The sinking of Liverpool against Nottingham Forest (0-3) loosened tongues, but none is as hung as that of Wayne Rooney. While the Reds are going through an unprecedented crisis with six defeats in seven games, the former glory of Manchester United has decided to fire live bullets at the Anfield idol. For him, the culprit is obvious: Mohamed Salah. On his podcast, Rooney didn’t beat around the bush, strongly advising Arne Slot to make a strong choice: “If I was Slot, I would put him on the bench. Salah doesn’t help them defensively. » A direct criticism which targets the attitude of the Egyptian, accused of walking when the team takes on water.
Rooney, a reconversion that makes people cringe
Rooney hits where it hurts: the message sent to the locker room. “What message does it send to the recruits who are on the bench when they see a starter not running? », he asks. But beyond the tactical analysis, it is the relentlessness of “Wazza” against the Liverpool executives which is striking. Recently publicly reprimanded by Virgil van Dijk for his harsh comments, Rooney does not seem to have learned his lesson. On the contrary, he puts it on again. In his new role as consultant for the BBC, he seems condemned to generating buzz every week in order to exist, even if it means tarnishing his image as a respected legend.
We are entitled to ask ourselves the question: do we prefer the Rooney coach, whose career turned into a total fiasco on the sidelines, or this new character of “pundit” giving lessons? His legitimacy in criticizing the management of a locker room makes us smile when we look at his own managerial record. Yet he persists in this role of media sniper, perhaps seeking to compensate for his tactical failures with viral punchlines. Hitting Liverpool has become his stock in trade, an easy way to
“remake the cherry” media on the backs of rivals in difficulty.
Slot facing an impossible dilemma
If other veterans like Jamie Carragher agree with him, John Barnes was keen to defend Salah, recalling that the problems are collective and tactical. Either way, Arne Slot’s back is against the wall. With 20 goals conceded and an 11th place unworthy of a champion, he must decide. Rooney demands compactness and players who “ work »which Salah no longer seems to offer at 33 years old. The timing could also prove Rooney right by the force of circumstances, since Salah will soon fly to the CAN, leaving Liverpool orphaned by their star striker.
In the meantime, the Dutch technician plays his head on Tuesday in the Champions League against PSV. Will he follow Rooney’s radical advice by depriving himself of his top scorer? It would be a huge gamble. But in the current slump, listening to criticism, even those coming from a close enemy like Rooney, has perhaps become necessary to provoke the shock that will save his season.
