Rooney

http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Observer/Pix/pictures/2009/9/17/1253187719800/Wayne-Rooney-and-Paul-Sch-001.jpg

Paul Scholes going for the cheeky foul

Rooney misses having another top class player around him like in 98 & 99.

I don't get it. Rooney was at the heart of everything united did. And the phrase 'apart from his goals' is absolutely insane. Even if he wasnt involved in the build up (which he almost always was), they dont just trickle in off your boot you know. If that's how you're going to look at then RVP had a pretty shot season didnt he.

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"his willingness to try things (he seems to just choose the safe option) are not what they were".

I think that is something to do with the fact he used to try smoething 10 times before it came off, hence his goalscoring record improving over the years.

He gets the ball, gives it wide and gets in the box, might seem pretty simple, perhaps dull, but it works better than trying to score a wonder goal.

BB

But that's what separates the good players from the great players. Not everything Messi and Ronaldo try come off. But they're capable of that bit of magic that can turn a game. Rooney doesn't seem to do this as often as he did.

I don't just mean a long shot. Beating a man or a through ball. His thorough balls rarely come off anymore. And I never understand why he need tries to beat his man anymore - especially when on the edge of the box with one or two men to beat - favouring playing it wide and this slows down a lot of attacks.

Rooney is great but doesn't perform to a high enough level as far as I'm concerned. He has games where he is unplayable, and then will have very quiet performances for a lot of the season but score a lot and people make out he's a world class playmaker - he's not.

Like I said, because when he passes it wide and makes a run, the ball comes back in probably 8/10 times. When he tried taking people on all the time, he'd lose the ball or not get a shooting oppurtunity.

He was a more exciting player when he was young, but he is a more conistsant player now.

Ronnie doesn't try as many tricks and stuff he used to when he was younger, but like Rooney he is scoring a lot more goals.

Rooney is great but doesn't perform to a high enough level as far as I'm concerned. He has games where he is unplayable, and then will have very quiet performances for a lot of the season but score a lot and people make out he's a world class playmaker - he's not.
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I'm guessing you are one of those who only ever catches highlights or the occasional CL game Messi and Ronaldo are amazing in.

Because they also have off games, it's just that they still manage to score a goal so it is deemed a great performance. Highlights only paint half the picture.

I watch La Liga regularly and their good games far outweigh their bad games. Rooney isn't consistent, which is why I find people saying he's a world class playmaker a bit ridiculous. Like it has been said, even when he scores, he has a lot of below par performances.

I think he needs to be moved into a strikers position, as he doesn't consistently play to a high enough level in the number 10 position. Getting the ball and playing it wide isn't the sign of a world class playmaker, he's still quality, but not near the top players in football in terms of talent and consistency.