Think back twelve months. A government nobody voted for had just won the general election, an Icelandic volcano was wreaking havoc on Europe’s airlines, and a remarkably in-form Wayne Rooney was packing his bags for the 2010 World Cup. The hopes of the entire nation rested on his shoulders. People dared ask if he was the man to finally spark England into life, ending years of under-achievement.
Of course, we all know what happened next. Rooney, who had failed to find the net in the warm-up games against Japan and Mexico said that he was ‘saving his goals for the World Cup’. Famous last words. England gave their worst four performances of all time, and would, were it not for the French and Italians managing to be even more atrocious, have been a global laughing stock.
In South Africa, Rooney looked a different player. Gone were the visionary passes that had torn apart so many Premiership backlines. Gone, too, were the deft touches, the intelligent slide-rule through balls, the defence-splitting runs. Rooney embodied England’s demise.
Meanwhile, the Spaniards were giving the rest of the world a comprehensive footballing lesson. They were deserving winners of the cup, and made England’s – and Rooney’s – pre-World Cup hype seem like the over-confident ramblings of a drunkard at closing time. And nobody wore the hangover worse than Rooney.
Skip forward to now, however, and we seem to be back where we were before the World Cup. After a rotten start to the season, Rooney has found his best form and his partnership with Javier Hernandez has flourished to the extent that Dimitar Berbatov has been forced to warm the United bench for most of the season (at a reported £110,000 a week, it’s nice work if you can get it.)
Once more, Rooney represents English football’s hope of winning silverware, and to snatch it from the hands of Barcelona – many of whom represented Spain in the World Cup Final – would be even sweeter.
United will be encouraged at Rooney’s form in the second half of the season, but in order to capitalise on any of Barcelona’s defensive weaknesses, Sir Alex Ferguson must use him correctly.
It is no secret that Barcelona’s Achilles’ Heel is at left back. There are three candidates for the position; Eric Abidal, who is the most talented, but only recently back in the squad after an operation to remove a life-threatening tumour on his liver; Maxwell, who is formidable going forward, but often gets caught out defensively; and Adriano, who would find it difficult to deal with Rooney’s pace and vision.
Whichever of them starts at left back, Rooney and Hernandez must exploit that area of the defence. As Antonio Valencia looks likely to start ahead of Nani, he too must exploit the left back, and where possible deliver crosses in to Rooney, who this time last year was scoring with his head for fun, and may well get more joy out of Barcelona’s centre halves, Puyol and Piqué, in the air than on the floor.
Exposing weaknesses sounds very easy, but Rooney must remember to be patient. Barcelona are certain to dominate possession for long periods of the game. In the past, Rooney has been known to come ever deeper into his own half in search of the ball, neutralising his own threat.
The defensive midfield duo of Park and Carrick will have to work very hard to win the ball, and get the ball immediately to Giggs and Valencia for distribution upfield. Rooney’s strength lies in pulling defences apart with insightful runs into the box, not with frustrated runs into his own half. It is pivotal that he holds a high line to hurt Barcelona on the counter attack. He may also do well to remember Arsenal’s 2-1 home win over Barcelona earlier in the competition. The opening goal from Robin Van Persie found Barcelona ‘keeper Victor Valdes culpable for a schoolboy error, beaten at his near post from a tight angle. While his distribution is first rate, and his decision-making is much improved, he is prone to the occasional mistake, and Rooney may want to try and catch him off-guard early in the game and take the initiative in the mental battle.
Though he is not likely to need any motivation to win at Wembley tomorrow night, Rooney only need look back a year to find some. England’s self-destruction at the World Cup, coupled with the fact that many of the cup holders will be playing tomorrow will be at the front of Rooney’s mind. There is talk that this Barcelona side is the best in the history of the game.
To beat them in front of an English crowd, well, what better way to banish your demons?
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Tags: Barcelona, Champion's League, Manchester United, Wayne Rooney, Wembley Stadium