EPL 2016/17: Wayne Rooney confusion down to Jose Mourinho, says Ryan Giggs

Mourinho has dropped his captain in the last few games

England’s all-time leading goalscorer Wayne Rooney was left out of the starting eleven by interim manager Gareth Southgate against Slovenia in midweek, ending a torrid couple of weeks for the Manchester United captain Wayne Rooney.

The Manchester United captain was also left out of United’s starting eleven by Jose Mourinho prior to the international break.

Wayne Rooney has come under a lot of scrutiny for his performances for club and country and former United assistant manager Ryan Giggs, claims that his former teammate is confused about the position that his manager wants to play him in and also backs him to come good.

Giggs speaking in an interview with ITV, said that he has sympathy for the striker, who is in a transitional phase in his career, just like the one the former winger had when he about 29 or 30. Giggs transformed into a central midfielder, pulling the strings from a deeper role instead of running down the flanks.

Rooney confused about his position on the pitch, says Giggs

The former United player lays the blame for striker’s confusion down to the current United boss Jose Mourinho, who is adamant that Rooney will be deployed only in a number 10 role behind the main striker. 

"I see a player who's going through a transitional period. I went through it when I was 29 or 30, where I was a winger and I couldn't knock it around a defender and get it the other side. I feel a little bit sorry for him. Towards the end of last season and for England in the summer he was played in that deeper role, then he was told he's playing as a No. 9 or a No. 10. He's probably a bit confused." said the former Welsh international on Rooney.

Under Louis van Gaal, Rooney was deployed in a midfield role where he did drop much deeper to pick the ball up in his own half and create attacks and Roy Hodgson was another manager who played Rooney in a deeper role for England during Euro 2016, for which he did get a lot of slack as well.

Also Read: Dropped by club and country: Is it the end of the road for Wayne Rooney?

The former Welsh international and United legend went on to add that Rooney will rediscover his form and with his vast experience, there’s no doubt that he will break this barren spell.

Rooney, on the other hand, is finding it hard to cope with the criticism and has said that the criticism was unfair on him and that he is only going through a rough patch.

Anfield, the next battle for Rooney and co.

The England captain goes back to United after international duty with a huge week ahead of him as Manchester United face a tough away fixture at the new and improved Anfield stadium.

Jose Mourinho has a couple of big decisions to make going into this crunch encounter against Klopp’s Liverpool, who have started the season on a high with impressive away victories at Chelsea and Arsenal.

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