Yahoo News Wayne Rooney on Stoke City and Plymouth reception for old pal Steven Schumacher
Wayne Rooney says Stoke City's shifting styles are leading him to focus more on his own Plymouth Argyle side this weekend.
Rooney locks horns with his old Everton academy pal Steven Schumacher at Home Park on Saturday (3pm) in what will be Schumacher's first return to Plymouth since leaving for Stoke last December. He had an exceptional spell at the club as coach then manager, guiding them from League Two to the Championship via a stunning League One title.
Rooney has drawn two and lost one of his first three league games at Argyle and is desperate to pick up his first win going into the international break, regardless of who is in the opposition dug out.
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He said: “We’ve analysed Stoke and they've actually been different in the games that they've played. They've done different things.
“They've pressed high, they've sat low, they've played on transition. They've done different things in all the games, really. I think the most important thing is we focus on what we want to do. We’re at home and we want to take the game to them, to go and try to win it.
“Schuey has a good history here. Ultimately, we're playing Stoke City. I know Schuey from when I was a young lad growing up, but you take that out of it. It actually hasn't been mentioned.
“Whatever reception Schuey gets from the fans, I don't know, but we have to focus on the game itself. That's all we can do, to keep our concentration on them.”
