da bet nacional： The criticism of Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney is typical of a nation desperate to ridicule anything that falls short of perfection. Gary Neville’s recent comments that “there is more to come” from the England forward were quickly slapped with the headline ‘Rooney must improve’, which somehow managed to overshadow a routine if uninspiring victory against San Marino.
da leao： However, as Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo continue to dazzle at the summit of the game, there is an underlying feeling that Rooney should be up alongside them, instead of in their shadow like the rest of us.
United’s failure on both the domestic and European scenes last season prompted Sir Alex Ferguson to delve into the transfer market, the standout purchase of which was former Arsenal striker Robin van Persie. The Dutchman has been widely tipped to fire the club to glory but could he also help propel Rooney to that elusive level of greatness?
[post_link url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/premiership/manchester-united/does-he-have-a-point-about-wayne-rooney,https://www.footballfancast.com/international-teams/england/wayne-rooney-i-feel-ive-matured-as-a-player,https://www.footballfancast.com/premiership/arsenal/arsene-wenger-fears-van-persie?source=widget” target=”_blank” type=”tower”]
The arrival of van Persie should help relinquish the goalscoring burden from Rooney’s shoulders, having carried the torch alone since the departure of Ronaldo. With a reliable fixed point of attack in the United line-up, Rooney has been gifted the creative freedom to roam across the pitch and influence the game in a number of new ways. He is a dynamic cog, capable of beginning a move at one end of the pitch and finishing it off at the other.
It’s taken longer than expected for this formidable partnership to grace the same teamsheet. Van Persie has struggled for match fitness since avoiding first-team duties with the Gunners while Rooney has spent the past few weeks with an unprecedented view of his thighbone. However, the pair proved in Cluj and in the latest victory over Stoke that they are already on the same wavelength.
The vibrant duo assisted three of United’s four goals at the weekend, which not only highlights their own individual master class but will also mean a greater number of chances fall to the clinical pairing of Danny Welbeck and Javier Hernandez. Having been raised at Arsene Wenger’s total football clinic, van Persie – like Rooney – is accustomed to dropping deep or wide to link-up play and create space in the final third.
Former United greats Ruud Van Nistelrooy, Andy Cole and Dwight Yorke were all traditional strikers in the sense that they waited patiently for service in box. Van Persie however will constantly pull centre-backs out of position, which should give the team an exciting and potentially rewarding new dimension to their attack.
There were concerns that the new arrival in Manchester would unsettle Rooney, given his reputation as the main man at Old Trafford. Ronaldo’s departure may have been detrimental to the team as a whole but it allowed Rooney to flourish as the club’s sole talisman. However, both players recognise that there is a clear role for them in Ferguson’s newly tweaked formation, which has been crafted to facilitate both individuals.
In my eyes, Rooney harbours a great affection and respect for his latest team-mate, and will undoubtedly hope to emulate his status as a player at the peak of his career. United’s current defensive woes may place a greater emphasis on their exceptional attack but I think it’s a challenge Rooney now feels confident to take on. Sunday’s game presents the club with an opportunity to showcase their intimidating partnership, especially as they will sense blood against a Chelsea side, severely weakened in John Terry’s absence.
It’s unlikely that Ferguson has allowed his team to forget the heartbreak of losing out to neighbours Manchester City. With goal difference proving the deciding factor last year, the prolific chemistry between Rooney and van Persie could be pivotal in ensuring the title returns to the red half of Manchester.
Join me on Twitter @theunusedsub where Rooney looks like he could give Daniel Craig some serious competition for the role of 007.