Manchester United forward Wayne Rooney has been forced to operate in a deeper role this season under new manager Louis van Gaal, which has taken away from his attacking threat. The England international is know for his impressive work rate and passing ability, which makes him a good makeshift midfield player. He adheres to his duties very well, and is relishing being the captain of his club.
But many feels Rooney is wasted playing in a deeper role, given how poor Manchester United’s strikers Robin Van Persie and Radamel Falcao have been this season. Rooney was one of the few players to come away from last season’s debacle with any praise, and the former Everton man has once again continued his scoring form into the new season. However, since Van Gaal named the experienced forward into the midfield, the goals have dried up.
The biggest and most consistent criticism Manchester United have received this season is the lack of pace in attack. Van Persie and Falcao are two strikers who don’t look to stretch the defence, but instead hover around the central areas where they’re more likely to score. As a result, it makes picking them out very difficult for the playmakers in the United team, but the Dutch manager has stuck with them.
Falcao is only on loan with the Red Devils from AS Monaco, but is trying to convince United to spend £43M in the summer to sign him on a permanent deal. He hasn’t come close to doing so this season, and even Van Persie could find himself considered expendable come May.
Wayne Rooney was a deadly centre-forward due to his work rate and pace in attack. He has the ability to drag opposing defenders out of position, and can break the offside trap well too. But he also possesses great composure and technical ability that makes him useful in the midfield too, so it does make some sense that Van Gaal would play him there.
But there’s no other competition for places in the United attack, as only James Wilson is the next best option from the bench, with Van Gaal having sold Danny Welbeck to Arsenal, whille loaning Javier Hernandez out to Real Madrid.
Rooney, 29, has eight goals and four assists in 21 Premier League games this season. 12 of his games have been played in midfield, so it’s perhaps unsurprising that three of his goals have come when in a deeper role.
So should Louis Van Gaal play the England international as a centre-forward?
