Is Wayne Rooney World class?

[Seagull over Canaryland]

This is a great article

Euro 2012: Wayne Rooney is being killed but only with kindness | Richard Williams | Football | The Guardian

I like the contrast made between a red faced huffing and puffing ineffective Rooney and the elegant and effective but older Pirlo. Very similar article about Rooney by Matt Dickinson in todays Times.

Also an item by Oliver Kay highlighting that Hodgson will retain faith in the old guard of Gerrard, Terry and Cole as he rebuilds the England squad but conspicuous by his absence is no mention of Rooney.

Having given Hodgson a very supportive start the media are now putting the knife into Rooney as an obvious scapegoat for our ills at the Euros. Clearly Rooney ran out of steam in the 2nd half against Italy and didn't have his shooting boots on either, looking well short of both conditioning and form which is hardly surprising given his suspension and lack of match practice plus being allowed to take a family holiday in Vegas before the Euros. Maybe the thinking was to get him relaxed and in a positive frame of mind for the Euros but didn't turn out that way.

However it was Hodgson who felt Rooney was fit enough to play and kept him on the pitch when he might have subbed him against Italy. Can't help but feel that Rooney has been indulged on the basis of his so called world class status, yet his form for England is poor. It will be interesting to see how prominent Rooney is in Hodgson's thinking when it comes to the World Cup qualifiers this Autumn? I guess he will still be one of the first names on the squad list for now but will need a radical change in international form to still be around for Brazil 2014, assuming that we qualify.

 

[BadFish]

I like the contrast made between a red faced huffing and puffing ineffective Rooney and the elegant and effective but older Pirlo. Very similar article about Rooney by Matt Dickinson in todays Times.

Also an item by Oliver Kay highlighting that Hodgson will retain faith in the old guard of Gerrard, Terry and Cole as he rebuilds the England squad but conspicuous by his absence is no mention of Rooney.

Having given Hodgson a very supportive start the media are now putting the knife into Rooney as an obvious scapegoat for our ills at the Euros. Clearly Rooney ran out of steam in the 2nd half against Italy and didn't have his shooting boots on either, looking well short of both conditioning and form which is hardly surprising given his suspension and lack of match practice plus being allowed to take a family holiday in Vegas before the Euros. Maybe the thinking was to get him relaxed and in a positive frame of mind for the Euros but didn't turn out that way.

However it was Hodgson who felt Rooney was fit enough to play and kept him on the pitch when he might have subbed him against Italy. Can't help but feel that Rooney has been indulged on the basis of his so called world class status, yet his form for England is poor. It will be interesting to see how prominent Rooney is in Hodgson's thinking when it comes to the World Cup qualifiers this Autumn? I guess he will still be one of the first names on the squad list for now but will need a radical change in international form to still be around for Brazil 2014, assuming that we qualify.

This is all depending on who can replace him. Another problem with the England set up is that an out of form and unfit Rooney is still better than most others in the frame for selection. Drop him for whom?

 

[Common as Mook]

This is all depending on who can replace him. Another problem with the England set up is that an out of form and unfit Rooney is still better than most others in the frame for selection. Drop him for whom?

Well considering how well Carroll and Welbeck played together against Sweden, it was an abomination of a decision to break that up against Ukraine and Italy.

 

[Simster]

Well considering how well Carroll and Welbeck played together against Sweden, it was an abomination of a decision to break that up against Ukraine and Italy.

Whilst I would agree with this, I don't actually think Hodgson's biggest problem is finding a striker to replace a shit Rooney. His biggest issue is finding players in midfield and defence who are comfortable enough with the ball at their feet to retain possession. I'd be tempted to play a striker on his own and play with 5 in the middle in an effort to make this happen.

 

[leigull]

Whilst I would agree with this, I don't actually think Hodgson's biggest problem is finding a striker to replace a shit Rooney. His biggest issue is finding players in midfield and defence who are comfortable enough with the ball at their feet to retain possession. I'd be tempted to play a striker on his own and play with 5 in the middle in an effort to make this happen.

I suggested the other day trying the Spanish formation of 4-6 to force it even more

 

[Common as Mook]

Whilst I would agree with this, I don't actually think Hodgson's biggest problem is finding a striker to replace a shit Rooney. His biggest issue is finding players in midfield and defence who are comfortable enough with the ball at their feet to retain possession. I'd be tempted to play a striker on his own and play with 5 in the middle in an effort to make this happen.

Totally agree.

We are OBSESSED with picking our supposed "best" players no matter how fat and unfit they are. Welbeck and Carroll would have done better in both games.

 

[Aadam]

I like the contrast made between a red faced huffing and puffing ineffective Rooney and the elegant and effective but older Pirlo. Very similar article about Rooney by Matt Dickinson in todays Times.

Also an item by Oliver Kay highlighting that Hodgson will retain faith in the old guard of Gerrard, Terry and Cole as he rebuilds the England squad but conspicuous by his absence is no mention of Rooney.

Gerrard (32), Terry (31), Cole (31) and Rooney (26). I think this is more in reference to the obvious need to freshen things up with youth, as opposed to sticking with the more mature members of the team. That's how I interpreted that, anyway.

To be fair, we don't have a great deal more than Rooney to start with, do we? What options do we have? Defoe, Crouch, Carroll, Welbeck. Hardly going to strike the fear into many defences, which is strange, because when I was a kid everyone wanted to be a striker and a goalscorer, and since Shearer, we haven't really had a good, solid English goalscorer.

Anyway, back to Rooney, in Euro 2004 he had a good tournament at 18, his only good tournament, but the rest of his tournaments are not all down to being a 'fat overweight shit player' as most will eloquently put it. At the 2006 World Cup he was rushed back from a foot injury to 'save the team'. At the 2010 World Cup he, along with everyone else, was dreadful. But I seem to remember this World Cup for being the one that everyone would rather forget. The matches were dull and I don't recall any stand out performances from any team or player. Euro 2012 and his fitness is questioned, understandably. Played two, scored one. I don't remember him having too many opportunities against the Italians other than that header, which he really should have scored. The majority (not all) of great players have a great team around them.

World class, you would have to say no. A good player, of course he is. The best we have at the moment...?

 

[Seagull over Canaryland]

Gerrard (32), Terry (31), Cole (31) and Rooney (26). I think this is more in reference to the obvious need to freshen things up with youth, as opposed to sticking with the more mature members of the team. That's how I interpreted that, anyway.

To be fair, we don't have a great deal more than Rooney to start with, do we? What options do we have? Defoe, Crouch, Carroll, Welbeck. Hardly going to strike the fear into many defences, which is strange, because when I was a kid everyone wanted to be a striker and a goalscorer, and since Shearer, we haven't really had a good, solid English goalscorer.

Anyway, back to Rooney, in Euro 2004 he had a good tournament at 18, his only good tournament, but the rest of his tournaments are not all down to being a 'fat overweight shit player' as most will eloquently put it. At the 2006 World Cup he was rushed back from a foot injury to 'save the team'. At the 2010 World Cup he, along with everyone else, was dreadful. But I seem to remember this World Cup for being the one that everyone would rather forget. The matches were dull and I don't recall any stand out performances from any team or player. Euro 2012 and his fitness is questioned, understandably. Played two, scored one. I don't remember him having too many opportunities against the Italians other than that header, which he really should have scored. The majority (not all) of great players have a great team around them.

World class, you would have to say no. A good player, of course he is. The best we have at the moment...?

Yep I would certainly agree that Rooney is probably the best we've got (for now) - but only if he turns up with his 'A' game and is fully fit (emphasis on the 'if'). If not he does not deserve his place.

However as suggested on another thread we were too easily overrun in midfield and allowed too much space to be exploited so I think the England team would be far more effective if we play 5 in midfield with 3 holding players to stiffen us up, help possession and say Walcott and Oxo bombing on in support of a single mobile striker - maybe Welbeck in the longer term, although still early days for him.

 

[sydney]

world class over paid lazy, ginger, kant ...?? yes he fuckin' is.

 

[sydney]

Yep I would certainly agree that Rooney is probably the best we've got (for now) - but only if he turns up with his 'A' game and is fully fit (emphasis on the 'if'). If not he does not deserve his place.

However as suggested on another thread we were too easily overrun in midfield and allowed too much space to be exploited so I think the England team would be far more effective if we play 5 in midfield with 3 holding players to stiffen us up, help possession and say Walcott and Oxo bombing on in support of a single mobile striker - maybe Welbeck in the longer term, although still early days for him.

so if you and countless other armchair technicians can come up with this strategum ,how come the fuckin manager cant...............(sticky head up a dead bears bum)

 

[Gregory2Smith1]

if wayne rooney is world class then george best was from another planet

 

[Chamberpot]

No way world class, he was one amazing season a few years back, but since then he's struggled to score constantly.

 

[melias shoes]

Or is he massively over rated?

Over rated.

 

[terryberry1]

Wayne Rooney was only ever close to world class when he had Ronaldo playing behind him

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

This is all depending on who can replace him. Another problem with the England set up is that an out of form and unfit Rooney is still better than most others in the frame for selection. Drop him for whom?

I'm prepared to accept players loose form but lack of fitness is inexcusable. I understand he had a slight injury at the end of the season but he was fit again by the start of June.