Is this where Rooney will shine or will the Germans stop him too?

It will be a big day for the Germans and the England team as they meet today in their knockout match. Although Britain has really not shone in their games so far, there is nothing that is keeping them back and they could just about overturn the Germans.

In their previous two games, England’s Wayne Rooney was almost like someone not there in the team. Moreover there was a lot of upheaval in the team between the players and the coach. Hopefully all of that should have settled down. Capello made an excellent choice by bringing in James Milner and even Jermaine Defoe who added some pace to the goals.

Germany will play their defense with their players like Philipp Lahm who will meet English defender John Terry will bring some excellent and exciting midfield game. Other defenders in the English team like Frank Lampard, Gareth Barry and Steven Gerrard have the skill and the ability to take on the German defenders like Bastian Schweinsteiger, Thomas Muller. Their front line too is equally strong with Lukas Podolski and Klose. The English team also has their frontline answer in players like Rooney and Defoe.

It seems like a man to man game, however with Joe Cole everything could change, and it could even be a stage that Rooney has been looking for so that he could finally come out with his enigmatic game. Although he hasn’t been lucky enough to score a goal in any of the 3 group matches, he could still turn around his country’s fortune for the better.

The organization masters Germany also have an answer to Wayne Rooney. With Philip Lahm the German army could infact give a tough fight and could very well take over the game!

Rooney OK

Sir Alex Ferguson boss of Manchester United, told England’s fans that Wayne Rooney is ok.  Ferguson confirmed the England forward will not be playing between two and three weeks.  This is due to the minor ankle ligament injury he suffered Tuesday in Munich.  The earliest scenario for Rooney to be back in action is April 17 at Eastlands for the Manchester derby.  While the worst case for the 24-year-old would be racing against time for a Champions League semi-final with either Lyon or Bordeaux four days later, if the team will make it that far.

In any case, there will be no threat for Rooney’s participation in the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™.  This will be a relief, not just to Fabio Capello, but the nation’s football fans who believe that without their talisman, England should not even bother to go this summer in South Africa.  Ferguson said panic was the nation’s reaction.  There is no bone damage or serious ligament damage, so the nation can stop praying.  Ferguson is not intending on dwelling on the setback.  It is obvious that Rooney’s loss causes him a problem on Saturday’s clash with Chelsea. Yet, in making a single striker Ferguson got himself an instant replacement.

Rooney Down with Injury

With only two months to go until the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™, Wayne Rooney the star striker of England suffered an ankle injury on Tuesday at the end of Manchester United’s match against Bayern Munich in the UEFA Champions League.  This season, Rooney is one of the world’s top players with 34 goals for United.  It hobbled off from the Allianz Arena in Munich after a match with striker Mario Gomez, a German international. The injury is bad news not only for England, but also for the United club side who will face Chelsea the title challenger in the English Premier League on Saturday. 

This is a disappointing evening for United.   They led for long stretch of the Champions League quarter-final first leg before being stunned by the German giants with two late goals.  Rooney got this injury with only a few months before the 2006 FIFA World Cup finals and he played a disappointing tournament.  Sir Alex Ferguson the United manager said that Rooney got a kick in the ankle, the doctors are treating him right now and hopefully it is not very serious.  ON Saturday he may be doubtful but it is still too early to say.

United and Arsenal Closing In

Wayne Rooney shifted from being a hero to a villain and again back to being a hero in the English Premier League champions when Manchester United overpowered Hull 3-1 on Sunday. This win made them second place, United is now just two points behind leaders Chelsea, who only manage a scoreless draw against Birmingham on Saturday, with Rooney the England striker involved in all four goals.

He managed to put United ahead on the stroke of half-time at the KC Stadium with a near finish after Giggs touched on Fletcher’s cross. But second to the cellar dweller Hull made it equal on the hour via a Craig Fagan penalty. Rooney’s back pass was cut off by Fagan and following his cross, Jozy Altidore was jammed at the far post by defender Rafael of United. Referee Alan Wiley which Sir Ferguson accused in October of not being good enough for Premier League football after siding 2-2 draw with Sunderland who signaled a penalty that Fagan sent Kuszczak far from the spot.

Manchester wins at Wigan

 

Manchester United improved its game from the shocking defeat midweek with a score of 5-0 Premier League win at Wigan.   And Arsenal won against visiting Portsmouth 4-1.  Michael Owen struck his first and Wayne Rooney hit his 100th and 101st club goals to help give defending champion United the win and it very much wanted after loosing 1-0 last Wednesday at newly promoted Burnley. 

You have to loose some, Alex Ferguson the manager of United said.  We had six chances in the first half and we didn’t deliver. The thing is to have patience and that is what we did.  The win kept United to the goal of chasing a fourth straight title record.  Arsenal has six points, but the Gunners have two games played to United’s three, ahead of the teams’ meeting next weekend.  Manchester City is within range with six points after Emmanuel Adebayor scored for the second straight match to lead his new team a 1-0 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Manchester Drops Birmingham

Manchester United draws first blood on their campaign for the English Premier League 2009-10 season.  Birmingham City is their first victim with a score of 1-0. In the 34^th minute, Wayne Rooney got the only goal of the game.  The header hit a post then the ball fell and he tapped it home.  On the 74^th minute Owen also came in for the action as a substitute had the ball on the net but it was ruled offside.

Liverpool’s expectation of a title match took an immediate delay with a 2-1 defeat at Tottenham Hotspur. The goals came from an unexpected source of Benoit Assou-Ekotto the defender, just before half time.  But Steven Gerrard scored from a penalty on the 56^th minute after Johnson was fouled when he got the ball in the penalty area of Tottenham.  But after three minutes, Bassong, making his debut after moving in from Newcastle United last August restored their lead.  Sammy Lee, the Assistant Manager of Liverpool was banished with only a minute to go due to a protest that was too loud because his appeal for a second penalty was waved.

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