The Wayne Rooney Thread - Part III

So your point is playing for a high profile club in turn increases your profile...

...and my point is that Rooney was destined to end up at a high profile club (considering the hype and potential after the Euro's). So we're in agreement, great.

During their peak, and of course on a team that had players from all over Africa. But any who, you probably got more input from wider more unbiased sources.

Yes, and there is no more higher profile club than United in this league.

See, it was easy. I don't know why you were arguing in the first place.

I'm arguing against these kind of assertions:

Rooney would have been big and recognised worldwide regardless of joining us. If your entire argument is that he gets a little more money with us than he would get being with another top English team...then yes....but that is not what others are saying here.

If you look at this year Ballon D'Or results, "Big" and "recognized worldwide" seems to be a rating that's made in Spanish, not English. Like, there's this small, insular conversation going on is English (and about English players) while the big, meaningful conversation is going on elsewhere.

I can't help but wonder where Rooney rates in the bigger non-English speaking world. In our little world, playing for Man Utd counts for a lot.

Considering how much praise he receives from other players and managers, I'd say quite high.

Pah.

Token praise.

Daniel Taylor doing a decent job quantifying why some of us feel Rooney is lacking, even if his numbers are good. Funny that this just came out today.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2013/feb/09/wayne-rooney-explosive-spark

That is exactly how I feel about Rooney. I know if he added the qualities he had when he was young and the ones he has today he would have won a couple of Ballon d'or. Absolutely sure of it.

Watch around the 1 minute mark when he played against us. That run he made, that explosiveness...

I've said this many times on this site.

I disagree though.

I don't really care much that he has lost his explosiveness, even though someone running with the ball through multiple defenders is a sight to behold (and Rooney still does it every once in a while, like against Fulham).

What I do care about are that on his bad days, which are often enough as well, he plays with the first touch and passing radar of a pub player.

That wouldn't have anything to do with the author, would it?

There are no tactics or gameplan you could come up with thay would ever see Ronaldo, Messi, Iniesta, Oezil, Kroos, Ribery, insert any alleged world class player here... not start a game like today.

If Fergie really wanted/needed Wayne to play tonight, he'd have rested/prepared him for this. Almost like hee agrees with my feelings on Rooney

Would like to direct people's attention to the below thread from DS back in 2008 (last time I probably posted on here). Provides his views on a player's progression and the way I read the article posted above, Rooney is in Stage 2 or so.

http://www.bigsoccer.com/community/...n-about-his-development.665201/#post-14013245

Edit: Think this link is a direct to Dark Savante's player progression post: http://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=258253. Overall, my views are Rooney is just simply progressing from that crazed young player who would literally play almost every field position during a game and could go from bollocking a referee to scoring a wondergoal against NewCastle to someone who is more measured and in control. Is Rooney any less "explosive" in terms of pace? I mean he's a decade older but he still has loads of pace and strength...just more measured and less combustible. Does that mean he does less things off the cuff? Probably but also means he isn't as prone to cards etc. anymore...

Oezil has been benched in big games before.

I remember once he was for the Classico, but any other time he was benched it was either injury or because of form.

If I have it wrong, forgive me. I still think the point stands. When do any of the listed players or those who are of similar quality [or play a similar role] get benched for tactical reasons or for any reason in a game like that?

Yes, the selections were justified, but speaking purely from a Rooney stand point. Its just not a good look.

Messi, Ronaldo, Iniesta are in a class of their own. Ribery is the best winger in the world, Kroos best young mid.

Rooney is not in the top 3 in any position in the world, so him getting benched for tactical reasons should be no surprise.

yeah but he is top 3 at united (which is all that matters really). i thought he should have gotten the start behind rvp with welbeck on the right and nani on the left. rooney carries out instructions really well usually. in a similar 4-4-1-1 against city earlier this year, he was able to put a lot of pressure on yaya and forced barry to handle distribution. he still has a better chance of converting than anyone besides rvp, he could have done better than welbeck (at this stage of his career) with some of his missed opportunities.

Im no longer sure on your stance on Wayne Rooney as a footballer.

Why?

Is that the only game you can remember? Because I can recall two games where he carried out instructions poor, and many more between the CL final at Wembley and the 1st leg of the Madrid tie.

You brought up that stat about 30+ goals and assist [granted it confused me at the time] as if it was supposed to be a compliment to Rooney.

The more I think about that stat it also shows a negative side. Those are average numbers for an alleged world class player.

when he was played in the middle of the pitch? do tell.

It is a compliment.

Rooney (and Nani as well) is a great player to have in the squad for a big team. He will consistently rack up good numbers when played.

However, both of them have never managed to get to that next level at any point in their careers where they are undroppable irrespective of tactics.

Very few players do. Carrick is the only one from our squad who is at that level at the moment.