Should Rooney be an automatic choice, if England get a result tonight against Sweden?

[Mellotron]

Rooney Welbeck and Young can be superb together, give them that chance for the first 60mins, with Walcott starting on the right. Don't need the defensive Milner against Ukraine.

 

[sydney]

Rooney Welbeck and Young can be superb together, give them that chance for the first 60mins, with Walcott starting on the right. Don't need the defensive Milner against Ukraine.

very good shout..........do you think the Portugese would lend us Nani as well...??

 

[deletebeepbeepbeep]

Walcott Rooney Welbeck

Let's do this.

 

[bravohotelalpha]

Rooney should NEVER have an AUTOMATIC place in any England team imho

 

[drew]

We win and score more often when he doesn't play. QUOTE]

Do you have any stats to back up that bold statement?

As for Rooney, he's proven to be pretty odious but he remains our best outfield player and therefore should be a shoe in. Especially as Young and Milner have been pretty ineffective when going forward although of course Milner has had more defensive duties than Young.

 

[Deleted member 22389]

I can't just see it now. Ukraine wind him up, he loses his cool and gets sent off. Beckham part 2. Leave the team as it is. The system is working.

 

[Seasider78]

I think Roy has done very well to get us so organised and get the hunger back in the side. Rooney for me is the missing piece in that jigsaw and whilst not the most pleasant person off the pitch is one of our best players on it.

 

[W.C.]

So far the team has improved on the last tournament, so hopefully Rooney will to, because in SA he was appalling. We really don't have any strength in depth though so I think he has to play.

 

[brunswick]

get gerrard out, and stick rooney in the middle of the park supported by bodyguard parker - rooney has amazing workrate and can get forward to support our pretty decent forwards.

 

[Ninja Elephant]

get gerrard out, and stick rooney in the middle of the park supported by bodyguard parker - rooney has amazing workrate and can get forward to support our pretty decent forwards.

Did you watch the Sweden game?! This England team is being built around Gerrard-Parker in midfield. Rooney in front of them is the next step.

 

[stickboy]

Bring rooney on as a sub if we need him. Not match fit and is a loose canon.

 

[Stumpy Tim]

Did you watch the Sweden game?! This England team is being built around Gerrard-Parker in midfield. Rooney in front of them is the next step.

This. The pace on the break of Wellbeck, Walcott and Young - with Rooney pulling the strings - is actually quite exciting. Hopefully England can really grow into this tournament now

 

[Beach Hut]

Rooney has to start no matter what, needs some game time for the next round

 

[pasty]

Ah well, there ends the will he/won't he discussion. Just been on SSN, Roy Hodgson has confirmed Rooney will start against Ukraine.

 

[Acker79]

Do you have any stats to back up that bold statement?

Stats show England are better off without Wayne Rooney |Euro 2012 | The Sun |Sport|Football|Euro 2012

"Since Rooney made his international debut in 2003 ... England have won 75 per cent of their matches when the striker has been missing, compared to a 66 per cent win ratio when he has been involved."

And if you're sceptical because it is an article from the sun, I will add I have just listed every england match (according to TheFA.com - Results
). Since his debut we have won 64.22% of all matches. He has played in 74 of those matches. Our win percentage in the matches he didn't play is 70.27%, (his england win record is 61%)

EDIT: I've gone through the results more thoroughly and:

In all games:

With Rooney
Win 45 (60.81%)
Draw 16 (21.62%)
lose 13 (17.57%)
goals per game 1.93

without rooney
Win 26 (70.27%)
Draw 5 (13.51%)
lose 6 (16.22%)
goals per game 2.08


In competitive games only:

With Rooney
Win 31 (65.96%)
Draw 10 (2.28%)
lose 6 (12.77%)
goals per game 2.04

without rooney
Win 10 (71.43%)
Draw 3 (21.43%)
lose 1 (7.14%)
goals per game 2.29

(games that went to penalty shoot outs are recorded as draws)