant for us...in his one season.
 
The fact that we consider him to have not achieved what he should have despite being our and England's top scorer says how highly he was rated and how good he was
 
I remember thinking in 09/10 that he was clearly the third-best player in the world, behind Messi and Ronaldo.

However, then he picked up that injury against Bayern and things started to go downhill.
 
harms said:
I think his 09/10 season is the best representation of his career. He almost convinced us that we won't be missing Ronaldo, but wasn't able to take the final step. One of the best strikers/forwards of his generation that could've been the best (Messi and Ronaldo aside).

As of that time, Ibra probably stands out, then it's the group of Agüero, Rooney, Drogba, van Persie, Falcao, Eto'O, Torres, Villa... with Rooney being one of the best of that lot.

edit: forgot about Suarez
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Worth remembering that when we had ronaldo we also had rooney who was unbelievably good then as well. Rooney was never going to replace ronaldo as he was already there in the team being brilliant.
 
That one season when he played as a center forward in 09/10? Probably best striker in the world at that time.

As a support striker, top 10.
 
adexkola said:
Only to ignorant people. Those who know, know.
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His performance in the FA Cup 2016 final was the best captain's performance since the days of Roy Keane. He took the game by the scruff of the neck when we fell behind and pushed us for the comeback. Funny how many fans underestimate his final years for us.
 
Class of 63 said:
Steady on Coleen, he was good, but not that good :nono:
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Who would you rate higher? At peak ability.

On his day during his best years, I honestly think he was a level above Scholes, Lampard, Gerrard, Shearer, Gazza etc. I can't say for sure on Charlton. The only English player who would walk into every other national team during 2006-2010.
 
very good. The 2009/10 campaign was absolutely deadly and certified world class level. shame we didn't win anything major at the end of it.
 
Yeah it's good to read that many of us regard him as good as he actually was during peak years. He was a monster of a player from 03 - 13 if you ask me. However between 06-11 he was the most valuable player in world football behind a certain two.
 
Rooney when he was on form was definitely in the Top 5 in the world in his position. The problem was that he was inconsistent and took ages to get back to form after injuries. Peak Rooney would walk into our current XI.
 
Lynty said:
Who would you rate higher? At peak ability.

On his day during his best years, I honestly think he was a level above Scholes, Lampard, Gerrard, Shearer, Gazza etc. I can't say for sure on Charlton. The only English player who would walk into every other national team during 2006-2010.
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Gazza at his peak could do things with the ball no other English player could do before or since. Best English player I ever saw play live. Rooney wasn't far behind though.
 
At one point I think he was the third best player in the world, but definitely top 5.

Let’s be honest he was loyal to united (bar one contract blip) I’d love for us to sign an English player with the longevity and talent of Rooney right now. Would probably cost 200/300m. Made up money because they don’t exist really.

Give Sancho for example. Young and English but I highly doubt he will go on to have a career as successful as Rooney. Genuinely was a once in a generation talent.

Used to love watching him and he has scored some absolute crackers for us over the time.
 
He was an incredible player. Could do everything and a reason why we did so well in Europe is because Rooney could adapt to any kind of tactics.

Strangely I think he was better when not scoring all the time but being more of a playmaker like 2011 with Chicharito.

Rooney wanted to be a CF and was pissed off when United didn't go for Ozil. Fergie saw Rooney as a 10 and wanted to see him on the half turn.

Scored a hat trick last week in MLS and was absolutely dominant last season dragging DC to the playoffs. His explosiveness is gone but quality is still there.
 
IMO his peak season without a doubt in my mind was 2009/2010. His all around game combined with the goals he scored that year were terrific. Was top 6/7 in the world that season, below Messi, Xavi, Iniesta and probably Sneijder/Ronaldo though debatable with them. But absolutely world class and the best out and out striker in world football that season (you could throw in Drogba possibly too). The injury vs Bayern fecked him (and us) over though. Was convinced in my mind we were gonna win the PL and maybe the CL too, we felt so balanced, were playing brilliant football, were about to get a great result away to Bayern.

Then he got hurt, we then conceded a sloppy last second goal, was out for some key games where we dropped key points in the run in, wasnt even half fit vs Bayern at home (yet we took a 3-0 lead anyway and then the ref fecked us over), and in the end missed out by 1 point. I'll always be convinced that if Rooney didnt hurt his ankle that year, we wouldve for sure won the title, and at the very least made the CL final, probably won it.
 
I think all sort of compliments have been said about the mans peak already.

I just wanna add, imagine what he would have been if he didnt smoke in his holidays
 
Rooney in 05/06 was absolutely devastating. That was the last we saw of the Rooney that wowed us all at Euro 2004. From 2006/07 onwards he was still a top player but he changed his game a bit.

In 05/06, he and van Nistelrooy were a great partnership and when Ruud was replaced by Saha, Rooney continued his great form which was the springboard for the exceptional football we played with Ronaldo, Giggs and Saha in 2006/07.

His goal vs Arsenal at OT still sticks in the memory. From Vidic's thunder challenge on RVP, to Silvestre pin point cross, followed by Rooney's great first touch then bang.
 
Peak Rooney was quality, one of the best in the world without a doubt, and he would always show flashes of brilliance, he could drag us back into a game we'd either be losing or hadn't got going yet. However, even at his best he was inconsistent, there were times where Rooney would go games and he was awful, that's why I don't ever think he's considered one of the greatest ever, just so inconsistent, didn't look after himself properly. But, the brilliance was there you can't ignore it. We could do with a peak Rooney now for sure.
 
His first Euro was a sight to behold. He was the best player in the tournament until the injury. Freakish.
 
He was soooo good. Underrated imo.

Peak Rooney in this current Utd side and we'd be challenging City and Liverpool for the PL- he was just such a fecking handful...

Created space for others, scored goals from everywhere, created chances for others, bullied defenders, pressed, fast on the counter.

What a fecking player.
 
To put things into perspective, Rooney scored more goals (57 in 90 games) than Arguero (52 in 87 games) between 2011/12 and 2013/14 despite him not showing his best then and not playing as a striker.

People underrate Rooney a lot in this forum.
 
When he was young, hungry and angry he was a genuinely fantastic player but he just slowly dwindled away as a footballer and the last few years with us was a pathetic shell of a player. In my minds eye I try and see Rooney as the snarling footballer berating referees but the images I see more often are of the lacklustre disinterested Rooney towards the end of his United career.
 
L1nk said:
Peak Rooney was quality, one of the best in the world without a doubt, and he would always show flashes of brilliance, he could drag us back into a game we'd either be losing or hadn't got going yet. However, even at his best he was inconsistent, there were times where Rooney would go games and he was awful, that's why I don't ever think he's considered one of the greatest ever, just so inconsistent, didn't look after himself properly. But, the brilliance was there you can't ignore it. We could do with a peak Rooney now for sure.
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Completely disagree, I think he was consistently great from his debut season right through to falling off a cliff physically. Even then, he was still quite consistent - at being poor.
 
Class.

When he played like a bear with a sore head in his early days it was a joy to watch.
 
At his best, definitely top 5 best attacking players in the world, at some pt before.

List containing Messi and teammate CR who is ahead of him. That says it all how good he is.

One of the few young players who peaked early, and long term Rooney is just that consistent goal wise.

Sure he declined approaching 30 and quickly becoming more and more awful in top league in his 30s, doesn't matter, just remember fondly his best days.
 
Watching the video of his goals in 09/10...
Ridiculous as to how many of his goals came from crosses from the right hand side.

Nani and Valencia especially
 
Lynty said:
Who would you rate higher? At peak ability.

On his day during his best years, I honestly think he was a level above Scholes, Lampard, Gerrard, Shearer, Gazza etc. I can't say for sure on Charlton. The only English player who would walk into every other national team during 2006-2010.
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He wasn't as good as Scholes. Listen to ex united players. Scholes is always the one mentioned. Him and Ronaldo.

A level above Gazza ? How on earth was Wayne Rooney a level above Gazza ? He wasn't close to Gazza.

Rooney was a great player for united but massively overrated. He was t close to Xavi, Iniesta. Kaka was better. Ronaldinho was levels above. Zlatan was better. Messi and Ronaldo were levels above. Rooney was an excellent player but never the white Pele or the third best player in the world. He was in a group behind that but hyped by English media and loved for his running around a lot.
 
Jeppers7 said:
He wasn't as good as Scholes. Listen to ex united players. Scholes is always the one mentioned. Him and Ronaldo.

A level above Gazza ? How on earth was Wayne Rooney a level above Gazza ? He wasn't close to Gazza.

Rooney was a great player for united but massively overrated. He was t close to Xavi, Iniesta. Kaka was better. Ronaldinho was levels above. Zlatan was better. Messi and Ronaldo were levels above. Rooney was an excellent player but never the white Pele or the third best player in the world. He was in a group behind that but hyped by English media and loved for his running around a lot.
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I think your massively underrating the peak Rooney personally.

I wouldn’t say he’s ever been in the top 5 players in the world. But I’d still say at peak ability he was a better overall player than Scholes and Gazza.

And that’s hard to admit from such a big Scholes fan.
 
Remember in 2009/10 when he just suddenly decided he was gonna become a profilic scorer of headers. I swear he scored something like 8 goals in a row with his head that season?
 
Gazza said:
Remember in 2009/10 when he just suddenly decided he was gonna become a profilic scorer of headers. I swear he scored something like 8 goals in a row with his head that season?
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Yeah that was incredible. He used to be a poor header of the ball, but he just decided in the off-season that he had to get better and within a season he ended up becoming one of the best headers of the ball in the league :lol:

Stupidly talented player.
 
He was wonderful. In the conversation with Ronaldo and Messi at his peak. A total force. I'm not sure there's ever been such an impressive 18 year old in football.
 
Jules_T said:
Watching the video of his goals in 09/10...
Ridiculous as to how many of his goals came from crosses from the right hand side.

Nani and Valencia especially
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back when we had natural width .its amazing how strong we were on the flanks and in set pieces deliverys. Nani, Valencia, Giggs, Evra.. all . SAF could get away without buying a CM for years because of how good it was on the wings.
 
For a short time I think he was as close to being the complete footballer as I've ever seen.

Often with Ronaldo & Messi (and generally all attacking players) the reason we remember them is for everything they do offensively. Goals, assists, skills to beat a man but these players are often awful defensively, or teams's have to accommodate them as their sole focus is on creating and scoring goals. Rooney was the one player I've seen who literally could do, and often did do, everything. A wonderful career with us but I'm left just thinking what if he'd taken a bit better care of himself and had that blind determination to become as good as he could be, I honestly think he'd be in the discussion for GOAT.
 
Rooney at his best was the best English footballer of his generation.
 
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