Oct 18
The World Loves Rooney + West Brom Preview
… if said world is England. Suddenly the boy can do no wrong and he’s the darling of everyone concerned. Moreover, England is suddenly a world beater. Such hubris is not very difficult to build these days — at least sections of the English press never fail to disappoint in this regard.
But let us make no mistake here: Rooney has been excellent for England, and we saw flashes of his goal scoring form even for United. And, as a selfish United fan, that is my primary concern.
It’s no secret that Rooney has seemed better when his role has been more defined. When he’s not shunted out wide, and is given a more central role he gets far more out of his game offensively. The presence of Emile Heskey helped him immensely because of the way the Wigan striker selflessly linked with him. He may not score any goals from now on till the end of time, but his role in being the target man and allowing Rooney to flourish cannot be discounted.
Which is why I expect Rooney to get better for us in the presence of a better player in Berbatov. Today will be a test to see if he can translate his rich vein of England form for us. It’s also worth noting that Rooney was on a scoring streak early last season only to draw blanks as injury contributed to break his rhythm. If Rooney stays away from freak injuries (like tripping over stray training equipment) he could use this form to transform his season. Personally, I am a big fan of the Roon and I really want his talents to come to the fore now. It’s been far too long waiting. And I don’t want to sound like a scouser by saying ‘this is Rooney’s year’.
On Rooney Sir Alex had quite a few words to say in yesterday’s press conference:
It’s all to do with maturity. What we have noticed is that he goes on these scoring bursts and his form improves. That’s the way he’s been ever since he came to us, but you hope that by the time he gets to his mid-20s the greater experience will bring more consistency to his scoring and it will be better spread. We know he can score but it’s a matter of getting consistency. Maybe he’s got to get that thing experienced players have – like Gary Lineker, who never kicked a ball in some games and still scored two goals. When Wayne is in his mid-20s maybe he will score goals when he’s not playing particularly well, too. You just hope – as with all young players – that when they get to their mid-20s they are going to be the full article in terms of their authority, timing and decision-making, and how they live their lives.”
Indeed.
Moving on, we return to regular football — what a relief that must be for most of us — and we host West Bromwich Albion. It’s a game we ought to win comfortably if we are to continue our climb up the table. But games following the international break is always going to be tricky. Despite that, it’s the best possible game we could have asked for following a break, so we’ll have to win this. Simple as.
In team news, Rooney would partner Berbatov as a jet lagged Tevez takes a spot on the bench. There has been lot of rumours circulating about him, but due to my self imposed exile I couldn’t cover it on the blog. I hope to get to that in a few days. In defence, Brown, Rio, Vidic and Evra would take their customary positions in front of EVDS. The central midfield remains a question mark, as always. But I suppose it will be Fletcher and Giggs. Carrick is yet to reach full fitness, while Owen (Sa)Hargreaves continues to keep the physios busy. Ronaldo and Nani could take the wings IMO.
Predictions: 2-0 to United. Come on you reds!!!
Related items from Red Rants:
- Featured Lookalike: Nani and…?
- West Brom vs Manchester United: Match Preview
- The Academy: West Brom v United – Preview
- Manchester United vs West Bromwich Albion: Match Preview
- Manchester United vs Wigan Athletic: Match Preview
Tags: Manchester United News
Opti (542)
Stephen (500)
RedDevilEddy (462)
Craig Mc (349)
Moscow is my heaven (272)
@Gabriel: Hey! I invented the Spanish Exodus conspiracy theories last year when I was being accused of being against Latino players. I deserve some credit too.
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@RedDevilEddy: Yeah, it was kinda weird Barcelona let go of him, more so, for such a relatively small amount. If he was as good as was promised, he could have at least commanded a higher fee. Maybe they wanted the best for him and sold him for peanuts so he could easily move on, like United do their youngsters who fail to make the grade
who knows, but like you said, he hasn’t really convinced me as a player that excels in a certain role, so maybe a bit more playing time and I can properly rate him.
Oh yeah, Roma are an erratic team at the moment, one day, they are playing gloriously, the next they are getting beat by CFR Cluj
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@Craig Mc: Ah Craig, now you are sounding like me from last year. And you know you are right but I have learned to have more faith in Fergie’s powers of persuasion. Still, Tevez is probably gone because he has no contract.
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@Gabriel: Word was that Barca didn’t rate Dos Santos that highly after his bright start to his career. Certainly Bojan had forced himself well above him in the pecking order by last season. There were also rumors that he had serious attitude problems (i.e Big Time Charlie syndrome) which damaged his progress. I would say the reason he didn’t go for that much of a fee was that he was/is nowhere near as good as the initial hype suggested.
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@Grognard: Mate, don’t get me started on Cunt Levy. When he was carrying out his heroic battle against United, the press and tottenham fans were praising him for leading the charge against bullying and financial out muscling from bigger clubs when it came to their players and potential targets. Where has it got them now?
They might have a better chance of keeping hold of their stars now, but they certainly have a lesser chance of actually attracting any stars in the future.
The people I feel sorry for are the Tottenham fans, because the hype surrounding them was really built up to the point that they genuinely believed they were gonna grab a top-four spot. How cruel is football, eh? Instead of crucifying a manager who has been thrown into a foreign-speaking disaster show, the axe should fall on Levy and Comolli. They are the ones that created this mess, the manager knew Berba and Keane were going to leave, instead of Levy to sell them sharply and focus on acquiring the manager’s targets early enuff to ensure bedding-in time, he was busy ‘taking a stance’ against the ‘BIG’ clubs, what an imbecile!!
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@JB: that’s a pity mate, cuz the hype actually got to me… i seriously thought he was gonna be close to Messi’s level and they would be running barca’s attack in the not-to-distant future. Well, if it was his own doing, then he has no one else to blame. Although, it’s a shame he went to the now sinking ship that is Tottenham, he could have really had a second go at developing into that promise at a place like United or Arsenal (actually, he might be too old for them
).
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@Grognard: But Grog, the Ladies in the old trafford crowd would probably rather see Craigmeister than female wags
.
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@Craig Mc: Who says that? Not in my world!
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@Gabriel: I think Ramos has to take some blame though. After a year at the club he still refuses to learn English and he seems removed from his players while always putting restrictions and demanding physical activities before them. Just the other day the players were complaining of starvation due to the diet he put them on. I’m sorry but this is professional football, not the bloody army. If i was a footballer I wouldn’t stand for any coach threatening me with my starting role unless I follow his diet plan. I would tell him to go fuck himself and then demand a transfer. I’m all for discipline but it looks to me that Spurs not only feel the pressure of losing but they have had the enjoyment and love of playing the game zapped right out of them. Levy and the board have to answer for a lot of that but Ramos has not shown an ability to adapt and to try new things in order to get the team motivated, playing well and above all winning games. I say sack the whole lot of them. Man it must a living Hell being a Spurs supporter. It must be like being a blood relative of John Terry’s. Now that is a thought that would make me suicidal if it was me.
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@Craig Mc: They must all be skanks with very low self esteem.
Not to mention no class or taste at all. 
Just kidding bro. I’m sure you are a true stud muffin.
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@Grognard: Sums up my thoughts on Spurs, thats why it kinda pains me to see them being soo rubbish, their team is better than that and they deserve more than the position they are now
@Craig Mc: United always comes first for me, and so far his “moody attitude” hasn’t really started to affect his on-field play or poison the other team mates a la Berbatov based on Ramos’s claims, I’d be a little worried when thats starts to happen though.
@dan(u-ol): Not underrating Vida, but surprising(in a good way) to see him make the list, Rio deserves it to, strange that he didn’t make it.
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@Grognard Ya betta watch it Grog
, you obviously haven’t been on the OT terraces, there are some real tasty birds around. Not many skanky lasses in Mcr anymore 
.
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@Grognard: Grog, Ramos post match interview was perfect English mate. He already spoke the lingo before he came here I understand. Are you thinking of someone else?.
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@RedDevilEddy: Eddy mate, your not a lady though, are you?.
.
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I imagine there will be a Spurs exodus at some point. Unfortunately we are the worse placed to benefit. No doubt Levy blames us for Spurs’ demise.
Bale would be nice. I think it is important we retain a strong British contigent in our team and he would give us the same strength on the left that we possess on the right. But really he has not improved much since joining Tottenham. It is whether he’d accept being a squad player because I doubt he would ever be world class.
I am so glad Rooney is in the limelight. I think this could give him the confidence he needs to be more selfish and develop an appetite for scoring to the point where he develops that predatory instinct. I loved the goal at West Brom it was as though their defence wasn’t even there!
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@colver: I don’t want Bale mate. He snubbed United for Spurs, and look where it has gotten him
. He had his chance and made the wrong choice. Anyway, he is very injury prone isn’t he?. He has been out for spurs more games than played for them.
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Fergie says Rooney will never be like Lineker, a predator who stays in or around the box. WTF Fergie, we wish we had a Lineker. Lineker was feckin brilliant player, for club and country.
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The France Football magazine “experts” are a bunch of incompetent ignorants .How can you have Rooney shortlisted and omit Rio? They(I know it was the Uefa geeks) must have something personal with Rio because they had Terry as the best defender in the Champions League and they overlooked Rio for the England and Manutd captaincy.
Ok, I think I’m getting carried away,here
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whats the difference between tottenham and a triangle??? a triangle has 3 points! hahah
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@Craig Mc: Reallly? The only tasty birds I’ve been around lately are a few oven baked chickens. It’s refreshing to know that there are beautiful women in the stands. Keeps the blood pumping.
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@Craig Mc: I noticed that but I wouldn’t call it perfect. Still, I was always led to believe that he was reluctant to learn English and that he used guys like Gus Poyet to communicate for him.
Nevertheless, he hasn’t communicated well with his team and they appear to have tuned him out. Despite the fact he is a fine coach, it’s time for a change me thinks.
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When Spurs go down we should throw in a bid for David Bentley, and tell the rest of those scumbags to piss off. What a disgrace that club has become. IB know he hasn’t been setting the world on fire lately but could you imagine the service he would give Berba and company?
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“yo wazzup shitheads. Ill pop ya ass! Rizzle, dizzle my chizzle. Skank up the pimp man!”
Words? Sven!
Juts bored. At school now and doin sum borin shit about global warming. Wish me luck!
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@Craig Mc: No, but I know lots.
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@Wheezy: If we buy any more Spurs players, they might as well be called our farmer club.
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Watched the match for a second time and had some thoughts…
In the first half I think we were in a rigid straight forward 4-4-2 but then in the second half it looked like we were playing more of a 4-3-3 with the front 3 of Berba Wayne and Ronnie moving around in their fluid style, backed up by Giggs Fletch and Park.
This got me thinking about when some of the players return to full fitness.
In the first half/4-4-2 mode…
—-Berba—-Wayne
Ronnie–Fletch–Carrick–Hargo
Evra—Vida—Rio—-Wes
Then, in second half if the need arises and we need to step it up a gear, can morph into a 4-3-3 of…
Ronnie—Berba—Wayne
—-Fletch—Hargo—-
——Carrick——–
Evra–Vida–Rio–Wes
Here, Anderson could swap with Fletch or Hargo I think. In the later case, if Anderson is preferred to Hargo, then in the 442 mode I would push Fletch out wide right and have the 2 CMs of Carrick and Anderson.
Just throwing it out there…Any thoughts??
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What about
———–Berba———–
-Nani-Rooney-Tevez-Ronaldo-
———Hargreaves——–
-Evra—Rio—Vidic—Brown-
The other teams will have to defend so much that they can’t mount a proper attack! =)
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@RedDevilEddy: I have always been a Rooney fan!
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