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Premier League Review - Wayne Rooney would be finished at any other club


Rooney is now so bad United would be better with 10 men

After scoring a hat-trick against Club Brugge, the talk was of Rooney’s tendency to score in spurts, rather than relentlessly over a season. On 19 minutes against Swansea, he failed to shoot before Ashley Williams came across to tackle. On 34 minutes, he tried a left-foot chip which went straight to Lukasz Fabianksi. On the hour, he failed to complete a five-yard pass and Swansea launched an attack up the right wing to equalise. When Louis van Gaal made a substitution, the goalscorer Juan Mata left, and Rooney remained. With a one-on-one and three minutes to go, he again waited for Williams to tackle him.

For Swansea’s second, Bafetimbi Gomis highlighted Sergio Romero’s lack of quality, finishing at the near post when the ‘keeper should have saved. Daley Blind failed to deal with the strength, pace and skill of Swansea’s attack. This had all been foretold, and unless something radical happens in the next two and a half days, we can assume Van Gaal is happy to ignore it, and collect his wage for underperforming. Just like his captain.

Liverpool have little time left to fix their defence

Arsenal and Arsene Wenger have endured years of criticism for their transfer market failures. Each window, it is pointed out that Arsenal need to improve defensively, needing a central defender who can take charge, and a defensive midfielder to provide thrust and control. Olivier Giroud, it is clear, is not enough to lead the line of a Premier League challenger, and Theo Walcott demonstrated against Newcastle that his determination to be a striker should be met with a stern refusal from his manager, not indulgence.

Similarly, we all know that Manchester United need a central defender, and that Juan Mata can’t play as a right winger at sufficient pace, and that Wayne Rooney cannot be United’s sole striker for an entire season with the Champions League and Premier League to compete in. These are established criticisms of both sides, and fans journalists are alert to the problem, constantly scouring the papers for news.

Whereas Liverpool and Brendan Rodgers have managed to escape criticism for their poor recruitment in central defence. Dejan Lovren has failed so far, but he was seen at the time as a reasonable signature to make. He had done enough at Southampton to earn a move in most people’s eyes. Martin Skrtel is fine, but he looks good in comparison with Lovren, and also with Mamadou Sakho. Big things were expected of Sakho because he came with a large price tag and PSG didn’t want to sell him, but that was a decision borne of emotion, not football. At PSG, Sakho regularly made mistakes in terms of positioning and own goals, and that has not yet been cured at Liverpool.

Liverpool have received plenty of pelters for buying yet another round of players - last year it was after the Luis Suarez windfall - though this time around it does appear to have been a better selection of signatures. What is odd is that Rodgers has not been more strenuously interrogated over the failure to buy a commanding central defender.

Alan Pardew shows why Newcastle, but not the fans, miss him

Alan Pardew did an impressive job at Newcastle for much of his time there. He was able to arrest a couple of severe slumps, something he had not been able to do at other times in his career - at West Ham, for example. He also assimilated a large Francophonic group of players into the squad, and managed to incorporate other players from around the world.

At times, the football was impressive too, with a side that occasionally deflected from the supporters’ discontent with their owner, Mike Ashley. Ashley enjoys an antagonistic relationship with the Newcastle crowd, who are tired with the intermittent investment and lack of emotional bond between them and Ashley.

While the football at St James’ Park gradually declined under Pardew, to miserable turgidity, Pardew was unable to rouse his players, hampered by the sale of some of the best for high fees from other clubs. But what really irked many supporters was that Pardew played the part of the company man, largely happy to defend much of the indefensible actions Ashley carried out. Pardew was there to do a job for the owner and nobody else. Eventually, the two parties grew tired of one another, and both were glad when the offer to move to Crystal Palace claim.

At Palace, it appears that Pardew has been freed of the obligation to shill for an unpopular owner, and has demonstrated the positive side of his ability as a manager. Victory against Chelsea is just the latest victory in part of an impressive resurgence at Palace which was kickstarted by Tony Pulis. Pardew can certainly wind up people with his self-confidence and swagger, and that might eventually cause problems at Palace, but for now his achievements deserve to be recognised.

Sadio Mane ready to step up for Southampton, if not Manchester United

Last season, Mane impressed in his first season at Southampton, but there were reservations. He had a propensity to dive, not just unconvincingly but also at times when it would have been more constructive to stay upright. He did, however, show plenty of talent and pace. As a forward he offers a danger on the right wing, and has a strength which is rare for a player in his position.

Rumours that he will join Manchester United were met with both scepticism and disappointment. Scepticism because United have otherwise aimed higher in the transfer market so far, and disappointment because many fans felt United could do better. That may ultimately be the case, but in recent weeks, Mane has demonstrated that even if he doesn’t move to Old Trafford - and Southampton have no intention of selling, it seems - he is ready to become an established, effective part of Southampton’s side. As they may soon be losing Victor Wanyama, Southampton will benefit from keeping some of their brightest performers from last season.