2017/18 Wayne Rooney

[Barnfred 55]

I've seen him be one of the best players on the pitch at Goodison plenty of times this season. I know that is feint praise, but nonetheless. I've also seen him be one of the worst on several occasions (including yesterday).

There is a type of game which is right for him, the fast paced ones are certainly not right for him, but he can still be very good in the slower games or the games where we have more possession.

It ain't rocket science is it.

At the moment he is the only player we have who can control games when we see a lot of possession. When we don't, he's nothing more than a passenger. So play him in those games he can influence. At his age he needs regular rests anyway.

I just don't understand why our manager and coaching staff can't see this too.

 

[bring the ghost on]

It ain't rocket science is it.

At the moment he is the only player we have who can control games when we see a lot of possession. When we don't, he's nothing more than a passenger. So play him in those games he can influence. At his age he needs regular rests anyway.

I just don't understand why our manager and coaching staff can't see this too.

Spot on.

 

[sc1878]

It ain't rocket science is it.

At the moment he is the only player we have who can control games when we see a lot of possession. When we don't, he's nothing more than a passenger. So play him in those games he can influence. At his age he needs regular rests anyway.

I just don't understand why our manager and coaching staff can't see this too.

Spot on. I think the criticism of him has been very unfair. I didn’t particularly want him back at this stage of his career but in this dreadful season he’s been our top scorer from playing the majority of his games as a deep lying midfielder.

I’d dread to think where we’d be without him this season.

He’s by no means the answer but compared to players who need bombing out in the summer, he’s nowhere near the top of the list.

 

[APN_EFC]

Can anyone tell me what this free-loading has-been offers to the team?

Vehemently against him coming back and the sheer folly has now been exposed.

He couldn't play striker any more for the Mancs, so they tried him in midfield - and it failed.

So they dropped him.

Then along come soft arse Everton with their money-laden sentimental bandwagon and offer to take him off their wage bill - and break their own salary structure to pay him a staggering £150,000 per week.

£150,000 PER WEEK.

And what do we get for that?

A front line goal threat. Nope.

A foil up front for Tosun. Er, no.

A latter day Pirlo, Zidane or Zola. That'll be a no too.

Someone whose experience, leadership, winning mentality and influence catalyses the whole team. Not seen any of that.

No: what we got was a player who has been past his best for two years. The Rooney the Mancs were amazed someone wanted to get off their hands. A washed-up facsimile of the most exciting footballer we have produced for a generation.

And now, because he has failed in every position we have played him in, in this disastrous season, we're trying one final re-invention as a deep lying midfielder who sits in front of the back four. I'll say that again... Wayne Rooney in front of the back four. Double you, tea, eff!

We bought him because he is Wayne Rooney. We play him because he is Wayne Rooney. There is no other footballing reason whatsoever.

I'd wager no other team in the so-called Premiership would even consider him.

He is the epitome of why we have swapped ambition and aspiration for mediocrity. A meaningless PR gesture that is fooling no-one.

A disgrace yesterday when he offered absolutely NOTHING. An embarrassing physical metaphor for this one great club of ours.

Like Schneiderlin and Williams, he should never play for Everton again.

This is the problem - that's the one thing I was hoping for - if nothing else. I knew the only hope for Rooney & Everton was if he really suddenly got his mojo and energy back and went back to a classy no.10 with some fire and passion, and a good mentor for Barkley, Davies and the others. I am sentimental and optimistic still, but the problem, again, with so many of other signings, is that we have no idea how to manage him. Only Fergie seems to have got the best out of him when he was past his prime

 

[Soap]

I've seen him be one of the best players on the pitch at Goodison plenty of times this season. I know that is feint praise, but nonetheless. I've also seen him be one of the worst on several occasions (including yesterday).

There is a type of game which is right for him, the fast paced ones are certainly not right for him, but he can still be very good in the slower games or the games where we have more possession.

This train of thought and acceptance of a mediocre player is exactly why we’re in the position we’re in.

 

[Toffeelover]

We brought him in for his winning mentality, chaps.

Pity it was not in his legs!

 

[Eggs]

...he’s fine in that quarterback role against teams that don’t press and allow him time and space to dictate the play. City press to win the ball back so it nullifies him. The Reds press high up the pitch as well. These are all things Allardyce knows.

 

[roydo]

These are all things Allardyce knows.

You would have thought so mate.

 

[Eggs]

You would have thought so mate.

..it does beggar belief when you think about it.

 

[billyblue80]

It ain't rocket science is it.

At the moment he is the only player we have who can control games when we see a lot of possession. When we don't, he's nothing more than a passenger. So play him in those games he can influence. At his age he needs regular rests anyway.

I just don't understand why our manager and coaching staff can't see this too.

Spot on, they can't see it because Fat head trusts in 'experience'.

 

[roydo]

..it does beggar belief when you think about it.

As you well know, my footie knowledge aint up to much. But when I saw the CM combo at 4.30 yesterday, I seriously could not fathom any reasoning behind it. Other than every other midfielder being sent to jail.

 

[Eggs]

As you well know, my footie knowledge aint up to much. But when I saw the CM combo at 4.30 yesterday, I seriously could not fathom any reasoning behind it. Other than every other midfielder being sent to jail.

..it was strange that in his post-match interview i’m sure he said the only midfielder he had available was Schneiderlin. I presume he meant central midfielder, yet he had energy on the bench in Davies and Beningame.

 

[roydo]

..it was strange that in his post-match interview i’m sure he said the only midfielder he had available was Schneiderlin. I presume he meant central midfielder, yet he had energy on the bench in Davies and Beningame.

Quite.

 

[Old Blue 2]

..it was strange that in his post-match interview i’m sure he said the only midfielder he had available was Schneiderlin. I presume he meant central midfielder, yet he had energy on the bench in Davies and Beningame.

Agree. If Davies & Bene had been on from the start, Citeh wouldn't have had the open door through our midfield, and we might just have posed a greater threat when we had the ball going forward. Sadly, Rooney is now well past his best, and was quite anonymous yesterday - the game passed him by...

 

[bring the ghost on]

This train of thought and acceptance of a mediocre player is exactly why we’re in the position we’re in.

I said he does a job against weaker opposition but should be dropped against better teams.

Please tell me how you construe that as me accepting mediocre players.

The problem is not acceptance of mediocrity by any fan. The problem is years of underinvestment in the team, letting out rivals outgrow us on and off the field and, more recently, blowing £200m on dross and choosing poor managers.

It’s ridiculous to go around accusing other posters of accepting mediocrity and saying they’re part of the problem just for expressing an opinion on the strengths and weaknesses of a player.