Rooney’s positional play in England’s first 2018 World Cup qualifier against Slovakia caused confusion on Sunday after the Manchester United man appeared to slip back into midfield.
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He often said Lallana would soon add goals to his game and here he was, in the last second of his 27th global, fulfilling his prophesy for another manager.
Lallana, who went goalless in his first 26 appearances under Roy Hodgson, was glad to be off the mark after nearly three years of trying.
But while that goal gives Allardyce three crucial points, as much for their symbolic value as their usefulness in a World Cup qualifying group England should navigate with relative ease from here on, it did not paper over every crack.
“I think that the referee waited for Skrtel to make a foul”.
Sam Allardyce’s claims that it is “not for me to say” where Rooney plays on pitch only added fuel to the fire, and Peter Shilton has now added his thoughts on the matter, confusing things just a little more. “He sprays a few balls around but I don’t think he’s being very effective”. I never saw him leading anything.
Wayne Rooney, left, and Sam Allardyce at England press conference, City Arena, Trnava, September 3.
“It’s up to me to (ask): ‘Are you playing well in that position?”
Kane said he was feeling no ill-effects having been elbowed and stamped on by Slovakia skipper Martin Skrtel, who was sent off in the second half.
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Rooney indicated that is where he can best serve the team, and Allardyce is according him the respect 116 caps deserve. He hasn’t played in that role for United for many seasons, and everyone could see that he was not going to maintain that berth with England after the form of Harry Kane and Jamie Vardy towards the end of last season.
