Just seen this interesting stat regarding Wayne Rooney's form away from home. In 50 mins at St Mary's, Martial scored more away goals than Rooney has managed in the league since March 2014, an amazing 1753 minutes. This is a player who has played as a striker, and takes all the penalties and most of the free kicks. I'm not sure why he takes the free kicks either, as most go miles over the bar, though he acts like he's Beckham the way he doesn't allow other players to take them. I just don't understand how he has managed to retain his place in our side with form like this, even when we make substitutions Rooney is never taken off. I said before we gave him that big new deal, that we where giving an over the hill player, the wages of a superstar, and should have offloaded him to Chelsea but very few seemed to agree. Fergie was well aware of this before he left, so I'm not sure why the likes of Moyes and now LVG can see something different. As especially under LVG his form has sunk to new depths. And so far this season he has been nothing more than a passenger who the rest of the side have had to carry. Does anyone else agree that it's about time he is dropped from the side, as he doesn't offer anything positive these days, and now we have Martial to play as a striker there are better players than Rooney sat on the bench who can play the number 10 role instead?
I expected Rooney to start firing eventually bit I am starting to believe he is no longer a goalscorer. I think he will be best suites to 10 and with the two young lads ahead of him, it could work out very well. Whatever you think of Rooney, he's a very intelligent footballer (stressing the word footballer) which is vital to number 10.
He always takes a while to get back to sharpness after an injury, even if he's just missed a couple of games. That's probably his overall fitness causing the problem, his penchant for a cig or two and such like. But, the best way to get him back to form and sharpness is to play him. Dropping him won't help really so it is a paradox in that he's not currently worth his place but needs to play to be worth his place. I think he should play tonight, the whole match Get that match fitness back and if he's still a pedestrian against Sunderland then maybe it is time to drop him to the bench. He's still the best we've got playing behind the striker though.
Intelligent he is, but no denying he has contributed nothing in the league for 6 games. I think he should play tonight just to see if he gets his confidence back. I always knew that bumper contract was a huge mistake. He has become so slow and lost confidence to shoot. I've not really rated him as a lethal striker for 3 seasons now. Rooney is the type that would look to pass when he has a chance to shoot and score. I mean chances that the likes of lewadowski, Muller, Suarez, benzema, ibrahimovic, even benteke or Costa would put in the net, Rooney would look to pass. And his ball holding and link up play that use to be his huge attributes when the goals are not coming have left him. I mean what use is a forward if he can't score , can't link up play, can't hold the ball? So far he has been more of a liability and I think LVG should consider dropping him if he flops again tonight. Last season rvp was slow, but he still had that killer instinct which Rooney is clearly lacking. In 2 games martial has shown he is up for the task and should always play ahead of Rooney as the main striker. If Rooney still can't perform at no 10 then it is only a matter if time before he gets dropped for Herrera or mata... Or even fellaini ( who lacks football brain but still contributes in his own way.)
Another glistening example of why Roo is world class tonight The lad was over the hill 2 years ago. The quality around him has kept the stats inflated, but the lad never lived up to his potential from Euro 2004. Was a good player, now a ****e lump. No matter how many times he gets to play San Marino, nobody will convince me he is anything but a detriment to United. Martial on the other hand, is a threat.
Van Gaal's insistence on playing Rooney and Martinez's insistence on playing Howard are the two most idiotic decisions in the modern game #happydays
I'd argue that your insistence that Rodgers was the right man for Liverpool right up until the day he was fired trumps them both!
Tbh Rooney was a better footballer when he didnt think too much. Now he's an "intelligent footballer" he second guesses himself!
Was the word rambunctious used? That's an interesting word. Jejune that's another interesting word which could indeed be used to describe him.
Nah, that he wasn't against Rooney going on a break. Apparently something he doesn't with players quite often. Essentially backtracked from the "my captain must play" stuff and stated that in fact, this isn't quite true. Will anything come of it? Who knows but its a shift in direction at least. Followed it up by saying Martials best position was up front.
So why's he been playing him on the left wing. I'm telling you, nailed on that Herrera will be dropped after one bad performance so Martial can go up top with Rooney in behind. If and when that happens the rest of the squad will start to agitate.
Because Martial also brings a threat from his left position so its an easier choice to make. Martials a 19 year old still with plenty to learn. The alternative is Young or an out of form Memphis. I guess he thinks he's protecting Martial as well. Imagine he was up top and we still weren't scoring?
The words of an apologist. "Because Martial also brings a threat from his left position so its an easier choice to make." so it's an easy and cowardly choice "Martials a 19 year old still with plenty to learn." - and he'll learn about his best position as a striker by playing on the left wing? Of course! "The alternative is Young or an out of form Memphis." - so play Young who has consistently performed on the left wing for United since LVG became the manager. "I guess he thinks he's protecting Martial as well. Imagine he was up top and we still weren't scoring?" - protecting him from what? Continuing his impressive goal scoring start? Move him to the wing on the off chance that if played up front he may not carry on scoring whilst sticking with a striker who is going through a major slump? You know full well that Martial has been moved to the left wing to accommodate Rooney up top and because Herrera played himself into a starting place. It's a move that has had a massive impact on our effectiveness in front of goal and one that needs to be rectified ASAP. Sadly he will rectify it in another cowardly way.
