EPL: Rooney stalls midfield engine

SINGAPORE - Manchester United finally have a midfield engine. Unfortunately, they appear to have lost the key.

After years of backfiring and false starts, the Red Devils have sputtered to life around the centre circle, finding figures of authority willing to drive the club forward.

Daley Blind began with a bang. Ander Herrera continues to crunch through the gears as he polishes his power game. Together, they are stepping from Paul Scholes' shadow and shaking off the spectre of defensive midfielders past.

But as they fill one hole, they quickly find another ahead of them.

Early comparisons between Blind and Herrera and Scholes and Roy Keane are proving less relevant as that elephant in the room thumps around aimlessly on the pitch.

Wayne Rooney doesn't compare to the old Wayne Rooney. The bitter irony has the makings of great sporting tragedy.

United's skipper lamented the club's inability to sign enforcers of Keane and Scholes' calibre; relentless pistons who powered the engine room and sparked the artistry.

But when United finally acceded to his longstanding demands this season and teamed him with players worthy of his inexhaustible ambition, his body betrayed him.

Weak Link

For years, Rooney dropped deeper to illuminate the darkened corners of a dying midfield, demanding possession to compensate for lesser men around him. Now the skipper is the weak link, the rusting automaton among willing artisans.

The diamond that looked so polished against Queens Park Rangers, suddenly appeared manufactured and even fake when placed alongside the sparkly Leicester City gem. Nigel Pearson pitched his cheaper, knockoff diamond against United's expensive jewels and prevailed.

Herrera made it two goals in two games and his flicked finish at Leicester was an impudent example of his proven pedigree. He adds the polish, but not quite enough spit.

Yesterday, the Spanish midfielder said he was inspired by the dominance of Scholes across three decades and admired his predecessor's work ethic and attacking exploits.

As his goal demonstrated, Herrera doesn't want for creative ingenuity. He certainly entertains. He adds a flourish to games, but has yet to control them with the irrepressible industry of Scholes.

Experience could change that. He has the tools. Further application will allow him to influence the pattern of play on United's right side as Angel di Maria did along the left in the first half.

Similarly, Blind teased the United faithful with flashes of the midfield backbone that has been sorely missed. He made for an obdurate opponent against QPR. At Leicester, he was occasionally an innocent bystander.

When Daniel Drinkwater, Leonardo Ulloa and Jamie Vardy came calling, they found no one home and duly ransacked the penalty box.

Blind and Herrera offered glimpses of their undoubted potential. More than willing apprentices in the engine room, they are accomplished enforcers; perhaps even the missing link to midfields past. But they are shackled by the increasing shortcomings of their own skipper.

Rooney is not a spent force, but he is certainly a fading one. His position at the head of a diamond must be a precarious one. Both during and after the Leicester debacle, he barked incessantly because he can no longer bite.

He screamed at defenders on the pitch. He was equally scathing in post-match interviews. His cheeks reddened and the veins bulged as he angrily pointed fingers after the Esteban Cambiasso goal.

He was no less culpable for Leicester's third goal. But his excoriating analysis was light on self-reflection. He spared no one, except himself. Perhaps the irony was too much to take.

United have gained an engine room, but lost a leader. In a disastrous defeat littered with hapless candidates, Rooney was a United contender for most inept performer, certainly outside of his defence.

Apart from a fine pass to di Maria for that outstanding chipped goal, Rooney contributed less and less as Leicester pressed more and more.

In an extraordinary match, he was less than ordinary. His game was asterisked with misplaced passes and mistimed runs, if he could run at all.

It seems no longer a coincidence that Rooney believes his favoured position happens to be wherever Louis van Gaal can accommodate him from week to week.

Up front, out left and now in the hole, he's not so much an everyman as he is a nowhere man.

Rather strangely, van Gaal has claimed that his captain "shall always play". Rooney's armband makes him untouchable. His form almost makes his position untenable. And Juan Mata and United's midfield are paying the price.

The Spaniard can't find a way into the side. Opponents are finding too many ways to bypass Rooney and put pressure on new boys Herrera and Blind.

United's captain must feel like he's won the lottery, but lost the ticket.

He's gained the midfield partners he always wanted behind him. But his best days are no longer ahead of him.

npsports@sph.com.sg

It doesn't take a great tactical mind to go out and sign Radamel Falcao and Angel di Maria. Any United fan could have done that. It's not rocket science. But fixing the United defence is another matter. Now we really will find out if Louis van Gaal is a genius.

- Former Liverpool star Jamie Redknapp on Man United's problems

The bigger picture at United is that they're the biggest spenders in Europe and they didn't buy a defender. They let (Rio) Ferdinand go, (Nemanja) Vidic announced he was leaving in January. They're the biggest spenders, how have they not addressed that?

- Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher

There's no doubt Man United are soft-centred. They're not tough enough. In the Man City-Chelsea match, every time a ball went up to Diego Costa he was getting battered by (Eliaquim) Mangala and it was the same at the other end with John Terry and Gary Cahill. I thought the midfield three for United and the back four got bullied.

- Former United defender Gary Neville

This article was first published on September 23, 2014.
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