There is a frustrating dichotomy in Wayne Rooney's time at Manchester United; a circle not always simple to square. After all, Rooney is closing in on becoming the club's all-time top goalscorer, with 229 strikes in 472 games. He is now 20 goals behind Sir Bobby Charlton - numbers that dictate there should be little doubt of his worth or commitment. Yet there is. It comes both from Rooney's performances, including another disconcerting showing against Liverpool on Sunday, and that now infamous pair of "transfer requests".Much has been said about the latter, although the taste remains bitter - provoked by Rooney's dubious leadership. For the moment it is his output that concerns the most: performances that are not becoming of a player so extravagantly rewarded.This season Rooney has 13 goals and four assists in 26 appearances across all competitions - 11 in the Premier League. No shame there, although just three have come against rivals for European places: Tottenham Hotspur last weekend, Liverpool in December, and Arsenal in November.There is mitigation, of course. Rooney's output is limited by Van Gaal's frequent use of the player in midfield - 16 of his 26 appearances have come in a variety of deeper roles. Yet, Rooney's shot accuracy this season is just 53%.In fact, Rooney's output has declined. He scored 19 and made 17 assists under David Moyes; it was 16 and 13 two years ago; and 35 and five when Rooney was deployed up front in 2011/2012.Numbers aside, when deployed in midfield, Rooney has routinely disappointed. It is hard for supporters to swallow, but United's captain suffers from predictable distribution and his inability to dictate the ebb and flow of the game. It is seldom that Rooney has dominated from the centre.But remember the teenager with a bull-like thirst for destruction and the gentle touch of a matador? Today, Rooney - who will turn 30 in October - demonstrates so little of either.Key indicators suggest the time is right to grant his wishes of 2010 and 2013 - a transfer and a fresh beginning for all. ..