Slovenia v England 11/10/16 7.45

[davieG]

Wayne Rooney: England captain named on the bench for Slovenia game

By Simon Stone

BBC Sport

1 hour ago

From the sectionFootball

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Wayne Rooney was last left out of the England side for the last group game of Euro 2016

England captain Wayne Rooney is set to be dropped to the bench for Tuesday's World Cup qualifier against Slovenia.

Barring any last-minute injuries, manager Gareth Southgate will leave Rooney out of the starting XI as England look to preserve a 100% record.

Southgate will address the press in Slovenia at 18:30 BST on Monday.

Manchester United man Rooney is England's most-capped outfield player, winning his 117th cap in the 2-0 victory against Malta on Saturday.

 

 

However, his performances recently have been heavily criticised and the 30-year-old was booed by sections of the Wembley crowd at the weekend, when he operated in a deep-lying midfield role. Tottenham midfielder Eric Dier played in that position during Euro 2016.

Interim national boss Southgate defended his captain after Saturday's game, saying the criticism was "at times unfair".

 

Rooney for England in stats

Wayne Rooney has scored three goals and made one assist in his past 10 England games

11 - Playing four games as a forward and six in midfield, Rooney has had more shots on target than any other England player over their past 10 appearances. Daniel Sturridge has had 10, Harry Kane nine.

550 - Rooney has made the second most number of passes of any England player over the past 10 appearances. Only Jordan Henderson has more with 628. Dier has made 545.

85.09 - Rooney's pass accuracy percentage is the fourth best of any England player over the past 10 games, beaten by Dier (90.09), Ross Barkley (88.92), Henderson (88.22) and Theo Walcott (87.02).

 

'Rooney is not the youngest any more'

Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho dropped Wayne Rooney after the 3-1 loss at Watford

Slovenia manager Srecko Katanec says it will not surprise him if Rooney is left out by England as he feels the player "is not the youngest any more and his form has taken a little dip".

"Wayne Rooney is a leader of this team, he has the experience a captain needs and it is quite hard to substitute him or leave him out," added Katanec, whose side have four points in World Cup Qualifying Group F following a draw with Lithuania and victory over Slovakia.

"Because of his experience and quality, I would rather he would not start than he does start."

England's victory over Malta gave them two wins out of two to leave them top of the group, two points ahead of second-placed Scotland.

 

Fans' jeering leaves team-mates 'shocked'

Gareth Southgate (left) defended Rooney's display against Malta on Saturday

Rooney's team-mates were left "shocked" by some fans' treatment of the player, who has scored one goal in 12 games for club and country this season and has not started Manchester United's past three matches.

Manchester City defender John Stones believes England's record goalscorer is a victim of his own high standards, after scoring 53 goals in 117 appearances for his country.

"He wears his heart on his sleeve and gives 110% and you can see that in every performance," said defender Stones, 22. "I am a bit shocked that the booing happened.

"He is always up there and on form. The top players are always going to get the stick that gets piled on them because of the standards he sets."

Chelsea defender Gary Cahill has captained England before in Rooney's absence, including the final group game of Euro 2016 against Slovakia.

Goalkeeper Joe Hart and Chris Smalling, who has recently captained Manchester United, have also performed the role in the past.

Midfielder Henderson captains Liverpool.

[foxy boxing]

right decision benching him, you can't have Rooney as a holding midfielder that's ridiculous,either play him as a striker of which at the moment we have better or play him just behind the striker of which deli ali is superb at the moment so there really no justification in Rooney starting games for England at the moment. let him prove his worth coming off the bench and hopefully it will motivate him more and make him and other England players realize they are not indispensable 

[Stevosevic]

Means Rooney will probably come on off the bench instead of Vardy

[AKCJ]

It's going to be ****ing boring, aggravating and depressing yet I'll still watch.

[WigstonWanderer]

4 minutes ago, AKCJ said:

It's going to be ****ing boring, aggravating and depressing yet I'll still watch.

Yes, more a duty than a pleasure.

[foxy boxing]

1 minute ago, AKCJ said:

It's going to be ****ing boring, aggravating and depressing yet I'll still watch.

as England fans we all hope for the glory but often get the pain, we will have more space against them than malta because they will attack more.same old same old with England breeze through qualifying and then we get to tournaments and the players freeze.eat sleep England repeat

[Manwell Pablo]

I'll be in the pub anyway Tuesday is the one night I get out the house so no doubt it'll be on in there so I'll watch it, much as I have as much total disdain for the England team as the next man I do normally end up watching the games. I just don't look forward to them at all  

[deejdeej]

Makes perfect sense to make him captain then bench him. 

[yorkie1999]

I think the booing of rooney is nothing to do with football, it's  simply because some fans just don't like the bloke.

[Captain...]

1 hour ago, deejdeej said:

Makes perfect sense to make him captain then bench him. 

At least he has the bottle to do it, Rooney is captain because there is no other candidate not because he is the best player, but because he has the experience and the record to back him up and he has to do all the press shit. On the pitch it shouldn't matter, but off the pitch lets not burden one of our bright young stars with that  particular poisoned chalice.

 

Seems like Southgate has a game plan, he told Rooney to sit with Henderson and cover each other and he did that job, different opposition, different game plan, different personnel. I've already got more confidence in him than Big "Who am I to tell Rooney where to play?" Sam. He can also pronounce all their names correctly.

 

Come on Gareth lets see what you got, you don't have to be spectacular just not depressingly, predictably, uninspiringly average.

[Captain...]

1 hour ago, yorkie1999 said:

I think the booing of rooney is nothing to do with football, it's  simply because some fans just don't like the bloke.

It's unfortunate as he hasn't done much wrong for England, I would only boo someone who isn't putting the effort in, if you have a bad game or lose form, you need support to get it back.

 

The problem is he has lost his club place and been average for a while, the press is on his back as he doesn't deserve his place on performances, but he does based on history and a lack of real options. He needs a break rather than a kicking, I would give him some time off for club and country, let him rediscover his form and fitness and fire and let him earn his place, we don't need him to get through qualifying with 100% record, we may need him to do something magical in Russia in a couple of years time.

[fuchsntf]

Sorry...never understand the hate on this forum of Rooney.

The silly opinions of the so called conspiracy of the  FA consortium.

The real egoistic arrogance of showing nothing but distain towards anything The English football team.

 

The reason for all this. Is ."look at me I cant support my own English team"  is keeping up with the negative joneses attitude.

'I am macho,therefore  its my duty to be showing FA contemptment blah blah..

they should serve  and realise my over expectation and overrating of ones International loyalties. '

 

We arent and have never been a world rated  top 4 team, nor organisation.

We play occasionally WClass games, we have the Occasional WClass players , but we has a

a football nation have had  one consistency ....the fans and

media have been consistent , in overrating the teams potential and individual top listed players.

Then have the audacity to blame the English team manager and use it as the major reason for failure.

In 50yrs every single one of them being the target

of media and fans frustration. Every snidey character destroying statement made after frustration has again been confirmed.

 

Yes we have really have had some cockups, but first and foremost, I for one expect experienced International players,

not pussyfoot of worrying of being dropped, if they see fit to make on the field tactical changes, or not being able

to change  a teams approach on game day.

Eg: Rooney should of seen that Lingaard ,Walcott even Ali took it on among

themselves to drive at the  Malta defence, or the flank players to chase the bye line and make varying crosses,

and tell a forward to attack and stay in the  penalty areas. 

 

Beckenbauer including some top Italian managers made  very simple observations....

# New or experienced international players need only warm ups, no fitness training sessions.

# Coaching on tactics should be easier for skilled players to pick up and translate them.

# Player themselves are responsible themselves to read the game days needs and act accordingly.

 

Gerrard was a whiner who layed it at the coaches door, though was himself a top leader

Lampard , Brooking, Emlyn hughes even Rooney, put the blame at their own feet.

 

Even  after 60yrs, I will never understand  why England players cant bring their club football form and

nous to their International performances. When we do find the odd one ,they are or become regular

sick-notes .

I could add, Ive seen British managers actions  in various companies, despite anger  saved by the work force, that said

even when working with good logical managers overseas no matter

what nationality including Brits they have pulled some down periods poor planned projects  through.

 

SO how I look at it, the observers in other words the fans and media, having too a high expectation,

and cant take the pressure of others not living upto their own dreams and hopes.

Then go out on bitching expeditions.....

Me I will have the knee-jerk negatives as well x as  the positives, but wont ruin my life as a supporter, by ordaining

myself as a miserable know-better, know-all twat. That everybody else are to blame bcos they are ruining my own dreams.

Curse of course I will, nag...why not, but put down completely other peoples lives or careers.

No I am just a runner myself...

Now politics thats another story...

 

 

[foxes21]

It's been confirmed that Henderson will be captain tomorrow.

 

god we're shit.

[lgfualol]

48 minutes ago, foxes21 said:

It's been confirmed that Henderson will be captain tomorrow.

 

god we're shit.

At least we're trying to do something about it by tampering with lower league football in order to develop young talent like Ben Hamer.

[fuchsntf]

56 minutes ago, foxes21 said:

It's been confirmed that Henderson will be captain tomorrow.

 

god we're shit.

Can we outdo the Ryder cup and have 2 non-playing captains.....

[Izzy]

Rooney ain't getting any younger these days bless him...

 

[ScouseFox]

seen quite a few fellas saying he'll take a beckham styled role of half player half captain half coach half manager half ambassador etc. nobody likes him enough to let him do that. 

 

if he's not good enough he's not good enough. less of the bullshit. we don't need his "experience" or "know-how", these are international footballers who, for the next two years, hardest game is going to be against scotland. they don't need their hands holding by some pretend daddy who's not good enough at footy to get into the squad that way anymore. 

 

huge shame that like most england internationals he'll be remembered as a burden and not as what he once was, the guy who would've fired us to our first major tournament in decades aged just 18 if he hadn't got injured. or the guy who's scored more goals for our country than anyone else, ever. same way most go out, but a shame none the less. 

[Carl the Llama]

I see Gareth's said it's a tactics thing and not to do with Rooney's form.  Can't go letting people think the team's picked on anything daft like how well a player's currently doing.

[Carl the Llama]

And yeah, like the Malta game you can be sure I'll find something more important to do.  Might take the time to trim my pubes.  National team's dead to me until the rot behind the scenes is ripped out.

[Guest]

5 hours ago, ScouseFox said:

seen quite a few fellas saying he'll take a beckham styled role of half player half captain half coach half manager half ambassador etc. nobody likes him enough to let him do that. 

 

if he's not good enough he's not good enough. less of the bullshit. we don't need his "experience" or "know-how", these are international footballers who, for the next two years, hardest game is going to be against scotland. they don't need their hands holding by some pretend daddy who's not good enough at footy to get into the squad that way anymore. 

 

huge shame that like most england internationals he'll be remembered as a burden and not as what he once was, the guy who would've fired us to our first major tournament in decades aged just 18 if he hadn't got injured. or the guy who's scored more goals for our country than anyone else, ever. same way most go out, but a shame none the less. 

Those were heady, halcyon days. he was so promising at the start and seemed to be the missing piece for the 'golden generation'.  I know that generation was roundly mocked for under-performing and being over-hyped. But I'd trade virtually any one of our current squad for the players we had between 2002-2008ish.

 

Except David James....

[RowlattsFox]

This is where Rooney is dropped and we don't win, and the press ruin Southgate for dropping him.

[foxy boxing]

dropping Rooney could be the best for the player and England,highly unlikely to start Vardy will most likely bring him on in the second half running at tired defences depending on the scoreline. Dier should be back which will make a difference in the midfield as he is a future england captain. we need to see more from Sturridge if he is starting games and need to get the service to him

[Dan]

It would be absolutely typical if we were to go and turn in our best performance in a while, yet draw.

 

It does need hammering home though that whilst Rooney did need dropping, that alone doesn't come even close to sorting things out.

[Nalis]

0-1

[Manwell Pablo]

8 hours ago, winchesterton said:

Those were heady, halcyon days. he was so promising at the start and seemed to be the missing piece for the 'golden generation'.  I know that generation was roundly mocked for under-performing and being over-hyped. But I'd trade virtually any one of our current squad for the players we had between 2002-2008ish.

 

Except David James....

Crouchy??  

 

Remember when we had a back four of Cole Ferdinand Neville and Terry, how the bloody hell did we not even get to a semi final