Wayne Rooney: The Better Midfielder or the Struggling Poacher?

When clouds of uncertainty are brimming over the greens of Old Trafford, one of the biggest questions that surface is when Wayne Rooney will be back to form. The fans are still waiting with fingers crossed for their legend to be the same man they saw last season. But Wayne Rooney is still recovering, and we have to wait more.

I would love to see Rooney as a central attacking midfielder (CAM) for Manchester United now. United boss Sir Alex Ferguson purchased a wild progeny who can be deadly in the six yard in the name of Xavier Chicharito Hernandez. The boy has got electric speed and given a little time to acclimate can be a sharp shooter.

The other scorer is obviously the back-to-form Bulgarian Dimitar Berbatov, who has practically silenced all critics and unhappy fans by starting the season with a scoring storm. Berbatov has always been an excellent scorer with sound technique and positioning sense, and if he continues his form, then he can end up with a 20 goals plus this season.

Wayne Rooney has always been a better creator than a scorer. While you look at the other strikers like Didier Drogba from Chelsea or Fernando Torres from Liverpool, both of these forwards are much more focused in the six yards only, waiting for the right opportunity to strike. However, the case has always been a little different for Rooney.

If you have watched a full game of United, then you must know that Wayne Rooney is seen along the entire length of the field. He runs forward, takes up the midfield load when necessary, and also is seen defending when the team needs it. That actually makes him a complete footballer. He is a load taker and a working class forward who can be the CAM that United needs at the moment.

Paul Scholes is the only CAM and playmaker available for United in that way, and we cannot rely too much on a man of Scholes’ age, who may not give United a regular match every week. Anderson is better not mentioned, and so we are left with only one choice at the present scenario: Wayne Rooney.

Wayne Rooney has been lately involved in a scandal when he was found to be linked with highly priced call-girl Jennifer Thompson. Though it appears for now that things are fine between Rooney and his pregnant wife, the United star is in deep dirt at the moment, and has lost a third of his price value in past two-to-three months.

The 20-plus goal scorer has failed to keep up or even start a similar good season, and is also not match fit. Rooney, who is battling to be fit for the Euro Qualifiers for England also, is severely missed by the United fans. He looks tired and needs rest, true. But when back to field, he must be playing a little deep in the CAM hole behind Berba and Chicharito, which can give United its much needed strengths.

Sir Alex must also play Nani and Park Ji Sung along the right and left wings in order to give United the attacking prowess which is the need of the hour. Nani has been great in his form and is a treat to watch. With Antonio Valencia out, Park can definitely fill in the place.

We still do not believe in the critics who say Rooney is gone. We still do have faith that Rooney will be a hero again. We still love the boy who is the heart of United Red Devils. But it is high time to decide: Wayne Rooney, the CAM that United needs, or Wayne Rooney, the striker-waiting-to-be-back-to-form?