England

[Disco]

On the plus side he always comes back from injury in tip top shape and hits the ground running.

[Mole_Toonfan]

He quite clearly should still be the squad.

 

Shouldn't be in the team as things stand. He will be anyway though, so it's a pointless debate really.

 

[Froggy]

This 'record goalscorer' thing is pish as well. He has the most caps for any England striker, has had such top drawer competition as a knackered Michael Owen, Peter Crouch and Emile Heskey, has banged in goals against some utter turd in qualifiers and friendlies. You'd absolutely expect his goals return as a forward that has been up top for england for practically his whole career. I don't think 'record goalscorer' as a phrase should hold much currency in this debate. He's also our biggest let down in tournaments.

 

He is England's record goalscorer. It doesn't matter who his competition was or is. Your national football team was formed 150 years ago and he is the record holder. If you're going to bring up his caps though you should bring up his ratio, and it's almost identical to your hero Alan Shearer.

[joeyt]

Didn't realise he's only scored 6 non-penalty league goals for Man Utd this season

[leffe186]

Yep, we look like we're going to be very good going forward but, against the better teams, our dodgy defence is going to be torn to shreds. I don't trust any combination of Smalling / Cahill / Jagielka / Stones and whichever full backs we go with are also pretty poor defensively.

 

I've never been his biggest fan, but I thought Rose barely put a foot wrong the other night.

[Froggy]

Didn't realise he's only scored 6 non-penalty league goals for Man Utd this season

 

Yep. Scored 7, 1 pen. Scored 1 every 3 games in the league, which some would say is brilliant for an attacking midfielder, others would say it's shit, but only when Rooney is the topic of discussion.

[Hanshithispantz]

Only watched Rooney a few times this season but I thought he looked really good, especially against us and Stoke.

[joeyt]

Dunno how accurate this is but it says Rooney has played up front in 18 games this season like. Don't watch Man Utd that regularly but wasn't Martial on the left wing and Rooney up front quite a regular thing?

 

https://www.whoscored.com/Players/3859

[Mole_Toonfan]

Didn't realise he's only scored 6 non-penalty league goals for Man Utd this season

 

Yep. Scored 7, 1 pen. Scored 1 every 3 games in the league, which some would say is brilliant for an attacking midfielder, others would say it's s***, but only when Rooney is the topic of discussion.

 

Wouldn't say it's brilliant personally, it's not shit either though. Probably would be somewhere in between.

[Froggy]

Dunno how accurate this is but it says Rooney has played up front in 18 games this season like. Don't watch Man Utd that regularly but wasn't Martial on the left wing and Rooney up front quite a regular thing?

 

https://www.whoscored.com/Players/3859

 

Martial always starts on the left like but drifts into the centre of the pitch. Rooney starts central but essentially has a free role and always drops deeper to create instead. It's good and it's bad as he's still good up front but at the same time at least he actually creates space by playing the ball out wide or giving it to Mata in dangerous areas. Carrick, Fellaini and/or Schneiderlin would just play keep the ball between themselves if he didn't drop deep to get it.

[Guest alijmitchell]

This 'record goalscorer' thing is pish as well. He has the most caps for any England striker, has had such top drawer competition as a knackered Michael Owen, Peter Crouch and Emile Heskey, has banged in goals against some utter turd in qualifiers and friendlies. You'd absolutely expect his goals return as a forward that has been up top for england for practically his whole career. I don't think 'record goalscorer' as a phrase should hold much currency in this debate. He's also our biggest let down in tournaments.

 

He is England's record goalscorer. It doesn't matter who his competition was or is. Your national football team was formed 150 years ago and he is the record holder. If you're going to bring up his caps though you should bring up his ratio, and it's almost identical to your hero Alan Shearer.

 

What I'm saying is that the phrase 'Record Goalscorer' is used to justify his position in the team despite him being utterly shit for the national team in every tournament since 2004. It's like a shit town putting up a sign saying 'winner of Britain in bloom 2015...' It doesn't mean anything if your town is still shit. The Shearer point? I wouldn't be starting him in this team either.

[Froggy]

Didn't realise he's only scored 6 non-penalty league goals for Man Utd this season

 

Yep. Scored 7, 1 pen. Scored 1 every 3 games in the league, which some would say is brilliant for an attacking midfielder, others would say it's s***, but only when Rooney is the topic of discussion.

 

Wouldn't say it's brilliant personally, it's not shit either though. Probably would be somewhere in between.

 

Which is essentially my point. He shouldn't start ahead of 20+ strikers in the form of their lives, but he's still a very good player and it would be ridiculous if he wasn't on the plane as some are suggesting. He'll do well enough this tournament IMO. Couple of goals, couple of assists.

[AyeDubbleYoo]

Who needs TalkSport when we've got this thread eh?

[lovejoy]

He quite clearly should still be in the squad.

 

Shouldn't be in the team as things stand. He will be anyway though, so it's a pointless debate really.

 

 

aye.

[Mole_Toonfan]

Didn't realise he's only scored 6 non-penalty league goals for Man Utd this season

 

Yep. Scored 7, 1 pen. Scored 1 every 3 games in the league, which some would say is brilliant for an attacking midfielder, others would say it's s***, but only when Rooney is the topic of discussion.

 

Wouldn't say it's brilliant personally, it's not s*** either though. Probably would be somewhere in between.

 

Which is essentially my point. He shouldn't start ahead of 20+ strikers in the form of their lives, but he's still a very good player and it would be ridiculous if he wasn't on the plane as some are suggesting. He'll do well enough this tournament IMO. Couple of goals, couple of assists.

 

Well i agree, my stance is that he should definitely go but not start because there are players who are more clinical in front of goal at this point and i'd rather play actual midfielders instead of a striker who can play deeper because he has the ability to do so.

[Froggy]

Vardy would be some player to bring on to hassle the opposition if you're in the lead mind. Roy has a hard choice. All I know is that if I was England manager Kane would be the first name of the teamsheet.

[hakka]

Rooney for sure has a place in the squad, just shouldn't walk in to the first team unless he's fit and showing form. Kane is looking fantastic and Vardy offers something different with clinical finishing and great pressing and chasing lost causes. There's time for others to challenge for the starting spot alongside Kane which is great for a change.

 

With the pressure off Rooney and him coming on from the bench, we may see a different side to him in the summer. In the past it's felt like he's all we have, it's great to know this isn't true anymore.

[Froggy]

Rooney for sure has a place in the squad, just shouldn't walk in to the first team unless he's fit and showing form. Kane is looking fantastic and Vardy offers something different with clinical finishing and great pressing and chasing lost causes. There's time for others to challenge for the starting spot alongside Kane which is great for a change.

 

With the pressure off Rooney and him coming on from the bench, we may see a different side to him in the summer. In the past it's felt like he's all we have, it's great to know this isn't true anymore.

 

Perfect post.

 

[Incognito]

I wouldn't take him. Because if we do , we'll have the clamour to select him. Let's go without the stale stench of a player who isn't the player he was and rarely performed at International tournaments when he was in his prime. Because the fact he is England captain will almost certainly guarantee him an undeserving starting spot.

[Jayson]

Vardy would be some player to bring on to hassle the opposition if you're in the lead mind. Roy has a hard choice. All I know is that if I was England manager Kane would be the first name of the teamsheet.

 

This is doing my head in like, i agree to a point about Rooney.  But if Vardy was the same age as Kane/Alli him starting wouldnt even be debatable. This impact sub stuff is nuts & seems to be the cliche fast player against tired legs.

 

I also dont get this undertone in football that if you're good at a younger age its more "real" & you have more potential. What matters is whats happening right now. Vardy is a few goals off the likes of Lewandowski & Aubemayang in what was seen as a much weaker side. Yet aye, lets maybe bench the guy. It has to be his age like, must be. He's not been at the top level for as long so its not as "real" or something, maybe give him a chance off the bench.

[Jayson]

I wouldn't take him. Because if we do , we'll have the clamour to select him. Let's go without the stale stench of a player who isn't the player he was and rarely performed at International tournaments when he was in his prime. Because the fact he is England captain will almost certainly guarantee him an undeserving starting spot.

 

Think as Ian mentioned the last page, there is quite a swell now in the media & amongst fans that he shouldnt be playing. So its more likely that Roy would be going against the tide to do so, which he likely will as we all know.

[Mattoon]

Vardy would be some player to bring on to hassle the opposition if you're in the lead mind. Roy has a hard choice. All I know is that if I was England manager Kane would be the first name of the teamsheet.

 

This is doing my head in like, i agree to a point about Rooney.  But if Vardy was the same age as Kane/Alli him starting wouldnt even be debatable. This impact sub stuff is nuts & seems to be the cliche fast player against tired legs.

 

I also dont get this undertone in football that if you're good at a younger age its more "real" & you have more potential. What matters is whats happening right now. Vardy is a few goals off the likes of Lewandowski & Aubemayang in what was seen as a much weaker side. Yet aye, lets maybe bench the guy. It has to be his age like, must be. He's not been at the top level for as long so its not as "real" or something, maybe give him a chance off the bench.

 

he's come into the premier league late in his career but he's clearly in the form of his life, why leave him on the bench when he's exuding so much confidence right now? What does he have to do to deserve a starting spot ffs?

[Marmoset]

Vardy would be some player to bring on to hassle the opposition if you're in the lead mind. Roy has a hard choice. All I know is that if I was England manager Kane would be the first name of the teamsheet.

 

This is doing my head in like, i agree to a point about Rooney.  But if Vardy was the same age as Kane/Alli him starting wouldnt even be debatable. This impact sub stuff is nuts & seems to be the cliche fast player against tired legs.

 

I also dont get this undertone in football that if you're good at a younger age its more "real" & you have more potential. What matters is whats happening right now. Vardy is a few goals off the likes of Lewandowski & Aubemayang in what was seen as a much weaker side. Yet aye, lets maybe bench the guy. It has to be his age like, must be. He's not been at the top level for as long so its not as "real" or something, maybe give him a chance off the bench.

 

It's just the formation stopping me from saying Vardy MUST start, if we play a two it should obviously be him and Kane but I'm not sure what to do with the rest of the team. Have to confess I didn't see the Germany game so I can't really comment on how the three with Alli were or who to put around them but it sounds encouraging.

[Guest Phillipealbert]

Someone said Rooney has no leadership qualities in this thread which is laughable like, and the constant underrating of him as a player even at domestic level is a joke as well. He already has the same amount of goals this season as he did in the last. However, he probably shouldn't start for England in the Euros, at least in the first game. I think he will though. Kane is the best striker England have so will 100% start, but I think it'll be Rooney alongside him with Vardy as an impact sub. Rooney is still a very good player, but he needs to step up and do it again at international level. It has been too long.

 

If it was me I'd drop Lallana and play Rooney on the left like. I'd feel like a criminal not starting Vardy or Alli. Lallana is bang average.

 

I absolutely respect your opinion, but disagree with it pretty much 100%.  Playing Rooney on the left would be criminal considering how slow he is and how little he adds to build up play.

[U2]

Armstrong on target for the U19s v Spain.  2-0 to us.