MAN UNITED MANAGER Louis van Gaal tersely refused to discuss Wayne Rooney’s form after his captain failed to score in the goalless derby draw with Premier League leaders Manchester City.
England’s all-time record goalscorer has struggled to reach top gear at club level this season – last weekend’s strike to round off the 3-0 win at Everton his second goal in the Premier League.
A day on from his 30th birthday at Old Trafford, Rooney rarely threatened to add to his tally as he was shackled by a well-stocked City defence and fellow forward Anthony Martial carried the hosts’ main threat.
Nevertheless, Van Gaal was nonplussed when Rooney was brought on to the agenda towards the end of his post-match media conference.
“I have to talk every week about Rooney, why?” he said.
When the journalist who asked the question responded that the reason for his enquiry was Rooney’s status as a “top player”, the Dutchman remained unimpressed.
“You have to write it down – it’s your opinion,” he added.
“No, I don’t give any answer any more about Wayne Rooney because I’m sick of it.”
Van Gaal will assess the fitness of Antonio Valencia ahead of Wednesday night’s League Cup clash with Middlesbrough after the full-back departed during the closing stages of the derby with a foot problem.
“He had a kick on his foot in the first half and then I let [Matteo] Darmian warm up on the touchline,” the United manager told MUTV.
“But then he played further. However, at the end, he could not continue.”
Jaysus lads I’ve backed Rooney from day one but he just has to be dropped.. seems to have lost that bite that made him such a good player
Rooney never developed into the great player we all thought he would be when he burst on the scene in 2002. It’s time for both Man Utd and England to start looking beyond Rooney.
£300 grand a week makes him almost undroppable. He has been on the slide for a long time, Fergie knee it, tried to accommodate him in midfield. Van Gaal has been ruthless with plenty of players, it’s time for him to do the same with Rooney.
in the first paragraph of this article it refers to him not being able to score. that is the least of his problems. he cannot even control the ball, constantly cought off side, poor passing and link up play.not making intelligent runs of he is not even creating space for other players,even his closing down looks halfarsed. a striker can play very well and not score for a few games but his overall play is beyond bad at the moment. he needs to be dropped and let him sit on the bench for a few weeks. maby it might help him get back to basics and when he is brought back in he might get a bit of form back. it’s like United have been playing with 10 men every time he has played this season.
someone needs to sit down with Wayne Rooney and just tell him what the even the dogs on street know , and that is ………..look Wayne your not a out and out center forward because you never liked playing with your back to goal, you like to run at defenses from a central position and link up the play between midfield and the penalty spot . therefore Wayne you are a attacking midfielder and as you get older and fatter you will then slot into the holding midfield role not unlike what Gerard did in his final few seasons in England.
I’d give anything to see one game with Herrera at 10 and Martial at 9.
All his coaches love him. His willingness to run himself into the ground obviously impresses them. Van Gaal isn’t known for avoiding difficult decisions. There has to be something about having him on the pitch that gets him a place each game. I can’t see it myself, mind.
Yes no doubt a great player but just going through a bad patch at the moment. Should have been taken off yesterday I thought, but the system didn’t help him either.
They used to call him “The White Pelé”. A more apt description would replace the W with an Sh.
Shh*te?
Nice spelling Sean.
As much as I agreed lads, I just wonder if there might be complications as their expecting a new baby maybe all is not as it should be health wise hope that’s far from the truth and would never want to speculate but he just seems to be elsewhere when he’s on the pitch .
Then you ask not to be picked….. It seems your stretching to defend him.
I would never want to speculate but here is some crazy speculation anyway….
That’s the most contradictory comment I’ve ever seen on TheJournal which kind of makes you a bit of a legend, albeit for the wrong reasons but at least you get some sort of award for such a stupid line of thinking!!
Jaysus Kurt hope you had a good night last night lol. As a Rooney fan myself I can see what your saying though, I don’t agree with your reasons for it but something definitely isn’t right with the man at the moment
No I just think that something is not right off the pitch maybe what I said was a stretch of the imagination but as P O Leary said a player can play well but not score but his whole touch has totally deserted him, I don’t believe that a player can truly ever fully lose that touch but if things are not right in the mind it’s going to effect concentration , confidence, and the level in which they can play at.