The Manchester United Club Thread **Sponsored by Comedy Central**

[Robbo]

Firstly, please read the below rules, they are very important:

1. These threads are for: tactical/player discussion inbetween weekend matchday threads, injury news, contract renewals, manager press conferences, and general minor news about your club that may not warrant its own thread. Anything that's not regarded as a minor news story must go in it's own thread.

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3. All transfer talk should be discussed in the dedicated transfers threads. Small rumours, signing of youth players etc outside the transfer window when the transfer threads aren't open are fine.

4. As per forum rules, keep it civil, supporters of any team are welcome to post in all club threads. If you have a problem with a post, RTM it. Trolling or accusations of trolling will not be tolerated.

While all the rules must be listened to, take particular care of the rule regarding spoilers. Any mention of the result or performance, even hinting at it, prior to MOTD will result in a suspension.

--

Just to start things off...

Jose Mourinho has said of Wayne Rooney:

"Maybe he's not a striker any more. Maybe he is not a No 9 anymore but he will never, with me, be a No.6. He will never be 50 metres from the goal. For me he will be a No 9 or a No 10 or a nine-and-a-half, but with me he will never be a No 6 or even a No 8."​

Do you think we'll see him playing behind the striker, or rotating with Zlatan and Rashford up front?

Rooney is once again the elephant in the room, he doesn't excel at anything, he's just "quite good", but he's costing us a fortune. Could he leave?

 

[JohnnyG]

Might be worth putting **No Spoilers!** in the title too

 

[Robbo]

Might be worth putting **No Spoilers!** in the title too

 

[Stewy]

Who would realistically buy him and pay him the ludicrous wage he'd demand? Unfortunately, I think we're stuck with him until the end of his current contract. Then it could become interesting...

 

[Robbo]

Who would realistically buy him and pay him the ludicrous wage he'd demand? Unfortunately, I think we're stuck with him until the end of his current contract. Then it could become interesting...

Chinese teams have been mentioned, but I genuinely think he'd refuse to go unless they were going to pay him a lot more than us (which I can't see happening).

 

[sigma]

When does his contract run out?

 

[Robbo]

When does his contract run out?

Another three years or so...

Anyway, I think he'll stay for now and end up playing behind the striker or as the striker, depending on injuries. Assuming he's no good, he'll probably be benched, which won't go down well!

I don't think he's quite finished yet and he's certainly not useless, so maybe Mourinho can improve him...

 

[JohnnyG]

I doubt you'll get rid of him.
JM has frequently said that he loves having a couple of players in his team who are in the latter stages of their career and he also loves having English players, Rooney (and Carrick) are right up his street.

 

[Shamikebab]

I think how Mourinho treats Rooney could be the defining decision of next season. If we have to carry him in the AM role every game next season it could really hurt us. I'm disappointed he doesn't consider him for the deeper role because I think while not amazing he can deliver there and be less damaging to the team dynamic.

I would assume he's considering this next season then:

------------------------------------De Gea
Darmian------------------Smalling-------Blind?-----------------Shaw
Fosu Mensah--------------Bailly-----------Rojo--------------Borthwick Jackson
Valencia

----------------------Pogba maybe-------Schneiderlin
------------------------Carrick-------------Schweinsteiger


Mkhi----------------------------Rooney------------------------------Martial
Lingaard-----------------------Herrera------------------------------Depay


----------------------------------Ibra
-------------------------------Rashford


I'm praying we still get rid of Valencia and Fellaini because they're both just useless to us. The question is whether the youngsters (Fosu Mensah and CBJ) are good enough to provide backup in an area where we've looked short for many seasons.

 

[Nate75]

Good idea for the separate thread.

 

[Stewy]

I'm hoping we don't see too much of Lingard this season, he's really not good enough for where we want to be.

Think Depay will be interesting, whether he actually gets any game time and what he does with it.

 

[robfosters]

Can we have an Arsenal thread please? Lots of gooners on here.

 

[Shamikebab]

Can we have an Arsenal thread please? Lots of gooners on here.

Start it then...

 

[robfosters]

Start it then...

Done

 

[FrankJH]

deleted

 

[FrankJH]

Chinese teams have been mentioned, but I genuinely think he'd refuse to go unless they were going to pay him a lot more than us (which I can't see happening).

As you said, cant see him ever moving to China esp with small kids - just highly unlikely imo

JM may try him as a sub with / instead of Zlatan, but the thing that interests me is whether (as England players will be going on pre-season tour but not playing, I think this includes rashford but definitely Rooney and Smalling) IF the pre-season games work well, whether JM will want to see how that exact team works in the EPL......

we obviously cant talk about the WHOLE of Rooney's situation as we cant talk about where he might move to (even as a joke) - grrrrr

I would assume he's considering this next season then:

------------------------------------De Gea
Darmian------------------Smalling-------Blind?-----------------Shaw
Fosu Mensah--------------Bailly-----------Rojo--------------Borthwick Jackson
Valencia

----------------------Pogba maybe-------Schneiderlin
------------------------Carrick-------------Schweinsteiger


Mkhi----------------------------Rooney------------------------------Martial
Lingaard-----------------------Herrera------------------------------Depay


----------------------------------Ibra
-------------------------------Rashford
.

Blind isnt even being considered as a centre half by JM considering his press conference (and certainly not as a starter), otherwise Rooney definitely WILL play in midfiled............

He was also clearly at fault against strong / robust strikers, so cant imagine Mourinho chancing it straight off (not that JM doesnt do strange things sometimes............)

 

[BaZ87]

You can talk about where he might play and whether you think Mourinho fancies him or not but this thread isn't for discussing who can afford him, where he might go and for how much. If you want to talk about transfers then do so in the transfer thread.

 

[FrankJH]

chinese teams have been mentioned - obviously isnt the same thing then...........strange thats basically what I said.......

but fo course one rule for some..........

 

[Shamikebab]

If he's not considering Blind as a centre back then we need to sign more centre backs. Especially if he then sells Rojo (or only wants to play him on the left) It would leave us with just Smalling, Bailly and I guess Jones if he ever stays fit for 5 mins.

 

[BaZ87]

chinese teams have been mentioned - obviously isnt the same thing then...........strange thats basically what I said.......

but fo course one rule for some..........

You talked about Chinese sides then went on to talk about other sides possibly buying him too. I initially let the brief mention of him possibly leaving pass but as soon as it became the main topic of conversation it's no longer suitable to be discussed in here. It's not a case of one rule for you and one for others at all.

And if you're not happy with my decision you can contact me or any other mod by email or in the forum content discussion section - don't do it here.