Quietly going about his business, Wayne Rooney has had an incredibly strong season: he is the seventh highest league goal scorer in Europe and has the third highest shots per game behind the undisputed masters Ronaldo and Messi. But most incredibly he has only received two yellow cards in all competitions, all season (one in the premiership and one in the champions league) and that’s in forty-two appearances.
Carlos Tevez and Mario Balotelli have stolen the headlines for all the wrong reasons at Manchester City. Robin Van Persie has single handedly dragged a kicking and screaming Arsenal side into the Champions league once again.
Adebayor has made Spurs attack a more threatening prospect. Newcastle has shown the world what proper scouting is all about, with Ba and Cisse. Torres and Carroll have proved that money doesn’t always make the world go round. Meanwhile, Wayne Rooney has quietly got on with the job of scoring goals and working hard for his team.
His passing and vision is a sight to behold at times and his movement off the ball always makes space for his teammates. His strength and power in holding up the ball and his sublime finishing ability have always made him one of England’s finest striking talents since the likes of Jimmy Greaves.
But with this newfound maturity there is no reason that, with the right creative players around him, Rooney couldn’t become the best in Europe for England and Manchester United.
As a lone striker he has the combination of hold up play and the, Messi-like, ability to create space for his wide men by dropping back into midfield. As an old school number 10 striker he has the creative skills to set things in motion for the likes of Welbeck and Hernandez to poach the goals.
If Roy Hodgson can find the right players to put around Rooney, by the third game of Euro 2012, he has the ability to destroy any side in the world. Can Hodgson set up the team for him?
If Mr. Hodgson realizes the need to position players like Daniel Sturridge, Ashley Young, Aaron Lennon or Alex (the Ox) Oxlade-Chamberlain as inside forwards rather than traditional wingers, Rooney could have the support he needs. Rooney lays-off the ball under pressure as well as any player on the planet, with goal scoring players coming off the wings to support him in the middle as a lone striker this may work.
If the Gaffer decides he likes a more traditional winger (hopefully NOT Downing), Rooney would serve much better in the Number 10 role, dropping off an out-and-out front man like Danny Welbeck. This would free up Rooney for the director’s role, flitting around the striker, dropping back into midfield and setting up the play.
In both these functions Rooney has the talent to create something out of nothing and find a position to score.
With a central midfield behind him that prefer the short controlled passing game and have the creative ability to slip through quality defence splitting passes, rather than constantly hoofing it long (stand down Steven Gerrard), Rooney and his cronies could control a game of football and score a serious amount of goals.
Please step forward: Paul Scholes, Scott Parker, Leon Britten (surprise addition but how can you ignore passing stats like his, 93.4%, better than everyone), and maybe even (that man again) the Ox. Roy Hodgson has the tactical nous to play the best players in the simplest way. With some of his classic organization England’s front six could be a force to be reckoned with. Wayne Rooney will command this force… eventually.
Will this be Wayne Rooney’s year to show the world what he can really do? It seems, at present, the pressure is off and his season has been quietly building to an as yet unseen climax. Can this silent assassin finish what he set out to do?
If Hodgson can keep the pressure off him for long enough maybe he can…
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