What’s wrong with Rooney?
He hasn’t scored for Manchester United in the Champions League since September 2004. He hasn’t scored for England in a competitive match since Euro 2004.
The tongues are wagging - what’s wrong with Wayne Rooney?
On the surface, there isn’t much wrong. If you watch his game closely you’d realise that he’s putting in lot of effort and is still the same player, more or less, that he was 3 years ago. Critics have pointed to his temper and poor attitude, but harsh temper is not Rooney’s domain solely, and there are (and have been) plenty of hot-headed, talented players.
The second claim is that Rooney is being ‘found out’ at the top level - that he cannot score against quality opposition because he lacks the technical skills to do so. That, fortunately for Manchester United, is not true either - Rooney’s talents are obvious to anyone who has watched him playing for Manchester United. Where Rooney may lack is in the ball skills, shooting accuracy and trickery that Ronaldo has, but he makes up for it by matching him for pace, an amazing ability to keep the ball and a never-say-die attitude that often gives him the extra edge against the opposition.
So what really is wrong with Rooney? Why can’t he score for England? And why can’t he score for Manchester United in the Champions League, or put 20-30 goals away in a season?
Sidenote: Azar and I have a bet on Rooney scoring 30+ goals in a single Prem season in his career - Azar says he can’t do it, I’m pretty sure he can. The stakes? 
I’d like to hear your thoughts on why Rooney isn’t scoring freely, but I have a few ideas of my own as well that I’d like to put forward:
Plays too deep
Because of his ball-winning abilities, Wayne Rooney has been unfairly pigeon-holed as a support striker. It’s a role that he plays well because he can hold the ball up and lay it forward for the front man to score, but it’s a waste of his talents - it denies him use of his pace and shooting skills, which are absolutely phenomenal if he’s given the chance.
Rooney has consistently been paired up with hit men whose job is to sit up front and wait for the final ball (Ruud van Nistelrooy for Manchester United and Michael Owen for England). When Ruud moved on and Saha took his place at United, Rooney was again pushed into the second striker role. The fact that United have survived Saha’s profligacy and that Saha has scored so many goals is testament to the sheer volume of chances United have created.
For England, Crouch and Defoe are often pushed into the front man role, leaving Rooney behind to “link up” play. It’s an embarrassment for a finisher of Rooney’s ability to be playing as a shadow striker, especially when the midfield lacks the quality to bring the ball forward and wing-play is non-existant (talking about England).
Expectations are too high
Great things were expected from Rooney when he broke through, with most people not realising that they were asking too much from him to score 30+ goals a season from the start. Those expectations, coupled with unfair comparisons with Ronaldo (Ronaldo truly has had a remarkable, unheralded season), mean that quite often Rooney is criticised for failing to live up to unrealistic expectations.
Just excuses?
Some might say that the above reasons are just excuses that take away from the reality that Rooney doesn’t have what it takes. To that, I’ll just say this - Rooney has talent, yes, but he also has to prove it. It’s up to him to prove himself, and its up to Alex Ferguson and Steve McClaren to help him get there.
Personally, I think that Rooney needs more time, and a more forward role, to really succeed. As long as he is pushed out left (as he often is in the Champions League) or back in midfield as the second striker (as he is for England and for Manchester United when Saha or Ole is playing), he’s not going to score as many goals.
And Rooney will always be judged by the number of goals he scores. No one will look at the amazing, picture-perfect crosses he floats in from the left wing, or the audacious chips he plays for his goals. It’s the goals counter that matters, and for that Rooney has to play the lead striker.
- Rooney’s metatarsal scan today
- Rooney’s metatarsal and England’s World Cup
- Manchester United vs The FA - Rooney wants out
- Rooney gets going for Manchester United (goal video)
- Arsenal vs. Manchester United - The controversial view point
Discussion - 22 Responses
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He looks a different player from last year i’ll give you that. Can’t really explain whats wrong with Rooney but he’s certainly missing a spark. He’s been playing crap all season long. Hope he gets back though. Bags of talent
I think that what is wrong with Rooney is us, the fans. We expect too much from him. I don’t believe that Rooney is a clinical finisher like RVN, therefore 30+ goals is an unfair expectation. Rooney is more like a young Maradonna. He will win you games with his ‘natural’ vision. All the games that I’ve seen of Rooney, it is just amazing to see what SAF meant when he had the (at the time) ‘pathetic sounding’ conference where he described everything Rooney does as ‘Natural’. (Natural this, natural that, etc..). He really is a natural…but, he need experience…and realistic expectations
I’m totally agreed with you! I can’t describe it better than you. Respect!
He doesn’t seem to be playing like he really enjoys it at the moment. When he plays like its a training session you really see the best of him, he tries the kind of shots he scored against Pompy in the F.A cup and that wonder goal he got against Newcastle a few years ago. I think we expect too much of him, the teams he plays in expects too much of him and probably he expects too much of himself. It seems to have turned to serious for him. Ronaldo plays every game like he’s in the park and hence we and his country always get the best of him, get Rooney playing in the same way, like he was a few years ago, and I think his consistancy will increase.
I believe all that nonsence from the world cup has not helped him either, so much pressure should never have been put on him, it was only ever going to end in tears. The older players like Gerrard should be taking that kind of pressure off him.
I think the problems are further compounded when he plays for England due to the unbalanced midfield he is forced to play in front of, the service he recieves is so poor at times that it further increases his chances of not scoring or assisting the main striker in scoring. The pressure then increases and so on.
Rooney is an awesome talant but we’re still yet to see the very best of him.
Rooney is having a bad season. It’s that simple. Plus England are just shit.
Being expected to have a fairly consistant season is not too much expectation for the best english striker, specially when his team is on fiiyah and firing on all cylinders.
He isn’t expected to just have a consistant season he’s expected to carry the team by himself at times.
^
Surely not this season, Giggs, Ronaldo and Scholes are the ones carying the team but people are just waiting for Rooney to hit his form so he can help his already winning team improve in front of goal.
I would be lying to say that Rooney hasnt lost his spark. In previous seasons he wasn’t scoring a lots of goals but he was creating them. And that was the reason Nistelrooy had 20+ goals even though he lost the pace and creativity he possessed in his earlier days at United.
This season Rooney hasnt created so many goals. The major reason being, he is losing possession easily compared to previous seasons. I just hope he regains that spark he has lost. He has just lost the spark and not the talent.
Regarding Rooney not scoring not too many goals, I think Ahmed was spot on. Its because Rooney is not played in the forward role, he usually sits in the hole position. The two matches this season he was been really awesome are the ones against Bolton Wanderers, and in both the matches he was operating as a forward and not in the hole.
As long as he shows the kind of work ethic he is showing now, I am sure he will regain that spark, which made him the best young player for two consecutive years
I would be lying to say that Rooney hasnt lost his spark. In previous seasons he wasn’t scoring a lots of goals but he was creating them. And that was the reason Nistelrooy had 20+ goals even though he lost the pace and creativity he possessed in his earlier days at United.
Erm - WHAT? Rooney has 11 assists to date this season, the most of any player in the premiership, and accounting for 15% of United’s goals in the premiership. Add to that Saha’s already mentioned profligacy (I’m a big fan of Saha, but he does miss several chances), and we can see that Rooney may have had even more had he been paired with a more clinical finisher.
Hugo Steckelmacher, thanks for the number of assists Rooney made. You are correct, he is making a lot of assists. But do you disagree that he is losing the ball easily compared to the previous seasons?
Also it makes me wonder if the increase in form of Ronaldo, Scholes, Giggs this season compared to last season makes us feel Rooney is not the same he was last year. Because we are used to him being the best player of United on the pitch, and this time others have also produced such amazing football.
30+ in a season of EPL? No! I never said that. I said Rooney can’t score 30+ in a season “IN ALL COMPETITIONS”!! 30+ ONLY in EPL :p …. errr c’mon man, I think only Shearer and Henry have pulled this off!! (May be also A.Cole or D.Yorke)
I’ve always maintained Rooney is over-rated. Rooney is gifted, fine! But its not like England has found another Shearer. Owen has been one of the best England has seen…. he couldn’t touch the 30+ feat for Liverpool. It’s really difficult! Henry did it for 5 consecutive years but then he is THIERRY HENRY! I think RVN has done this for ManU may be a couple of times, sorry if I’m wrong…. but as far as I recollect if he did score 30+ that was because he was bagging dozen-odd goals in Europe only. It’s simple - if someone is getting 30+, he’s scoring across all competitions from Europe to League to FA Cup - and that calls for some rarely found qualities. My view is, Rooney is gifted, but not that much.
There is hope for Rooney-Mongers though. And that is… he’s only 22. Shearer and Henry struck their legendary form in mid-20s and similar was RVN’s age when he did wonders for ManU. But Ronaldo is 22 too…. precocious perhaps…. but both Rooney and Ronaldo play from the same high-flying club, they both have their share of immaturity but the difference in quality is just so apparent.
In my view, it is England’s “emotional need” to just make a hero out of someone since you guys can’t find a real one on the international pitch. And I quote Karl on this:
“Rooney is more like a young Maradonna. He will win you games with his ‘natural’ vision.”
So now there is another contestant for Maradona-wanna-be Award. Just compare Messi and Rooney haha….
And Ahmed:
“And Rooney will always be judged by the number of goals he scores. No one will look at the amazing, picture-perfect crosses he floats in from the left wing, or the audacious chips he plays for his goals…..”
These lines sound strange coming from a guy who ranks #1 in Arsenal bashing over their beautiful but INEFFECTIVE football!
These lines sound strange coming from a guy who ranks #1 in Arsenal bashing over their beautiful but INEFFECTIVE football!
provocative drivel
I’m talking about how the media sees him, not how I see him. Try to read things in context instead of lifting them to cleverly suit your own purposes 
And like I’ve been saying for a while, you guys haven’t seen any Arsenal bashing yet
Haha I don’t care what you say about Arsenal anyway. I’m only waiting for some good blue-red matches (hopefully finals)!
I watch almost every Man U game this season.. and Rooney he make load of chance just need someone top put time in and also look at how many time he won the ball back.. up front or in the mid field.
i fink rooney is still 1 of da best players in the world so wat he hasnt scored soo many goals as he did last season.He is the 1 always setting dem up. He has pace he can keep hold of the ball and the crosses he does are amazing. Also the chips he does are wicked. He is a breath of fresh air. He is just what u call TALENT……….
Yeah…. ronney is one the best…. if Man Utd had more decent finisher….. and rooney skill in assit.. I bet it be leading with more then 6 point at the moment.
Futhermore… since Ronaldo just a winger therefore ronney really pull bak abit to do some of the running for Scholes and Giggs despite all thier skill and experience they are get old and starting to lose pace and stam. Would you really think Schole can run around the whole match and still have stam left if ronney didn’t do some of the running for him. I think is one of the reason why fergie is trying to buy so many midfield.
Also I dun think ronney would ever be a top score but if he is part with a decent finisher and a younger midfield with giggs and Schole quality he be a good score with possible top assiter
I dont know, for me Rooney has never been an out and out striker. Even when he played for Everton and signed for united i always believed he was perfect for the Scholes “hole” role. He likes to be on the ball, shooting from distance and he always does his best to win the ball back. For me he never has been an out and out striker and never will be, but then again neither is Ronaldo. Ronaldo’s biggest problem was consistency and ill judgment. He worked it out and he is on course for player of the year. For me, Rooney isnt too far behind.
Rooney has so far had a bad season for United, but things are starting to look up.
Rooney is not and never will be an out and out striker and that is not the best way to use him, he admits himself his best position is as a support striker. So I wouldn’t be expecting him to score 30 goals as season anytime soon.
As for England, he’s just not getting the support he needs! What with a right winger on the left, a central midfielder on the right and Frank Lampard doing crap for England, he dosn’t have much chance of getting any support in the near future!
Rach what u mean by bad season. How many of Ronney game have you watched.
As you said he is a support striker and he created load of chance with saha(mainly saha) + other missed.As I said before Man u need a finisher like RVN(but not as selfish as he is) then we see these assit mount up. possible no 1 in the premership. Anyway he has score a few important goal… just to name one. anyone remenber who score then goal vrs Arsenal. A header from the most unlikely person shortest of all striker..hehe.
hey der!
i totally agree wid u ,rooney’s been playing horribly dis season,esp d match vs middlesbrough,so many missed chances,i think we shud b gettin 2 strikers nxt season 4 man utd