Is Valencia the key to Rooney’s goalscoring touch?

By Laurie Fitzgerald

Wayne Rooney has began to rediscover his form in front of goal after a barren spell was ended with three goals in two games for Manchester United.

A brace against Wolves was followed by an early header that got United on their way to a win at QPR that kept them firmly in the title race going into the festive period.

But it was that strike at Loftus Road that gave a reminder to what could be the crucial component to Rooney’s sudden upturn in goalscoring fortunes.

The England forward’s early strike in West London came courtesy of a cross from a winger who has worked his way back into the team after being out of favour so far this season.

For the early months of the campaign, Antonio Valencia was often playing second fiddle to both Nani and summer recruit Ashley Young on the flanks.

Young started the season with real purpose, determined to prove he was worth the £16 million Sir Alex Ferguson paid for him in pre-season.

Meanwhile, Portuguese star Nani was continuing to grow in form and confidence as the season started to settle, meaning Valencia was firmly consigned to mainly occupying a role in the Carling Cup.

But while Rooney was in prolific form to begin with, the goals quickly dried up and nine Premier League games had passed without the 26 year-old getting onto the scoresheet.

However, with goals becoming a difficulty for the Red Devils in general, Valencia was brought into the side to add a different option on the wing, and it has been paying off.

Valencia has set up two of Rooney’s recent goals, and his ability to pinpoint the former Everton youngster with his crosses have given United a new dimension going forward.

With the former Wigan man in the side, Rooney looks a far bigger threat to opposition defences, and mirrors the kind of form he showed in the 2009/10 season when he won PFA Player of the Year.

Rooney managed to score 26 goals in the league that year, but Valencia played a big part in that goal tally, often finding his team-mate in the right place at the right time.

Valencia is often understated by the footballing public in the role he plays within this United squad with the likes of Young and Nani the more standout names.

However, his understanding with Rooney has not only galvanised Rooney’s campaign but also United, and while the much-hailed striker will continue to get the plaudits if he keeps finding the net, it may well be down to the coincidental return of an unsung hero into the starting line-up.  

So what do you think? Is Valencia the key to Rooney finding the net in the United line-up? Or has the Ecuadorian’s return to the team coincided with Rooney rediscovering his touch? Leave a comment and let us know your views.

The North London Divide

Our newest feature here at Shouts From The Stands will be a weekly article with the views of Tony Alvarez (Arsenal fan) and Laurie Fitzgerald (Tottenham season ticket holder)

As typical die hard fans the focus will be more on belittling our rivals and telling the World how great our sides are.

We hope to add this feature every Friday and it shall be known as the North London divide.

This is the third installment we hope you enjoy.

The changing gap between Arsenal and Tottenham

By Tony Alvarez

 Ok, we lost at Old Trafford and didn’t perform as brilliantly as we expect from Arsenal, but from what I am hearing you would of thought we lost to a lowly club such as Grimsby (ring any bells Tottenham fans).

As many Tottenham fans feel the need to remind me of this loss and how they have suddenly caught up with us because someone else beat us (no need to scratch your head, it doesn’t make sense to me either) I feel the need to look in to a few facts.

Tottenham have also travelled up to Old Trafford this season, their result a 2-0 loss. So we lost 1-0 they lost 2-0 where does this suggest that the standard gap is closing.

If you mention this to Tottenham fans you get the “but the Nani goal shouldn’t of counted blah blah blah” the fact stands that if you look at the results in 10 years it will say Man U 2-0 Tottenham, not but Nani, the ref or the World was against us.

Now onto the next fact about this non existent closing of the gap, on this exact date in 2009 Tottenham were 5^th in the table on 30 points after 17 games, a quick look at the table will show they are 3 points off that figure after the same amount of games.

Arsenal are on exactly the same number of points as they were this time last season, so looking at the facts, there is a change in the gap between the two clubs. Arsenal are making the already rather large gap even bigger and long may it continue.

On another note today is the draw for the last 16 of the Champions League, as an Arsenal fan I only fear one club, Barcelona but they are beatable so if we do draw them and all the Tottenham fans started celebrating as if they have one something remember its not over until the fat lady sings.

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Different season, same old Arsenal

By Laurie Fitzgerald

It was meant to be the game where Arsenal proved that they were able to handle the big-game contests. That they would finally produce the goods when it really mattered.

But it was the same old story. Another game against one of their main title rivals, and another disappointment.

After a narrow win at home to Fulham which put them top of the table, there’s been a lot of talk about how this is finally their year – even though it seemed there were many Arsenal fans that wanted Wenger to go after the North London derby defeat just a few weeks ago.

However, they went to Old Trafford with the intention that they would send out a message to the rest of the Premier League. Except they sent out the same message that they always do.

As usual, they huffed and puffed in possession but did nothing with it. Samir Nasri was poor (although admittedly he’s been excellent this season) and don’t even get me started on Andrei Arshavin – it’s like playing with 10 men with him in your side.

It wasn’t a great game but despite Manchester United not being at their best, they still missed a penalty and saw Nani waste two great chances.

That was the worst part – United didn’t win because they were too good, but because Arsenal weren’t good enough.

They have another game against title rivals in 10 days when they face Chelsea, who are going through their worst run of form in a decade.

If Arsenal want to be considered serious title contenders, then they need to start beating the United’s and Chelsea’s of the league.

Otherwise, whenever Gunners fans start believing it’s their year, the rest of us won’t.

Leave a comment and let us know what you think are we representing your clubs well. If not send in your own argument and we may just use it for next week.

As regular readers will know this is the 3^rd edition of the North London debate the links to the previous two are below, take a look and also read the comments the 2^nd week in particular has some good ones.

Week 2:

http://shoutsfromthestands.wordpress.com/2010/12/10/239/

 Week 1:

http://shoutsfromthestands.wordpress.com/2010/12/03/the-north-london-divide/