Rooney Should Switch To Midfield

1286 Views 24 Replies 15 Participants Last post by CROoney, Feb 8, 2008

haggler

Discussion Starter · Feb 7, 2008

The boy is a fantastic player playing in the wrong place .

He will never be a striker like drogba owen nistelrooy etc and misses on average 3 out of four scoring chances .

When he drops deep his link up play is sublime and his goal return to shots improves .

so to sum up it is my contention that we play him as scholes succesor and go out and buy a proper striker in the summer to link with tevez/saha or get rid of saha and buy two .

team then would read foster brown ferdinand vidic evra nani anderson rooney ronaldo tevez and one other preferably benzema or drogba .

i think that that would be pretty much unstoppable .

nani only makes team by the way if he improves like ronaldo did .

what do you lot think ? last night was a case in point for me in the england game he can pull the strings if he is played deep .

1 - 20 of 25 Posts

reddwarf

· #2 · Feb 7, 2008

I think Rooney is good enough to play in either position. He scored 23 goals last season, which is a very good return for a support striker.

There has been an ongoing debate about whether he should be deployed as an attacking midfield player, his creativity and vision is ideal for that position, and up until last season I would have agreed with you.

He had a great goal scoring run earlier this season but he has been unfortunate with injuries and this could be the first season of his professional career in which he hasn't bettered his goal scoring record of the previous season.

If he's playing up front and scoring 20+ goals per season then I see no need for him to change position.

CROoney

· #3 · Feb 7, 2008

When we ditched Keano I was saying that we should buy Tevez and pull Rooney back to the Keano's place. He's a natural born leader.He's got Scholesy's vision along with Keano's commitment ! He could be usefull in midfield but not now...We're well equiped there

rebelk0de

· #4 · Feb 7, 2008

CROoney from Dubrovnik said:
When we ditched Keano I was saying that we should buy Tevez and pull Rooney back to the Keano's place. He's a natural born leader.He's got Scholesy's vision along with Keano's commitment ! He could be usefull in midfield but not now...We're well equiped there

yup gotta agree with that..during the match with tottenham, rooney didnt only attack. He was there in the midfield and defense to help united and prevent tottenham from scoring again. He did well in that match and last night against Switzerland, he was all over the place again, helping out wherever he could

alto10

· #5 · Feb 7, 2008

Rooney is far more dangerous as a striker where he can drop deep so defenders cant mark him that well, if you drop him into midfield then he willbe picked up thus not being as dangourous on the ball. He will still get 15 goals this year so thats a good return for a support striker.

CROoney

· #6 · Feb 7, 2008

alto10 said:
Rooney is far more dangerous as a striker where he can drop deep so defenders cant mark him that well, if you drop him into midfield then he willbe picked up thus not being as dangourous on the ball. He will still get 15 goals this year so thats a good return for a support striker.

but it's not whether he would be dangerous or not - the question is- on which position he could contribute to the team more ? I think it would be pointless to switch him to midfiled now, especially as we're missing strikers at the moment and we're ovelbulked( is that the expression) in the midfeild department - but he's got that keano spirit and spends most of the time in midfiled definitely.

rebelk0de

· #7 · Feb 7, 2008

CROoney from Dubrovnik said:
but it's not whether he would be dangerous or not - the question is- on which position he could contribute to the team more ? I think it would be pointless to switch him to midfiled now, especially as we're missing strikers at the moment and we're ovelbulked( is that the expression) in the midfeild department - but he's got that keano spirit and spends most of the time in midfiled definitely.

how about if he were to play as a central attacking midfielder behind tevez....that would be a good position to play in since he seems to be making runs all over the field and he's also good at passing the ball. I think that playing as a CAM would allow him to take a lot more long range shots...

CROoney

· #8 · Feb 7, 2008

rebelk0de said:
how about if he were to play as a central attacking midfielder behind tevez....that would be a good position to play in since he seems to be making runs all over the field and he's also good at passing the ball. I think that playing as a CAM would allow him to take a lot more long range shots...

yup - something like scholesy in his prime

alto10

· #9 · Feb 7, 2008

I think he contributes plenty to the team were he is look how he changed the game against Villa,if he was scoring no one would even think bout him dropping into midfeild,

The_Red_Prince

· #10 · Feb 7, 2008

He really is a good player from midfiled,but he said it himsef "Im a natural-born striker,im really good playing up front".Besides,he would lack that killer instinct and the only goals he would score from midfield are 10-30 screamers(thought i would'nt mind

versa

· #11 · Feb 7, 2008

Good thread, Haggler. Room to debate about and split opinions expected.

I don't think Rooney is a natural midfielder. Still think his best position is to play off the chief striker, where he can HELP OUT in the midfield tussle, link up play and pop up to score. Has always been and will always be. When he is played as an outright striker, he is not so effective and often lost, just chasing lost cause albeit diligently or becomes almost non-existent. But when he drops off a striker, he comes alive and is at his menacing best...

Leave the offensive part of the CAM to who else but Anderson of course.

red_devils4life

· #12 · Feb 7, 2008

Last season, Wayne Rooney's return of 23 goals & 16 assists is a great record for a world class deep-lying forward/supporting striker like him IMO!

Justice

· #13 · Feb 7, 2008

haggler said:
The boy is a fantastic player playing in the wrong place .

He will never be a striker like drogba owen nistelrooy etc and misses on average 3 out of four scoring chances .

When he drops deep his link up play is sublime and his goal return to shots improves .

so to sum up it is my contention that we play him as scholes succesor and go out and buy a proper striker in the summer to link with tevez/saha or get rid of saha and buy two .

team then would read foster brown ferdinand vidic evra nani anderson rooney ronaldo tevez and one other preferably benzema or drogba .

i think that that would be pretty much unstoppable .

nani only makes team by the way if he improves like ronaldo did .

what do you lot think ? last night was a case in point for me in the england game he can pull the strings if he is played deep .

Someone has finally picked up on my train of though. Rooney is the perfect SUPPORT attacker. He would fit perfectly into an attacking midfield position imo.

HOWEVER. He plays exceedingly well upfront anyway so why bother distort your formation when he's not miles better than anyone else in the team (see Ronaldo)

haggler

Discussion Starter · #14 · Feb 7, 2008

Do we then give him licence to roam as the game dictates ?

I still think we need a reliable go to goalscorer as an option when its not working .

I also realised that when ruud was up front we won virtually nothing but i think that was down to fergie getting rid of becks thinking ole was going to fill in only for ole to get his injury jinx .

And i suppose the fact the goal threat comes from all rather than one or two makes us harder to play against .

When he was first bursting onto the scene at the toffees all his good work came bursting through from midfield as did his euro 2004 stuff .

i am sure it will not happen its just i would have loved to see him there for a month to see how it panned out .

i would then probably be on here asking what numbnut thought rooney in midfield was the way to go !

See less See more

versa

· #15 · Feb 7, 2008

haggler said:
Do we then give him licence to roam as the game dictates ? Probably.

I still think we need a reliable go to goalscorer as an option when its not working . Can't make it worse.

I also realised that when ruud was up front we won virtually nothing but i think that was down to fergie getting rid of becks thinking ole was going to fill in only for ole to get his injury jinx . Possibly.

And i suppose the fact the goal threat comes from all rather than one or two makes us harder to play against . Verily.

When he was first bursting onto the scene at the toffees all his good work came bursting through from midfield as did his euro 2004 stuff . Don't think it was as a midfielder but as a deep-lying striker.

i am sure it will not happen its just i would have loved to see him there for a month to see how it panned out . Yes, fat hope.

i would then probably be on here asking what numbnut thought rooney in midfield was the way to go ! So no chance, mate.

"Split opinions expected."

P.S. Sorry, could not change the colour of the inserts.

Jazz 16

· #16 · Feb 7, 2008

Interesting topic indeed.
I feel he could play in midfield. He can tackle and create and has a huge engine.
I dont think he has performed to his capabilities for quite a while.
He does tend to miss chances/scuff shots more than a van nist for example.
For starters I think Rooney is overhyped. people that say he is one of the best players or strikers in the world are just wrong imo.
Dont get me wrong, I love Rooney and the aggression and power in his game but he just isnt quite doing it as a striker at the minute.

Maybe his long line of injuries have played their part?
Maybe he will start converting his chances and start banging the goals in?
I think and hope that his problem is just form. He could easily snap out of it and score a hatrick against City. Who knows?

Id agree with Crooney on his point that our midfield is well stacked.
Why take a striker(a very good one at that) and put him into a midfield that contains the likes of Scholes, Carrick, OH, Anderson, Fletch, Giggs etc?
Especially since we are lacking strikers. Ole has gone, Manucho wont be around till the summer, Campbell is on loan, Giggs isnt as effective there and Saha is injury prone.
Basically it doesnt make any sense at this moment in time......
but nice idea all the same.

something else to think about......hypothetical sccenario.
if we had signed Berbatov, would Rooney get his game?
On form i would be more inclined to pick Tevez and Berba......
so if we do sign a striker in the summer will he be guaranteed his place?
Im not so sure.

See less See more

CROoney

· #17 · Feb 7, 2008

Jazz 16 said:
I think and hope that his problem is just form. He could easily snap out of it and score a hatrick against City. Who knows?
.

I put all my money on him NOT SCORING a single goal in that match !

coz he's banned and all

Jazz 16

· #18 · Feb 7, 2008

lol true true. I forgot.
How about the game after then?

corbyred

· #19 · Feb 7, 2008

view from an older red,suprised no-one has mentioned rooneys temper,i agree he could play anywhere, though i imagine being in the midst of all the tackles is not right for him at this age,i personally think the cards would be in abundance,in later days(his 30's perhaps)he would make a fantastic,midfield link up player as his ability to find space is awesome,he is an unbelievable talent and a real threat in front of goal,i'd say while the pace is there up front and in later years let him dictate the game from centre midfield as his vision will be there when the speed is not.

mufcjoe

· #20 · Feb 7, 2008

First off, No freakin way. Secondly, now freaking way, and thirdly no freaking way!

Last year he was one of our best players, has never been a midfielder and was always a support striker!

I feel that all of this is a knee-jerk reaction cos he isnt scoring many, but his effort rate and pure talent still makes him such a threat as you know if he gets it he can put someonethorugh or smash it straight.

I seem to remember a point like this last season, and you know how he responded?

By smashing in a hattrick vs Bolton Wanderers!!! UBnfortunately he cant do that on SUnday but hows about against Le Arse next week?

1 - 20 of 25 Posts

This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.