Even though Valencia won the club's player of the year, Rooney was clearly the most effective player for the club this year, but is the over reliance on Rooney the biggest problem for Utd?
Usually Utd play 442 which is usually where Rooney is clearly at his best, as he is the player who usually links the attack together but the biggest problem with this formation is that as time has moved on, most other teams play an extra midfielder and as a result control possession, whereas utd do not get any effective offensive contribution from central midfield, instead they keep the ball moving always looking to release the wingers, but the problem this causes is that so many teams have figured it out especially in Europe and once the wingers are double teamed the midfielders have no other option but to go backwards or sometimes they try to link up with the forwards and this usually results in a wasted possession because chicharito's hold up play is below average, rooney's is maybe average, in fact the best strikers at holding the ball up is berbatov and possibly welbeck after him. Rooney is a striker who loves to go deep to pick up the ball but on so many occasion he tries to play the killer ball when it is not necessary, thereby giving the ball away or he turns in to trouble and gives the ball away which is something he has been doing a lot of recently.
As a lone striker its even worse because he hardly ever gets involved in the game, he always seems to be isolated, as he is not really good at holding up the ball as his ball control is not the best, or running in to the channels to make space for others and he hardly ever wins the ball in the air either, and out of frustration drops very deep to get the ball, leaving the opposing central defenders with no one to cover and the opportunity to bring the ball out a long way just like in the game against city, Teams especially do this when utd play a 442.
If for instance utd had bought Sneijder, you have to wonder where he would have played because he can not play in a 442 unless you put him out wide and that would be negating his effectiveness and if you play him in a 451 or 433 then you have to play rooney as the lone striker and like i said earlier, this is not his best role, and this would be the problem Utd will have to deal with even if they buy Kagawa, or Gaitan, or Hazard, or even Sneijder because none of these players can play in a 442 unless you put them out wide and if not then rooney has to be the lone striker.
Until this issue can be solved, utd might be able to win the premier league in the future as they only lost out on goal difference so there is no cause for alarm there, but the big problem will be in the champions league where most teams have figured out utds style of play and unless they change or modify it, they will not be going beyond the quarter finals
Usually Utd play 442 which is usually where Rooney is clearly at his best, as he is the player who usually links the attack together but the biggest problem with this formation is that as time has moved on, most other teams play an extra midfielder and as a result control possession, whereas utd do not get any effective offensive contribution from central midfield, instead they keep the ball moving always looking to release the wingers, but the problem this causes is that so many teams have figured it out especially in Europe and once the wingers are double teamed the midfielders have no other option but to go backwards or sometimes they try to link up with the forwards and this usually results in a wasted possession because chicharito's hold up play is below average, rooney's is maybe average, in fact the best strikers at holding the ball up is berbatov and possibly welbeck after him. Rooney is a striker who loves to go deep to pick up the ball but on so many occasion he tries to play the killer ball when it is not necessary, thereby giving the ball away or he turns in to trouble and gives the ball away which is something he has been doing a lot of recently.
As a lone striker its even worse because he hardly ever gets involved in the game, he always seems to be isolated, as he is not really good at holding up the ball as his ball control is not the best, or running in to the channels to make space for others and he hardly ever wins the ball in the air either, and out of frustration drops very deep to get the ball, leaving the opposing central defenders with no one to cover and the opportunity to bring the ball out a long way just like in the game against city, Teams especially do this when utd play a 442.
If for instance utd had bought Sneijder, you have to wonder where he would have played because he can not play in a 442 unless you put him out wide and that would be negating his effectiveness and if you play him in a 451 or 433 then you have to play rooney as the lone striker and like i said earlier, this is not his best role, and this would be the problem Utd will have to deal with even if they buy Kagawa, or Gaitan, or Hazard, or even Sneijder because none of these players can play in a 442 unless you put them out wide and if not then rooney has to be the lone striker.
Until this issue can be solved, utd might be able to win the premier league in the future as they only lost out on goal difference so there is no cause for alarm there, but the big problem will be in the champions league where most teams have figured out utds style of play and unless they change or modify it, they will not be going beyond the quarter finals
