Wayne Rooney Gradually Getting Back To His Best

Wayne Rooney produced perhaps his most encouraging performance of the season in Tuesday’s thrilling 3-3 draw at Newcastle United.

It wasn’t just his two goals and fine assist for Jesse Lingard, it was the manner in which they came about. He has struggled more than one might expect from the penalty spot in his career, but he followed his last-minute, match-winning spot kick against Sheffield United in the FA Cup with a calmly dispatched effort at St James’ Park.

He provided an excellent reverse pass for Lingard to score United’s second and thrashed a drive into the top corner with all the venom of old. During a troubled season for Manchester United fans, this was an outing from Rooney that all can celebrate. The wider hope is that it is a sign of a resurgence.

Louis van Gaal’s men should have won at Newcastle, and they would have had Lingard and others been more ruthless at key moments. Yet beyond that, it would have been satisfying for him to see Rooney assume responsibility to such great effect.

The more cautious among the optimists might point out that Newcastle are a team against whom several sides have prospered this season, given that they have the second-worst defensive record in the league, but the assurance of Rooney’s play bodes well. However, it should not lead to further claims that Rooney’s best position is at No. 10, although sadly, it probably will.

Rooney as a No. 10 is like the Wesley-Sneijder-to-Old-Trafford transfer rumour; a zombie feature of United life that, against all odds, will not die. At this stage of his career, Rooney is not a No. 10, and even when he played that role alongside Ruud van Nistelrooy, he never truly was.

At his physical peak, he was never a calm, methodical orchestrator, carefully drawing up attacks with the diligence of a nerdy schoolboy poring over his chemistry set. No, Rooney has always been the class tearaway, school tie fastened around his forehead and catapult sticking out of his back pocket. He has always been a free-spirited soul, roaming the field where he wishes.

Rather than being a No. 10, he is a No. 9 with unusually good playmaking ability. Forwards who are as good at playing off the shoulder of the last man are not normally so generous or creative when they have the ball in scoring position.

Rooney has always been a deceptive footballer, so much so that even at 30 there’s still a discussion over his best position. At this stage of his career, there has been the perception that his poor performances have been due to a lack of application.