Beardsley: Rooney Won't Cut It On His Own!

Last updated : 28 March 2008 By Footy Mad - Editor

 

Peter Beardsley: "Fabio Capello has obviously learned that we have got a lot of players there who he will be unsure about.

"You talk about players in form, but the players that played last night never performed to their maximum.

"A lot of the players have priorities with their clubs in the Champions League and Premier League. So it is a tough time of year to be playing an international, there's no doubt about it.

"But I think Capello will learn something new every time he's with the players. What he has learned from last night is hard to judge but he would have learned a lot of things.

"The problem is Capello has his own style.

"If he is going to play 4-2-3-1, which a lot of people say he is, then he has to find a target man who is mobile and has the ability, which obviously Wayne Rooney has.

"But it's not something that Rooney is familiar with. When he's going from playing club football where he basically has a free reign at Man United, to playing as a lone striker it is a different role and in three days it's hard to change.

"When you look at the way he played against Liverpool on Sunday he was outstanding and then in the lone role last night, through no fault of his own, he didn't get a lot of touches of the ball.

"It's not an easy position to play.

"Michael Owen with Rooney in behind would be the perfect partnership for me because Michael is back in form, there's no doubt about it.

"Peter Crouch hasn't played for Liverpool on a regular basis so he doesn't look match-sharp, but when you look beyond those three - Rooney, Owen and Crouch - then you do have a problem.

"The good thing is that the World Cup qualifiers don't start until September so Capello has a good six months to have a look."