Star striker, team totem, waning force. The carousel of football opinion is never short of one concerning Wayne Rooney, and he entered this Champions League encounter with Club Brugge having had his worth doubted once again.
At the interval Manchester United wandered off leading 2-1. Michael Carrick’s early own goal was answered by two virtuoso goals from Memphis Depay, which merely highlighted how peripheral a figure Rooney had been. There was an overhead left-foot volley cleared from near the opposition line, and zero other goal threat.
A toothless display from him at Aston Villa on Friday had followed the unconvincing outing against Tottenham Hotspur here in the season opener. Both these games were won 1-0, yet the captain was once more being questioned.
He had failed to score and had virtually no touches in the opposition’s area. He had appeared one-paced and offered a clumsy touch.
These were the main counts. The latter fault often surfaces when the Liverpudlian is reaching for form.
Rooney’s contribution in this final knockout round first leg moved from close to non-existent to more promising. Balls failed to stick, Boli Bolingoli-Mbombo made a mug of him with a drag-back, the visiting defender Brandon Mechele was bossing aerial deliveries aimed at the No10.
Yet the second-half flick from which Depay spurned a gilded chance to complete his hat-trick was a reminder of Rooney’s high quality. Louis van Gaal wants to operate with a single striker so the debate was whether at close to 30 the captain could single-handedly carry the attack across nine months when United hope to prosper in Europe and domestically.
In his awkward manner, the manager had at once questioned and (seemed to) support Rooney when discussing how his leader would be expected to match Sergio Agüero’s 26-goal golden boot tally of last year.
“Of course, because Agüero is making that amount of goals,” Van Gaal said in July. “[Rooney] is our striker. He is also the captain of the team so he shall play a lot of times in the striker’s position. Probably he has to prove it. I have full confidence that he shall do that.”
Van Gaal has also mentioned Rooney is convinced he will register in the 25‑30 region if played as the No9. Yet there is a case that the centre-forward in a Van Gaal XI can be the tricky berth from which to be prolific.
Robin van Persie and Radamel Falcao each failed to pile up the goals from there last season, finishing with 10 and four respectively. Adnan Januzaj’s winner at Villa Park came from the trequartista position Rooney has often occupied. The Belgium international made a run from the deeper point in behind the defence that can be required for a United forward to score due to the cautious tempo of Van Gaal’s side.
Rooney’s career numbers under his differing managers are worth a glance. In 67 Premier League outings under David Moyes at Everton he scored 15 times over 4,021 minutes, an average of one every 268, with eight assists. Under Sir Alex Ferguson the count was 141 finishes in 278 appearances over 22,443 minutes, a goal for each 159 minutes, and 67 assists. When Moyes again became his manager at United Rooney registered 15 times in 28 games over 2,358 minutes, a ratio of a finish every 157 minutes, with 10 assists. Under Van Gaal, Rooney’s tally stands at 12 in 35 matches over 3,056 minutes, a strike every 254 minutes, with five assists.
The best then came in the Moyes-United vintage followed by those of Ferguson’s. To manage one finish in less than every two matches is an impressive ratio. At Everton Rooney was still developing, so the poorest as an established force came under Van Gaal last term.
Yet then Rooney was fielded in attack, as a No10, in a deep-lying midfield role, and even on the wing. The league return was 12, the club’s highest. So whether the Van Gaal style suits Rooney is what this season should reveal as he is not to deviate from centre-forward, the manager insists.
Since United returned to pre-season Rooney had scored once in six matches, in the 3-1 tour victory over Barcelona in Santa Clara. As this seventh outing wore on the eye watched for the tell-tale signs of anger that can surface when he is frustrated.
There appeared little, which strengthened the sense he is struggling to awaken. Next up is Saturday’s visit of Newcastle United to Old Trafford. Then, again, Rooney will hope to shine.
