Player power or easily pleased? Or just Big Sham!

[eatonparkboy]

"It's not for me to say where he's going to play," said the former Sunderland, West Ham, Newcastle and Bolton boss, 61. "It's up to me to ask whether he's doing well in that position and contributing."

"Wayne played wherever he wanted to," said Allardyce. "He did play a little deeper than I thought he'd play, but I was pleased with his performance."

 

[KeiranShikari]

I bet when Rooney drops back and plays short passes he thinks he's doing the same as Messi when he drops deep.

 

[eatonparkboy]

I bet when Rooney drops back and plays short passes he thinks he's doing the same as Messi when he drops deep.

Not a word one associates with him

 

[GJP]

Same problem as at the Euros. Rooney is England's best footballer but having him in the side doesn't necessarily bring the best out of the team.

Having said that, I'd rather find a way to accommodate Rooney than Henderson.

 

[dj161]

Rooney needs to play up top just off Harry Kane for me, a role similar to the one he played at United alongside van Persie, sure he can drop off into midfield when we don't have possession but as soon as we do he needs to get up the field asap for me the front four should be Kane up top, Rooney just off, Sterling and Lallana either side, maybe the Ox when fit, personally I'd have a midfield duo of Miner and Carrick, they'd offer enough going forward in support whilst still being mentally and positionally strong enough to do the defensive side of things, but thats just me and I'm not the England manaher

 

[ZLF]

no english player is good enough to play where they like;    a clearer structure needed and far quicker ball movement; by the time we decide on our attack they have 8 people behind the ball;   its like watching a sloth play chess;   by the time the move has happened the defence is already readjusted.

 

[eatonparkboy]

I think many still believe that Rooney is world class. I think he was but is no longer. He is useful but sitting so deep and playing the easy ball all the time is not what we should expect of him, even at thirty.

Allardyce is making a rod for his own back and risking the ire of all England fans by already saying he would have taken a point from the game. No bold ploy to win the game in the first 20 minutes and see them off but rather take a careful approach becasue the media have said Slovakia are a threat. A game we dominated possession and position wise. Sterling clearly is a decent league player but not international class. Kane does not have the movement and authority he shows with Spurs, especially stuck on his own against a defence happy for the ball to be in front of them.  And our only attacking ploy is for the full backs to raid the touchline. (Hang on, that sounds like us). Llallana was the real shining light to me and his ball control, quick feet and spinning moves around the box make him a definite starter for me in a game where the opposition isn't bothered about anything other than survival.

International football is already threatened by the colloquial nature of league football and will be further threatened by England playing with the fear factor.

 

[Canaryboy]

Rooney has always been an odd one, he is like the perfect wing man for a world class player but not quite world class himself. 

Cristiano Ronaldo at Man Utd pretty much got elevated to world class level as a result of the goals that Rooney would lay him on a plate, and Ibrahimovic has been saying for years that he wished he played alongside Rooney, 

But he's never been quite special or influential enough to basically run things and win games all on his own, he's just a great team player. Definitely sounds like Allardyce needs to define his role in the team, and that has to be as an advanced player supporting a striker. 

I wouldn't be bothered if he retired really, one of those players who just never does it in tournaments for England, perhaps it would have been best if Rooney had called it a day and we'd worked out how to qualify for the world cup without him. Otherwise we qualify with him and then feel obliged to fit him into the tournament team so he can flop again and be the media's convenient scapegoat. 

 

[Canaryboy]

no english player is good enough to play where they like

If any player looks like they could be given a 'free role' it is Rashford right now. 

 

[ZLF]

he was impressive for the u21s;   but I would wait before pushing him too fast back into the senior squad.   

The Germans develop their youngsters through the u21, whereas we add pressure too young;   allow him to learn for up to 18m with the u21s;  I suspect that in the long run the senior team will improve more for investing that time in him and others.

 

[Canaryboy]

he was impressive for the u21s;   but I would wait before pushing him too fast back into the senior squad.   

Definitely, also Mourinho has it right by massively restricting his club football at the minute and giving him little bites at the cherry from the bench etc..

They seemed to get it seriously wrong with Adnan Januzaj when he came into their team at 18 and they started playing him every week. Has gone from being labelled as the next Cristiano Ronaldo to joining the graveyard of ambition (Sunderland). 

 

[eatonparkboy]

The need for England to do well at a tournament is clouding what we really should be doing, and maybe what clubs should be doing. We really need the introduction of younger players to be seamless into the national side. There is a tendency, just like us, to play players out of position for the sake of picking them.

When we know what Rashfords best position is, then if he is better than the incumbent, then he could walk into the team. I don't think it is necessarily talent that stops youngsters progressing as much as their place in the dressing room pecking order. Allardyce admits he has no international experience (that could come back and bite him) so he more or less let things run on Sunday but I am hoping he will impose himself on the next match.