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CARLING CUP: MANCHESTER UNITED V ASTON VILLA
Ferguson considers resting Rooney for final
By Soccernet staff
February 27, 2010
Sir Alex Ferguson has admitted he is considering leaving red-hot striker Wayne Rooney out of his Carling Cup final starting line-up to rest him for important fixtures on the horizon.
Score now or score later? Wayne Rooney faces a welcome dilemma
• Preview: Man United v Aston Villa
• Forum: Who will win the Carling Cup?
• Van Der Sar signs new deal
With Rooney in the sort of touch where he can seemingly win matches by his own will, Ferguson is faced with the dilemma - albeit a welcome one - of whether to cash in now or manage the marksman's workload in the pursuit of Premier League and Champions League honours.
England fans, of course, will also be hoping that Rooney doesn't get burnt out - or even worse, injured - for the sake of their hopes at the World Cup finals in June.
Rooney has been in explosive form, following up his Champions League double against AC Milan with two more goals in the midweek win over West Ham. That took his overall goal tally for the season to 27, just 15 short of the amazing number Cristiano Ronaldo contributed to Manchester United's 2008 Champions League-winning campaign.
With a maximum of 17 games left, Rooney has an obvious target to aim at. However, as he ponders a fixture list which includes a return meeting with Milan at Old Trafford on March 10 and vital Premier League games, Ferguson claims he is giving serious consideration to leaving Rooney out of the Wembley clash with Aston Villa.
"It has to be a consideration simply because we have important games coming up,'' said the United boss. "The problem is he is desperate to play, he is always desperate to play. Maybe it is his chance to play right-back because he keeps telling everyone he is a great defender, centre-half or sweeper.''
With silverware on the line, Ferguson is still predicted to give Rooney another start in Sunday's showpiece but his latest comments indicate he's becoming increasingly wary over the reliance his side have on their talisman, and the subsequent workload that creates.
Hinting at giving Rooney a rest this time might ease the pain of sidelining the ever-enthusiastic 24-year-old in the near future. Ferguson is also taking pressure off his main man by sticking to his now-conservative 30-goal target, despite the inevitable talk of Ronaldo's 42.
"We have 10 league games after Sunday and hopefully six European ties. That is 17 games in total,'' said Ferguson. "A goal a game would bring him to 44. There's pressure for you. It is a target and who wouldn't love to get that kind of goal tally. It is hard to think he could reach it though. I don't think he has got that kind of target and I certainly haven't.
"He is in a great scoring burst right now. He is popping up in the right places at the right time and his judgment in the penalty box is improving. That is a nice sign. But I have said all along if he gets over 30 I will be delighted so let's not be greedy.''
Should Ferguson opt to leave Rooney out, it would at least offer Dimitar Berbatov a chance to play. The Bulgarian could hardly have imagined that, after spending a club record £30.75million on him at the start of last season, Ferguson would leave him out of so many key games.
Benched for last season's Champions League final, Berbatov was also among the substitutes against AC Milan in the San Siro. His response has been admirable though, scoring at Everton last weekend before producing an outstanding performance in a creative capacity against West Ham in midweek.
"Dimitar is consistent,'' said Ferguson. "On Saturday he looked like the only one who could score and has performed well in recent games. We do have a preference to play one striker sometimes, but that does not reflect on him in any way, or Michael Owen for that matter. It is just the choice we make.''
As usual, Ferguson has more contenders for his starting line-up than places on offer. Darren Fletcher would appear a certainty and, on the basis that he missed last year's win over Tottenham through injury, so too does Brazilian full-back Rafael. The other nine spots are up for grabs, although Jonny Evans and Darron Gibson are expected to add an element of youth as United look to win the competition for a fourth time.
One of the other issues surrounds the goalkeeping slot, which appears to be between Tomasz Kuszczak and Edwin van der Sar who, as he hinted last week, has opted to remain at Old Trafford for another season. The new deal will take Van der Sar beyond his 40th birthday and also allows him to thank Ferguson for the compassion shown after his wife Annemarie suffered a stroke in Holland just before Christmas.
"I still feel good and am enjoying my football,'' he said. "This is a great club and I was shown a great deal of compassion and support during a difficult time in December and January, for which I am extremely grateful.''
Ferguson considers resting Rooney for final
By Soccernet staff
February 27, 2010
Sir Alex Ferguson has admitted he is considering leaving red-hot striker Wayne Rooney out of his Carling Cup final starting line-up to rest him for important fixtures on the horizon.
Score now or score later? Wayne Rooney faces a welcome dilemma
• Preview: Man United v Aston Villa
• Forum: Who will win the Carling Cup?
• Van Der Sar signs new deal
With Rooney in the sort of touch where he can seemingly win matches by his own will, Ferguson is faced with the dilemma - albeit a welcome one - of whether to cash in now or manage the marksman's workload in the pursuit of Premier League and Champions League honours.
England fans, of course, will also be hoping that Rooney doesn't get burnt out - or even worse, injured - for the sake of their hopes at the World Cup finals in June.
Rooney has been in explosive form, following up his Champions League double against AC Milan with two more goals in the midweek win over West Ham. That took his overall goal tally for the season to 27, just 15 short of the amazing number Cristiano Ronaldo contributed to Manchester United's 2008 Champions League-winning campaign.
With a maximum of 17 games left, Rooney has an obvious target to aim at. However, as he ponders a fixture list which includes a return meeting with Milan at Old Trafford on March 10 and vital Premier League games, Ferguson claims he is giving serious consideration to leaving Rooney out of the Wembley clash with Aston Villa.
"It has to be a consideration simply because we have important games coming up,'' said the United boss. "The problem is he is desperate to play, he is always desperate to play. Maybe it is his chance to play right-back because he keeps telling everyone he is a great defender, centre-half or sweeper.''
With silverware on the line, Ferguson is still predicted to give Rooney another start in Sunday's showpiece but his latest comments indicate he's becoming increasingly wary over the reliance his side have on their talisman, and the subsequent workload that creates.
Hinting at giving Rooney a rest this time might ease the pain of sidelining the ever-enthusiastic 24-year-old in the near future. Ferguson is also taking pressure off his main man by sticking to his now-conservative 30-goal target, despite the inevitable talk of Ronaldo's 42.
"We have 10 league games after Sunday and hopefully six European ties. That is 17 games in total,'' said Ferguson. "A goal a game would bring him to 44. There's pressure for you. It is a target and who wouldn't love to get that kind of goal tally. It is hard to think he could reach it though. I don't think he has got that kind of target and I certainly haven't.
"He is in a great scoring burst right now. He is popping up in the right places at the right time and his judgment in the penalty box is improving. That is a nice sign. But I have said all along if he gets over 30 I will be delighted so let's not be greedy.''
Should Ferguson opt to leave Rooney out, it would at least offer Dimitar Berbatov a chance to play. The Bulgarian could hardly have imagined that, after spending a club record £30.75million on him at the start of last season, Ferguson would leave him out of so many key games.
Benched for last season's Champions League final, Berbatov was also among the substitutes against AC Milan in the San Siro. His response has been admirable though, scoring at Everton last weekend before producing an outstanding performance in a creative capacity against West Ham in midweek.
"Dimitar is consistent,'' said Ferguson. "On Saturday he looked like the only one who could score and has performed well in recent games. We do have a preference to play one striker sometimes, but that does not reflect on him in any way, or Michael Owen for that matter. It is just the choice we make.''
As usual, Ferguson has more contenders for his starting line-up than places on offer. Darren Fletcher would appear a certainty and, on the basis that he missed last year's win over Tottenham through injury, so too does Brazilian full-back Rafael. The other nine spots are up for grabs, although Jonny Evans and Darron Gibson are expected to add an element of youth as United look to win the competition for a fourth time.
One of the other issues surrounds the goalkeeping slot, which appears to be between Tomasz Kuszczak and Edwin van der Sar who, as he hinted last week, has opted to remain at Old Trafford for another season. The new deal will take Van der Sar beyond his 40th birthday and also allows him to thank Ferguson for the compassion shown after his wife Annemarie suffered a stroke in Holland just before Christmas.
"I still feel good and am enjoying my football,'' he said. "This is a great club and I was shown a great deal of compassion and support during a difficult time in December and January, for which I am extremely grateful.''
