Hernandez/Berba for a start!

I believe it is down to Rooney and his lack of his dedication to his craft with all the boozing, smoking, eating junk food plus failure to consistently work on his game
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I can't see how this type of activity would turn him into a much better goal scorer also, I don't doubt his dedication, he probably covers more ground than anyone on the park when fully fit

I can't see how this type of activity would turn him into a much better goal scorer also, I don't doubt his dedication, he probably covers more ground than anyone on the park when fully fit

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Carrick tends to top ground covered stats but Rooney will be up there.

I can't see how this type of activity would turn him into a much better goal scorer also, I don't doubt his dedication, he probably covers more ground than anyone on the park when fully fit

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Ever think that he covers alot of that ground because he is consistently chasing around for the ball after LOSING IT IN THE FIRST PLACE!!!!!

I think we would rather have a Rooney who is efficient and effective with the ball rather than one that covers alot of ground

I personally believe he scores a lot because he is predominantly spoon fed by the wingers.Takes almost all out freekicks and penalties too. Look at all his goals in the past few years and I can guarantee 70% come from crosses from the wings or pure counter attacks when 1 v1 with the keeper. Chica scored 20+ goals with us when he had an extended run in the team. He aint even half the footballer Rooney is (or was suppose to be)

All I ask is look at his highlights and the goals he scored between 04-07. Compare them to the goals he scores in the lat 3yrs now. Then tell me why a player who should now be in his prime has lost all the attributes that made him a special player

rvp and rooney should start the next game at OT.

All I ask is look at his highlights and the goals he scored between 04-07. Compare them to the goals he scores in the lat 3yrs now
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CL final Wembely
Overhead kick v City
Free kicks v Arsenal last season in the 8-2. (and the chip shot that dropped agonisingly close to being bloody fantastic

here's his goals from 2009/2010. (the season people called him a tap in merchant) it's worth knowing that Rooney had spent the previous summer working on his heading because he felt it was a weakness in his game)

worth the watch. Check out his movement in the run up to his goals in particular

This is a reminder to those that doubt him

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xdecgd_wayne-rooney-all-34-goals-season-20_sport

Ole might have delusions of Nostradamus but i am glad he is picking up the baton (which is rarely mentioned here) of his destructive habits.

I christened Rooney as the Ricky Hatton of the footballing world. I have been saying how 'fat' the lad is.

It is not a criticism. It is a critique.

A supreme sportsman of Rooney's ilk should quit the smoking, boozing, gorging (let's also not forget his extra-marital bedroom exertions of yesteryear which also coincided with his dips in form).

We dont live in the semi-professional sepia days where tubs of lards could carve and maintain a sportscareer. This is the day of the elite.

Ever think that he covers alot of that ground because he is consistently chasing around for the ball after LOSING IT IN THE FIRST PLACE!!!!!
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Come on, I am far from Rooney's biggest fan but give the lad some credit, his tracking back and overall work rate cannot be questioned, yes he does lose the ball sometimes but he is always the one doing his best to get it back, unlike a couple of Portuguese wingers I can think of who would throw their hands in the air as though it was their team mates fault..........
I agree with your original point that 04 - 07 (plus EFC career) he was explosive, skillful, unpredictable but to say the reason that he runs about a lot is down to his own mistakes is wrong

2 counter
CL final Wembely
Overhead kick v City
Free kicks v Arsenal last season in the 8-2. (and the chip shot that dropped agonisingly close to being bloody fantastic

here's his goals from 2009/2010. (the season people called him a tap in merchant) it's worth knowing that Rooney had spent the previous summer working on his heading because he felt it was a weakness in his game)

worth the watch. Check out his movement in the run up to his goals in particular

This is a reminder to those that doubt him

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xdecgd_wayne-rooney-all-34-goals-season-20_sport

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I am so glad you brought up his 34 goal season. I broke down every single goal to categories and this is how they fall

2 counter attacks goals
20 crosses goals
3 semi solo/shots in the box
1 super goal vs spurs (reminiscent of the Rooney of old)
5 penalteis
3 scramble in the box goals

Notice that 20 of his 34 goals came from crosses. 20!!!I think more credit should go to the wingers placing the ball in the perfect position than Rooney. Then you have 5 penalties.So thats 73 % of his goals where he has not needed his all round footballing ability to score. Just his finishing ability.

Any decent top quality striker could have matched or come close to those goals Rooney scored given the opportunities he had playing in our system.

The only superb goal he scored was the 1 vs Spurs which was absolute class. For once he actually beat his man and placed the keeper. Super goal and is the kind of goal Rooney of old scored on a regular basis

Please do not bring his free-kicks into play because he we are talking about the decline of his all round ability in open play.

The barca and Man city goals sum up all our points about rooney.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzpqEGq42YQ

In the build up to the Man City goal, you see that Berbatov passed him the ball and his return pass was misplaced. Luckily the ball fell to scholes who passed to nani and the rest is history.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ng6D3W8lUZk

In the barca goal he made another bad pass to hernadez's knee instead of sending it to his feet luckily it bounced off Chica and landed nicely for Rooney to finish

The is thing the situation that led to Rooney getting the ball to score were lucky bounces after poor build up play from him. They might lead to goals 10 % of the time but what about the remaining 90% when they lead to break down in attack or loss of possession??

ole

You go to an awful lot of trouble to discredit Rooney and ignore the points I have made about his movement in that season which was world class.

We are going to have to disagree. I'm glad we have him. For me, he's been the driving force behind so many trophies.

I just don't get United fans queeing up to slag off our players when they have won so much. It totally astounds me season after season.

Mark my words. When Rooney gets back to his best, they will be on the lookout for their next target.

The stick Carrick got the season before last as an example was bordering on the ridiculous for me

I worry about Clevs if he doesn't become world class in the next fortnight too because I know the knives will be out/

SouthLondonManc has already started on that already. (Welbeck too)

I personally believe he scores a lot because he is predominantly spoon fed by the wingers.
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Sorry but this argument makes no sense to me. Why doesn't Hernandez score as many goals? Or Welbeck? After all, they are spoon fed by the same wingers...

I agree with all of your criticisms of Rooney. However, take all those attributes away from him and he remains one of our best players by a distance. He proves it every season and he'll do it again this year.

I don't like Rooney, to be frank. But the fact is, looking back over his time at United, every season he has either played extremely well or scored loads of goals. It is very rare for him not to contribute one or the other. Sure, both would be ideal but he won't be dropped as long as he continues to give one or the other.

That said, I welcome the fact that he now has genuine competition for his place in Kagawa and RVP.