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Deleted member 16999
Guest
Still think that was Sam playing politics.
World Cup Qualifiers
- Thread starter Lord Tyrion
- Start date
Still think that was Sam playing politics.
ColchesterFC
Journeyman Pro
IMO it's nonsense to suggest that we might not have qualified without Rooney in the team. Have you looked at the teams that Rooney has scored against in qualifying? Against San Marino, Liechenstein, Andorra, Estonia etc you could have played me or even Emile Heskey up front and England would still have won the games.
Remind me of the footballing giants we played in the euros.........
So whilst I agree it unlikely we would have failed. I think it's nonsense to lay all the blame at him when we have 22 other players at tournaments....
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Deleted member 1740
Guest
I agreed with you until Emile Heskey :rofl:
ColchesterFC
Journeyman Pro
Flattered that you think I'd be a better bet than Heskey. I'm sure you'd change your mind if we ever met and you saw the state of me.
Pic you're mobile enough to play golf, I'd still fancy your chances.....
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Deleted member 1740
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I watched Heskey 1st hand over a few seasons, about as useful as a chocolate fire guard!!
ColchesterFC
Journeyman Pro
Remind me how this fabulous footballer Rooney got on against the non footballing giants we faced at the Euros? That kind of emphasises my point. Rooney fails to turn up and put in the performances at major tournaments when we really need him to.
I'm not laying all the blame with him, we failed as a team and as a manager, but he's been feted as a truly world class star and he just hasn't done enough to justify it. There's no doubt he's a very good player but that's as far as it goes.
The test of any top player, certainly world class, is whether you would choose that player in a select 11 based on players from top nations or from a tournament. The only England player that I can think of in recent years that would make such a team is Ashley Cole. Rooney certainly wouldn't.
he played in midfield, so it was down to our up and coming strike force to score the goals this time. He played as well as any other in midfield. Other than the shambles against Iceland.
It seems to me, some blame Rooney for not scoring when up front in previous tournaments, and now blaming him for not getting half a dozen assists in this one........
the little nations you mentioned from our qualifiers, we brushed them aside easily with him upfront. We scraped by last week with him in midfield. Whilst I don't believe he should play midfield. I still think he offers as much as any of our other strikers..
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I agree re Cole. The only defender I saw regular handle both Messi and Ronaldo.
I don't think many would say Rooney is world class, but he's still easily been our best striker for a generation (at least).
Id id also have Ferdinand and terry under consideration too. Although maybe not for as prolonged a period as Cole.
Golfmmad
Tour Winner
Sam Allardyces comment re. not telling Rooney where to play was taken out of context. He actually meant that he trusted him to play where, (Rooney) thought it best for the team. Simple as that, giving players responsibility, not just Rooney. Don't judge him on only one game - which we won, give him a chance.
I certainly think that Rooney's best position is as a striker, even leading the line, still, - no one holds the ball up as well as he does, and of course scores goals. He may well have lost a bit of pace but not his class. Cast your mind back to the qualifiers, when Rooney scored - one touch, at pace, then smashed it in leaving the keeper no chance. In the same game, Rashford, who I think is our best prospect, had a similar opportunity to score on the left side but fluffed his chance - he's not there just yet.
Even the younger strikers - Kane, Vardy, Sterling and Sturridge did not step up to the plate at the Euros.
We may have fared better had Rooney played up front with Rashford instead of Stirling and Barkley instead of Henderson. Who knows.
I certainly think that Rooney's best position is as a striker, even leading the line, still, - no one holds the ball up as well as he does, and of course scores goals. He may well have lost a bit of pace but not his class. Cast your mind back to the qualifiers, when Rooney scored - one touch, at pace, then smashed it in leaving the keeper no chance. In the same game, Rashford, who I think is our best prospect, had a similar opportunity to score on the left side but fluffed his chance - he's not there just yet.
Even the younger strikers - Kane, Vardy, Sterling and Sturridge did not step up to the plate at the Euros.
We may have fared better had Rooney played up front with Rashford instead of Stirling and Barkley instead of Henderson. Who knows.
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Deleted member 16999
Guest
He's been Englands main goal scorer for 13 years and nobody else has stepped up and dislodged him, as for him not turning up he's 3rd in English list behind Shearer and Lineker and ahead of people like Hurst and Charlton for goals scored at tournaments.
Whether he is World Class or not that's down to opinions, he might be lucky or unlucky again depending on opinion that he's been our main man during a generation that has promised so much and never achieved.
sawtooth
Tour Winner
I think its a sad state of affairs that our best choice creative midfielder is a past striker. Either keep Rooney as a striker or don't play him. The experiment hasn't worked, It might be OK against Malta, Estonia, Azerbaijan , etc but not when it comes to playing anyone any good.As it was proven in the Euros.
I accept that Allardyce may have played it safe against Slovakia in his first game in charge but I really hope that team is not a sign of things to come.
I accept that Allardyce may have played it safe against Slovakia in his first game in charge but I really hope that team is not a sign of things to come.
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Deleted member 16999
Guest
He'd be OK as a sub, Vardy to lead the line unless Kane finds some form.
Kellfire
Blackballed
Internationally, maybe. But he was definitely world class for Man Utd for a good many years.
Liverbirdie
Ryder Cup Winner
I think Rooney was a massive part of the way Man U played for years, when they were at their height.
Sometimes he would stay up top, sometimes he would come and forage for the ball (when man u were in possession).
He turned the massive pitch at man U, into little 5-a-side pitches, normally dominating possession as they would overload the opposition in terms of numbers in a small space. This takes an amount of intelligence. Ok, one year it looked like Fergie told him to stay on the forward line and then season he was sensational, but I think the rest of the team lost a bit of something in their style.
I personally think he is struggling a little up front, but I think he is still good enough and mobile enough to play in the midfield, for England or Man u.
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