- Wayne Rooney has started the last three league games in centre midfield
- In this time he has been directly involved in five of United's seven goals
- The Red Devils star recorded a 90.2% passing accuracy against Newcastle
- Rooney has now scored or assisted 97 goals in his last 101 Premier League games at Old Trafford, scoring 68 and creating 29
There has
been a lot of talk, as ever, about Wayne Rooney in a World Cup year but
the words of two former Manchester United midfielders spoke volumes last
summer.
When
Rooney's long-term credentials for both England and Manchester United
were questioned, Roy Keane simply said: ‘If you think Wayne Rooney’s
gone, then you are sadly mistaken.'
Paul
Scholes, after wondering aloud whether Rooney's glory days were behind
him, then gazed into his crystal ball: 'I don't think Wayne will be able
to play centre forward until he's 34 or 35. But he could play centre
midfield, possibly, into his mid-thirties.
In his new role Rooney has been likened to former Manchester United central midfielder Paul Scholes
In United's last three games Rooney has now been directly involved in five of their seven goals, scoring three.
The 29-year-old celebrates his opener against Newcastle at Old Trafford with United striker Radamel Falcao
'He's got all the ability to take over my old position at Manchester United.'
Now, under
Louis Van Gaal, Scholes' premonition is coming into fruition. He has
started the last three games as a central midfielder and has been
directly involved in five of United's seven goals, scoring three.
Rooney is
still United's most important player, still the soul and spirit of his
team. He has now been dining at the top table of English football for
some 14 years but he still seems to work harder, cover more ground and
expend more energy than those around him.
If truth be
told, not everybody at Old Trafford felt entirely comfortable with the
prospect of Rooney wearing the captain's armband. Some felt he was
granted preferential treatment by David Moyes and privately licked their
lips with glee after the appointment of Louis van Gaal, presuming the
Dutchman would favour Robin van Persie. Never presume.
Rooney's ability was questioned during the World Cup last summer, but appears to be enjoying his new role
Rooney is
now well accustomed to the questions that surround his longevity as an
elite footballer. And he continues to embarass those who ask them.
For some,
Rooney is still not quite the player we wanted him to be. Nobody stirs
the debate quite like him. He could drop a crisp packet on the floor and
be blamed for climate change. The perception of Rooney veers from one
extreme to another with unreasonable frequency. We lament his failure to
reach the Ronaldo/Messi stratosphere when we should recognise his
consistent excellence for club and country.
It is now
nine Premier League goals for the season and he remains the one player
that appears most eminently capable of lifting this United team when he
feels the need.
Just like Paul Scholes, Rooney's Premier League record for Manchester United is phenomenally impressiveÂ
As a
captain, Rooney continues to mature. Privately, he was disappointed that
he let his team-mates down with a wild hack on Stewart Downing in
October, bringing a red card and a three match ban. That one instance,
however, must be considered in the context of a player that has received
only three yellow cards in his last 41 appearances for club and
country.
His
contribution to the United cause is unquestionable. Rooney has now
scored or assisted 97 goals in his last 101 Premier League games at Old
Trafford, scoring 68 and creating 29. It is a remarkable statistic and
almost makes you question whether Rooney's considerable qualities have
been underestimated in recent times. If his future is to lie in central
midfield, it will bring a long over-due goal threat. A decade has passed
since United last possessed a central midfield player that scored more
than 10 goals in a single Premier League season. It was Scholes, in the
2004-05 campaign.
Rooney's passing accuracy against Newcastle on Friday was reminiscent of former Reds midfielder Scholes
Since hanging up his boots after his retirement Scholes has taken up a position as a television pundit
Against
Newcastle on Boxing Day, Rooney showcased the technique and vision that
Van Gaal so clearly appreciates, recording a 90.2 per cent passing
accuracy but even more impressive is the 85.7 per cent success in his
opponents' half, underlining the damage he can do in the final third
with that majestic chipped pass to create Robin van Persie's goal. It
was a ball that Scholes would have been proud to play.
This was
Rooney at his lung-busting, committed best but allaying all that
dedication with his technical poise. For a long time, many have asked
whether his endurance would be impaired by his powerful physique.
Van Gaal
provided an emphatic answer to that after yesterday's performance: 'He
has the lung capacity to run 90 minutes as a midfielder.'
To quote Keane once more: ‘If you think Wayne Rooney’s gone, then you are sadly mistaken.'
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