2017/18 Wayne Rooney

[Abraders]

Has he retired yet?

 

[degsy]

Shame we dont have more players like Rooney who care and give it everything for the shirt

Exactly.
When Davies lost the ball on the halfway line, 2 players chased it...only 1 was busting a gut and it wasn't Davies.
If Lukaku can play upfront and only run 5kms not 9, why not Rooney.(or any position)
Going to take a literal and figurative 'big man/name' to make it stick though.
But that's what's needed - quality running not quantity.

 

[4737carlin]

He's done ok, though he needs to find a fixed position.

Diego Simeone will find him one next season

 

[dannyboy]

Exactly.
When Davies lost the ball on the halfway line, 2 players chased it...only 1 was busting a gut and it wasn't Davies.
If Lukaku can play upfront and only run 5kms not 9, why not Rooney.(or any position)
Going to take a literal and figurative 'big man/name' to make it stick though.
But that's what's needed - quality running not quantity.

Because Lukaku scores 25 goals a season and Rooney is quite clearly nowhere that level.

 

[degsy]

@4737carlin up late mate,

Because Lukaku scores 25 goals a season and Rooney is quite clearly nowhere that level.

Not quite the point i was making. Again; which ever position Rooney plays in...and there are a couple of them, as a 'football brain' he still has a part to play, if he did a bit less 'wasted/unproductive' running he would be more able to apply the nouse he has to better longer lasting effect

 

[ExpatinBangkok]

He is the same quality as Everton as a club- Gamely trys with flashes of brilliance but never going to challenge the best. So he fits right in currently.

Just hope moshri is willing to invest another 150-200 m (and not listen to Walsh this time

 

[GwladysBlue]

He's done ok, though he needs to find a fixed position.

His fixed position should be on the bench, where he belongs.

 

[evertondotcom]

Like it or not - Rooney along with Pickford has been Evertons best player this season.

Grim as it is, it's true.

 

[Kev50]

Because Lukaku scores 25 goals a season and Rooney is quite clearly nowhere that level.

yes but take out the fixtures against Bournemouth and the number drops to 7

 

[bicycleheader]

SELL

 

[marcus]

Rooney to score again Saturday & silence all the critics...

 

[On Timmy Cahills Head]

Like it or not - Rooney along with Pickford has been Evertons best player this season.

Grim as it is, it's true.

To some extent I do agree with that in regards to Rooney but, I think it may have been on here, a united fan came on in the summer and said it was often the case that when played he was their best player, the problem was when he played the rest of the team suffered due to his tempo etc...When he didn't play the rest of the team performed better and therefore he was eventually dropped. It could well be the same scenario here.

 

[Barnfred 55]

In our current predicament, he should be used as a number 9, similar to Shearer in his latter days. Should not move wider than penalty box and not drop back past the half way line.

All his efforts should be spent in bullying their centre backs and making sure he's dropping into goal scoring positions to give whoever is on the ball an option.

Also agree with those that say he shouldn't be a certain starter.

Wouldn't argue with that mate in theory. However in practice there are two problems with that. Firstly, it's never been his game for a reason, and that's because he isn't very good as a target man, never has been. But I agree he's probably as good as anything else we have for that role at the moment, mainly because he is a goalscorer. The second problem is that he isn't disciplined enough for that role. His natural instinct is to drop back which takes him into an already crowded area of the pitch and reduces options for players on the ball. So until he learns to discipline himself he shouldn't start up front IMO. You'd think it would be easy enough to resolve. Just stay up there Wazzer FFS.

 

[dave11]

Wouldn't argue with that mate in theory. However in practice there are two problems with that. Firstly, it's never been his game for a reason, and that's because he isn't very good as a target man, never has been. But I agree he's probably as good as anything else we have for that role at the moment, mainly because he is a goalscorer. The second problem is that he isn't disciplined enough for that role. His natural instinct is to drop back which takes him into an already crowded area of the pitch and reduces options for players on the ball. So until he learns to discipline himself he shouldn't start up front IMO. You'd think it would be easy enough to resolve. Just stay up there Wazzer FFS.

Agree that it's far from an ideal solution but as one of the only players looking like weighing in with a few goals, he's probably as good as we've got unless DCL starts bagging regularly.

Surely he doesn't hold that much power that he can play where he wants irrespective of what the manager tells him. Then again, it would not surprise me.

 

[Alatar]

Wouldn't argue with that mate in theory. However in practice there are two problems with that. Firstly, it's never been his game for a reason, and that's because he isn't very good as a target man, never has been. But I agree he's probably as good as anything else we have for that role at the moment, mainly because he is a goalscorer. The second problem is that he isn't disciplined enough for that role. His natural instinct is to drop back which takes him into an already crowded area of the pitch and reduces options for players on the ball. So until he learns to discipline himself he shouldn't start up front IMO. You'd think it would be easy enough to resolve. Just stay up there Wazzer FFS.

I agree with most that you said, but I don't think that he's not staying up front is a matter of discipline. I don't think that he has been told a million times and keep forgetting that every time, or just ignore it because he's arrogant.

As the striker, he doesn't stay up front to anticipate counter attacking opportunities because he and his manager know that at least two defenders will stay with him and he doesn't have the legs to win a sprint race with them.

He also doesn't stay in the penalty box in the build up of attack the way a striker like Lukaku does because he doesn't have the body strength or height to be effective there. Instead, he moves around to find space, to be more involved in the attack.

However, despite of his lack of pace, strength and height, his finishing and positioning as a striker is in a different class than Niasse or DCL.

I think he can't be the target man that stays up front, he won't do well there. So, play him as one of front two or front three, or a ten, otherwise bench him, just don't expect him to be the furthest man up the pitch.