Why Wayne Rooney Must Reinvent Himself as a Midfield Playmaker

Wayne Rooney's midfield performance was absolutely crucial to Manchester United's FA Cup win on Saturday evening at Wembley Stadium.

When the Red Devils went 1-0 down to an against-the-run-of-play goal from Crystal Palace's Jason Puncheon, Rooney's response was pretty remarkable.

Catherine Ivill - AMA/Getty Images

He picked the ball up from deep and went on a driving run, eventually finding himself on the right-hand edge of the Palace penalty area, from where he dinked a cross over toward Marouane Fellaini. Fellaini used his chest to bring the ball down for Juan Mata, and United were back at the races.

It was a moment of inspiration from Rooney of the type that used to be his stock in trade.

Driven perhaps by his desire to lift the team, perhaps by his desire to ensure he did not end his illustrious career without the FA Cup that had for so long eluded him, he conjured his UEFA Euro 2004 self from deep within his muscle memory and got the job done.

Of course, it was a slightly slower version of his 2004 self.

It is this loss of speed that most clearly marks out a midfield role as being his natural position now.

The season that has just finished saw what will almost certainly be his last hurrah at centre-forward. There were bold predictions of a big scoring haul in a season spent leading United's line.

In July 2015, Rooney said, per Mark Ogden of the Telegraph: "I have no doubts that I can score 20 goals or more again and I am ready to take on that mantle and be the one who gets the goals for this team. If I play up there again this season, then I can get the goals. It is where I like and it is where I will play."

That is not how it worked out. He scored 14 goals in all competitions.

Three of those came against an injury-ravaged Club Brugge, and six came in January alone. Between the end of August and the beginning of January, he scored just three times. Following his return from injury in April, he scored just once in eight starts, though by then he had moved to midfield.

He can add six assists to his tally, but this season was as close as can be found to proof positive that Rooney is done as a top-level, out-and-out goalscorer.

The arrival of Anthony Martial was the first threat to Rooney's run as a No. 9. However, after United's 3-0 loss at Arsenal in early October, Rooney was returned to the centre-forward role, Martial moved out to the left and Ander Herrera was brought in at No. 10.

Frank Augstein/Associated Press/Associated Press

United beat Everton 3-0 at Goodison Park with Rooney leading the line, but there was a moment in that game that encapsulated why centre-forward is no longer his best position. In the second half, United were in a position to launch a counter-attack, but Rooney was unable to outpace Phil Jagielka, who is hardly a speed merchant himself.

The years of football have caught up with the United and England captain, and a deeper-lying role looks more suitable.

That is not to say it is guaranteed to be a success. As I wrote in March: 

"

[It] is not just the player's own preferences that complicate a potential move into midfield but also the evidence of his performances there. They do not necessarily bear out the notion that it will be a natural fit for him.

Rooney has always been a bursty player, capable of wonderful moments, but he has become increasingly prone to a poor first touch or an ill-judged pass.

"

That all remains true. However, it should also be noted the evidence from April onward is good news for those arguing for Rooney to take up a midfield role. He made a positive impact as a midfield playmaker.

He provided two assists and a goal in United's last four games, and though he was not credited with an assist for Mata's goal in the FA Cup final, he was instrumental in its creation.

The run started with his return from injury against Aston Villa in April—a performance that showed some ring rust. Then came the Premier League game against Crystal Palace, in which he made tidy use of the ball, completing 90 per cent of his 72 attempted passes.

Mike Hewitt/Getty Images

This was followed by the FA Cup semi-final against Everton, in which Rooney was crucial in United's win. He completed 51 of his 55 attempted passes, set up two chances, completed both the dribbles he attempted, won two out of the three tackles he made and took four shots, of which two were blocked and one was on target.

He had the ball for 6.6 per cent of the game, more than any other player on the pitch.

Against Norwich City, injuries elsewhere forced him to play up front. The assist he provided for Mata ended up producing the match-winning goal, but the Rooney of old would surely have buried the chance himself, rather than running into trouble and passing his way out of it.

Then came West Ham United away, the one game in the recent run that should give pause to anyone certain of his ability to adapt permanently to the deep-lying role. Perhaps because of the emotion of the occasion—the Hammers' last game at the Boleyn Ground—perhaps because of Slaven Bilic's setup, West Ham's midfield did not sit off Rooney as so many have of late.

GLYN KIRK/Getty Images

Rather, their midfielders pressed and harried him. His success rate from passes dropped to 83 per cent, the worst of this run by some distance. He was dispossessed three times—again, the most of any games since his return from injury.

And given BBC Sport has reported Jose Mourinho will be United's manager next season, Rooney's difficulties in dealing with aggressive pressing could become a problem. Teams will presumably be less tactically inclined to defend deep in narrow banks.

That was often the solution to Louis van Gaal's rather uninspired attack, but a Mourinho team requires a different approach.

PAUL ELLIS/Getty Images

So, the run at the end of the season has, for the most part, shown Rooney's midfield chops in a good light. Unfortunately for him, his adaptation to a midfield role is not based on his ability in that position so much as it is in his inability to make a consistent impact as a forward.

There was a time when Rooney would have been the envy of any team in the world, but it is not yet clear whether there should be an automatic place for him in the starting XI next season.

While his unique talents clearly still offer something at big moments, would United not be better served bringing in an elite-level, attack-minded midfielder than by retraining their captain? At the very least, Mourinho should have to ensure Van Gaal's apparent principle of selecting Rooney whenever he was available is abandoned.

Catherine Ivill - AMA/Getty Images

If he is going to be a midfielder, he simply cannot play every game. Against weaker sides, or sides prepared to sit off him, he has proved how effective he can be. Up against sterner pressure, it seems unlikely he could maintain that level.

The loss of speed makes him a much less effective as a forward, so the long-predicted transition to midfield has begun. Time will tell whether it works.

Advanced statistics per WhoScored.com.