Manchester United: Wayne Rooney Struggling for Red Devils as Lone Striker

Since Manchester United started using a 4-3-3 formation against Tottenham Hotspur about two months ago, Wayne Rooney has been out of the headlines on both ends of the spectrum.

When United were dismantling Liverpool and Manchester City, it was Juan Mata and Marouane Fellaini getting all the praise, and when they lost 3-0 to Everton, Daley Blind received the brunt of the blame.

While players' good form sometimes goes "under the radar," Rooney has been fairly anonymous over the last couple of months and is lucky to have his recent shortcomings shielded by criticism of Louis van Gaal's tactics, and the bemoaning of Michael Carrick's absence.

Rooney recorded a goal apiece vs. Spurs and Aston Villa when Carrick was in action, but since then he's recorded just one assist and zero goals in five games, looking uncomfortable and ineffectual as a lone striker. 

Playing without Carrick has certainly not helped Van Gaal's side, but Rooney's enigmatic nature at this stage in his career is really the larger issue at hand.

United fans collectively sigh when Rooney is selected to play midfield, but as a forward, it seems he needs a very specific set-up around him to actually make a positive impact.

Rooney is unique for a forward in that he lacks a considerable advantage over his opponents in terms of size, speed or technical ability. Even when he was younger and was quicker, he has always been something of a poacher, making smart runs and finishing chances off in the box (or scoring an occasional screamer). 

But the caveat with a poacher is that they need to played alongside attackers who can open up space and create chances for them, essentially serving as the "ying" to their "yang."

Therefore, tasking a slower Rooney to create his own chances and hound defenses by himself as a lone striker is foolish. 

The Englishman's best years came playing as a second striker or deeper center forward, as he formed deadly partnerships with forwards such as Louis Saha and Carlos Tevez. Granted, Louis van Gaal does not have these types of players at his disposal, but perhaps it is time he looks a little deeper and tweaks the supporting cast of Fellaini, Mata, Ashley Young and Ander Herrera that has been used in recent matches.

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Rooney's struggles for form may be more permanent than anticipated, and his time being considered a top player may be coming to an abrupt close. 

However, we won't really know this for sure until he is given a chance to play alongside another striker.

United do not currently possess a quick second forward that Van Gaal feels comfortable playing alongside Rooney, although the devilishly fast James Wilson would create acres of space for Rooney. Wilson is not yet ready to be a consistent starter, but one would think that with United's dearth of forwards he would be more of a squad player than he currently is (just three Premier League appearances in 2015). 

It's also surprising that Adnan Januzaj has been cast out to such a great extent. Even with his own shortcomings, attackers such as Robin van Persie and Radamel Falcao have been disappointing, and Van Gaal does apparently like the idea of him as a center forward, as noted by Sami Mokbel of the Daily Mail. 

Both of these players would offer good movement and the ability to create chances up front, and Rooney would hopefully get more chances to showcase his finishing ability.

Even if Wilson and Januzaj are considered long-term options at forward, they will still be raw coming into next season, and Rooney needs immediate help if he is to resurrect his status as a premier forward. 

Javier Hernandez, still owned by United and only 26 years old, could prove to be the partner Rooney needs after having an impressive couple of weeks at Real Madrid. While George Bellshaw of Metro links Hernandez to a move away in the summer, the prospect of "Chicharito," Rooney, Angel Di Maria and Memphis Depay on the pitch together is intriguing.

A possible move for Christian Benteke, reported by James Nursey of the Mirror, would also be a positive move for United, though the rumored £32 million fee seems a bit excessive.

Ultimately, United may yet find the player to bring out Rooney's best, but the fact that his career is seemingly hinged on the players around him is a sign that his days as a true, bona fide star may be coming to an end.

Stats and info from WhoScored.com used in this article.