Despite Manchester United suffering a hugely disappointing 2013/14 season, which culminated in the departure of David Moyes, Wayne Rooney enjoyed a successful campaign, scoring 17 goals and laying on 12 assists.
The Red Devils’ skipper ended up with 190 points in Fantasy Premier League (FPL), his third highest tally to date, so hopes were high ahead of 2014/15, as new manager Louis van Gaal settled into the hotseat.
However, Rooney’s campaign was to prove frustrating, as a shift in position stalled his quest for goals and ultimately restricted his ability to justify the tag of a true heavy-hitting Fantasy asset.
With Radamel Falcao only arriving on loan during deadline day, Rooney began the 2014/15 season up front, scoring twice and providing an assist in United’s first four matches. The Colombian striker’s first start came in the 5-3 defeat at Leicester alongside Robin van Persie, with Rooney fielded “in the hole” in a 3-4-1-2 formation. Van Gaal stuck with the trio for the home encounter against West Ham the following week, and while Rooney opened the scoring, he was then sent off for a ill-judged challenge on Stewart Downing.
Following his return from a three-match ban, the England captain embarked on a decent run of form, scoring five goals and bagging two assists in his next eight league outings, although he spent much of that time playing in central midfield as Van Gaal opted for a lone striker system to tighten up defensively.
Starting the season priced at 10.5 in FPL, Rooney dropped to 10.2 during his suspension, though his upturn in form had seen his price peak at 10.8 by Gameweek 21. The United skipper would fail to justify that new investment, though, blanking in each of his next eight appearances and with Van Persie and Falcao also toiling, Van Gaal bemoaned the fact he didn’t have a “20 goal a season striker” to call upon. The United boss then deployed Rooney up front once again and saw his side produce their best form of the season, chalking up wins against Tottenham, Liverpool and Manchester City between Gameweek 29-32, with Rooney scoring four times in six starts.
United ended the season with just one win in their last six matches, however, with Rooney unable to add to his 12 goals and five assists. He finished the campaign with 132 points in FPL, his lowest total since 2006, although his goal conversion rate of 15.2% was higher than both Van Persie (13.2%) and Falcao (10.8%).
THE PROSPECTS
The United squad for next season is already taking shape, with Dutch international Memphis Depay arriving from PSV, while Falcao has departed Old Trafford after an ineffective loan spell.
Depay will likely be deployed on the left of his preferred 4-3-3 formation, providing pace, trickery and a goal threat from out wide which could also see him handed a share of set-pieces. Whilst Van Gaal has admitted that, as captain, Rooney is a guaranteed starter, it’s obvious that his position on the pitch is key to how we assess his prospects.
With question marks hovering over Robin van Persie’s pitch time, Rooney is likely to remain in the premium bracket amongst forwards, with an FPL price tag of around 10.0 to 10.5 expected. If that proves to be the case, he could be limited to the role of an elite differential for much of the season.
Given Rooney often had to play in midfield because of the paucity of options available, it’s hoped that, should new additions arrive in the centre of the park, the England skipper will be fielded in a more advanced role on a regular basis. With no summer tournament, Rooney should also benefit from an extended break, allowing him to get a full pre-season under his belt.
We must also consider the situation surrounding United’s penalty takers, with Juan Mata now seemingly the first-choice after netting from the spot against Crystal Palace, following Rooney’s miss against Liverpool and Van Persie’s failure against West Brom.
While Mata ended the season as a regular in the starting XI, should Angel di Maria stay at Old Trafford this summer and rediscover his form, Mata’s start could under threat, possibly leaving the door open for Rooney to regain spot-kick duties.
With Mata, Di Maria and Depay all likely to come in cheaper than Rooney, however, it remains to be seen whether the England star can get close to rivalling Sergio Aguero and Diego Costa as a premium option in our three-man frontlines.
If the likes of Watford’s Troy Deeney and Bournemouth’s Callum Wilson can follow in the footsteps of last season’s flourishing budget options such as Charlie Austin, Saido Berahino and Harry Kane, Rooney would seem unlikely to enter the equation.
Heavy midfield investment looks inevitable, as pricey big-hitters such as Eden Hazard, Alexis Sanchez and David Silva jostle for our attentions. For Rooney to oust the budget striker options and become a real Fantasy force in 2015/16, an assured role up front, allied with penalty duties, look set to be key factors.
