Ross Jones

Mon 6 July 2020 17:30, UK

West Brom face a pivotal test in their promotion push against Derby County on Wednesday. 

After putting together consecutive wins against Sheffield Wednesday and Hull City, the Baggies are in a strong position going into their final five matches, but will be fully aware of just how hot the Rams are right now too.

County have picked up 10 points from 12 since the restart, and a key component of their impressive form has been Wayne Rooney.

The 34-year-old has found a new lease of life occupying a deep-lying quarterback role for Derby, so much so that his output is attracting the attentions of the national press.

And with two goals in his last three matches, it’s not hard to see why.

But whereas once upon a time it was his lethal eye for goal that made him such a threat, now it is his ability to pull the strings from the engine room that sets him apart.

Since arriving in the Championship, Rooney’s pass completion rate has risen to 83.6% – higher than his career average – and he now plays an average of 2.01 long passes more per game too, as per Wyscout.

His deeper role also affords him more time on the ball, and that’s reflected in the fact that his dribble completion rate has shot up by 10.3%.

Above is Rooney’s pass map against Millwall last month.

He completed 81 out of 89 passes at a rate of 91%.

But aside from the density and frequency of his passing, the main thing that stands out is his range.

Some of the diagonals that Rooney plays are literally game-changing, refocussing the point of attacks and forcing defences to scramble across the turf to deal with them.

Take the pass above as an example.

The vision it takes to spot that ball to the highlighted man on the far side, let alone the skill it takes to place it into that shaded area from that kind of range, is otherworldly.

It’s in moments like this that you are reminded why Rooney was a such a formidable force during his prime – and there are still shades of that world class player on full display even now.

But really, a large part of the reason that he is able to play that ball is because he is given so much time and space.

Look at the distance between Rooney and the defender when he picks the ball up.

Rather than getting at him and harrying him into rushing the pass, however, the defender ambles over and allows the County man to get his head up and survey the situation.

By the time Rooney strikes the ball, the only reason that gap has been reduced is because he has advanced, not because he was being closed down.

That’s really quite unforgivable, but it should also provide Albion with a blueprint of how not to deal with his considerable threat.

Stopping Rooney won’t be easy, of course, but we would give ourselves a much better chance if we actually got in his face and made his life a misery on Wednesday evening.

In other West Brom news, these Baggies fans have reacted to the cameo of Chris Brunt in the 4-2 victory against Hull

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