Rooney Out Of Tomorrow's Game

[White Noise]

Rooney blow for United: Troubled striker ruled out of Fulham clash

By Bob Cass Last updated at 9:40 PM on 21st August 2010

Wayne Rooney will be a shock absentee from Manchester United's clash with Fulham after being struck down by stomach bug.

It could not have come at a worse time for the England striker, who has gone 13 games without a goal for club and country.

Rooney was desperate for the opportunity to end his 18-hour goal drought and even turned up for training yesterday, but he was withdrawn from the match by the club doctor, ordered home and told not to have any contact with any of the players or staff because of the risk of him passing on the gastro viral infection.

The news will come as a setback to England manager Fabio Capello as his star striker needs to hit form before England's crucial European Championship qualifier with Bulgaria at Wembley a week on Friday.

Chance to shine: Javier Hernandez
Capello will have to wait for Saturday evening's home game against West Ham to assess Rooney's well-being.
Sir Alex Ferguson had intended naming the same starting line-up which beat Newcastle 3-0, but Rooney's absence will mean a first start for Javier Hernandez.


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1305098/Rooney-blow-United-Troubled-striker-ruled-Fulham-clash.html#ixzz0xHGe33rg

[Fletchino]

That's ashame it would have been like playing 10 if he was on

[chez]

Gutted he isnt playing  :dft011:

[finnster01]

The Corner flag just issued a press release explaining how gutted it was Rooney not playing. The corner flag throughly looked forward to continue last years conversation  :58:

[os5889]

The Corner flag just issued a press release explaining how gutted it was Rooney not playing. The corner flag throughly looked forward to continue last years conversation  :58:

Tut tut, that was 2 years ago Mr Finn :P

[SmithyFFC]

Great news, now its just Berbatov, Hernandez and Bebe up top for them .  :59:

[finnster01]

The Corner flag just issued a press release explaining how gutted it was Rooney not playing. The corner flag throughly looked forward to continue last years conversation  :58:

Tut tut, that was 2 years ago Mr Finn :P

That is what happens when you are getting old Mr Owen.  :dft004:

Sorry for that senior moment.

[Tom]

I won't believe it until he isn't playing. I remember last year they said he wouldn't play and he did.

[HatterDon]

I won't believe it until he isn't playing. I remember last year they said he wouldn't play and he did.

you call that pitiful demonstration PLAYING?

Pish and also Tosh, Tom  :011:

[tingtawng]

it could be gamesmanship ,then they produce him to rattle the team.anyways he hasn't scored in ages so why worry .hes lost his touch and over the hill  :59:

[tingtawng]

As he prepares to face Fulham at Craven Cottage on Sunday, revised Opta figures show that Rooney's current goal drought stands at 1,081 minutes — 79 minutes longer than his barren run during the 2005-06 campaign. Whichever way the figures are spun, they make grim reading for Rooney, Manchester United and England — 13 games, 1,081 minutes, 18 hours and one minute. Nothing since March 30.

Famously protective of his players, Ferguson will never hang one of his own out to dry by condemning their failings, but while the United manager insists that Rooney will come good once again, he concedes that the 24 year-old is as frustrated as any forward by his lengthening fruitless streak.

Ferguson said: "I say it time and time again; strikers live by their goals. When they are not scoring, they think it is never going to come. Then, when they [goals] come, they think they are never going to finish. That is normal with any forward.

"They are quite straightforward people and Wayne is no different from any other kind of striker. They want to score and, when they are not scoring, they think it is never going to happen.

"But Wayne is one of the best strikers in the world. He is still young, still progressing and still learning."

Rooney's dismal World Cup, when his failure to score was almost a secondary issue to his listless performances, remains unexplained.

Fatigue following a lengthy season, rather than lingering problems with the ankle and groin injuries that punctured his momentum last spring, and the burden of carrying the hopes of a overhyped team are believed to be the primary factors behind his inability to produce his best form in South Africa.

A lack of players within Fabio Capello's squad of the quality and experience of United team-mates Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs — and crucially the injury-enforced withdrawal of close friend Rio Ferdinand — also contributed. Rooney at times appearing isolated and exposed before England were dispatched by Germany in the second round.

Rene Meulensteen, United's first-team coach, dismisses suggestions, however, that Rooney's loss of form is anything more than the player experiencing the peaks and troughs of a top-level career.

Meulensteen said: "It is not in his head and it is not a mental thing. There is no problem about that.

"Wayne is a fighter and a strong person and he will get back on top. Sometimes in life and football you hit disappointing experiences and you have to get up and move forward. He is doing that. Against Newcastle [on Monday] he did some fantastic things.

"I can't look into what Wayne thinks but, for him, it was a massive disappointment in South Africa.

"He had a fantastic season and then the World Cup comes and he has a bad time. Just because you have a bad World Cup, you don't turn into a bad player."

While the focus on Rooney becomes more intense with every minute that passes without a goal, Ferguson is relaxed about the issue, believing that last season's 34-goal top scorer will quickly rediscover his form.

And the Scot points to Rooney's lack of game time since returning to training on July 28 as a key factor in his search for his previous sharpness.

Ferguson said: "Wayne has only had an hour's football. It's not a lot in terms of your normal programme before you start the season.

"Dimitar [Berbatov] took part in all of the pre-season games in America, so his fitness is assured and he was excellent against Newcastle on Monday night.

"And the likes of Giggs and Scholes, and the rest of the players who were on the pre-season tour have all had plenty of games. Their fitness is not an issue.

"But Michael Owen, Michael Carrick, Wayne, Antonio Valencia and Nani have not had the minutes they really require to be able to compete or get proper match fitness.

"They will be much better at Fulham on Sunday."

   
Manchester United action photos

[LordNelson]

Hopefully Scholes will be playing.  He's one of Fulham's best vs. Manure!  Honorary captain.

[LRCN]

The Corner flag just issued a press release explaining how gutted it was Rooney not playing. The corner flag throughly looked forward to continue last years conversation  :58:

Tut tut, that was 2 years ago Mr Finn :P

actually it was a year and a half ag so your both wrong  :54: