Manchester United's Win over Galatasaray Emphasises Questions About Wayne Rooney

Wayne Rooney is manager Jose Mourinho's biggest problem at Manchester United.

Yes, there are issues in terms of defence, but between coaching and the transfer market, those have fairly obvious solutions.

There is a collective mentality shift needed after three seasons of failure in the Premier League, but Mourinho is well-placed to address this, and the FA Cup win at the end of last season will help with that.

There are questions about some of the fringe players and whether some of the youngsters will be given the chances they need to develop. But the squad is in decent shape, and Marcus Rashford's talent is undeniable, so at least he will be given the opportunity to thrive.

Rooney is a bigger problem than any of those.

He scored two goals against Galatasaray in Sweden on Saturday, but his all-around game was extremely poor playing just behind the striker. As Muhammad Butt of Squawka wrote:

"

His first touch was bad, the ball ricocheting off his feet and shins and bobbling over the pitch back to opponents.

His passing was bad, with the ball repeatedly finding its way from his feet to Galatasaray players.

His movement was bad, standing still as [Zlatan] Ibrahimovic dynamically dropped deep, creating a vacuum for the Englishman to fill with a forward run.

His runs were bad, aimless jaunts to nowhere in particular.

"

And although the Galatasaray game was a particularly egregious example, none of these things are new. Indeed, with a few notable performances to act as the exception to the rule, this has been typical of the United captain over the past couple of seasons.

Former manager Louis van Gaal, so insistent on playing his captain every week, recognised Rooney's growing limitations as a forward, recognised he had better options further forward and moved him back into the centre of the park.

However, when Mourinho gave his first press conference as United manager, he made it clear midfield was not Rooney's position:

"

There are many jobs on the field. The most difficult to find is one to put the ball in the net. It is normal that a player at his age will change a little bit. One thing that will never change is his natural appetite to put the ball in the net. Maybe he is not a striker, not a No. 9 anymore. But with me he will never be a No. 6, playing 50 metres from goal. Yes, his passing is amazing but mine is also amazing without pressure. Many players have a great pass, but to put the ball in the net is the most difficult. He will be a No. 9, a No. 10, a No. 9.5 but never a No. 6 or a No. 8.

"

This game was a perfect encapsulation of Mourinho's point. Rooney still has his natural appetite to put the ball in the net and still has his remarkable aptitude to do so. His fine movement and finish for his opener was pure No. 9 play.

Unfortunately, that is the only position in which he has had a consistently good season since 2009/10. It's also a position that last season showed, almost beyond argument, he can no longer claim as his own.

So he is "not a No. 9" anymore and will "never be a No. 6," which essentially only leaves the role just behind the striker.

Nick Wright of Sky Sports wrote:

"

Mourinho has already made it clear he won't use Rooney as a central midfielder, so it was no surprise to see the 30-year-old make his first start under the new manager at number 10. It was a mixed performance. His touch let him down and passes went astray in a difficult first half, and his frustration got the better of him when he was booked in the 51st minute.

After that, however, Rooney's evening improved markedly. His first goal was smartly taken from Valencia's cross, and he was instrumental in the build-up to his penalty, releasing Rashford with a lofted pass into the left channel from inside his own half. He'll hope to make the position his own in the months ahead.

"

While Rooney may hope to make the position his own, in truth, his goal and the long pass Rashford latched onto for the run that led to the penalty were not enough to justify his inclusion as the creative fulcrum of United's attack.

There is also a cost to his presence—every bobbled first touch or misplaced pass breaks the momentum of United's play, and it happens far too often. With the exception of a spell up front in January last season and a few decent games in the vetoed midfield role, this has been the case for much of the past two seasons.

Ben Burrows of the Sunday Mirror wrote: "Rooney's position and his place in the team remains a problem, a problem that many a manager of club and country have had to deal with over the last half decade, but if he has to play then [No.]10 is the place to play him. His two second half goals will have helped his cause no end."

But those second-half goals do not change much, confirming Rooney is still a goal threat. And that has never been in doubt. The problem is almost everything else.

All of this is exacerbated with Ibrahimovic in the side.

It would be ridiculous to judge the potential partnership between the two on the basis of one half of a pre-season friendly. But neither the way they naturally dropped into the same space nor the way Ibrahimovic clearly offered more in terms of touch and creativity were a surprise.

And there are plenty of natural alternatives for Mourinho to turn to should he decide Rooney's decline is more permanent than has been widely acknowledged.

Juan Mata gave an excellent account of himself, creating a chance with a wonderful piece of skill, a fine pass and the wherewithal to get on the end of it to score himself. He has his critics—and his limitations—but that he is a more natural fit than Rooney at No. 10 seems remarkably obvious.

Then there is the possibility of creating a partnership between Ibrahimovic and Rashford. Jack de Menezes of the Independent wrote: 

"

Having seen what each can do individually, Mourinho needs to see what they can do together. With Ibrahimovic’s ability to do the impossible and Rashford’s natural talent, they could prove to be a devastating combination in the Premier League. The problem is that Rashford’s inclusion will only come as the result of dropping either Rooney or Anthony Martial, with the more reasonable decision being the England and United captain.

"

Rooney has been a superb player for United for a long time. He has scored 245 goals for the club, per the Website of Dreams, and will almost certainly break Sir Bobby Charlton's record for most goals scored for the club (249). He is ninth on the all-time appearances list (520), which is evidence of his remarkable longevity.

He has his testimonial on Wednesday, and it has been well-earned.

Based on his past achievements and consequent reputation, David Moyes and Van Gaal hitched their wagons to Rooney. That is something Mourinho must not do. United have better options, and other than justifying the burden he places on the wage bill (United pay him an Independent-reported £260,000 a week), there seems no good reason to continue to crowbar him into a side that is better off without him.

The club captain's best days have passed, and dealing with the Rooney issue in a swift and decisive manner is the new manager's single biggest challenge. It is one he must get right as he looks to take United back to the top.