Re: Theory About Wayne Rooney's Foot


Deano wrote:
Mr Nemo wrote:
Deano wrote:
Mr Nemo wrote:
Bearing in mind that WR was filmed hobbling on to the team bus
rather than being stretchered into an ambulance, might not the FA's
PR team have decided to capitalise upon his injury be exaggerating
its severity?

Everyone knows that WR poses a huge threat to opposing teams. Any
team facing England in the World Cup would prepare for the
encounter by prioritising the man-marking of the chubby-thighed
Scouser Potato-Head. If they think WR won't be playing, they might
fall into the trap of believing that England has no discernible
striking partnership let alone striker, and they would change their
tactics accordingly.

Thus if Rooney were able to play, he would quite literally 'wrong
foot' his opponents. And given that our opponents would have quite
probably set out to aggressively man-mark Rooney, tempting him to
lose his temper, then there are huge advantages in exaggerating the
severity of Rooney's injury.

Anyway, the point is that although Rooney suffered some sort of
injury yesterday, we will all be kept very much in the dark about
the precise extent of it until the World Cup starts. Personally, I
will treat any statement issued by MUFC or the FA with extreme
scepticism, but I do hope that our opponents will be fooled by any
clever smokescreens.

Nemo

I don't recall a disinformation campaign when Beckham broke his
foot. I think they even published the x-rays. Why should it be any
different with Rooney? If he does play opponents know what his
position is and how he plays - he wouldn't surprise anyone this time
around.

But I really don't see how other teams would be "fooled". You play
what's in front of you and the scope for changing tactics due to the
presence of a single player is a bit limited these days in any case.
You can't go clattering into people anymore so strict man-marking
isn't that fashionable.

The thing about Rooney is that, when fit, he's so good at finding
space wherever he happens to be that he's darn hard to play.
Personally I believe the official news and I don't think he'll now
have much influence on the World Cup.

No, what I mean is that now Rooney's been injured anyway, it is in
England's best interests to perpetuate the belief that he very
probably won't be playing. If opponents think they are facing a less
attacking side, they will field a more attacking and less defensive
side themselves. Besides, can you think of a player in the England
squad more likely to be man-marked than Rooney?

Nemo

Teams who are looking to win the Cup will have to be well-balanced as you're
playing against top-class players most of the time. If Rooney doesn't play
then we still have other options and players who are quite quick which is
something defenses don't like either.

And I don't see how such a strategy produces tangible benefits. In the
group England will play Paraguay, Trinidad and Tobago and Sweden. We don't
need Rooney to beat the first two who will likely field defensive line-ups
anyway and Sweden are a physical side who won't be afraid of him.

Beyond that it just gets tougher. One more point - having teams field
attacking sides against us doesn't exactly fill me with confidence given
that most of our defenders are carrying injuries and will probably leak a
few goals given the whole Gerrard/Lampard problem in front of them.

Of similar concern is whether Beckham will turn up slow and unfit as
per Euro 2004, and whether they keep him as captain when both Gerrard
and Lampard are probably better placed to fulfill that role.

Of course, if Rooney is ruled out, Gerrard could always move up into
his place, allowing Beckham and Lampard to handle the midfield.

Nemo

.

Relevant Pages

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  • Theory About Wayne Rooneys Foot
    ... Thus if Rooney were able to play, he would quite literally 'wrong foot' ... And given that our opponents would have quite probably ... set out to aggressively man-mark Rooney, ... Rooney's injury. ...
    (uk.media.tv.misc)
  • Re: Theory About Wayne Rooneys Foot
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