Agendas are back on the agenda!
Wayne Rooney, The Midfield General? Mourinho Says No.
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik (@Rood) was joined by comedian Ali Woods to look back at the best and worst moments of a rollercoaster season with the annual United Hour Awards.
Has Ten Hag been sacked yet? We're not sure and we hope not, but it's looking more likely as the days pass.
Who should replace him and why is it taking so long to make a decision?
You tell 'em, Arty.
Do some people WANT Mourinho to fail at United?
Cause that's what will happen if he continues to play a striker in center midfield every week. I can't believe most people's "preferred starting XI's" have Rooney in CM. Do people seriously believe he's a better CM than the likes of Schneiderlin, Herrera and Schweinsteiger? Hell, I wouldn't even start him there over Fellaini. We get overrun when we play this guy there. He's only got one trick up his sleeve and that's the Hollywood Ball to the wing.
He's officially our Stevie G. We can't get rid of him.
Last season, LVG sold all our top strikers to play Rooney up front. RVP, Chicharito and Falcao were all shown the door and LVG put his faith in Rooney to score all his goals. Most of our fans were begging for it the season before but I always knew it was a terrible idea. And it's deja vu all over again. We're gonna sell Morgan, Herrera and Bastian so we can rely on this fraud who couldn't even beat Iceland.
I seriously fear for Mourinho's run here if that's what's gonna happen.
Cause that's what will happen if he continues to play a striker in center midfield every week. I can't believe most people's "preferred starting XI's" have Rooney in CM. Do people seriously believe he's a better CM than the likes of Schneiderlin, Herrera and Schweinsteiger? Hell, I wouldn't even start him there over Fellaini. We get overrun when we play this guy there. He's only got one trick up his sleeve and that's the Hollywood Ball to the wing.
He's officially our Stevie G. We can't get rid of him.
Last season, LVG sold all our top strikers to play Rooney up front. RVP, Chicharito and Falcao were all shown the door and LVG put his faith in Rooney to score all his goals. Most of our fans were begging for it the season before but I always knew it was a terrible idea. And it's deja vu all over again. We're gonna sell Morgan, Herrera and Bastian so we can rely on this fraud who couldn't even beat Iceland.
I seriously fear for Mourinho's run here if that's what's gonna happen.
Go read all the posts on here again. People are usually his critics have agreed that he performed a lot better in the first two games. You say that they still found a way to say "it was only Wales/Russia" and "he was given too much room". Well guess fecking what? It's because those statements hold a lot of truth? History has shown that in any high pressure or pressing situation, Rooney falters, as he did against Iceland. And don't come out and say Wales have just beaten Belgium and therefor his critics should not be getting on his case for his performance against said Wales. That's just fecking illogical using any team's performance against yet another to defend him.
Lastly, people focus on the what? They have already stated that Rooney was good against Russia and Wales. But is it wrong for them to make those arguments with a caveat? Has Rooney not shown time and time again that he crumbles when pressed in any form or fashion? Has he not shown himself to be one dimensional in his passing? Has he not shown himself to have consistently poor ball control?
Mind you we aren't talking about a Player who has been jumped on for having one bad game among a consistent stretch of impressive performances that he really should be turning in. We're talking about a player who has been consistently poor or average for the majority of 3 seasons, who gets a free pass at almost everything and is nigh undroppable both at club and national level. If people aren't allowed to criticise something so valid, I don't know what nonsense world you live in then. Oh wait. I do.
Well the problem most have with Rooney is that the status he's been afforded in the team (superstar wages, captain's privoleges) do not really match his contributions, we are giving him the Messi treatment when in return he is giving us Heskey performances. If Rooney faced and accepted the consequences of his performances I wouldn't begrudge him his wages but he seemingly can't be dropped despite holding the team back and posters are terrified of what he would do to the dressing room atmosphere if the manager dared to do to him what should be done to player playing like he is doing.
I feel that Rooney's situation as it stands is unsustainable because he is no longer world class in the positions he claims. Those positions can and should be upgraded on if the team is to grow.
Midfield General or a mudfield peripheral?
This. I'm continuously baffled by the people that keep claiming that he has all the tools to succeed in midfield. Yes, if those tools are poor first touches, limited passing range and Hollywood balls to the wing, Rooney's got you covered. If, however, you're living in the real world, Rooney is really far from having the tools required of a proper midfielder.
Even at his best this tournament, he did nothing an actual midfielder couldn't have done better. England would probably have been better off bringing Drinkwater, or even Cleverley.
Quality post. I have no fear.. I think Rooney will not make it till January tbh.
Well said, sir. Well said.
I'll leave this up to Mourinho. He doesn't suffer fools gladly. If Rooney continues to put in inconsistent performances upfront or in midfield then he will not be in the first 11, full stop. Rooney cannot afford to put in performances like that England game where he was falling around all over the place and letting the ball skip over his foot etc. Mourinho won't settle for it. If Rooney does play next season its because Mourinho has re-established him as a world class player or at least good enough to make a difference for us. No more getting by on reputation.
If we sell one of those guys just to shoehorn Rooney into a CM position I'll be livid. Can he not piss off to China already. And it's not even his fault! Moyes and LvG just didn't have the balls to drop him. I hope Mou gives him the Casillas treatment.
Why should we like the idea of moving a 200k a week striker in midfield because he's too shit to play upfront?
Mourinho kept on playing Ivanovic even though he was the worst player in e league.
I wish Peking Duck Rovers would hurry up and make a 100m offer.
After Ibra who I think is genuinely world class player and will show this in EPL in the coming season I think the next biggest signing at United in this transfer window would be Rooney signing for some Chinese or MLS club.
Rooney can still do it its just that even when he does well his critics always try to spin it negatively like blaming the poor opposition forgetting that he can only beat whats in front of him. Some expect him to perform at the level he was doing a few years ago which is not practical
What exactly happened to Rooney, he looks knackered both for United and England. It was only two or three seasons ago he was banging in the goals. Now he doesn't even look a threat. I really don't wanna see him float around our midfield acting like he owns the place. Time to put up for sale.
What? So the fact he's shite against the big teams isn't the truth ? It's people negatively spinning things?
And you've just proved peoples point. He can't reach the level he used to be at because he's finished. That's why he has to go.
So you've basically agreed with his critics by admitting that he's finished and on the slippery slope down. If he can't turn in performances of top quality, then what is the fecking point of paying him as such and giving him such a pivotal role and making him undroppable and building teams around him? It's insane.
You've torpedoed your own defence of him by agreeing with the critics while crying "leave Rooney alone".
Almost nailed on now that he'll play centre midfield with the signings of Mkhitaryan and Zlatan.
Time to call it a day. Has no position of excellence anymore. If he starts the season no.10. People will then say 'his best position is midfield or off the striker' Then he just gets moved about until he has a few decent games. He is a complete jack of all trades now. He has hindered team balance for the last few years now. Right time for him to go. Sadly Mourinho like Moyes and Van Gaal will worship him. I think we'd have a better season if he sold him and moved on. We'd have less issues with formation/Starting XI
Fixed that for you.
Surely you know that reality has an anti-Rooney agenda?
The celestial bodies have an anti Rooney agenda.
The best post I saw, was that his best position is the one he's not currently playing in
So true.
BUT, Jose won't keep playing Rooney if he keeps playing badly.
I think Jose will allow Rooney to play badly for 2-3 games, but if he continues, he'll be benched.
Unlike LVG, Jose's philosophy does not have a "my captain shall always play".
It's actually embarrasing sifting through the comments in this thread. The hateful jibes and outright disrespect for a genuine icon of the club is so... dare I say it... plastic? Opposition fans could be excused for thinking there is an agenda for Wayne Rooney among certain members of this forum.
Jose will undoubtedly give Rooney a chance to prove himself, as he will with every player currently under contract with the club, whether you like it or not. If it doesn't work out, as a great many of you suspect, then I've no doubt in my mind that Jose will do what's neccessary for the good of the club. It's not like Jose will continue to play him in midfield, or anywhere else on the pitch for that matter, if he feels that Rooney's inclusion is actually detrimental to the team as a whole.
Why are people so opposed to the idea before the season has even begun?
Jose will undoubtedly give Rooney a chance to prove himself, as he will with every player currently under contract with the club, whether you like it or not. If it doesn't work out, as a great many of you suspect, then I've no doubt in my mind that Jose will do what's neccessary for the good of the club. It's not like Jose will continue to play him in midfield, or anywhere else on the pitch for that matter, if he feels that Rooney's inclusion is actually detrimental to the team as a whole.
Why are people so opposed to the idea before the season has even begun?
As has been mentioned before he dropped Lampard once he felt he wasn't the same player. If Lampard had been at United he would likely be still playing in midfield. We seem reluctant in some cases to admit that someone might just be getting past it.
Maybe they've watched him decline for a long time and fed up of it? Or maybe there really is an agenda and people just like abusing united players for lolz
Wayne has always been a streaky player, but in the past when he did hit form it was spectacular. Now when he hits form he is average to good, mainly average. It was bound to happen some time.
Rooney wouldn't be the first player that appeared to be in decline only to reinvigorate himself and find a touch of form. Giggs, Scholes and even the great man himself Fergie, all of whom were considered past it at certain stages of their career, are testiment to that fact. I'm not even remotely convinced that Rooney can successfully make the transition from striker to midfielder, then again I don't believe it is beyond the realms of possibility either. So I guess we'll have to wait and see what transpires.
He deserves a chance to prove himself that's all I'm saying.
It's not his first chance. Been like 5-6 chances. Move position, repeat from excuses no. 1 - 5, repeat ad Infiniti
why can't we just move on?
Why do other big clubs cut players loose the moment they realize they can upgrade over them? Look at Barca. They cut loose Alves. They cut loose Xavi. They have zero chill.
Yet we are expect to stick with a player in decline because of past accomplishments. This is silly. We can clearly upgrade over Rooney the midfielder, like we did over Rooney the striker and Rooney the #10.
If Jose tries this Rooney in midfield nonsense, I will lose my confidence in him as a manager.
Why do other big clubs cut players loose the moment they realize they can upgrade over them? Look at Barca. They cut loose Alves. They cut loose Xavi. They have zero chill.
Yet we are expect to stick with a player in decline because of past accomplishments. This is silly. We can clearly upgrade over Rooney the midfielder, like we did over Rooney the striker and Rooney the #10.
If Jose tries this Rooney in midfield nonsense, I will lose my confidence in him as a manager.
Why?
Because its clearly bollox and hes clearly not good enough
OK.
because we have better CMs in the damn squad, much less on the market. Herrera is a better CM. Carrick is a better CM. Schwinestiger is a better CM. and on and on.
Rooney is not a CM. He never has been, and suddenly asking him to play the most important position on a football field is stupid.