When he was just a 19 year old boy. Rooney in an England shirt was extremely exciting.
Memory tells me that the penalty against the French, was indeed earned by Rooney confidently taking on half the french team before being taken down in the box.
Having not really deliberatly watched him in a United shirt, i've gotta ask people who know better, has something changed? Or was indeed that run a one off?
I'm not sure, what I do know is Euro 2004, to this day has been Rooney's only decent Internation Tournament. I know there were other issues in the last 2 Tournaments we were playing. But for me the weight of expectation that was not there in 2004, also helped him play that competition in a more expressive way, that I can't really remember seeing since then.
By the way, i'm not questioning his talent. I'm asking has his style changed?
Rooney, has he changed?
posted on 20/6/12
comment by Superb (U6486)
posted 1 hour, 59 minutes ago
Rooney was awesome in Euro 2004.
Looks a pale shadow of that player ever since then when he´s played for England.
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This really is easy to figure out why.
In 2004 Rooney had the service from Scholes, Beckham, Gerrard (who was good back then) and Joe Cole.
Recently it has been from the likes of Barry, Parker, Milner, Downing etc.
Even Messi would struggle to impress with that lot.
posted on 20/6/12
TWD, that's true. His touch looks so heavy in comparison, and even more so when under pressure. As good as he is, you can nullify him on the ball by pressing as he will regularly lose the ball due to his touch. Off the ball is a much more difficult thing to do though.
posted on 20/6/12
I think there's time............and forgive me this is gonna make no sense whatsoever..............He tries too hard in a game and it causes mistakes, mis-timed tackles and even frustration, which causes him to either have a bad game or pick up a needless booking.
posted on 20/6/12
Not so much this season, he hasn't been booked. But I agre he tries too hard at times and this forces him into giving the ball away. But as I said, he does give the ball away a lot through his touch and dribbling as the ball isn't close enough to him. Still a very good player, just hasn't fulfilled the promise he showed as a teenager.
I wonder what he would have been like had he gone to someone like Arsenal, a team that encourage technical ability, instead of United. Ferguson sometimes has a habit of coaching out some of the skill in players.
posted on 20/6/12
I wonder what he would have been like had he gone to someone like Arsenal, a team that encourage technical ability, instead of United. Ferguson sometimes has a habit of coaching out some of the skill in players.
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This is quite possibly the biggest load off bollox I have ever seen from a United fan.
I can really see how SAFcoached the technical ability out of Hughes, Cantona, Scholes, Giggs, Beckham, Ronaldo etc.
God, some of our fans just talk kak for the sake of it.
posted on 20/6/12
Ronaldo did actually lose some of his technical attributes in favour of more physical ones. I never said he always does, or that he coaches it all out, but recently out game has become more about power han tehnique, and young players such as Anderson, Nani and Rooney have suffered because of it.
Some United fans think Ferguson is infallible.
posted on 20/6/12
Ronaldo did actually lose some of his technical attributes in favour of more physical ones.
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Get real.
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Some United fans think Ferguson is infallible.
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Anyone who knows me will know that I am not one of them. I hold SAF responsible for handing the title to City.
posted on 20/6/12
As Ronaldo got bigger and stronger his close control and dribbling accuracy got worse. Not to say they're bad, they're great, just regressed. Same thing happened with Nani, Anderson and Rooney.
I dot think it's a coincedence. I think the fact our play is based a lot around pace and power is to do with it. Technically, the team is not the best, and this is shown when we struggle against teams with tight marking and pressing. A lot of people agree there isn't a great technical side to Ferguson's management, and it shows on the pitch.
posted on 20/6/12
DTKF
Read SAF's book. There is a part in it where he said that he made the mistake, early on, of trying to hold back Giggs from going on his long runs with the ball.
He rectified that mistake. I don't think he will make it again.
What he does do is try and teach them other aspects of the game. He has done this quite clearly with Anderson, and is now doing it with Jones. He tries to make them more complete players.
My guess is he has done the same with Rooney.
Is this the right thing to do? Maybe not, but it is bloody hard to argue with the mans end results.
posted on 20/6/12
I agree with you on that point, and of course it's hard to argue with that. It's a matter of preference really.
Sometimes I would prefer a player to excel in certain areas and lack in others, rather than be a very good allrounder.