Selling him is a bit easier said than done, given the contract he's on.

He's in good company though.How many underperforming players do we have on big wages? Phil Jones and Ashley Young probably on big wages to name a couple. DIdn't these two get new deals fairly recently? Nani got a new contract and went out on loan not long after. Some of the decisions when it comes to contracts have been ridiculous.

How much has it cost City to send Mangala and co out on loan? Pep had the right approach unfortunately he's on a loftier perch to do it, whereas Jose has last season at Chelsea leaving him vulnerable.

I think with Rooney it's going to be a case of limiting his performances so he has to make the decision himself.

In the Metro 2 days ago:

Wayne Rooney has been given 18 months to prove his worth to Manchester United before he is offered a new contract.
The England captain, currently earning in excess of £300,000 per week, is thought to be keen to secure a new deal that will see the 30-year-old end his career at Old Trafford.
With his current deal set to expire in 2019, Jose Mourinho and Manchester United chiefs have told the captain to prove himself before any negotiations over an improved deal will be considered.


I doubt he will give up that income before time, so good or bad you may be stuck with him for a while yet.

Yeah like I said he needs to be dropped and the onus is then on him either to lump it or move on.

He's done, it's just a case now of looking to others to fill his role. The problem is if he doesn't play and the team don't have a great game you will have those who claim that 'Well if Rooney was playing.....'.

England will go the same way. It doesn't help that Kane is out and Welbeck's never fit either. I think Big Sam is scared to drop him tbh.

Last season when Rooney was missing through injury and man united weren't playing well, you didn't hear many in the media or fans saying that you need Rooney back... Would be the case even more now, even if team performamces don't impress

Yeah but Van Gaal insisted that his captain shall always play so he never had to fight for his place.

There are still some in the media who are blaming everyone but Wayne including some of our ex players. He's got his arse well and truly covered

With Rooney I think it's been pretty obvious for a while he's not contributing anywhere near enough to justify trying to build the team around him, I don't think he warrants all the recent negative press as it's not just started now but has been a problem for a while.

There's no way anyone is going to buy him with the contract he has so not sure what option Mourinho has bar dropping him. I can't see a way of him staying in the team and him and the team performing to the required levels needed.

There seems to be some suggestion that the press are being briefed. Why are all the press suddenly banging the drum? Lots of Utd fans have been critical of his performances for some time and that he's basically become undroppable for some reason.

Rooney hasn't declined overnight, it's been happening for a few years now.

Apart from a few gormless pundits who will look to blame anyone but Rooney it's pretty much open season from the press on how bad he's got.

I just wish that there was the same questions being raised in the media about Fellaini.
I never thought that I would agree with Robbie Savage on anything but when he said on Sunday that he' had no idea what Fellaini brings to the team - he can't tackle, he can't pass and he rarely scores' (I paraphrase) - I cheered loudly.
It seems that he is in the team purely because he is tall?

It's pretty much silly season more like. Rooney's copping the blame for everyone's performances, as if he's responsible for our poor defence, midfield and attack. The only way people will be happy now is for Rooney to leave, it's similar to the way we've treated so many other players in the past. This is a team game, and I would name only 2 or 3 players who have over the past 12 months performed consistently over this time, yet we don't see the level of criticism thrown at them do we.

Rooney
Fellaini
Rojo
Blind
Schinderlin
Lingard
Miki
Rashford....

There you go, that's the order I'm guessing of who the next scape goats are for the United fans, and the order to which they leave the club.

Does Rooney warrant a starting place regardless of what performances others are putting in or not?

I'm happy for 50% of those to go.
I would like to keep Blind, Schneiderlin, Miki and Rashford

The inclusion of the last two in your list somehow leads me to believe that you have tongue planted firmly in cheek?

He's pretty impressive with his elbows aswell to be fair..

What about Carrick, Smalling and Young?

I forgot that bit

The club has money coming out of its ears. Its a matter of status to have a bench worth of salaries greater than most club's first elevens!

It's almost sad the way that nearly all on here and nearly all in the press have finally come round to the fact that Rooney is no longer automatic choice for club or country.

When almost everyone can see the obvious decline you wonder what is going on in the managers heads that he seems undroppable. He's a bigger problem for England IMO but we need to do something soon as well. Rotate him at least.

As for the Captain's armband, I'd give it to Zlatan in a heartbeat. I'm very impressed with the way he's started the season. His pace has gone but his touch and vision are still there - miles better than Rooney's - and he's not afraid to hand out rollockings on the pitch.

The best captains lead by example and are vocal. Zlatan is both.

PS I am one of Carrick's biggest fans but if we're crying out for him to come and save us, then something is very badly wrong. He should be a League cup /dead Europa rubber option only not a prem starter. Schniederlin, Herrera and Miki need to come good fast.

Yeah good shout for Zlatan. Carrick should be used sparingly, tomorrow would be ideal imo.

Carrick won't become a scapegoat, and will leave probably retire at the end of this season. Smalling probably won't either and will eventually leave after a few seasons of being yet another O'Shea/Brown/Evans. Young has endured his spell as the scapegoat, but will become surplus to requirements and leave, but won't do so with the fans baying for it.

Smalling was one of the 2 or 3 consistent performers over the past 12 months I mentioned.

Yes and No in respect to your final sentence, I fear that Miki will win the fans over for a short while and then in much the same vein as Kagawa, fall out of favour and the crowd will turn on him. Rashford, it's the home grown effect, in that we all love our home grown stars, but they are the easiest targets and after a short spell of less favourable performances we always turn on them, Welbeck being a recent example of this.

I should have added Memphis in this list, but completely forgot to.

Great minds!

Is anyone looking forward to the Northampton match?

Perhaps it is just me, but the buzz and excitement from before the season is wearing away pretty quickly, hopefully we can play well and win this match, and turn around our current horrible form.

After the last three games and one of our players shouting his mouth off to the press because some of our players are getting a bit precious about his approach , it's a bit hard to get motivated for some actual football unfortunately.

The start of the season makes this eve more interesting than otherwise would be for a early round league cup game vs Northampton... Or I could be talking Cobblers

Ten minute kick off delay so the staff can remove some of the bubble wrap that some of our players have been wrapped in.

God, I miss Keano.