The club captain has had ups and downs this year as well as enduring an extended spell in midfield but he has proved he remains the club's best striker under the Dutchman
Perhaps it was politeness, maybe mind games, possibly a judgement call that was based on the past rather than the present. But when Sergio Aguero piped up this week to suggest Radamel Falcao is Manchester United’s most predatory striker, it rather flew in the face of the facts. It ignored the evidence.
Forget the crisp, clinical Falcao of bygone times. The modern-day Colombian has scored fewer goals in his entire United career than Wayne Rooney has managed in his last six games. The Merseysider has won his individual battle. Seemingly third in line when Falcao partnered Robin van Persie in attack and he was relegated to the midfield, he has cemented his status as United’s finest centre-forward.
It could be the first time since the Dutchman’s 2012 arrival that he can say that. The idea that United had three top strikers has been disproved by evidence of decline. Rooney’s personal peak came in 2009-10, Van Persie’s between 2011 and 2013 and Falcao’s, arguably, in the same two-year spell.
None is the player he was, but Rooney is the best of the bunch. When his career was at a crossroads, his season has turned into an unlikely triumph.
Falcao’s arrival prompted questions if Rooney even featured in the first-choice team. The silly sending off against West Ham made many wonder if he was the right man to captain United. An extended spell in midfield invited thoughts that his striking days may have been consigned to the past.
Go back a couple of months and Rooney had to illicitly procure a late penalty against League One Preston to record a first shot on target in 2015. When Van Gaal said his captain had “privileges”, it made it sound as though Rooney was in the team on favouritism, not merit.
Now he has managed five goals since Van Persie’s ankle injury meant he almost returned to the forward line by default and if he was possibly United’s least effective outfield starter in the win over Liverpool, he rampaged to great effect against Tottenham. The spectacular volley against Aston Villa indicated that, however often Rooney’s touch can betray him in other parts of the pitch, it can often be delightful in front of goal.
Unlike the static Van Persie and the immobile Falcao, he offers a persistent presence in attack. Rooney can be called many things, but anonymous is rarely one of them. It is no coincidence United’s most convincing displays of the season have come with the skipper as the spearhead.
And while Van Gaal denied he stumbled on a winning formula, it certainly took time for him to alight on the obvious. Long overlooked, Ander Herrera has excelled as a midfielder playing in midfield. Long deployed out of position, Rooney has prospered as a forward in the forward line, rather than a willing worker trying to do Herrera’s job.
It is no revolutionary theory. But while Van Gaal appointed Rooney captain, there were reasons to think they were the odd couple. Rooney seemed too rough and ready, his technique too flawed for the perfectionist Dutchman.
But Rooney’s frantic style is suited to English football. He relishes the fray, the hurly-burly that doesn’t feature in too many idealists’ philosophy. Instead, we have seen the Roonification of Van Gaal. The manager has compromised. A willingness to accept the physical was apparent in his use of Marouane Fellaini. Now he has Rooney as a tireless terrier up front. Now the old Evertonians provide the balance in a team where the Spanish axis of Herrera and Juan Mata offer more delicacy. There is a pragmatic element to this United side. It is not one that many envisaged when the transfer window slammed shut with five marquee players united in Van Gaal’s squad.
Now three of them – Angel Di Maria, Falcao and Van Persie – are not in the starting 11 and while the Dutchman’s return to contention next week could present Rooney with a challenge, his absence became an irrelevance in a run of five successive league wins. It sometimes falls on managers with a close relationship with a player with a distinguished past to take tough decisions. Van Persie captained Van Gaal’s Holland team in the World Cup. Now he has to realise the striker does not belong in United’s best side. Rooney does.
And having triumphed in his fight with the present, he can resume his contest with the past. Rooney is a rarity in the United ranks, a player who has caused Manchester City plenty of damage. The Merseysider is already the record Manchester derby scorer. He is chasing down Sir Bobby Charlton’s overall goalscoring records for club and country and he is doing so by leading from the front.
Forget the crisp, clinical Falcao of bygone times. The modern-day Colombian has scored fewer goals in his entire United career than Wayne Rooney has managed in his last six games. The Merseysider has won his individual battle. Seemingly third in line when Falcao partnered Robin van Persie in attack and he was relegated to the midfield, he has cemented his status as United’s finest centre-forward.
It could be the first time since the Dutchman’s 2012 arrival that he can say that. The idea that United had three top strikers has been disproved by evidence of decline. Rooney’s personal peak came in 2009-10, Van Persie’s between 2011 and 2013 and Falcao’s, arguably, in the same two-year spell.
None is the player he was, but Rooney is the best of the bunch. When his career was at a crossroads, his season has turned into an unlikely triumph.
Falcao’s arrival prompted questions if Rooney even featured in the first-choice team. The silly sending off against West Ham made many wonder if he was the right man to captain United. An extended spell in midfield invited thoughts that his striking days may have been consigned to the past.
Go back a couple of months and Rooney had to illicitly procure a late penalty against League One Preston to record a first shot on target in 2015. When Van Gaal said his captain had “privileges”, it made it sound as though Rooney was in the team on favouritism, not merit.
Now he has managed five goals since Van Persie’s ankle injury meant he almost returned to the forward line by default and if he was possibly United’s least effective outfield starter in the win over Liverpool, he rampaged to great effect against Tottenham. The spectacular volley against Aston Villa indicated that, however often Rooney’s touch can betray him in other parts of the pitch, it can often be delightful in front of goal.
Unlike the static Van Persie and the immobile Falcao, he offers a persistent presence in attack. Rooney can be called many things, but anonymous is rarely one of them. It is no coincidence United’s most convincing displays of the season have come with the skipper as the spearhead.
And while Van Gaal denied he stumbled on a winning formula, it certainly took time for him to alight on the obvious. Long overlooked, Ander Herrera has excelled as a midfielder playing in midfield. Long deployed out of position, Rooney has prospered as a forward in the forward line, rather than a willing worker trying to do Herrera’s job.
It is no revolutionary theory. But while Van Gaal appointed Rooney captain, there were reasons to think they were the odd couple. Rooney seemed too rough and ready, his technique too flawed for the perfectionist Dutchman.
But Rooney’s frantic style is suited to English football. He relishes the fray, the hurly-burly that doesn’t feature in too many idealists’ philosophy. Instead, we have seen the Roonification of Van Gaal. The manager has compromised. A willingness to accept the physical was apparent in his use of Marouane Fellaini. Now he has Rooney as a tireless terrier up front. Now the old Evertonians provide the balance in a team where the Spanish axis of Herrera and Juan Mata offer more delicacy. There is a pragmatic element to this United side. It is not one that many envisaged when the transfer window slammed shut with five marquee players united in Van Gaal’s squad.
Now three of them – Angel Di Maria, Falcao and Van Persie – are not in the starting 11 and while the Dutchman’s return to contention next week could present Rooney with a challenge, his absence became an irrelevance in a run of five successive league wins. It sometimes falls on managers with a close relationship with a player with a distinguished past to take tough decisions. Van Persie captained Van Gaal’s Holland team in the World Cup. Now he has to realise the striker does not belong in United’s best side. Rooney does.
And having triumphed in his fight with the present, he can resume his contest with the past. Rooney is a rarity in the United ranks, a player who has caused Manchester City plenty of damage. The Merseysider is already the record Manchester derby scorer. He is chasing down Sir Bobby Charlton’s overall goalscoring records for club and country and he is doing so by leading from the front.
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