Wayne Rooney

[Fourteen]

If England win the World Cup, he'll be the reason it happens.

 

[beef-supreme]

to be fair rafael has clearly bulked up and is more suited to the physical demands on the PL. I think fabio is a better player defensively, but is still a bit of a runt, which could hold him back.



yeah but he's a striker.

that's what strikers do, no?



this is true.

although it's only relevant to last year. in 07/08 they were a different animal, but once ronaldo had his head turned by madrid that dream was over.

Hmm yeah I do suppose you're right, I just wonder what would happen if Rooney got injured, Ferguson's an amazing manager and I'm sure he would find some solution, but if Rooney got injured I honestly don't think United would win the PL.

And Fabio isnt that far behind Raphael, Its Just down to the Fact Evra is Probably the best LB in the world, Where as there isnt the same standard on the Right, anyway,

Id rather have Bojan, Pedro, Thiago, JDS, Barta, Muniesa, Busquets any day lol

Evra's good but not as good as people make him out to be. The world at this moment in time just plain has a lack of world class LBs, in my opinion it is the position with the least quality.
Yes me too, Barca's youth system is undisputedly better, but then that's not been an issue either. What we lack and what Ferguson doesn't is the tendency to loan players out and get them back. But if we get promoted with Atletic, it should become much less of a problem!

Your Vidic and Ferdinand Point, Their top 2 CBs have been out the majority of the season, Yet they have one a Cup, 1 point behind in the league? and you say theres not alot of Quality?

nanis best performances this season have come from the right,

Im sorry, But Rooney is noting like CR9 for united, hhes a team player, he brings others into the game, Your not understanding me, Rooney may have replaced CR9s goals, But they attack as a team, Much more fluant than when CR9 in my opinion,

Well I would put that down to two main reasons - Rooney and the weakness of the other teams. It is so hard to believe that a team like Liverpool who frankly have very little quality are still so close to the top, yet they have crashed out of the CL and can't put in a good performance in the league. This is mainly down to the fact that this year the EPL is suffering from a slight dip - i mean, since when have Inter beaten an English team? And Porto beat Arsenal. Liverpool out of the CL. Manchester United, thanks to Rooney, survived Milan who you said are in decline. So it's simply a case of the EPL having no Barca or Real Madrid equivalent. Imo if you put Real Madrid in the EPL this year they would rip it a new bumhole. But last season, it was a wholly different matter. The top 4 have been so inconsistent it's not even funny.

Well of course, i was not describing Rooney's characteristic of play or position on the field. What Rooney's done is stepped up and taken up that individual carrying role of the team. Just as CR had done. If Barca's missing Messi, we have Xavi and Iniesta. If we're missing them, we have Zlatan (who in spite of criticism has often turned games around when we most needed it) and Alves. Let's not even speak of Real Madrid who have been outstanding and critics don't konw where to attack them - are they Ronaldo dependent? well at the start of the seaosn they were apparently Kaka dependent. And Lass dependent. And Casillas dependent. Every team is based on individuals, and carried by (at most) a handful. But from what I have seen this year, Manchester United are showing a greater-than-usual dependency on a single individual, which aside from the Ronaldo year I haven't really seen from them before.

 

[Thought Provoking]

True. But at least I admit it. I haven't met a single United fan that admits they are a one man team.

But it's the same every year.

Last year Utd were a one man team with Ronaldo, this year it's with Rooney (despite the fact that Rooney was in the team last year as well). Work that one out, because I can't.

He scores virtually every one of their goals just as CR did.

Not true at all. Rooney has only scored 28 of Utd's 92 goals (in all competitions) this season. Less than half.

 

[Hamzah]

Some were own goals remember.

 

[Lemmi]

92? Are you sure?

 

[blueduck]

But it's the same every year.

Last year Utd were a one man team with Ronaldo, this year it's with Rooney (despite the fact that Rooney was in the team last year as well). Work that one out, because I can't.

Without Rooney you would be a top 8 PL side. Nothing more.

Last year you weren't a one man team as you had Tevez, Rooney and Ronaldo obv. Anyone who said otherwise is wrong. You will never have a team as good as that again btw, just so you know, it's downhill from here.

 

[beef-supreme]

But it's the same every year.

Last year Utd were a one man team with Ronaldo, this year it's with Rooney (despite the fact that Rooney was in the team last year as well). Work that one out, because I can't.

It's called 'entering his prime'

Not true at all. Rooney has only scored 28 of Utd's 92 goals (in all competitions) this season. Less than half.

EPL = 66 Goals Scored from 28 Matches
Rooney = 23 Goals Scored from 27 Matches = 41%, but figure of 85% in goals to matches played

CL = 10 Goals Scored from 5 Matches
Rooney =2 Goals scored from 3 Matches + 1 Sub app = 20%, but figure of 50% in goals to matches played

FA Cup = 0 Goals Scored from 1 Match
Rooney = 0 Goals Scored from 0 Matches + 1 Sub app N/A

Total of goals = 76 = 33% Rooney goals

These two competitions don't count but oh well

Charity Shield = 2 Goals scored from 1 Match
Rooney = 1 Goal scored from 1 Match = 50%, but figure of 100% in goals to matches played

League Cup = 11 Goals scored from 6 Matches
Rooney = 2 Goals scored from 2 Matches + 1 Sub app = 18%, but figure of 67% in goals to matches played

So Total of goals = 89 = 31% Rooney goals

 

[silky_soccer]

Without Rooney you would be a top 8 PL side. Nothing more.

Last year you weren't a one man team as you had Tevez, Rooney and Ronaldo obv. Anyone who said otherwise is wrong. You will never have a team as good as that again btw, just so you know, it's downhill from here.

Hahahahah, im sorry but that statement is the funniest thing i have read all day, only a city fan could think that, Im a devoted barca fan, but even i know that united will bounce back, and before you say they would only be a top 8 side.

Would City be a top 10 side withhout Tevez and Bellamy? i dont think so....

It did make me giggle tho...

 

[beef-supreme]

So what we see is that competitions such as the League Cup and the CL skew the results because Rooney didn't make a significant number of appearances. Rooney has a really high goal-game ratio, and scores whenever he plays. In those odd matches where he doesn't play e.g. meaningless league cup matches or pointless matches in the CL group stages where United can afford to rest him, his statistics in terms of contribution to team goals is reduced. But this doesn't change the fact that one in every 3 United goals is a Rooney goal.
At this point you have to qualify whether the percentage analysis really means anything at all.
Well, strictly speaking, it does, but when do those 1 in 3 United goals that are Rooney goals happen? They are usually the important goals, turnaround goals, winners, first goals. They are not goals that come when United are hammering Wigan 7-0 already. So that makes a huge difference as well.

 

[blueduck]

Hahahahah, im sorry but that statement is the funniest thing i have read all day, only a city fan could think that, Im a devoted barca fan, but even i know that united will bounce back, and before you say they would only be a top 8 side.

Would City be a top 10 side withhout Tevez and Bellamy? i dont think so....

It did make me giggle tho...

I'm glad.

But seriously, they couldn't have a side as good as that for many, many years. They just can't compete with the likes of Barca, Madrid, Chelsea (and hopefully ourselves in the future) for the top players.

 

[beef-supreme]

Well United are the biggest club in the world and are at no risk of losing competitiveness, they can wrestle with their debt problems, i just wonder how much of a fallout the pending transition will have. But even if there's a coupe of years of darkness United will come back no doubt.

 

[blueduck]

If by some miracle they pay off all their debts then maybe. But it is a huge if.

The only things keeping them going is Rooney and Fergie. If they lose either they are fooked.

 

[Metaphysical]

If by some miracle they pay off all their debts then maybe. But it is a huge if.

The only things keeping them going is Rooney and Fergie. If they lose either they are fooked.

who are you trying to convince, us or yourself?

they'll be fine. when fergie goes, jose will come in, win a few things, piss a few people off, then he'll fuck off and someone else will come in. probably moyes, and do a long-term thing.

anyway, onto serious matters:

I love how rooney is taking all the credit for excellent seasons from fletcher, valencia and giggs in midfield (actually there's a bit of doom and gloom for you ducky - unless they replace giggs they are gonna struggle, he is an immense player for them and they have no LW in the squad who's even on the same planet). those three have been brilliant and I'll bet if you look at rooney's goals the majority have been created by them. yeah, rooney has done a fabulous job as a #9 this season, but it's not like he's been doing it all himself.

also the "one man team" argument is hysterical - if a striker is scoring the most goals in the team... that strikes me as a perfectly normal occurrence; that's what they're there to do, no?

now if a striker (or midfielder) is scoring AND assisting the most in a team, as drogba and cesc are for chelsea and arsenal, then yes, I can see how that argument would crop up and hold more weight (even though it's still tenuous). but I don't think rooney is one of united's top assisters, although I could be wrong. 07/08 was as close as they came to being a one-man team, because ronaldo (even tho he wasn't top assister) had more inclination to score superb individualist goals to get them points, the .50 cal against pompey obviously being the standout.

 

[blueduck]

Really can't see Jose as manager. He plays such defensive football (obv) and that wouldn't suit the big wigs at United.

I remember hearing a few United icons (Charlton?) saying they would hate him becoming manager. I can see Moyes go there though. They will defo get a British manager in.

 

[Metaphysical]

Really can't see Jose as manager. He plays such defensive football (obv) and that wouldn't suit the big wigs at United.

I remember hearing a few United icons (Charlton?) saying they would hate him becoming manager. I can see Moyes go there though. They will defo get a British manager in.

to be honest, in 07/08 and 08/09 they played some italian-esque defensive football. remember the run of 1-0's last year?

and anyway, jose isn't a defensive manager. that is such a myth. he just strengthens the defence first and THEN works on the attack.

but yeah, the way he was soaking it all in when inter went there last year, and the way he's always spoken like he has a bit of a crush on ferguson... I dunno, I think he wants the job. chelsea are a no mark team with no history. he knows that. he wants the big job.