Rooney

[ooeat0meoo]

Berbatov should be the focal point with Rooney playing just off him...i like most at the time when we signed Berbatov assumed thats what the plan was...Berbatov is a big lad with a great touch so is more than capable of holding the ball up and allowing play to develop off him....for some reason we play them the other way round....

Spot on, this...


Berbatov had been the amazing target signing because when he had been given the point position at Spurs he got the ball in the net. Because Fergie refuses to give the weight of the scoring to anyone but Rooney, this is how the story will unfold..."Berbatov just didn't fit with the squad.. blah, blah, blah."


Rooney has always been an on-again-off-again scoring forward. When he isn't getting the ball in the net, he usually improves with his crossing and overall support.

I would not have any issue with Fergie not purchasing any more players in the winter transfer window if he would just sort this situation out.

 

[Feed Me]

Spot on, this...


Berbatov had been the amazing target signing because when he had been given the point position at Spurs he got the ball in the net. Because Fergie refuses to give the weight of the scoring to anyone but Rooney, this is how the story will unfold..."Berbatov just didn't fit with the squad.. blah, blah, blah."


Rooney has always been an on-again-off-again scoring forward. When he isn't getting the ball in the net, he usually improves with his crossing and overall support.

I would not have any issue with Fergie not purchasing any more players in the winter transfer window if he would just sort this situation out.

The Berbatov-Rooney partnership has barely had any time to allow for a link to be forged. They play like strangers to each other on the field. They need to start playing closer together. A striking partnership only gets better through playing games.

Anelka and Drogba were once talked about as incompatible and now it is commonly asserted that they're a great pair. That transformation didn't happen with Anelka sat on the bench.

 

[Ekeke]

The Berbatov-Rooney partnership has barely had any time to allow for a link to be forged. They play like strangers to each other on the field. They need to start playing closer together. A striking partnership only gets better through playing games.

Anelka and Drogba were once talked about as incompatible and now it is commonly asserted that they're a great pair. That transformation didn't happen with Anelka sat on the bench.

No, he was playing left wing. Then on the bench. Then when Drogba was falling out with the manager, injured or just plain not performing Anelka came into the side instead of him and found some form. And then finally they worked out how to play next to each other in a 2.

Rooney and Berbatov had loads of time to get on the same wavelenth last season.

 

[Feed Me]

No, he was playing left wing. Then on the bench. Then when Drogba was falling out with the manager, injured or just plain not performing Anelka came into the side instead of him and found some form. And then finally they worked out how to play next to each other in a 2.

Rooney and Berbatov had loads of time to get on the same wavelenth last season.

So, what you're saying is that the Drogba and Anelka partnershop really started to blossom when they were both fit and in the side?

Mmm.

 

[Brwned]

It started to blossom when a different manager came in with different ideas.

That was the single biggest factor.

 

[Feed Me]

It started to blossom when a different manager came in with different ideas.

That was the single biggest factor.

Yeah, because before that Drogba was unmotivated, unfit and generally in dire form. The big issue though is that once they were both settled down and put in the side together, the pairing started to look promising.

I'm not saying Rooney-Berbatov is the same, but there are some parallels. Primarily that, in order to see whether they can have success as a partnership, they have to be paired together for a consistent run.

 

[AttackingFlair]

Manchester United's Wayne Rooney Is The Most Physical Opponent - Aston Villa Defender Carlos Cuellar
Roo's rough, says Villan...

Aston Villa defender Carlos Cuellar believes that Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney is the most physical player in the Premier League.

The Spaniard had a tough time tussling with Rooney during Villa's 1-0 victory at Old Trafford, but came out on top against the England international and consequently insists that he has no trouble with the physical nature of the game in the top-flight.

"I've suffered most playing against him," Cuellar said in an interview with El Pais.

"He is deceiving because he has the image of being whole-hearted. It can make him appear clumsy. Far from it!"

Despite singling out the former Everton hitman for his robust approach to the game, the 28-year-old reckons that it is something that one has to be prepared for while playing in England.

He added: "This is not like Spain.

"Here no-one looks at you and gives you tickles like an old dog."

Interesting. They say how Cuellar came out on top, fair enough it ended 1-0 but if he converted that shot instead of hitting the bar I think it would've been different. I'm pretty sure that touch and shot was against Cuellar as well.

 

[Berlinknives]

Interesting. They say how Cuellar came out on top, fair enough it ended 1-0 but if he converted that shot instead of hitting the bar I think it would've been different. I'm pretty sure that touch and shot was against Cuellar as well.

Nemanja Vidic says it's Kenwyn Jones.

 

[buckooo1978]

The Berbatov-Rooney partnership has barely had any time to allow for a link to be forged. They play like strangers to each other on the field. They need to start playing closer together. A striking partnership only gets better through playing games.

Anelka and Drogba were once talked about as incompatible and now it is commonly asserted that they're a great pair. That transformation didn't happen with Anelka sat on the bench.

not sure about this....

they have played together for 18 months and, injuries aside, that includes a lot of playing time

watching the premiership years at the minute and the way not only yorke/cole but sheringham and solskjaer linked up was excellent - some of the goals leave you drooling

in the last 18 months its hard to think of 2 many times the pair have linked up effectively - its no coincidence that in the last 18 months our attack has looked stagnant, less productive and at times very predictable

with both of them prefering to play deep it makes you wonder if it will ever work - the same happened last season and with rooney/tevez the year before with the difference being ronaldo being there to score the goals

the best we've played in the last 5 years from an attacking point of view was probably when we had rooney and saha in the side and we had a genuine pacey targetman who could finish

think that could be a missing piece in the current puzzle

 

[Allforone]

Nemanja Vidic says it's Kenwyn Jones.

And Rio Ferdinand says its Adebayor....ask 10 different centre halfs and youll get 10 different responses.

 

[Berlinknives]

And Rio Ferdinand says its Adebayor....ask 10 different centre halfs and youll get 10 different responses.

If you want 10 different responses you could simply ask Rio again

Ferdinand reveals toughest opponents - Manchester United - Football - Sport - Manchester Evening News

 

[Allforone]

I dont see how anyone can say the Rooney/Berbatov partnership has been given time and ultimatly failed when its cleary not the case......last season Berbatov played a much deeper creative/link role in the side that later Sir Alex admitted was probably not the best way to use him but the point here being he wasnt used as a centre forward much at all last season....add to that Wayne was consistently put out on the left flank to accomdate Ronaldos presence especially in europe....i think its fair to say the Berbatov/Rooney 'partnershp' was hardly ever given an oppurtunity last season whatsoever...

This season its been much the same allbeit under different circumstances...Berbatovs found himself in and out the team on an almost weekly basis which hasnt helped any potential partnership at all as well as the fact hes recently missed 6 weeks through a knee injury and since recovering has found himself largely a bench option again...quite oddly in my opinion....Rooney has probably played up top alone as many times as hes had Berbatov his partner this season which again poors scorn on those who say the partnership has had time to flourish and simply failed.....it clearly hasnt for one reason or another so it would be futile to claim they dont work as a pair or have had ample opportunity and simply failed to click.

The fact is the partnership hasnt really ever been given a long week in week out run to really see how it could work....either injury or system selection hasnt given it much chance this year and last season as stated Berbatov was used far to deep and Rooney mainly wide left....id like to see Rooney and Berbatov given a good long run of games together and judge them over an extended period as a partnership.....sadly im unsure as to whether we will ever see this as Berbatov seems to be regulaly benched for some reason...no partnership has ever really been given time to develop between the two sadly and recent team selections show no indication of that changing.

 

[Ekeke]

So, what you're saying is that the Drogba and Anelka partnershop really started to blossom when they were both fit and in the side?

Mmm.

It started to blossom when Anelka had already made his mark at the club, without an in-form Drogba blocking his way by being the clear favourite and the player always picked to play through the middle while Anelka had to happy with a wide berth.

While Drogba was unconvincing, Anelka took his chance.

The equivalent for us would be something like Berbatov coming into the side right now, at a time when Rooney isnt on his game, and going on a scoring run whereby its then impossible to leave him out of the side.

 

[buckooo1978]

I dont see how anyone can say the Rooney/Berbatov partnership has been given time and ultimatly failed when its cleary not the case......last season Berbatov played a much deeper creative/link role in the side that later Sir Alex admitted was probably not the best way to use him but the point here being he wasnt used as a centre forward much at all last season....add to that Wayne was consistently put out on the left flank to accomdate Ronaldos presence especially in europe....i think its fair to say the Berbatov/Rooney 'partnershp' was hardly ever given an oppurtunity last season whatsoever...

This season its been much the same allbeit under different circumstances...Berbatovs found himself in and out the team on an almost weekly basis which hasnt helped any potential partnership at all as well as the fact hes recently missed 6 weeks through a knee injury and since recovering has found himself largely a bench option again...quite oddly in my opinion....Rooney has probably played up top alone as many times as hes had Berbatov his partner this season which again poors scorn on those who say the partnership has had time to flourish and simply failed.....it clearly hasnt for one reason or another so it would be futile to claim they dont work as a pair or have had ample opportunity and simply failed to click.

The fact is the partnership hasnt really ever been given a long week in week out run to really see how it could work....either injury or system selection hasnt given it much chance this year and last season as stated Berbatov was used far to deep and Rooney mainly wide left....id like to see Rooney and Berbatov given a good long run of games together and judge them over an extended period as a partnership.....sadly im unsure as to whether we will ever see this as Berbatov seems to be regulaly benched for some reason...no partnership has ever really been given time to develop between the two sadly and recent team selections show no indication of that changing.

so what constitutes sufficient time playing together to forge a partnership?

does anyone actually know how many games they've played together?

were we hasty in getting rid of veron then?? it has been 18 months and despite injury they have played together a hell of a lot

IMO the chemistry isn't right up front - its clear to see - 2 supremely talented players but with hindsight berbatov looks like he may have been the wrong kind of striker to purchase - we got away with it when we had a steady stream of goals (ronaldo) but take that away and you need more - both players are at their best in a free role, playing slightly deep

 

[Allforone]

so what constitutes sufficient time playing together to forge a partnership?

does anyone actually know how many games they've played together?

were we hasty in getting rid of veron then?? it has been 18 months and despite injury they have played together a hell of a lot

IMO the chemistry isn't right up front - its clear to see - 2 supremely talented players but with hindsight berbatov looks like he may have been the wrong kind of striker to purchase - we got away with it when we had a steady stream of goals (ronaldo) but take that away and you need more - both players are at their best in a free role, playing slightly deep

Im not saying their an ideal partnership nor am i saying if given time theyll be so...what i am saying is i dont think theyve played together as a partnership enough to really give a conclusive judgment one way or another on whether they can be a success together....only time and games can do that....and as i said unfortunatly i dont see them getting it.

 

[buckooo1978]

Im not saying their an ideal partnership nor am i saying if given time theyll be so...what i am saying is i dont think theyve played together as a partnership enough to really give a conclusive judgment one way or another on whether they can be a success together....only time and games can do that....and as i said unfortunatly i dont see them getting it.

well hopefully a run of fitness for both of them until the end of the season

thats the time to make decisions about the future anyway

 

[Ekeke]

Im not saying their an ideal partnership nor am i saying if given time theyll be so...what i am saying is i dont think theyve played together as a partnership enough to really give a conclusive judgment one way or another on whether they can be a success together....only time and games can do that....and as i said unfortunatly i dont see them getting it.

They've played together more than Tevez and Rooney ever did. Didnt stop us coming to a conclusion on that one after 1 season, or at the very least after a second season where they barely played any games up front together.

 

[AttackingFlair]

Berbatov should be asked to play between the two centre backs, hold the ball up and stay the furthest forward.

Unfortunately, this won't happen.

 

[Allforone]

They've played together more than Tevez and Rooney ever did. Didnt stop us coming to a conclusion on that one after 1 season, or at the very least after a second season where they barely played any games up front together.

I strongly doubt that...Tevez and Rooney were our first choice strike pairing for the entire 07/08 season....Berbatov hasnt partnered Rooney in relative terms even half as much...i think your confusing being on the same team sheet and being used as a strike partnership...very different things....as i sad last season they were often in the same team but hardly ever played as a front two...if at all....Rooney largely wide left with Berbatov played ridiculously deep...

 

[Ekeke]

I strongly doubt that...Tevez and Rooney were our first choice strike pairing for the entire 07/08 season....Berbatov hasnt partnered Rooney in relative terms even half as much...i think your confusing being on the same team sheet and being used as a strike partnership...very different things....as i sad last season they were often in the same team but hardly ever played as a front two...if at all....Rooney largely wide left with Berbatov played ridiculously deep...

Tevez had Giggs for a partner at the beginning of the season as our strikers struggled with injury. Rooney spent most of the season struggling to get his best form with his injury troubles. And then last season Tevez and Rooney started something ridiculous, like 4 or 5 games together up front. For some reason they were kept away from each other, unless we were in trouble and threw Ronaldo, Rooney, Tevez and Berbatov all on.

 

[Allforone]

Tevez had Giggs for a partner at the beginning of the season as our strikers struggled with injury. Rooney spent most of the season struggling to get his best form with his injury troubles. And then last season Tevez and Rooney started something ridiculous, like 4 or 5 games together up front. For some reason they were kept away from each other, unless we were in trouble and threw Ronaldo, Rooney, Tevez and Berbatov all on.

I still very much doubt Rooney and Berbatov have played as a partnership more often than Tevez and Rooney Ekeke...dunno if you or anyone else has the actual stats on this it would be interesting to see....Berbatov and Rooney have very rarely played as an orthentic strike duo..

 

[Ekeke]

I still very much doubt Rooney and Berbatov have played as a partnership more often than Tevez and Rooney Ekeke...dunno if you or anyone else has the actual stats on this it would be interesting to see....Berbatov and Rooney have very rarely played as an orthentic strike duo..

I'm gonna go through it in a bit, when I can be bothered. But I only have the league and champions league matches... chances are there might be some FA cup and CC games together as well for both BerbaRooney and RoonTevez.

 

[Allforone]

I'm gonna go through it in a bit, when I can be bothered. But I only have the league and champions league matches... chances are there might be some FA cup and CC games together as well for both BerbaRooney and RoonTevez.

But remember being on the same team sheet dosnt automatically mean they played as a front two...Berbatov by our managers own ommision played almost every game he was selected for last season far deeper than striker...he was almost a midfield playmaker he played that deep....i think thats where some of the confusion lies....if you take that as given then Berbatovs only really had a decent run right up top alongside Rooney since the start of this season...a season hes spent a lot of time on the bench especially recently and 6 weeks out injured to boot.....

 

[Pogue Mahone]

feck it, I really really wanted to keep out of the pointless Berba-debates of the last few weeks but it's ridiculous the way some of you cnuts are already writing obituaries for a player who's barely started his second season at the club.

As has been repeatedly pointed out, he was one of our best players in the first month or so of the season - his crucial second at his new club - right up until he knackered his knee against Blackburn, which seemed to develop into an ongoing niggle runtil it eventually needed a recent operation. In our opening games he was scoring goals, playing in a more advanced position and generally looking a lot more like the striker that played for Spurs. Since the injury SAF has obviously decided eased him back into the side fairly gently and all we've really seen in recent weeks is a few cameos here and there, followed by a single poor performance against Wolves in his first full game after the operation. A game where the whole team was out of sorts, not least his striker partner - the subject of his thread. Even in that Wolves game Berbatov still managed to create a goal with a quality bit of individual play, something we've been lacking at times this season.

Despite all this, we've got people so fecking eager to write off his United career they're already talking about him as though he's already been sold. Here's a thought. How about witholding judgement on this season until he's had a decent run of games regained some match fitness/sharpness and had a chance to build on the early season form? Is that too much to ask?

Obviously it is, so I'm gonna put my head back down behind the parapet again until he's actually played enough football for me to decide whether or not his second season really is the disaster that so many people have already decided it is. Ciao.

 

[Amir]

Thank you, Pogue. I agree with every word.

 

[Ekeke]

I still very much doubt Rooney and Berbatov have played as a partnership more often than Tevez and Rooney Ekeke...dunno if you or anyone else has the actual stats on this it would be interesting to see....Berbatov and Rooney have very rarely played as an orthentic strike duo..

Firstly to qualify this info, it consists of premier league starts between the partnerships we're interested in. It also has champions league starts and world club championship starts and community shield starts. This is the information I have available.

If anyone has the data for carling cup and F.A cup matches that would be very useful too as I'm sure we've had a few matches where Rooney and Tevez or Rooney and Berbatov have played together. Not loads though as it would tend to be one of the 'senior' strikers paired with a less familliar partner in those matches.

Rooney + Tevez in 07/08

Chelsea home
Birmingham away

Wigan home
Villa away
Dynamo Kyiv away
Boro home
Arsenal away
Dynamo Kyiv home
Fulham home
Derby home

Liverpool away
Everton home

Newcastle home
Reading away

Spurs away


Newcastle away





Villa home

Boro away


Blackburn away
Barcelona away - Rooney played wide right in our 0 - 0 draw?

Wigan away

Chelsea champs league final


21 matches together + 1 match where I believe Rooney played on the right of midfield against Barcelona to help earn our 0-0 draw. The biggest run of matches together was 8 near the beginning of the season. And the spaces represent games that went by with Rooney starting, but with Tevez not as his partner. As the season went on, more and bigger gaps start to appear.

====

Striker partnerships in 08/09 :

Portsmouth away = Tevez+Rooney
Liverpool away = Tevez+Berbatov with Rooney wide.
Villarreal home = Tevez+Rooney
Chelsea away = Berbatov+Rooney
Bolton home = Tevez+Berbatov
Aalborg away = Berbatov+Rooney
Blackburn away = Berbatov+Rooney
West Brom home = Berbatov+Rooney
Celtic home = Berbatov+Rooney
Everton away = Berbatov+Rooney
West Ham home = Tevez+Berbatov
Hull home = Berbatov+Rooney
Celtic away = Ronaldo+Tevez
Arsenal away = Berbatov+Rooney
Villa away = Tevez+Rooney
Villarreal away = Ronaldo+Rooney
Man City away = Berbatov+Rooney
Sunderland home = Berbatov+Rooney
Aalborg home = Tevez+Rooney
Gamba Osaka = Ronaldo+Tevez
LDU Quito = Tevez+Rooney
Stoke away = Tevez+Rooney
Boro home = Berbatov+Rooney
Chelsea home = Berbatov+Rooney
Wigan home = Berbatov+Rooney
Fulham home = Tevez+Berbatov
Blackburn home = Berbatov+Rooney
Inter away = Ronaldo+Berbatov
Newcastle away = Berbatov+Rooney
Inter home = Berbatov+Rooney
Liverpool home = Tevez+Rooney
Fulham away = Ronaldo+Berbatov
Porto home = Ronaldo+Rooney
Sunderland away = Tevez+Berbatov with Rooney wide
Porto away = Berbatov+Rooney
Portsmouth home = Ronaldo+Rooney
Spurs home = Berbatov+Rooney
Arsenal home = Tevez+Rooney
Boro away = Berbatov+Macheda with Rooney wide
Arsenal away = Rooney+Ronaldo+Park front 3
Man City home = Tevez+Berbatov
Wigan away = Berbatov+Rooney
Arsenal home = Tevez+Rooney
Barcelona = Ronaldo+Giggs with Rooney wide


Thats :

19 starts for Rooney and Berbatov
9 starts for Rooney and Tevez
6 starts for Berbatov and Tevez
10 starts with another combination


So by now Tevez and Rooney have had 30 matches as a partnership before Tevez left this summer.

Berbatov and Rooney have had the 19 from 08/09


---
Berbatov and Rooney's starts together in 09/10

Chelsea (cs)
Birmingham home

Wigan away

Spurs away

Man city home
Stoke away

sunderland home
Liverpool away
Blackburn home

9 starts together so far this season. And Berbatov's biggest run of matches next to Rooney is 5 near the beginning of last season. Tevez's was 8 but I think he profited there from the fact that our next choice striker, Saha, was constantly injured. With Tevez fit last season and the likes of Welbeck and Macheda breaking through I'm not sure he was ever going to get 8 on the bounce.

So, without info from the F.A cup and league cup, which I hope someone can point me in the right direction of :

Tevez and Rooney had 30 matches starting together.
Berbatov and Rooney have had 28 matches starting together.

Almost the same by this point. And yes Berbatov is playing further forward this season, but so did Tevez last season. In his first season at United, and now in his time post United, he played/plays as a second striker. Last season, for whatever reason, when he was played he was leading the line.

So if you feel Rooney and Berbatov havent played enough together up front so far, then I hope you felt the same way about Tevez and Rooney. Because we're talking about a similar amount of time here. It looks as though Tevez is shading it at the moment (F.A cup and league cup starts could change that, but I doubt it) but at the same time, I doubt you're going to give Berbatov and Rooney 2 more matches and then decide they've had enough time.

 

[buckooo1978]

i salute you ekeke for obviously busting your chops with the stats

 

[AttackingFlair]

I could've sworn Rooney was on the wing vs Inter

 

[FlawlessThaw]

I could've sworn Rooney was on the wing vs Inter

Not away, he only came on for about 5 minutes.

 

[AttackingFlair]

Was talking about home, his assist came from the left anyway

 

[Ekeke]

Was talking about home, his assist came from the left anyway

A lot of his assists last season did. Peel left, cross the ball in. Thats generally how he creates goals when he's leading the line as, obviously, its not often that there's someone in front of him to play through on goal. At least nowhere near as often as used to be the case when he played deeper.

 

[RedDevilCanuck]

Rooney is the only player getting his ass in the box. So many times this season I have seen Valencia and Evra beat their man and put in a cross (some good crosses, some shite) only to have one target who is short and doesn't posses Ronaldo like hops.

Berbatov needs to get in the box more. This is what Owen does. ALthough Owen can go missing at times, he is always looking for that sneaking run into the box. This is how you score goals. Fancy flicks outside the box are great for buildup play and creating but barely score from crosses these days.

United in the 90's and even in the Ronaldo days had multiple players in the box looking to get on the end of crosses. Hell, even Paul Scholes has scored a bunch of headers from crosses back in the day and he is what 5 foot 6?

Carrick and Anderson need to get in the box aswell. Fletcher is our best midfielder at this but he is not enough.

 

[Allforone]

Firstly to qualify this info, it consists of premier league starts between the partnerships we're interested in. It also has champions league starts and world club championship starts and community shield starts. This is the information I have available.

If anyone has the data for carling cup and F.A cup matches that would be very useful too as I'm sure we've had a few matches where Rooney and Tevez or Rooney and Berbatov have played together. Not loads though as it would tend to be one of the 'senior' strikers paired with a less familliar partner in those matches.

Rooney + Tevez in 07/08

Chelsea home
Birmingham away

Wigan home
Villa away
Dynamo Kyiv away
Boro home
Arsenal away
Dynamo Kyiv home
Fulham home
Derby home

Liverpool away
Everton home

Newcastle home
Reading away

Spurs away


Newcastle away





Villa home

Boro away


Blackburn away
Barcelona away - Rooney played wide right in our 0 - 0 draw?

Wigan away

Chelsea champs league final


21 matches together + 1 match where I believe Rooney played on the right of midfield against Barcelona to help earn our 0-0 draw. The biggest run of matches together was 8 near the beginning of the season. And the spaces represent games that went by with Rooney starting, but with Tevez not as his partner. As the season went on, more and bigger gaps start to appear.

====

Striker partnerships in 08/09 :

Portsmouth away = Tevez+Rooney
Liverpool away = Tevez+Berbatov with Rooney wide.
Villarreal home = Tevez+Rooney
Chelsea away = Berbatov+Rooney
Bolton home = Tevez+Berbatov
Aalborg away = Berbatov+Rooney
Blackburn away = Berbatov+Rooney
West Brom home = Berbatov+Rooney
Celtic home = Berbatov+Rooney
Everton away = Berbatov+Rooney
West Ham home = Tevez+Berbatov
Hull home = Berbatov+Rooney
Celtic away = Ronaldo+Tevez
Arsenal away = Berbatov+Rooney
Villa away = Tevez+Rooney
Villarreal away = Ronaldo+Rooney
Man City away = Berbatov+Rooney
Sunderland home = Berbatov+Rooney
Aalborg home = Tevez+Rooney
Gamba Osaka = Ronaldo+Tevez
LDU Quito = Tevez+Rooney
Stoke away = Tevez+Rooney
Boro home = Berbatov+Rooney
Chelsea home = Berbatov+Rooney
Wigan home = Berbatov+Rooney
Fulham home = Tevez+Berbatov
Blackburn home = Berbatov+Rooney
Inter away = Ronaldo+Berbatov
Newcastle away = Berbatov+Rooney
Inter home = Berbatov+Rooney
Liverpool home = Tevez+Rooney
Fulham away = Ronaldo+Berbatov
Porto home = Ronaldo+Rooney
Sunderland away = Tevez+Berbatov with Rooney wide
Porto away = Berbatov+Rooney
Portsmouth home = Ronaldo+Rooney
Spurs home = Berbatov+Rooney
Arsenal home = Tevez+Rooney
Boro away = Berbatov+Macheda with Rooney wide
Arsenal away = Rooney+Ronaldo+Park front 3
Man City home = Tevez+Berbatov
Wigan away = Berbatov+Rooney
Arsenal home = Tevez+Rooney
Barcelona = Ronaldo+Giggs with Rooney wide


Thats :

19 starts for Rooney and Berbatov
9 starts for Rooney and Tevez
6 starts for Berbatov and Tevez
10 starts with another combination


So by now Tevez and Rooney have had 30 matches as a partnership before Tevez left this summer.

Berbatov and Rooney have had the 19 from 08/09


---
Berbatov and Rooney's starts together in 09/10

Chelsea (cs)
Birmingham home

Wigan away

Spurs away

Man city home
Stoke away

sunderland home
Liverpool away
Blackburn home

9 starts together so far this season. And Berbatov's biggest run of matches next to Rooney is 5 near the beginning of last season. Tevez's was 8 but I think he profited there from the fact that our next choice striker, Saha, was constantly injured. With Tevez fit last season and the likes of Welbeck and Macheda breaking through I'm not sure he was ever going to get 8 on the bounce.

So, without info from the F.A cup and league cup, which I hope someone can point me in the right direction of :

Tevez and Rooney had 30 matches starting together.
Berbatov and Rooney have had 28 matches starting together.

Almost the same by this point. And yes Berbatov is playing further forward this season, but so did Tevez last season. In his first season at United, and now in his time post United, he played/plays as a second striker. Last season, for whatever reason, when he was played he was leading the line.

So if you feel Rooney and Berbatov havent played enough together up front so far, then I hope you felt the same way about Tevez and Rooney. Because we're talking about a similar amount of time here. It looks as though Tevez is shading it at the moment (F.A cup and league cup starts could change that, but I doubt it) but at the same time, I doubt you're going to give Berbatov and Rooney 2 more matches and then decide they've had enough time.

Thanks for finding those stats mate very interesting reading....so technically i was correct when i said Rooney and Berbatov havnt partnered each other as many or on more occasions than Rooney and Tevez have which was my initial point... in all seriousness however as you rightly say the comparisons are very close surprisingly close....

 

[Ekeke]

Thanks for finding those stats mate very interesting reading....so technically i was correct when i said Rooney and Berbatov havnt partnered each other as many or on more occasions than Rooney and Tevez have which was my initial point... in all seriousness however as you rightly say the comparisons are very close surprisingly close....

Yep I was wrong, I got just slightly ahead of myself. 2 matches out, damn!

 

[Rahul]

Man Utd striker Wayne Rooney: "It was my mistake for the goal and I don't think the manager would have been too happy if we hadn't gone on to win. It was a horrible feeling to let the lads down. I don't think it's happened to me before. I think it's a mad league - a lot of teams are dropping points and it's really close. Hopefully we can be more consistent in the second half of the season."

Good lad. Took full responsibility for it.

Played alot better after making that mistake as well. Lit a real fire up the backside that wasn't shown with the usual agression he normally shows, but with class.

 

[Feed Me]

Rooney did well today. Pity he had to make the game more intriguing than it need have been.

Sorry, but I've been asking that he stops fecking around in our half for ages. It was shit from Rooney in the build up to their goal.

 

[Anderson Searl]

Easy to take responsibility for a mistake when you win and are the reason.

Very encouraging bounceback from him in this one

 

[mariachi-19]

Rooney did well today. Pity he had to make the game more intriguing than it need have been.

Sorry, but I've been asking that he stops fecking around in our half for ages. It was shit from Rooney in the build up to their goal.

Rooney did well after his feck up. Doesnt excuse a piss poor start. Never seen him give the ball away so cheaply and needlessly.

 

[olesmyhero]

He played awful the first half. Ended up getting a goal, an assist, and passed it to Dawson for the own goal(if that counts as an assist). Wayne Rooney.

 

[Godfather]

As long as he is that effective I dont care whether his overall performance is shit.
Didnt get too much service from CM and from the wings today, but of course he gave the ball away too often.