Football News: The Rooney Conundrum

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Wayne Rooney has now joined Gary Lineker as England's second highest goalscorer on 48 goals, and, at the age of 29, time is still on his side to break the all-time record of 49, held by Manchester United legend Bobby Charlton. Rooney's time at the Red Devils has been much less straightforward than the man whose goalscoring record he is chasing with the national side.

Bought for a huge fee, at the time, as a teenager from boyhood club Everton, his move was not without its issues. It was not the cleanest split, as the Toffees' fans turned on him following his public comments regarding always being a blue, just before signing for the red side of Manchester, and his relationship with then Everton manager David Moyes became the subject of a very public spat.

Despite his scouse roots, the vast majority of Man Utd fans took Wayne to their hearts and he became an integral part of the team, until recently, that is. In recent years his relationship with some fans has become soured by his contract issues, leading to him trying to force a move away, nearly joining local rivals Manchester City, until he was made Manchester United's highest paid player ever, at least until the arrival of one Angel Di Maria anyway.

Rooney has now become a polarising figure, with the fans mainly in one of two camps, either they think he is world class, or they think he is over rated and should be sold. There seems to be no middle ground in this particular debate, but that, to me, is not the main issue anymore regarding him.

For me, the talking point is what do you do with him, where do you play him in this Man Utd team? There is no point debating whether to sell him or not, LVG has made him captain and there is little interest left in buying him, at least from teams that the club would consider selling him to.

So where do you play Rooney? He burst into the Everton side as an attacker, after joining Man Utd he was often played out on the wings, in recent years he has often been played in various central midfield roles, but his main role throughout his career, especially with England, is as a central striker.

Clearly Rooney is not good in a midfield role, though he does get around the pitch well, he is often caught in the wrong areas chasing players when he should be filling in gaps. His touch is not as good as it once was, which is more of an issue in midfield, as there is usually less space in the modern game, with every team looking to flood the midfield.

The 'Hollywood' passes he is fond of attempting, to switch the play, can be useful, if only he was more accurate with them, instead of them regularly ending up in possession handed over to the opposition. The burst of pace he once used so well to gain a split second of space in tight areas is fading over time, which makes him less effective as a striker in club football.

While he has the strength and hold up play to be effective as a sole striker, plus the finishing ability required, his tendency to chase hell for leather round the pitch often leaves the team with no focal point up front to keep opposing defences from pushing up field. So the play can become condensed in midfield, which does not suit the way LVG likes to play, which is why he often employed Fellaini as a focal point to push back defences and create space in midfield.

Rooney is not a winger or a midfielder, he is clearly a striker, but he needs a partner, not to play off, but to provide the focal point for the team, to give Rooney the space to work. Sadly for him, this debate will have to carry on as Man Utd are highly unlikely to play two up top, which leaves him, as captain, but unable to play in the role that allows him to be at his most effective.

Written by Tris Burke June 15 2015 10:13:16