Sport
With better options in every position, Rooney must be sacrificed
Rooney must be sacrificed
It is such a strange scenario. A man closing in on becoming one of the biggest clubs in the world’s all-time top goalscorer being debated as to whether he even warrants a place in the starting line-up.
Yet, just seven goals behind Sir Bobby Charlton, in his supposed prime at the age of 30, many United supporters are adamant that it should be Wayne Rooney who makes way for the returning Paul Pogba against Southampton on Friday night.
When you break the world record transfer fee for a player, you have to go some way to accommodating your tactics to suit that individual player – whether the manager will admit it or not, it happens.
“I would say midfielder on the left [is my best position], Pogba told Sky Sports. “If you play a three I can play on the right of left, but I feel more comfortable to play on my left.
“I can do it [holding midfielder], but I feel more comfortable a bit higher.”
Not necessarily a message to manager as such, but a not-so-thinly veiled hint that a formation change would bring the best out of the France international.
New system
That means 4-3-3 – a system incongruous in comparison to Mourinho’s preferred, and more conservative, 4-2-3-1 – but change is good, and Mourinho will do well to think along such lines.
Last season’s nightmare should herald a new way for thinking for Mourinho, and my word does he have the tools to create a new monster altogether.
United have their focal point in attack, and even at 34-years-old, Zlatan Ibrahimovic is more than capable of playing two games per week – especially in a side with plenty of energy around him.
Anthony Martial has settled to life in England quicker than most thought, and has made that left forward role his own – leaving Juan Mata and Henrikh Mkhitaryan to fight it out for the outlet on the right of the front three.
Who could team up with Martial to devastating effect? Well, his fellow countryman Pogba of course. Two players naturally suited to the left hand side could give United a threat the envy of the world over, with Luke Shaw back and raring to go behind for good measure.
Midfield competition hots up
There would be somewhat of a battle royale for the other two midfield spots. Marouane Fellaini completed more passes than any other player last weekend, Ander Herrera, whilst taking longer to adapt than he’d have liked, offers plenty of dynamism and flair, Morgan Schneiderlin provides solid protection in front of the back four, while Michael Carrick’s experience could be invaluable in a new-look side.
Have we missed anyone? Oh yes, England’s all-time top goalscorer and United club captain.
Rooney simply doesn’t fit in this system. Sticking to a 4-2-3-1 to accommodate Rooney could still bear fruit – the amount of talent in that United side would take some suppressing.
However, overlooking the opportunity to play such a plethora of ability in their favoured positions could be doing the footballing world a disservice.
Carlo Ancelotti brought so much success to Milan and several other clubs by allowing his players to play in the positons that suited their attributes – harmonious players produce the goods – but you have to personnel of sufficient calibre to do just that, and Jose does.
Rooney has not scored more than 17 goals in a league season since 2011-12 – there is only so much blame can be placed on the weave.
A shift deeper into midfield and across the forward line has contributed to the lack of goals, but this search for a new home for Rooney as better strikers came in hasn’t produced results.
Mourinho must end that search. The Portuguese is one of the few managers with the gal to do so – Rooney doesn’t have to be cast aside, he just shouldn’t have the prominence in the squad he once had.
And the results could be glorious.
