England v Uruguay
- Thread starter Spaghetti Legs
- Start date
- Latest activity Latest activity:
- Status
Roy Hodgson prepared to put Wayne Rooney centre stage against Uruguay
• Rooney given central role in training behind Sturridge
• Manchester United striker stayed behind for extra practice
Wayne Rooney, right, in training with James Milner at England's base in Rio de Janeiro. Photograph: Zuma/Rex
[article=The Guardian]Wayne Rooney is set to be restored to a central attacking position behind Daniel Sturridge for England’s critical World Cup group game against Uruguay on Thursday as Roy Hodgson seeks to extract greater involvement from his side’s leading scorer.
The Manchester United striker was a playmaker in the middle of an attacking trident, operating behind a lone forward, throughout the training session at their base in Urca on Tuesday, with Raheem Sterling often on the right and Danny Welbeck on the left.
That represents a tweak from Saturday’s defeat by Italy, when Rooney started each half on one of the flanks and operated centrally only after Sturridge departed late on, and indicates how Hodgson will approach the game in São Paulo.
Rooney, who earned his 93rd cap against the Azzurri, filled the same No10 role when England’s alternative trio of attackers worked together, with James Milner on the right, Adam Lallana on the left and Rickie Lambert utilised as the most advanced striker.
The session in Rio was of high intensity, with the squad regularly split up to undertake their small-sided matches as they worked on shape and pattern with Uruguay in mind, with all 22 available players spending around 90 minutes on the training pitch. Rooney was among the last to depart.
The forward, who has 39 international goals, remains desperate to make a positive impression having been frustrated in Germany eight years ago and South Africa in 2010, yet he mustered only two touches in Italy’s penalty area at the weekend and did not have a shot on target. He opted to do extra work on Monday, practising his shooting and passing, while those other starters from the loss in Manaus enjoyed a lighter session.
“I said from the start I want to do everything I can to make sure I’m ready for these World Cup games and as part of that, I was doing extra training a week before the squad joined up,” Rooney said on his Facebook page. “That’s exactly what I did [on Monday], my own extra training, because that’s what I wanted to do.”
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s chances of some involvement, even on the bench, in São Paulo appear slim after he continued to train apart from the main group as he attempts to recover from medial ligament damage sustained in the pre-tournament friendly against Ecuador. The Arsenal midfielder was not involved in any of the small-sided games but did undertake his own shooting drills.
Once the main session was complete the players repeated last week’s penalty shootout practice, with no goalkeeper, picking out specific targets in the goal. Rooney, Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard, Leighton Baines and Lambert took the bulk of the spot-kicks, though England’s target at present remains emerging from Group D and into the knockout phase.”[/article]
You can't make this up.
• Rooney given central role in training behind Sturridge
• Manchester United striker stayed behind for extra practice
- Dominic Fifield in Rio de Janeiro
- The Guardian, Tuesday 17 June 2014 17.31 EDT
[article=The Guardian]Wayne Rooney is set to be restored to a central attacking position behind Daniel Sturridge for England’s critical World Cup group game against Uruguay on Thursday as Roy Hodgson seeks to extract greater involvement from his side’s leading scorer.
The Manchester United striker was a playmaker in the middle of an attacking trident, operating behind a lone forward, throughout the training session at their base in Urca on Tuesday, with Raheem Sterling often on the right and Danny Welbeck on the left.
That represents a tweak from Saturday’s defeat by Italy, when Rooney started each half on one of the flanks and operated centrally only after Sturridge departed late on, and indicates how Hodgson will approach the game in São Paulo.
Rooney, who earned his 93rd cap against the Azzurri, filled the same No10 role when England’s alternative trio of attackers worked together, with James Milner on the right, Adam Lallana on the left and Rickie Lambert utilised as the most advanced striker.
The session in Rio was of high intensity, with the squad regularly split up to undertake their small-sided matches as they worked on shape and pattern with Uruguay in mind, with all 22 available players spending around 90 minutes on the training pitch. Rooney was among the last to depart.
The forward, who has 39 international goals, remains desperate to make a positive impression having been frustrated in Germany eight years ago and South Africa in 2010, yet he mustered only two touches in Italy’s penalty area at the weekend and did not have a shot on target. He opted to do extra work on Monday, practising his shooting and passing, while those other starters from the loss in Manaus enjoyed a lighter session.
“I said from the start I want to do everything I can to make sure I’m ready for these World Cup games and as part of that, I was doing extra training a week before the squad joined up,” Rooney said on his Facebook page. “That’s exactly what I did [on Monday], my own extra training, because that’s what I wanted to do.”
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s chances of some involvement, even on the bench, in São Paulo appear slim after he continued to train apart from the main group as he attempts to recover from medial ligament damage sustained in the pre-tournament friendly against Ecuador. The Arsenal midfielder was not involved in any of the small-sided games but did undertake his own shooting drills.
Once the main session was complete the players repeated last week’s penalty shootout practice, with no goalkeeper, picking out specific targets in the goal. Rooney, Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard, Leighton Baines and Lambert took the bulk of the spot-kicks, though England’s target at present remains emerging from Group D and into the knockout phase.”[/article]
You can't make this up.
"Out of position" is perhaps a bit harsh as Raheem started as a right winger (and has been describing that as "my position" in interviews). But overall Mystic's right IMO - Raheem did so well in the middle that it's daft to "fix" what wasn't broken. Woy doesn't have the balls to drop Shrek, is all it is.
Sorry but disagree with you and Mystic here JJ, it's all about the sum of the parts and having everybody making a contribution and not being carried (as I said above).
Rooney shouldn't be starting, so it's not quite okay, but given that he will, as you say, it makes sense to at least play him where he'll be least shit and doesn't leave our defenders completely exposed.
Oh look, I agree that if Rooney's going to play this is probably the right way to line up. All I'm saying is that Rooney shouldn't be in the starting eleven.
I'ld be very surprised if anyone has any respect for your opinion, you sheep shagging mong.
ESPN FC @ESPNFC 3m
THIS JUST IN: Uruguay captain Diego Lugano will miss tomorrow's match against England with an injury.
THIS JUST IN: Uruguay captain Diego Lugano will miss tomorrow's match against England with an injury.
Lol, you can't even get trolling right.
Thats actually bad news for England.
FIFY mate.
What, because Sebastian Coates who's barely played this year is much better than him?
I'm not one to argue with Raheem himself, but I think he's better in the middle personally. Rooney should be dropped.
Sterling No 10 > Rooney No 10.
Lallana/Ox on the left >>>>> Rooney on the left
Is it alright that I couldn't give a solitary fuck what happens to England as long as our players come out of it a) uninjured and b) not being the red top's choice for tournament failure scapegoat?
to be fair sterling is still effective on the wing, its not worth completely wasting rooney
Lugano is a past it slow clogger at this level who would very likely have been exposed for just that by the pace/skill in the England team, Coates has played matches in Uruguay and looks in decent nick from a couple of accounts ive read, give me the past it slow clogger any day than Coates, hopefully it shouldn't make too much of a difference anyway.
Oi!!
Raheem's threat is running in on goal not staying on touch line crossing it
Haha!, stop that.
I always had a sweet spot for Coates, but there's no way he's a better option than their captain and main centre back.
- Status
Similar threads
-
- Locked
