So, if you're right, what do you think that he's told Rooney?

I don't know, but that is why we are paying him such a heck of a lot of cash, to make these big decisions, to try and improve the team, and to try and get us back to winning the major honours in the game.

Oh, right. Well, could you have a think then? Because what you're suggesting hinges on Rooney being told something, and accepting it.

Perhaps it might be pertinent to take Mourinho at his word, rather than speculating on 'smokescreens'.

He can see that Rooney is out of form. Rooney will know this too. It's possible that Mourinho is managing the situation, along with Rooney himself. There is a middle ground between a 'key player' and a 'sub option at best'.

Jose is a much better man manager then myself, having done it for a long while now, and for the majority of his career, he has been very successful at it, so hence, if anyone can get Rooney to accept this next phase of his career, then it is him.

José could easily be using the press to convey one message,whilst informing Rooney of another, I doubt that this would the first time a manager has done such a thing with a player, nor will it be the last time either.

I will ask you again, do you think José sees Rooney as a better option at the moment to start games as a striker, (as if we are going by what José says according to you, then José sees Rooney as a striker) then either Ibra or Rashford??
Personally I don't think he does, hence why he is now a sub option, or third choice, behind those two players, do you disagree with that?

Rooney should only start games up front when either a f the two other players are not available, or are being rested, that is where we are at with him now.

Rooney has started the majority of games as a second striker.

He's not 'competing' with Ibrahimovic or Rashford, especially as Rashford has been primarily used as a wide forward.

If we play 4-2-3-1, he's potentially competing with Mata, or Herrera at a push. If we play a 4-3-3, he probably doesn't play.

Anyway, you've added nothing to your original argument. You're just repeating yourself, so there's probably not much point in continuing this.

We are just coming at this from different angles really, neither of us really knows what José is thinking here in regards to Rooney's future role in the team from here on in.

Hopefully whatever happens, there will not be a huge fall out type situation one way or the other.

Thinking of tonight, I just hope that we can get back on track with a win, as to top the group, we really do need to be winning tonight's game.

Leaving aside the passive aggressiveness which is just kind of funny, that is not what Mourinho has said, ever. He has said "he will be a No 9 or a No 10, or a number nine-and-a-half", so he'll play up front or behind Ibrahimovic/Rashford. If you are going to try to be condescending, could you at least try to be right?

Edit:

No but you can try actually looking at what he says rather than twisting it to try and suit an argument.

I am not trying to be condescending at all, I was merely trying to get on the same wavelength, that was all.

The point still stands whichever way you want to look at it, is Rooney a better option then our other strikers, or even Miki or Mata at the role just behind the strikers?
Personally I don't think he is, so again, does this mean that he will only be a bench or rotational option?

He hasn't shown much this season to indicate that he is capable of getting back to the heights he showed in previous seasons, perhaps he is still capable of doing so, but so far from what he has shown us this season, it does look a big ask.

I'd rather see Mata playing as a no10, as well as the fact he provides plenty of goals and assists to justify a starting place.

So you think I'm justifying his form with others? No they all need to buck the idea's up, it's been a matter of picking the best we can when the form has been poor. You highlighted 3 players in a previous post, Mata has had 1 good game, that was last Saturday by all accounts, he drifts out of games so many times it's beyond funny. Bailly was poor in that 3 game spell that we had, and Rashford had a couple of poor games against Feyenoord and Watford. Yes, 2 or 3 may seem a small number, but the argument stemmed from the fact that Blind got dropped for one poor game with a couple of mistakes, to which it was highlighted how apart from DDG everyone else hasn't been on top form so far.

As for ex players, they see what sort of effect that a player has on a squad, and the influence on it, that perhaps we the fans don't. It's always been the case, and always will be.

I fully agree with you on this point, Mata has been very good this season so far, and no way should Rooney be picked ahead of him for that role.

Of course not...

As for whether he is a better option, I don't know right now. Mata was impressive against Leicester but I remember games where he'd play there over the last couple of seasons and be shite, one game doesn't prove he's the answer.

I also think Mkhitaryan is going to be better used on the right longterm, in the same way Rashford is currently used on the left, so right now I'd say Rooney is probably second choice upfront and second choice behind the striker. All that means is if he can get form back or Mata's drops off then he won't be a 'sub option at best' as you put it.

Second choice means that he is behind someone else in a perceived pecking order, so really he is waiting for someone, be it Rashford, Ibra, or Mata to be off form, or to be rested to get back into the side.

At the moment, his best role for us is coming off of the bench to replace one of those players.

If Rooney can come good again, then he really will be a huge assest to the team, but at the moment, that just doesn't seem very likely.

We will have a much better idea of where he stands in terms of José's thinking towards him when the starting line-up is announced for the upcoming Liverpool game, if he starts that match, then we will know that José still has full faith on him, if he is not however in the team, then that might be it in terms of starting the big games for us, as they don't come any bigger then a match against our Merseyside rivals.

Why are you saying this? I know what 'second choice' means, hence me using it you condescending twit.

And there is a huge difference between being a 'sub option at best' and not being first choice right now, that is the point I'm making. Rooney needs to get past Mata or Ibrahimoivc (Rashford is starting on the left so is irrelevant right now) and that is not beyond the realms of possibility. He is not a sub option at best as you claimed.

Let's see how the season pans out, but I would be surprised to see Rooney featuring heavily from the start from here on in, in whichever role people think that he is most suited.

ibrahimovic starting tonight tells me that he won't be starting on the weekend, i expect rooney to be back in the 11 for the weekend game which is a big disappointment, i hope i am wrong tho...

Jose has already said ibrahimovic will get plenty of rest over the international break

Shitty first half

This negativity and Rooneytitus -bias of this commentary is getting on my nerves. We aren't playing that badly and are clearly dominating the game. To be fair to them, the Zorya have defended pretty well. If we were playing Leicester, we'd be at least two up by now.

Paul Scholes can do one as well.



I hope Jose is thinking of the later and not the former, but the only consistent role I see Rooney playing now is as a direct sub for a tiring Zlatan.

Wasn't it just, other than Rashford hitting the bar we did nothing, i don't think the players are completely up for this like they would be if it was a Champions League game.

Ahh nice to have someone on my wavelength!

Why do United perform so poorly in Europe last two or three years.

Is it lower expectation, unable to compete with the very top clubs , not interested .

It's very strong starting 11 tonight

No Blind or Herrera tbf.

Thats "not" an assist for Rooney haha.

Sshh don't tell Robbie Savage!