Rooney Watch 2017/18

Originally Posted by 20 times

Should have kept him instead of getting Lukaku

Fickle, much?

Halfway to 20 PL goals

Haters told me he was finished.

I’ve always loved Rooney, for me he’s a Legend for certain, but his last period at our club was dire. Why? I don’t know, he looked unfit, disinterested, jaded etc and he was done with us. Great to see him find some spark and great form at Everton and good luck to him.

thrilled for him...he needed a move imo

5 needed for my £100 lads

Knew he’d bag tonight. Loves St James

his goal tonight...wow. a lot of strikers would've given up

He's the same for Everton as he was in his last few seasons with us. Not the best striker in the league but still more than good enough. It's just the standards he set in his first 10 years or so we're so high.

Lad is thriving since I gave him the captains armband

Southgate should get him in for the World Cup

Originally Posted by 20 times

Southgate should get him in for the World Cup

Should have been Big Sam and Rooney lifting lifitng the WC in July nqat

Think Rooney needs 42 goals to beat Shearer's PL record.

On course for at least another 10 this season.

Could a Sheringham like twilight get him the necessary goals?

No imo.

Originally Posted by TheFatGoth

Should have been Big Sam and Rooney lifting lifitng the WC in July nqat

Think Rooney needs 42 goals to beat Shearer's PL record.

On course for at least another 10 this season.

Could a Sheringham like twilight get him the necessary goals?

No imo.

Kane will get the record. Easily imo.

Originally Posted by TheFatGoth

Should have been Big Sam and Rooney lifting lifitng the WC in July nqat

Think Rooney needs 42 goals to beat Shearer's PL record.

On course for at least another 10 this season.

Could a Sheringham like twilight get him the necessary goals?

No imo.

Don't know why that raised a smile but nevertheless

300 club career goals could now be in reach, though. That would be pretty amazing in itself.

On the gravy train is ol' Wazza

Lacked somebody with his character tonight.

Going to be on MNF for Watford vs Chelsea

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vnMgph9fqOs

Originally Posted by Buck

Going to be on MNF for Watford vs Chelsea

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vnMgph9fqOs

Could do with him back tbh.

Poor bit of business.

Can't even get off the bench these days

Moyes will probs sign him in the summer

If Rooney was demonstrably annoyed at being substituted by his manager in the 57th minute for the second successive home game in a row, goodness only knows what his reaction was to Sam Allardyce’s quotes that filled the Sunday papers.

“Our passing sometimes got a bit woeful. That is why we made the changes,” was Allardyce’s immediate post-match take. “He can say whatever he wants to me in the office but it has to be done between the four walls of the office between me and him. He’s an Evertonian through and through and he’s been brought off in a derby game. I’d expect a reaction because that’s how much he cares. That’s fine by me.”

If that intended to play down the problem, far worse was to come:

“I can agree with you, to a certain degree, that Wayne struggles against the very best opposition,” Allardyce said. “He didn’t play very well in the first half against Manchester City but, before that, he had been outstanding and we had been a little bit short in *midfield in recent weeks anyway. We’re still playing Tom Davies at 19 and bringing on Beni *Baningime at 19-years-old and we are without Gylfi *Sigurdsson, who can play there.”

Allardyce is effectively admitting that Rooney is playing for Everton because there is nobody else available. Were there, he would be sat squarely on the bench.

That is an extraordinary admission for two reasons. Firstly, Rooney is Everton’s highest-paid player at around £150,000 a week, a significant drop from his Manchester United salary but still lofty. A jobbing 32-year-old Everton midfielder really is on more money than any Tottenham player.

Secondly, it suggests that Rooney’s career at the top level is finished. When Allardyce was made England manager, he famously said that he could not stop Rooney playing in midfield for the national team, because he had enjoyed such a decorated club career. Seventeen months later, and it is Allardyce who is hammering nails into Rooney’s coffin.

The expectation was that Allardyce’s arrival at Goodison was good news for Rooney. An English manager for an English player, and one who would have far more respect for Rooney than a continental coach might. They tend to prioritise little things like stamina and energy rather than reputation.

Rooney’s first-team place might well have been at significant risk anyway. Allardyce is likely to leave this summer having burned the few bridges that were in place when he took over. Would Paulo Fonseca have the same inbuilt respect towards Rooney?

As it is, one of Rooney’s closest cohorts has done more to damage his long-term reputation than anyone else. Insinuating that Rooney struggles against the elite when playing for a club who have designs on becoming part of that elite is to render him useless. Rooney may well outlast Allardyce at Goodison, but don’t expect the final year of his contract to be a grand hurrah.

The lad is finished