Why Rooney’s Midfield Move Makes Sense for England & United

Somewhat lost in the fairytale that was Leicester’s title tilt as they made the trip to Old Trafford at the weekend was the fact that it was a game of huge importance to the hosts.

While a point against a side that would be crowned champions the next day may seem commendable, it was most definitely a case of two lost for United rather than one gained in their bid to secure a top 4 finish. Though many will look to Manchester City’s defeat at Southampton as a saving grace, a win would ultimately have left Manchester United with Champions League qualification in their own hands for the first time in months.

That, following a season in which the team has been so widely ridiculed, would actually be something of an achievement. It’s a possibility that remains in a large part due to the input of two youngsters in the form of Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford. Indeed, since the latter made an enforced debut in the Europa League just 10 weeks ago, incidentally owing to an injury to the former, the duo have contributed 12 of the 20 goals United have scored.

The notion of playing both in the same side was a result of an injury that would keep captain Wayne Rooney out of the side for two months, just as he had began to find some form following a bitterly disappointing start to the season. It had become apparent for some time that Louis van Gaal was in a similar predicament to Roy Hodgson. Dropping the man he had untrusted with the armband was proving a difficult pill to swallow.

Rooney was underwhelming when leading the line, with an infinitely more dangerous option at the time in Martial available to the United manager. The same could certainly be said at international level, with both Harry Kane and Jamie Vardy in far better form than the England skipper.

Many feared that Rooney’s return from injury would spell the end for what had been a rare period of excitement for the United fans this season. Fitting Rooney into an attack alongside both Martial and Rashford would surely not be possible.

That seems to be Van Gaal’s thinking too as, to the relief of the supporters, Rooney has been brought back into the side in a central midfield role, and not for the first time. Sir Alex Ferguson first utilised the forward in a deeper position as early as the 2011/12 season, and while David Moyes did not see it as an option, Van Gaal has intimated on numerous occasions that his captain brings better balance to the side from a midfield berth.

Rooney has now made 22 Premier League appearances from a starting position in midfield and a strong WhoScored.com rating of 7.32 from said outings suggests he is more than capable in such a role. Indeed, Rooney predicted this outcome himself back in 2012. “Once I feel that I haven’t got the sharpness needed to get away from defenders, I’ll probably drop back into midfield for a couple of seasons so I can still influence the game.”

With it now evident that the former Everton youngster has lost that ‘sharpness’, while it’s early to suggest Rooney’s days as a forward are numbered, the time does seem right for him to make what many - the player included - have seen as an inevitable progression. With more mobile and confident players ahead of him at both club and international level, Rooney now seems keen to pursue a role in midfield.

Since returning to the side he has started 4 times, all from central midfield, securing a highly commendable WhoScored rating of 7.45. While still able to pose a goalscoring threat from midfield, averaging 3.8 shots per game from said matches, Rooney can utilise his speed of thought, which has always been a great strength that will surely come into focus now that his pace and physicality is undoubtedly on the wane.

He’s averaged 61.3 passes per game in this recent string of midfield outings, with an excellent 88.2% accuracy all the more impressive when considering the incisiveness of his passing at times. Speaking after a strong showing in the FA Cup semi-final with former club Everton, Rooney said, "It is still early days, but hopefully if I keep playing there (central midfield) I can develop and get better. We (United) have got a lot of pace in the team now and I think I can read the game quite well -- whether to go forward or stay deeper and leave the space for the other lads.”

That is certainly transferrable to England and Roy Hodgson will without question be contemplating the idea of emulating Van Gaal’s use of his captain at the upcoming Euros. Jack Wilshere was England’s chief distributor from midfield in qualifying but will surely not be match fit for the early stages of the tournament in France at the least if selected, with Jordan Henderson now also a major doubt.

That leaves Danny Drinkwater as perhaps the standout candidate for the 'quarterback' role initially this summer, though relying heavily on a player with just one international cap to his name in such a key position is far from ideal. Rooney may not have played in midfield for England but all of a sudden it seems to make a great deal of sense.

Kane and Vardy must surely be the front runners to lead the line, and having someone of Rooney’s experience alongside the Spurs bromance of Dele Alli and Eric Dier would offer balance beyond that tournament knowhow. Alli has the energy and tenacity to get from box-to-box while Dier has proven to be an effective shield to a back four, which would, in theory, leave Rooney with the time and space to pick out the sort of raking passes he is capable of from deep. He understands the movements strikers make and the old issue of the 30-year old dropping too deep and leaving no focal point to the attack is erased.

It is early to suggest Rooney is now a long term option for both United and England in midfield but it is also abundantly clear that it is the way forward for the Three Lions’ record goalscorer. In that sense the emergence of Rashford for both club and country has been a positive in a number of ways. Not only is he a bright new star for the future, but his progression may well have set in motion a much needed revival for a teammate he will no doubt be keen to emulate one day.

Should Hodgson use Rooney as a midfielder at this summers Euros? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below