No I didn't. I said he hadn't performed at the very highest level. That's internationally and in the later stages of the C.L for me. Lampard has had some fantastic C.L performances (hence the runner up world player of the year award) and has also performed better in tournaments for England on the whole. Rooney literally has done nothing since 2004 in tournaments. But I really don't want this to descend into Lampard v Rooney or dissecting Lampard's England performances etc. Lampard was world class as voted by his peers, Rooney may have been at a time, debateable. He certainly isn't now though which is the crux of it.
Champions league final goal scorer? United man of the match in said final? One time winner, three times finalist?
Yes he scored but was largely anonymous for the 2 finals v Barca which is kind of my point. He is put up as United's best player and England's but rarely actually performs when it really matters. Scoring a goal in a 3-1 defeat is hardly dragging your team to great heights. Compare that to the Maradona and Zidane who were the main men in world cup winning sides for instance and you start to see how laughable the OP's comments were. I stand by that I think Rooney is and certainly was a very fine player.
Nothing to do with rivalry. I used to say one of Gerrard or Lampard should be dropped from the England team, i didn't really care who it was. However, the word dropped his harsh on Rooney as he doesn't deserve to be dropped. I'd say not selected. Obviously, in the end it is the same thing but my point was about getting the best out of the team and not purely about Wayne Rooney.
Agree. Gerrard slows things down and unless setup in a certain way, e prevents the pressurising football too. however, he's the captain and as much as I don't like it, the captaincy guarantees you a starting position nowadays.
He wasn't anonymous at all. He was United's man of the match, our only decent player, in the 3-1 defeat. In the two nil he didn't have a good game, that's accepted, but again nor did any of the side and Ronaldo tried to make that his own special one man show. And failed.
He's not in the league of Maradona or Zidane though but that's not my argument. I'm just saying that he had done it at the highest level.
He's a very good player. Not top ten in the world, but easily England's best attacking option. Definitely not in Zidane/Maradona's league, but not far off Del Piero at the same age.
Maradona and zidane are that level above world class. Where we would put ronaldo today. Rooneys below that and thats no bad thing when compared to those players. Many more top players cant hold a candle to Maradona or zidane.
History is written by the winners as they say and if you were to use that game (3-1) as an example of him performing at the very highest level, I think that would be scraping the barrel somewhat. United were pretty woeful that day so to be the best of a bad bunch is no great achievement IMO. I'm sure he has had good games in big matches but the fact that none stand out is a little alarming. Maybe Brazil is when he does that, here's hoping. Obviously he was amazing in 2004 but that's 10 years ago now.
Rooney does at times turn it on for manure I will admit that...but by and large he is in cricket terms a 'flat track bully'. So when he comes up against world class players in big tournaments he is found out and is found wanting. Best thing Hodgeson can do is drop him and bring him on as a sub.
Without Rooney's goals we don't even qualify. Simple as that. So no, the best thing for Hodgson to do is not drop him, as without him he'd be looking for a new job.
