(via @JonnyGabriel) ‏@JonnyGabriel 28m So Clarke, why can't Jackson MartÃnez get into the Ecuador team? please log in to view this image
Pity we lost last night, but there were two reasons & the first isn't that Italy were better than us. Problem 1: Where to play Rooney in a 4231 formation, given that he isn't that clever as a loan striker. Problem 2: Who to play left midfield if it isn't Rooney. Me, I think Milner can play LM. If so, can Rooney play in the centre of a 3 man central midfield if he's got Gerrard and AN Other as DMs? Tricky. Thoughts??
Take Rooney out and play Barkley Boggers...problem solved and it might be the kick up the whole Rooney needs as he seems to have lost his way somewhat.
Rooney looked like an old man in 2nd half knackard , lambert should have come on after the half time break , rooney also had a chance in the area and fluffed it AS USUAL !! LAMBERT WOULD HAVE SCORED THAT !! the only position i can see rooney in england team is midfield behing the strikers AND THE STRIKERS ARE LAMBERT AND STURIDGE, DEFINATELY NOT ROONEY , I am sorry to say i can only see us getting a draw against uruguay hope i am wrong oin that but uruguay will be up for the game after costa rica game. we should have run italy ragged fast furious attacking football in the first half same as the premiership then in 2nd half took off maximum players and put on maximum subs in the 2nd half and attacked italy with fast furious football again as ITALY PLAYERS ARE OLD and would not have been able to cope , but what did we do started off slow and gave them spoace EXACTLY WHAT ITALY WANTED !
I think Rooney has started to doubt his abilities due to the huge wage he is on at United, to justify that money you have to be banging them in and controlling games a la Messi and Ronaldo but if you get a dry period then doubt sets in and you start asking questions of yourself, I think you either respond positively and shine or struggle with the thoughts and lose your way a bit like Torres has done. No doubting Rooney is a fantastic player and has all the ability in the world, it's now getting his confidence back to a level that can see him produce the goods that will be difficult and getting played out of position is not helping him , it is only creating more doubt in his mind. I would get him up front as that's his best position and get Sturridge and Sterling just off him. He needs to be up front, its where he is most familiar and where he will get back his form.
I think Rooney's main problem is his fitness. He possesses all the talent in the world, yet he can't be bothered to get himself in proper shape. Most of the midfield/attack played alright, Gerrard overdoes some of his passes though. Defence is the main problem, I don't think any of them are international standard. Johnson and Baines are poor defensively at this level, and neither Cahill nor Jagielka are dominant enough to compensate for the other's shortcomings. Nothing we didn't already know before the world cup, though!
"Johnson and Baines are poor defensively at this level" Should have been Stephen Warnock over Baines yet again!
Glen johnson is a **** right back,spends too much time up the park, England knew pirlo would run the show,no on was on on him, When he walked on the pitch mrs este said whos the old guy with the beard,I said watch him he'll run the show,he did. But england lost,we all saw that coming,but some good signs,less hoofball,sterling and sturridge are class players and not afraid. Defence is bad tho,a bit leeds like,sad but true.
Its not that hard, Rooney doesn't play because Sturridge is in bettr form than him and Lallana plays on the left as that is his position and he is very very good at it
