2020/21 James Rodriguez

[number4.]

^

I still think this.

I didn't ever expect him week in, week out.

That feels right & I would argue he should be used a bit selectively. Don't get me wrong, he is world class and needs to be cheerish, but the impact he can have on certain games should be considered & his game time managed as such

 

[Glasshalffull]

I don't think we got away with anything tonight mate. Solid as a rock, just a different way of playing.

Richarlison has been absolutely crap for sure but Iwobi done a great job again.

Tonight needed discipline and tactics were spot on. Leicester away is another tough game and if he is fully fit for sure he goes straight back for me but if not stick him on the bench.

Its going to go crazy next few games with them coming thick and fast so we need tk be careful and try and keep everyone as fit and fresh as possible.

Slightly off topic, but this got me thinking: wouldn't it be nice if we could get two players in roughly the same area playing well at the same time. Every game it can reasonably be said that X was great and if only Y wasn't garbage we wouldn't have lost, or A was dismal and needed B being brilliant to allow us to hold on. Vexing.

 

[KaiserEFC]

Needs to be managed carefully which is what I suspect we are doing. I doubt there’s anything more than a lack of sharpness wrong with him for this game and we’re just making sure he doesn’t break down in the next few following this one.

He was never going to play every game anyway

 

[blueblueskies]

Have a feeling we might see him on the bench on Saturday

 

[ForeverBlue92]

Need him fit for the cup quarter - thats the big one.

 

[BlueToff]

We were solid but Pickford was still in goal so we almost still conceded. As Pickford will likely be in goal Wednesday we might concede again then, solid or no. We need to be at our best going forward most weeks or we will have problems.

And we didn't create today, the penalty was just Dom being really good. Not much else was on.

I mean, Pickford made an outstanding save to stop us from conceding.

He played well the other night. In fact, he's played well the last few games.

We need better/need him to improve (doubt that's gonna happen), but in the last few games he has played well and looked far more assured. Hopefully that lasts.

 

[BlueToff]

Anyway, manage James carefully.

I'd rather have him fit for Christmas if that means him missing tomorrow.

Hopefully at least fit enough to make the squad on Saturday.

 

[BlueDraka]

I mean, Pickford made an outstanding save to stop us from conceding.

He played well the other night. In fact, he's played well the last few games.

We need better/need him to improve (doubt that's gonna happen), but in the last few games he has played well and looked far more assured. Hopefully that lasts.

Yep let's not mention the Chelsea free kick on the post where he his positioning was all over the show,. Or his early second half mispunch straight to a Chelski player who chipped it into the bar.
I want Pickford to do well but let's not act as if he is playing really well now.
He needs a run of games were he makes no mistakes

 

[TheBigIguana]

I mean, Pickford made an outstanding save to stop us from conceding.

He played well the other night. In fact, he's played well the last few games.

We need better/need him to improve (doubt that's gonna happen), but in the last few games he has played well and looked far more assured. Hopefully that lasts.

Pickford made a couple decent saves (I want to stress decent, the save on James was near post from outside the box, that isn't world class as a lot are saying) fair enough. But you've got to remember that he also had a couple of screw ups that on another day both end up in the net and it is 2-1. That's what we're dealing with every week.

That's not to say he hasn't been better the last few weeks. People just need to come to terms with better isn't the same as good. He's gone from being a complete wasteland to merely below average.

As this is the James thread I'll say we need him back because we just cannot rely on clean sheets now simply because we rode our luck a bit to one. Every game until an actual trend of real defending starts should be viewed as needing multiple goals for 3 points.

 

[UptheTofees]

Hope he heals completely. We need his magic form, not half fit status

 

[BlueToff]

Yep let's not mention the Chelsea free kick on the post where he his positioning was all over the show,. Or his early second half mispunch straight to a Chelski player who chipped it into the bar.
I want Pickford to do well but let's not act as if he is playing really well now.
He needs a run of games were he makes no mistakes

1. His step to the right on the early Chelsea fk was poor. But he got across to make the save. Simiarly, with the Mount one against the post, even with the step, he most likely would have got there. I watched it back closely as I was writing a piece on the game. I agree that his positioning was poor and point me to the direction where I've said I'm happy with him. But he's earned us a point v Burnley and made an outstanding save to deny James against Chelsea. He also kept us in it v Leeds.

2. That punch wasn't bad. The reactions of Mina and Godfrey to it landing to Mount was what bothered me. Pickford made the decision to come. He showed bravery. We've asked for decisiveness from him, and he showed it. Mina and Godfrey both watched Mount's chip go over them - Mina in particular was on the six-yard line yet didn't react at all.

 

[BlueToff]

Pickford made a couple decent saves (I want to stress decent, the save on James was near post from outside the box, that isn't world class as a lot are saying) fair enough. But you've got to remember that he also had a couple of screw ups that on another day both end up in the net and it is 2-1. That's what we're dealing with every week.

That's not to say he hasn't been better the last few weeks. People just need to come to terms with better isn't the same as good. He's gone from being a complete wasteland to merely below average.

As this is the James thread I'll say we need him back because we just cannot rely on clean sheets now simply because we rode our luck a bit to one. Every game until an actual trend of real defending starts should be viewed as needing multiple goals for 3 points.

That save from James is a very good save because of the deflection from Doucoure.

As I've replied to the other poster, that punch in the second half - for me Mina and Godfrey have to react quicker there to be getting back to the line.

Regardless, we won and he was crucial to it. Same with Burnely - albeit a point there.

James is obviously going to be a miss but he can't play every game so it has to be a case of picking him when he's fully fit and managing his time over the Christmas period.

 

[TheBigIguana]

That save from James is a very good save because of the deflection from Doucoure.

As I've replied to the other poster, that punch in the second half - for me Mina and Godfrey have to react quicker there to be getting back to the line.

Regardless, we won and he was crucial to it. Same with Burnely - albeit a point there.

James is obviously going to be a miss but he can't play every game so it has to be a case of picking him when he's fully fit and managing his time over the Christmas period.

Giving him credit against Burnley is what I mean when I say we need to understand that better isn't good. He still got beat from outside the box in that game for the second game running but he made 1 decent save too so we were fine with it. The standards have slipped.

James can't play every game but he also hasn't played in 10 and we need him.

 

[BlueToff]

Giving him credit against Burnley is what I mean when I say we need to understand that better isn't good. He still got beat from outside the box in that game for the second game running but he made 1 decent save too so we were fine with it. The standards have slipped.

James can't play every game but he also hasn't played in 10 and we need him.

Again though, you can't just put that Burnley goal down to him. In fact, he's probably the least responsible out of all of them.

If you give a professional footballer 5 yards of space 25 yards out, with your defender turning his back, then expect them to be able to pick a spot.

Not clogging up this thread anymore with Pickford stuff.

What do you mean he hasn't played in 10?

 

[TheBigIguana]

Again though, you can't just put that Burnley goal down to him. In fact, he's probably the least responsible out of all of them.

If you give a professional footballer 5 yards of space 25 yards out, with your defender turning his back, then expect them to be able to pick a spot.

Not clogging up this thread anymore with Pickford stuff.

What do you mean he hasn't played in 10?

10 days. Forgot a word.