Barton's talking p00 again!

[MattyRangers]

If Gerrard couldn't make a tackle would he constantly be in the team and made captain NO,

He didn't vs Uruguay. And we lost as a result.

Twice had the opportunity to clatter Suarez & twice bottled it.

[Ginger Ninja]

Not being funny, but hes on 300k a week. For club and country he shpuld be banging them in every game. Very overrated player imo.

[Nick]

He didn't vs Uruguay. And we lost as a result.

Twice had the opportunity to clatter Suarez & twice bottled it.

This is kind of my point. Gerrard does this in ONE game and people are saying take the arm band of him, Rooney scores ONE goal and people are saying give him the armband.....

Gerrards been constantly doing his job for years in games that matter against big teams, Rooney simply hasn't.

[Del]

If Gerrard couldn't make a tackle would he constantly be in the team and made captain NO, if Beckham couldn't make a pass / cross would he have constantly been in the team and made captain NO, if Sheare couldn't score goals would he have constantly been in the team and made captain NO. If you can't play your position you get dropped not made focking captain!!

As for playing out of position please don't start bringing that into it, it was for one game and that one game where mighty Rooney set up the goal from playing on the wing, Wellbeck played his best game for England, and a game where we played our best football for years. So I wouldn't exactly say Hodgeson was stupid in doing that.

And I'm sure he'll be our record scorer very soon I just wish these goals would actually be scored in games that matter and against 'proper' teams!

Don recall Wellbeck scoring or getting an assist, but you have no issue with him do you even though by your logic he's a striker not scoring so shouldn't play....

As for Becks, played wide right and couldn't bet a full back...... Players bring different things to the party.

Shearer didn't score for about 9 internationals before euro 96.... But kept place and won golden boot.

Ref Gerrard, Matty's covered that.

As for scoring in games that don't matter, well if he didnt score most our goals in the qualifiers we wouldn't have been in the tournaments FFS.

[Nick]

Don recall Wellbeck scoring or getting an assist, but you have no issue with him do you even though by your logic he's a striker not scoring so shouldn't play....

As for Becks, played wide right and couldn't bet a full back...... Players bring different things to the party.

Shearer didn't score for about 9 internationals before euro 96.... But kept place and won golden boot.

Ref Gerrard, Matty's covered that.

As for scoring in games that don't matter, well if he didnt score most our goals in the qualifiers we wouldn't have been in the tournaments FFS.

Not to sure why you're bringing all this attitude Derrick.

....I wouldn't say I don't have an issue with Wellbeck, he's a player that I can't stand even after his man of the match performance. If it was up to me he wouldn't have even gone to Brazil.

I understand that different players bring different things to the table, but for a striker surely there is only one real thing he should bring...

[Del]

Not to sure why you're bringing all this attitude Derrick.

....I wouldn't say I don't have an issue with Wellbeck, he's a player that I can't stand even after his man of the match performance. If it was up to me he wouldn't have even gone to Brazil.

I understand that different players bring different things to the table, but for a striker surely there is only one real thing he should bring...

No attitude here, just find it strange some give Rooney so much grief when the whole team failed abysmally. The defending in both games was far worse than Rooney's failings for example.

Lets face it, all players fail in an England shirt. As club players Rooney is still the best player we have. Ask any manager in world football what English player they'd take if they could, and the majority would say Rooney without a doubt.

[qblockoompah]

Agree with Barton.

The undue stick Rooney gets is a joke. We seem to expect to him to some kind of superstar that single handedly wins us every game, despite being played out on the wing? He's 9 goals away form becoming our top ever scorer, why you wouldn't play him up front is beyond me.

Was in me local for the Uruguay game & everytime he his first touch took the ball half yard away from him, he was slated by people, yet when Gerrard or Sturridge made a proper fark up nobody said a word. Proper scapegoat.

Precisely this! It's exactly the same at QPR, absolute no marks slaughtering players everytime they touch the ball just because they have to

[qblockoompah]

Not being funny, but hes on 300k a week. For club and country he shpuld be banging them in every game. Very overrated player imo.

Wouldn't say over rated at all, just over expected of, if that makes sense. And overpaid, but every player on this planet is overpaid

[QPRDave]

I have said years ago on here that Wayne imo is not world class. Nothing i've seen changes my mind. Don't think any of England's players would get in the top teams in the world, it is what it is
We are not a major force in European or world football

[Nick]

No attitude here, just find it strange some give Rooney so much grief when the whole team failed abysmally. The defending in both games was far worse than Rooney's failings for example.

Lets face it, all players fail in an England shirt. As club players Rooney is still the best player we have. Ask any manager in world football what English player they'd take if they could, and the majority would say Rooney without a doubt.

Del mate my point isn't about this tournament alone, its about the majority/all the tournaments Rooney's played in. Rooney's never played as well for his country as he has done for utd, simple!! And suddenly to suggest him being made captain is mad especially now he's coming to the end of his international career (I think he said he wants to concentrate on club football).

And to people saying I'm using him as a scapegoat after this shocking WC is b0ll0cks, as I've said on another thread before the tournament had even started him and Welbeck were our week links and IMO shouldn't be going

[DeepcutHoop]

Rooney should not be England captain. It's telling that he appears to be the only obvious candidate, lacking leaders on the pitch all round.

[Norths]

Not the same player he was a few years ago.

I do wonder if his lifestyle choices (smoking,booze) have played a part in that and are taking a toll on his body.

Appears to me like he is just going through the motions now and is no longer the hungry player from his early years. A shame as he had the potential to be a great.

I do think it is time to try something else with regards to England, not sure he fits in with the style of play we are aiming to implement. Will that happen with Roy in charge? Highly unlikely.

[Del]

Del mate my point isn't about this tournament alone, its about the majority/all the tournaments Rooney's played in. Rooney's never played as well for his country as he has done for utd, simple!! And suddenly to suggest him being made captain is mad especially now he's coming to the end of his international career (I think he said he wants to concentrate on club football).

And to people saying I'm using him as a scapegoat after this shocking WC is b0ll0cks, as I've said on another thread before the tournament had even started him and Welbeck were our week links and IMO shouldn't be going

If Gerrard quits England thn the simple fact is there is no realistic alternative left for captain. It's alright saying he shouldn't be captain, but suggest an alternative. The only remotely possible option is Hart, and most wouldn't hav a keeper as skipper.

And my point is you suggest he's a weak link as if the rest of the team performs well in tournaments when the simple fact is we're always shite. The last time we had any glimmer of hope was in 2004 because Rooney was excellent. He got injured and it collapsed.

England are shite, not just Rooney.

[kron-1664]

Rooney is going to be 30 at the euros. He is old news.

Need new players now. 21 and up to take it on

[stationcafe]

Rooney is a shadow of his old self.

He isn't particularly speedy, creative or skilful and makes the team play badly. Always drifts out of position and stops others doing their thing. Against Italy our left side was so much weaker than our right, then we move him central against Uruguay and he congests play and blows his chances.

He should be dropped and criticised in the media but he won't because his image is too valuable and he's the poster boy of the premiership. Should just let sterling, sturridge, welbeck, lallana, barkley walcott, ox etc. play and develop together for the future.