God's Football 2015-2016 season thread

[Psychotic]

Everyone goes crazy saying he should play up front because they're his mates (see the Neville brothers - especially disappointed in Gary as he used to not take any prisoners in his punditry) Rooney shouldn't play upfront because Martial is better. He shouldn't play as a No 10 because the criminally underused Ander Herrera is miles better, as is Juan Mata. He shouldn't play deeper in midfield because Schweinsteiger, Schneiderlin and Carrick are all better. And Fellaini is probably better in all of those roles than Our Wayne too.

It's not even that Rooney is not as good as these players, he is actively damaging United. Against City, he completed nine passes in the first half, and gave the ball away seven times. No shots on target. No chances created. A passing accuracy of 55% (the lowest on the pitch). Lost possession 28 times (highest on the pitch). One touch in the opposition penalty area.

I don't understand why people are clamouring to say "No no, he's not finished!" There's no shame in the performance of players slowly decreasing as they get older. "But he's only 30 he's got 5 more years left!" It's not an exact science where players are fine up until, say, 33 and then as soon as they blow out the candles become beyond redemption. With Rooney you have to remember he was a very early physical developer, breaking onto the scene at 16 and he's played a lot more football than other players his age - that kind of thing really takes its toll. It's not surprising or shameful that he's peaked a couple of years before the traditional age of footballers. See Michael Owen and (Brazilian) Ronaldo for other examples of that.

[Rocket Edge]

Rooney's decline is not as drastic as some make it out to be in my opinion. We play a system where a CF without pace will do crap. Even the likes of Cole, Van Nistelrooy etc. would suffer badly. We create no chances for them. Like none. So what are you left with? Trying to beat a player, and Rooney doesn't have that anymore. Even Martial, who can dribble around 3 players no problem is still left with another wall of defenders to beat, so either he gets dispossessed or it's a blocked shot. Depay is a victim of our rigid tactics as well.

That's not to say Rooney has been awful this season, and he deserves much of the criticism he's been getting. People criticizing his wage and why he keeps getting game-time annoys me though. He still gives (what looks like) 100% on the pitch and getting his starting place stops with the manager. Change the system to a more attacking one LVG

[Loony BoB]

I agree with Donal. If Rooney were, say, Young or Carrick or whatever and on their wages, nobody would have been losing their trout over him this season. But he's a striker and on huge wages, so people are happy to nametag him as a scapegoat for any problems we have.

Also, to nitpick, Schweinsteiger has not been better than Rooney this season. Arguably worse. He gets more touches because he's in midfield, but he doesn't impact the games. Worth noting that I love Schweinsteiger, I used to watch him play for Germany/Munich and always wished he'd join us. I have mixed feelings when he's picked as a starter because I've yet to see him do anything of note and on occasion he just doesn't play well. I'm still optimistic he'll get right though.

Likewise, I really hoped Wilson would prove himself worthy of a return to the first team but he sucked against Middlesborough. It wasn't until Rooney started dropping into midfield that we started playing really well.

Despite all that, Rooney wouldn't make my team on form at the moment. But I've always been of the camp of "Form is temporary, class is permanent" and hope that Rooney will come right. There will be a point where his form becomes too bad to play him but I don't think we're at that point just yet.

Personally, on form my first choice team would probably be...

- - - - - - - - - - Martial - - - - - - - - - -
- - - Young - - - Herrera - - - Mata - - -
- - - - Schneiderlin - - - Carrick - - - - -
Shaw () - Blind - Smalling - Darmian
- - - - - - - - - - De Gea - - - - - - - - - -

Valencia, Rooney and Depay as planned subs. Fellaini, Romero, Schweinsteiger and Jones for the other subs available for tactics/injuries.

Blind vs. Jones was the toughest call. And for Shaw, Rojo would naturally take his spot since he's injured.

I would really love to see this team play for science.

- - - - - - - Martial - - Rooney - - - - - - -
Young - - Herrera - Schneiderlin - - Mata
Shaw () - Blind - Smalling - Darmian
- - - - - - - - - - De Gea - - - - - - - - - -

Some might see playing with two up front as rather old-school, but with how many defenders swarm Rooney when he gets the ball, I would be interested in seeing a defence mark both Rooney and Martial simultaneously.

[Psychotic]

When you're the fifth highest paid footballer in the world, seemingly undroppable for club and country and being picked in every game you're available for and not even being substituted, yes, absolutely you deserve scrutiny. He's paid more than Aguero, Suarez, Neymar, Sanchez, Lewandowski, Muller... I could go on. He's not even been as effective as the likes of Mane, Pelle, Ighalo and Vardy. When you pay a player that much money you expect much better.

Also, class is permanent until you get old. That's why the likes of Scholes, Gerrard and Stanley Matthews aren't still tearing up the league.

[Loony BoB]

I dare say Scholes probably could have kept going if he'd wanted to.

And I'm not saying he's not worth scrutiny, I'm just saying he's not "useless" or "awful" or whatever. He's not up to the standard we expect of him, no, but that standard is considerably higher than what we set for most other players. Nobody has been vilifying Depay or Schweinsteiger but they haven't set the world alight recently.

[Rocket Edge]

Also, to nitpick, Schweinsteiger has not been better than Rooney this season. Arguably worse. He gets more touches because he's in midfield, but he doesn't impact the games. Worth noting that I love Schweinsteiger, I used to watch him play for Germany/Munich and always wished he'd join us. I have mixed feelings when he's picked as a starter because I've yet to see him do anything of note and on occasion he just doesn't play well. I'm still optimistic he'll get right though.

I would place Schweinsteiger as one of our best performers this season for me. Thought he didn't do anything wrong but was ineffective at the start but now he's always looking for the ball to quicken things up. I really like that about him.

Likewise, I really hoped Wilson would prove himself worthy of a return to the first team but he sucked against Middlesborough. It wasn't until Rooney started dropping into midfield that we started playing really well.

I didn't think Wilson looked fit against Boro, but maybe that's just me. On a good note Perreira looked great again and I really rate Lingard.

Despite all that, Rooney wouldn't make my team on form at the moment. But I've always been of the camp of "Form is temporary, class is permanent" and hope that Rooney will come right. There will be a point where his form becomes too bad to play him but I don't think we're at that point just yet.

Same here. I'm not gonna go down the route of 'he's past it' just yet until I see him in a different formation+tactics, and returning to some sort of form.

Personally, on form my first choice team would probably be...

- - - - - - - - - - Martial - - - - - - - - - -
- - - Young - - - Herrera - - - Mata - - -
- - - - Schneiderlin - - - Carrick - - - - -
Shaw () - Blind - Smalling - Darmian
- - - - - - - - - - De Gea - - - - - - - - - -

Same team as me, and yeah Jones could deserve a call up. I thought Fellani played well against City & Boro, so he would be an early substitute. I'd like to see a 4-4-2 being given a whirl myself. Don't think it will happen though with how high up LVG has us playing in the pitch. Having 4 in midfield leading a high line would leave too many holes. Look at Arsenal.

What I'd love to see would be someone like Greizhman or whatever he's called coming to the club - a very pacy forward who knows where the goal is, and not someone like Higuian, Cavani, Ibrahimovic etc. who is more static which we definitely don't need. Move Martial to the left. Think we would do very well then.

When you're the fifth highest paid footballer in the world, seemingly undroppable for club and country and being picked in every game you're available for and not even being substituted, yes, absolutely you deserve scrutiny. He's paid more than Aguero, Suarez, Neymar, Sanchez, Lewandowski, Muller... I could go on. He's not even been as effective as the likes of Mane, Pelle, Ighalo and Vardy. When you pay a player that much money you expect much better.

Also, class is permanent until you get old. That's why the likes of Scholes, Gerrard and Stanley Matthews aren't still tearing up the league.

It's certainly annoying as a United supporter, but what can you do though? He's trying your best. The book stops with the manager & he should have been dropped long ago. I would take Ighalo over Rooney at the moment.

[Aerith's Knight]

Wow, at the end of Liverpool-Chelsea, it seemed anyone in red would get yellow for sneezing in the wrong direction. Yes, Chelsea was losing, but that's no reason to favor them.

[Psychotic]

Shove that up your arse you Portugese troutbag! If we're the ones that get him fired I will jizz over everything within a 20ft radius. Oh and I'm in love with a man named Philippe and I don't care who knows it.

[Bubba]

If we're the ones that get him fired I will jizz over everything within a 20ft radius.

Immensely glad I don't live in Warwickshire right now.

Looking at the possession though it's no more than Liverpool deserved. Really enjoying Chelsea's title defence

[Psychotic]

Yeah as soon as Chelsea got that first goal they shut up shop and parked the bus. That's from the 5th minute, at home. You get what you deserve when you pull trout like that.

Also Liverpool fans chanting "You're not special anymore, you're not special anymore! You're not special, you're not special, you're not special anymore!" and Mourinho looked smurfing furious at them. I was nearly in tears.

[Psychotic]

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

[Aerith's Knight]

Congrats on the deserved victory, Paul.

[Psychotic]

Thank you, I thought I did my best out there.

[Aerith's Knight]

Thank you, I thought I did my best out there.

I thought so too. The amount of times Chelsea flinched when they saw your face in the stands contributed heavily to the chances created.

[Bubba]

Amateur Poker League. New player at the table.

"Louis is it? Five Card Stud OK with you?"

"Nah, I prefer Draw"