2017/18 Wayne Rooney

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Lanolin said:
Let's not pretend he can't still do a very good job for us. Three weeks ago at Stoke he was far and away the best player on the pitch, and he regularly is against teams below us. He hasn't got the legs to play in midfield against the best, no arguments there, but the idea that he's not good enough to get a game for us is laughable.
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Against 10 men for most of the game with a midfielder sent off. That's the kind of advantage he needs to excel, that or loads of time on the ball.

He's still got something to offer but any team with a mobile midfield will overrun him. And he's not Paul Scholes on the ball either, he usually gives it away, so you can put runners around him but as a midfielder you're building your team around someone who isn't suited to play there. He's a big reason why the team are so unbalanced this season, last season we weren't great but there was more balance.

Stick him up top and he can still finish, but again he hasn't got the legs.
 
gazzaa2 said:
Against 10 men for most of the game with a midfielder sent off. That's the kind of advantage he needs to excel, that or loads of time on the ball.

He's still got something to offer but any team with a mobile midfield will overrun him. And he's not Paul Scholes on the ball either, he usually gives it away, so you can put runners around him but as a midfielder you're building your team around someone who isn't suited to play there. He's a big reason why the team are so unbalanced this season, last season we weren't great but there was more balance.

Stick him up top and he can still finish, but again he hasn't got the legs.
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OK, so Brighton a couple of weeks before then, or West Ham, or Newcastle, or Swansea, even Liverpool away.

Yes his legs have gone, everyone knows that, but to suggest he has nothing to offer us is ridiculous. Yes he needs time and space but at least when he’s got it he can produce, which is more than can be said for most of them. I wouldn’t have brought him back personally, but he’s easily been in our top 5 players this year. Not saying a lot I know, but that’s the point being made here.
 
Lanolin said:
OK, so Brighton a couple of weeks before then, or West Ham, or Newcastle, or Swansea, even Liverpool away.

Yes his legs have gone, everyone knows that, but to suggest he has nothing to offer us is ridiculous. Yes he needs time and space but at least when he’s got it he can produce, which is more than can be said for most of them. I wouldn’t have brought him back personally, but he’s easily been in our top 5 players this year. Not saying a lot I know, but that’s the point being made here.
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You try to redeem yourself with 'Liverpool away' - but he was hooked in the cup and we instantly transformed into a dangerous team and he only merits a mention from the away league encounter because he scored a penalty. He did nothing else to influence the game as far as I recall.

So West Ham (who were the worst team in the league at that point), Swansea (who were not far behind), Newcastle (who were not even into their stride at the time) and Brighton (where they battered us and again, he only comes to mind due to being our nominated penalty taker), are proof of his worth?

Paradoxically, they demonstrate what a sentimental folly it was to even contemplate bringing him back.

Where was this leader, this passionate Evertonian, this winner, this blue who would die for the shirt, this inspiration for the whole team against Man City, Man Utd, Liverpool (I'll give you one third of a point as he was subbed in two out of the three games), Spurs, Chelsea and Arsenal?

Nowhere to be seen, in the sort of games where 'our Wayne' was supposed to carry us to a higher, competitive level and help us give them a game this season.

Then let's add every other team in the league to that list.

He offers nothing and is lucky enough to play for an ambition-less club that prioritises mushy melodrama over ruthlessness, realism and a winning mentality.

I was staggered when we brought this over-the-hill has-been back. Only Everton would be so stupid.
 
DavidBooth said:
You try to redeem yourself with 'Liverpool away' - but he was hooked in the cup and we instantly transformed into a dangerous team and he only merits a mention from the away league encounter because he scored a penalty. He did nothing else to influence the game as far as I recall.

So West Ham (who were the worst team in the league at that point), Swansea (who were not far behind), Newcastle (who were not even into their stride at the time) and Brighton (where they battered us and again, he only comes to mind due to being our nominated penalty taker), are proof of his worth?

Paradoxically, they demonstrate what a sentimental folly it was to even contemplate bringing him back.

Where was this leader, this passionate Evertonian, this winner, this blue who would die for the shirt, this inspiration for the whole team against Man City, Man Utd, Liverpool (I'll give you one third of a point as he was subbed in two out of the three games), Spurs, Chelsea and Arsenal?

Nowhere to be seen, in the sort of games where 'our Wayne' was supposed to carry us to a higher, competitive level and help us give them a game this season.

Then let's add every other team in the league to that list.

He offers nothing and is lucky enough to play for an ambition-less club that prioritises mushy melodrama over ruthlessness, realism and a winning mentality.

I was staggered when we brought this over-the-hill has-been back. Only Everton would be so stupid.
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I’m not trying to redeem anything, just mentioning some good games he’s had off the top of my head. Your memory of the Liverpool league game appears to have missed the bit where he created the penalty that he then scored, but i’ll Forgive you that because it’s not like derbies are important games or anything so why would you recall it.

The rest of your post is a waste of time because you’re explaining why we shouldn’t have brought him back when i’ve Already said I agree with that.

Put simply, he’s been better than a number of our other players this year and if you can’t see that you either don’t watch the games or are just pushing an agenda. I’d love us to be able get rid in the summer because we’ve brought in much better but I doubt we will, do I would expect him to be a useful squad player, even if it’s just to punish the relegation fodder.
 

It seems opinions about Wayne have become very polarised of late. After a decent first half of the season it is clear his legs have now gone which is probably frustrating him more than anyone else. As has been said he should only be used sparingly henceforth against weaker opposition, but it is sad to see some Blues turning on him with such venom.
 
Lanolin said:
I’m not trying to redeem anything, just mentioning some good games he’s had off the top of my head. Your memory of the Liverpool league game appears to have missed the bit where he created the penalty that he then scored, but i’ll Forgive you that because it’s not like derbies are important games or anything so why would you recall it.

The rest of your post is a waste of time because you’re explaining why we shouldn’t have brought him back when i’ve Already said I agree with that.

Put simply, he’s been better than a number of our other players this year and if you can’t see that you either don’t watch the games or are just pushing an agenda. I’d love us to be able get rid in the summer because we’ve brought in much better but I doubt we will, do I would expect him to be a useful squad player, even if it’s just to punish the relegation fodder.
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He was unbelievably bad against Liverpool away in both games. The long ball to Calvert-Lewin doesn't change the fact our midfield was completely swamped that day.

You say punish the relegation fodder, but why can't we just find players who are capable against every team in the league? Even against the worst opposition I would never trust Rooney in an away game. Completely there for the taking against any side who adopts a high tempo.
 
dannyboy said:
He was unbelievably bad against Liverpool away in both games. The long ball to Calvert-Lewin doesn't change the fact our midfield was completely swamped that day.

You say punish the relegation fodder, but why can't we just find players who are capable against every team in the league? Even against the worst opposition I would never trust Rooney in an away game. Completely there for the taking against any side who adopts a high tempo.
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Again, I agree that he gets overrun and is nowhere near the level we want now. There’s an enormous but though. Realistically, we’re not going to be improving the squad so much this summer that he is no longer a useful squad player, and that’s all I’ve been saying.
 

I think he needs to be a bit part player moving forward. He struggles against the top six now can offer bits against the rest but he should not be starting every week his legs are going.
 
electricblue said:
It seems opinions about Wayne have become very polarised of late. After a decent first half of the season it is clear his legs have now gone which is probably frustrating him more than anyone else. As has been said he should only be used sparingly henceforth against weaker opposition, but it is sad to see some Blues turning on him with such venom.
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You must have been asleep between 2004 and 2017.
 

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