People have such faith in Rooney. His time is done, once they realize that, maybe things will start to click...
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The 2016-2017 Football Thread
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Kudos to Watford though - despite being pressed by Man Utd after the equalizer they kept their heads up and won the match.
Man Utd fans had a good laugh when Gerrard's body gave out in his last couple seasons at Liverpool and he made an uncomfortable and largely unsuccessful switch to a deeper role; the same thing is now happening to Rooney and his presence unbalances his team. Age catches up with everyone eventually.
But today's match was not just about Rooney. Martial, Pogba, Zlatan...there was some seriously expensive talent on the pitch today. You'd expect them to do a job against Watford.
The Fellaini Era continues at Man Utd. He seems to define them more than anything else.
Man Utd fans had a good laugh when Gerrard's body gave out in his last couple seasons at Liverpool and he made an uncomfortable and largely unsuccessful switch to a deeper role; the same thing is now happening to Rooney and his presence unbalances his team. Age catches up with everyone eventually.
But today's match was not just about Rooney. Martial, Pogba, Zlatan...there was some seriously expensive talent on the pitch today. You'd expect them to do a job against Watford.
The Fellaini Era continues at Man Utd. He seems to define them more than anything else.
Been saying it. Rooney is overrated but the British press and managers continue to give him a pass. I thought Mou would finally axe him but maybe his Chelsea disaster has put some fear in him.
Rooney is not a number 10, Pogba is not a holding midfielder. Fellaini is not a United level player. Seems Mikhi is already grumbling too at being put out wide.
The team is still weak but has a lot of 'big' names. Except Ibra-ish and Mikhi, none of them would walk into any other top team. Yes even Pogba. There are CM with better stats at a fraction of the price.
Rooney is not a number 10, Pogba is not a holding midfielder. Fellaini is not a United level player. Seems Mikhi is already grumbling too at being put out wide.
The team is still weak but has a lot of 'big' names. Except Ibra-ish and Mikhi, none of them would walk into any other top team. Yes even Pogba. There are CM with better stats at a fraction of the price.
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I'd have to disagree with you on the press on Rooney - I think a segment of the press are absolutely slaying him. The usual hysterics from a certain segment of the English media. The same media that praise him as a national treasure when it suits them. There are plenty of more balance article out there, Scepticalscribe mentioned one.Even Rooney's biggest supporters know he is in decline, but some of the more red-d-blooded condemnations have of course gone too far.
It was funny to see Allardayce - no-nonsense Allardyce - essentially publicly deem Rooney undroppable and in control of where he plays himself for England. Big Sam sounded a little starstuck there.
As for Pogba, transfer fees have little meaning for the biggest clubs in Europe. The price will always be totally disproportional to reality, but that is irrelevant. All that matters is 1) does the club have the the money and 2) are they willing to spend it. The most notable things about the Pogba transfer is that Man Utd won a bidding war with Real Madrid to buy the world's most expensive player, who also happened to be a discarded Man Utd youth product.
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My press argument comes from media saying Rooney should be a striker during the LvG era "Wayne should be leading the line" but now people are realising that the player himself is all but finished. This isn't Ligue1 or Serie A where you can coast on the pitch. In the EPL you will get found out quickly.
As for Pogba it makes sense that Real and Utd entered a bidding war. Both clubs have become similar in that it's all about the money and making signings for some 'perceived' statements.
As for Pogba it makes sense that Real and Utd entered a bidding war. Both clubs have become similar in that it's all about the money and making signings for some 'perceived' statements.
Spurs ground out a decent win against a determined Sunderland, but Kane, Dier and Dembele all picked up injuries. Kane appeared to twist his ankle badly; I wonder how bad the damage is.
Fair point. Mourinho painted himself into a corner by declaring that Rooney was a forward or a number 10, not a central midfielder - and then deployed him as a central midfielder. Just as with Gerrard, it's a shoehorning operation and it isn;t going to work. Besides, a team with Man Utd's resources should not have to play their captain out of position.
Fair point. Mourinho painted himself into a corner by declaring that Rooney was a forward or a number 10, not a central midfielder - and then deployed him as a central midfielder. Just as with Gerrard, it's a shoehorning operation and it isn;t going to work. Besides, a team with Man Utd's resources should not have to play their captain out of position.
Another interesting & thoughtful piece in The Guardian (by Owen Gibson) on 17.09 about the 'issues' - perhaps 'challenges' sounds better - facing West Ham after their move to the Olympic Park in what had been seen as the steal, or deal, of the century. You might find it of some interest, @Apple fanboy.
In The Observer (18.09) Brian Oliver returns to some of the same topics (West Ham, new stadium, alienated fans, class identity, greed, ambition, rootedness in the local community and so on, family seats, standing, and so on) in an equally interesting and well written piece.
In The Observer (18.09) Brian Oliver returns to some of the same topics (West Ham, new stadium, alienated fans, class identity, greed, ambition, rootedness in the local community and so on, family seats, standing, and so on) in an equally interesting and well written piece.
Your got your wish and more, my Man U was stunned by them 3-1. I do not want to hear from Man U manager!
Trouble is we're not just struggling at home.
I said last season it was our defence that needed strengthening. Yet all the focus was on finding a top drawer striker. I'm not sure we really ticked that box tbh.
But with a good number of new players and a fair few injuries, we may well start to gel as time goes on.
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Well at least I won't get any stick from my manager at work.
We've both agreed on a zero tolerance on football talk in the office tomorrow!
A good win for Liverpool over an admittedly limited Derby team. Origi's finish for the third goal was excellent. With no European football, Klopp can afford to put out strong teams in cup matches without worrying about fatigue.
And now Klopp finally has Loris Karius available, he didn't have to do anything against Derby so we are still waiting for a good look at him...I assume Klopp will keep playing Mignolet in the league until he has a bad match, then drop him for Karius. Despite what he says, Klopp clearly prefers Karius and expects him to be a more assured presence at the back in his ball handling and distribution. Given Liverpool's defensive frailties, an improvement in the goalkeeping position would be welcome.
And now Klopp finally has Loris Karius available, he didn't have to do anything against Derby so we are still waiting for a good look at him...I assume Klopp will keep playing Mignolet in the league until he has a bad match, then drop him for Karius. Despite what he says, Klopp clearly prefers Karius and expects him to be a more assured presence at the back in his ball handling and distribution. Given Liverpool's defensive frailties, an improvement in the goalkeeping position would be welcome.
Bacca is top notch
[doublepost=1474595200][/doublepost]still waiting for David beckham to build a new MLS team here in Florida
Agree Bacca would have been a good buy for us, but he didn't want to sign.
But it's our defence that needs beefing up.
Collins is getting a little long in the tooth.
You know, I don't like Mourinho. But, with the latest book and his line about wanting to punch Wenger, in addition to his overall attitude, I really don't like that guy. Even Wenger and Ferguson had issues, HOWEVER, they respected each other and now are closer friends than ever...
I just wished that when Mourinho was Chelsea manager, we'd beaten him in the Premiership fair and square. Well, here we are again this weekend to face Chelsea, albeit, with a different manager. Mourinho is still a tosser...
I just wished that when Mourinho was Chelsea manager, we'd beaten him in the Premiership fair and square. Well, here we are again this weekend to face Chelsea, albeit, with a different manager. Mourinho is still a tosser...
I'm pretty much in agreement with you. Candidly, I don't like the man either.
However, I read an interesting piece in The Guardian yesterday which suggested not only that his best years are behind him (the old 'first decade is usually better than the second as a top flight manager' school of thought), but that the 'model' - or style - of management he represents is no longer novel and carries a lot less weight in terms of 'dressing room politics' than it did once upon a more distant time.
Certainly, it is not simply recent losses - but the way he has reacted to them (publicly criticising players) that strikes me as worth noting. This hasn't happened that early in his tenure at any other club.
Being a Man U fan I just was stunned when they hired that man!
Well, yes.
Greed (and ambition), and quick fix thinking, triumphing over sanity, sense and any respect for tradition.
Nevertheless, I think I can safely predict that it will end in tears, - but the surprise is that this might come possibly sooner rather than later.
Actually, I agree with you.
Ryan Giggs grew up in that environment, knows it, respects it, understands it, yet recognises that one needs to be able to manage change within an wider footballing context as well.
More to the point, as an exceptionally successful product himself of an internal academy system whereby talent is honed and nurtured and given time to develop, (and eventually, hopefully, blossom) he might be open to the idea of further investment (in time and resources) in a system whereby footballers are allowed to grow and mature (or are developed or nurtured) rather than simply being bought in to solve - or address - a specific problem as need arises.
not a man u fan by any stretch but i hoped giggs would be the choice too...
Agree, but I think the time when club icons can move into managing their life long club might have passed us by.
Btw I think dropping Rooney is the right call for today's game. Time will tell.
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