Should Rooney play on Thursday?

[Greavseywolf]

would i be rite in saying this is his 3rd world
cup ??

and not one goal scored !!

massive nae from me

apart from his cross leading to the goal
what else did he do ?

reckon woy is frightened to drop him , same goes
for gerrard

[wolves71]

would i be rite in saying this is his 3rd world
cup ??

and not one goal scored !!

massive nae from me

apart from his cross leading to the goal
what else did he do ?

reckon woy is frightened to drop him , same goes
for gerrard

You're right Greavsey, third world cup and no goals so far for Rooney.

[theplater]

I seem to be at odds with everyone else as regards Danny Welbeck. For me he has to be a starter every time. His scoring record is good - 8 in 24, his close control in the area is about the best you'll see from any English player, and he doesn't give up if an attack breaks down. I would forget Rooney now and look to the younger players. Maybe have him on the bench as an impact sub (but only for this tournament) ie get rid for good after Brazil. I think Woy is probably looking at the Euros in 2 years time. So the young players need tournament experience.

No argument from me regarding Rooney PKB, the bloke hasn't ever performed well enough at the major tournaments and to be frank I think he past his best some time ago. The only reason I can think of as to why Manchester United offered him that contract last season was as bait to lure some tops knowing that they will have to play for at least one season without Champi

[tony]

Brilliant summary plates, I couldn't agree more - as usual you've nailed it there in that one post.

Also...

This will be left field but here I go...

I'd drop him and play Lambert behind Sturridge, I'd also drop Wellbeck. I'd play Lallana, Gerrard, Berkley and Sterling across the middle and if I had to bring Rooney on it would only be to play in the hole behind whichever striker (Lambert or Sturridge) I had to take off.

Good shout as far as I'm concerned.

Rooney is a confidence player and not (if indeed he ever truly was) the sort of international game changing talisman the media and sections of the public build him up to be. We haven't had one of those natural genius types since Gascoigne so I wish people would stop speaking of Rooney in the same breath as Messi or Balotelli etc.

The pass he made to set the goal up against Italy was excellent but no better than the one Sterling sent to him and as Greavsey pointed out, apart

[wolves71]

A thread i can say has been great to read through, especially the post from theplater. One thing thing for me that really should be in Hodgson's thinking is including Barkley in place of Henderson. No point having both Gerrard and his Liverpool team-mate alongside each other. Barkley ventures forward, gets forward and is a good link up in play. Gerrard, just like at his club, now plays the withdrawn role anyway.

[darren62]

I've only got one take on this really and it's not about Rooney but all players.

For years I've been banging on about top world class football and as this is the world cup then we have to assume all the players here are at the top and all of the coaches are top coaches.

My opinion is that no matter how good they are playing any player out of position at a world cup will never work cos the opposition will exploit it and IMO that's what cost us the other day.

Whilst you may get away with it at most levels of football you won't get away with it at this level.

There is probably always one contradiction to any thought in football but Rooney ain't it IMO.

Then again we left our best left back at home and took Baines