Football 2010-2011

[eFestivals]

No dilemma for me. Personally, I dont think he will play for Utd again. And I dont think he should either.

Yep, I get that. You and just about every other Utd fan.

But luckily for you, fergie's in less of a dreamland. He knows just how much Utd need Rooney if they're not to go the same way as Leeds.

And despite your new-found dislike of Rooney, I suspect that overall fergie's take is the one you'd prefer.

[the_hedge]

No dilemma for me. Personally, I dont think he will play for Utd again. And I dont think he should either.

Edited October 21, 2010 by the_hedge

[5co77ie]

I think Fergie deep down thinks he has a chance of keeping him.

[the_hedge]

A policy of a few scantily clad OAPs in the dressing room every Saturday should do the trick!

[The Nal]

Yep, I get that. You and just about every other Utd fan.

But luckily for you, fergie's in less of a dreamland. He knows just how much Utd need Rooney if they're not to go the same way as Leeds.

And despite your new-found dislike of Rooney, I suspect that overall fergie's take is the one you'd prefer.

[Benj]

Oh I understand that Rooney playing well is an asset, of course. But his position has become unworkable I reckon. How could he play now?!!

[st dan]

But luckily for you, fergie's in less of a dreamland. He knows just how much Utd need Rooney if they're not to go the same way as Leeds.

[eFestivals]

Oh I understand that Rooney playing well is an asset, of course. But his position has become unworkable I reckon. How could he play now?!!

From one angle I agree with you 100%.

But there's still the fact that Utd desperately need him to perform on the field, else there's a strong likelihood that Utd's early season form is terminal. That's something that the club simply can't ignore.

[eFestivals]

Well in about 2 months time he's going to have that problem he won't be a utd player at all and Fergie won't have him to choose, so why not start now?

What if he plays and scores? How will be react? How will the fans/players react?

There really is no way back for him and this surprise ankle 'injury' he picked up will 'rule him out' until the transfer window opens and he joins city and gets £1,000,000,000 a week or whatever stupid amount they will pay.

The whole saga will spur the utd players on no doubt. He's basically said they aren't good enough .. And this will give them a big point to prove. I can see us no doubt challenging for the title yet again at the end of the season. MUFC are far greater than any little scumbag from Croxteth.

Why not start now? Cos they simply can't afford another ten weeks of the performances so far this season.

What if he plays and scores? It'll be coped with no different to how Utd coped with Tevez in the same situation.

MUFC are only as good as their players, like every other team.

And the simple fact is that without Rooney they aren't as good as you'd like to believe.

As I keep pointing out Fergie has clearly grasped that, even if the Utd fans can't.

[st dan]

Why not start now? Cos they simply can't afford another ten weeks of the performances so far this season.

What if he plays and scores? It'll be coped with no different to how Utd coped with Tevez in the same situation.

MUFC are only as good as their players, like every other team.

And the simple fact is that without Rooney they aren't as good as you'd like to believe.

As I keep pointing out Fergie has clearly grasped that, even if the Utd fans can't.

[sifi]

The Beatles knew they were splitting up, and they still made Abbey Road.

[funkymp]

What message does is send out to Chicharito/Owen/Macheda who are all dying to play and prove a point? Oh yeah we're starting a player who doesn't want to be here and says your all no good, and the club has no ambition .. But let's get behind him yeah? Would never work.

Edited October 21, 2010 by funkymp

[Cardboard Box City]

I'd be very suprised if Rooney played for United again.

[The Nal]

The Beatles knew they were splitting up, and they still made Abbey Road.

Edited October 21, 2010 by The Nal

[eFestivals]

But what I'm saying is Rooney is almost certain to not be a Utd player come the end of the January transfer window. So if we'll miss him from Jan until May .. Then dropping him whilst not fully fit for 2 months can't do much damage.

well, I'm obviously saying play him if he's able to play. There's no point putting a crock on the field. Similarly, there's no point playing him if he's not interested in playing. But....

There's something like 36 points for Utd earn before the window opens.

Can they afford to blow much more than 10 of those points? Nope.

Is their best chance of collecting the points they need by excluding Rooney? Nope.

If Rooney is off in January, then in January they also have the chance to get in one or more replacements (might only be replacements of sorts - I'm not expecting them to sign people of Rooney's calibre, cos they're probably not there to be signed), which should see them OK until the summer.

What they can't risk doing is loosing a big chunk of points between now and January else they'll be well out of the top 4 (which brings with it the risk of players they might sign seeing Utd as Rooney does), and if they don't get replacements in January then they certainly won't get back to the top four.

They NEED him to be playing - it's that simple. Fergie has recognised that fact.

What message does is send out to Chicharito/Owen/Macheda who are all dying to play and prove a point? Oh yeah we're starting a player who doesn't want to be here and says your all no good, and the club has no ambition .. But let's get behind him yeah? Would never work.

of course it would work, just as it did with Tevez.

The players aren't so daft as to think the team should take it on the chin and also take on the chin the lost points. If Chicharito/Owen/Macheda were thought of as better than Rooney, they'd be playing before him already.

As for the Tevez point that was different as he wasn't getting games at OT .. Wasn't even owned by the club .. And didn't really realise the hatred joining City would bring. Plus he only went at the end of the season so it didn't affect the fans or players.

Yet everyone knew he wanted out, and that he saw better prospects for himself elsewhere (with the subtext of that being that he thought Utd weaker). It's no different to Rooney.

I would rather we struggle for goals and form with players who want to play for us, and see what the future generation look like ... than see Rooney in a utd shirt again.

Then bye-bye Utd. It's been nice knowing you.

If you struggle for goals, then you won't sign decent players. If you don't sign decent players, you don't make the top four - which makes it even harder to sign decent players. And then comes financial meltdown.

Utd NEED Rooney, else they're f**ked. Unless of course the existing players step up to it like they haven't done so far, so there's no reason to think they suddenly will.

[sifi]

Everyone knew that Skippy was going to be off to Real at the end of the season that he eventually went - but that didn't stop him playing, did it?

What's the difference?

[eFestivals]

I can see this ankle injury keeping him out for a couple of months tbh.

That might well be the case, we'll have to see.

But that of course has all the same problems for Utd as a deliberate choice to not play him. The only hope for Utd is for the other players to start playing like they haven't so far.

[eFestivals]

I'd be very suprised if Rooney played for United again.

As I keep saying, Fergie has stated that he intends to not exclude him on the basis of him wanting to leave.

That doesn't mean he'll definitely play of course - after all, fergie's chosen to not play him quite a lot already this season, supposedly cos of injury (and with that his lack of form).

[eFestivals]

Everyone knew that Skippy was going to be off to Real at the end of the season that he eventually went - but that didn't stop him playing, did it?

What's the difference?

Exactly - same with Tevez, and others too.

Just because the fans are throwing their dummies out of the pram doesn't suddenly make fergie the replacement dummy.

[st dan]

If you struggle for goals, then you won't sign decent players. If you don't sign decent players, you don't make the top four - which makes it even harder to sign decent players. And then comes financial meltdown.

Utd NEED Rooney, else they're f**ked. Unless of course the existing players step up to it like they haven't done so far, so there's no reason to think they suddenly will.

[sifi]

Exactly - same with Tevez, and others too.

Just because the fans are throwing their dummies out of the pram doesn't suddenly make fergie the replacement dummy.

[sifi]

Rooney has used the poor start to his advantage, and used it to cover up the fact that he's leaving for money alone.

[eFestivals]

Yeah I can see your side if the coin too. I suppose it's Utd fans, including myself, bring bitter and angry at how he's treated the legend that is SAF and the club itself. Obviously he is the most talented player at the club, and in the country when firing on all cylinders.

exactly. And for any club losing your top player is a huge blow, and is likely to effect results.

But as for this season .. Rooney has scored 1 penalty in a 3-0 home win against bottom of the league West Ham. So he's hardly brought much.

So he's just stood on the pitch near the goal and waited for the ball at his feet to knock in then has he?

Even out of form his contribution has been important.

If anything it's the defence that's cost us. And individual mistakes. Blowing 2 goal leads has nothing to do with Rooney or any of our strikers. We scored 3 against Liverpool, West Ham and Newcastle .. 2 against Bolton, West Brom and Everton. And I can't think of the other one of the top of my head. But yeah .. If we had been tight at the back like we usually are then we would be sitting pretty at the top of the league.

while it might be temporary bad form for the defence that's done that, it might not be either. It's no less of a risk hoping they'll get better than it would be to play Rooney - and at least in theory Rooney on the pitch makes you stronger. As long as he really wants to play - and Rooney is a player who always wants to play remember - then he's worth playing.

Rooney has used the poor start to his advantage, and used it to cover up the fact that he's leaving for money alone.

Make it up why don't you?

It might be about money, but it might not. Rooney isn't wrong when he says Utd are getting weaker.

[eFestivals]

So what makes this instance different in the eyes of the Manchester United fans, then? Could it be because Rooney is voicing what they all really fear - that the club are going backwards whilst others - including their City rivals - are making steps forward?

Nope, it's more than just that. The fans really have been believing the guff from the club, more fool them.

[eFestivals]

It's the same situation that about ninety five percent of clubs face every transfer window. Welcome to the real world.

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