2020/21 James Rodriguez

[UptheTofees]

James complains to try to get a card

When you are a talented, injury prone, player that gets targeted by the other team's goons, you gotto play that stupid game otherwise they'll kick you right out of football

 

[kev101]

Yeah I don't want him creating and scoring goals for us either. Much prefer to lose yesterday without his quality, the proper Everton way.

What are you banging on about? I literally never said ANY of that, you're just making it up, you little drama queen

 

[Zezti]

What are you banging on about? I literally never said ANY of that, you're just making it up, you little drama queen

You made up rubbish about James and Richy to complain about. The drama queen is much closer to home.

 

[Martin Alvito]

But that's quite important, isn 't it? Even if you have a Ferrari, you will not win a 365-day car race against a Toyota if it only works 160 days. For me, fitness is a pretty significant issue.

I am not arguing that JR is not a very good football player, he is the very definition of a classic No. 10, but in today's European football there is no room for them anymore. Possibly someone will revolutionize this again, but it remains to be seen.

Often this season, AD has had to play two roles to hide JR's weaknesses. It does not work if you are going to compete against the best. We have also seen it this season, the opponents have strategically attacked on our left side.

In today's football you have to have speed, and you have to have many high intensity sprints. Unfortunately, JR is not capable of that, and along with his fitness problems and this inability, he is out of the question for the big clubs.

The garage has a lot of parking spaces for cars. Even in the individual sports like tennis and golf, a player that performs at a very high level for part of the year earns more than a grinder that finishes in the bottom third of the money list. It's about total points earned over 38 games, and there's a place for players who singlehandedly win points that would otherwise be lost but struggle with fitness. See: Iniesta. It does have to be at the right price, but we got that.

I think you're much more on point with your criticism of Rodriguez as a a defensive liability. It's probably why Zidane never rated him, and it tends to explain why the Bavarians got good use out of him when he was fit, as they were very solid otherwise through midfield and the back.

It's why we'll have to prioritize a top midfielder in the summer. We can't depend on Gbamin ever being the player we bought, and it's pretty clear at this point that we're dependent on having both Doucoure and Allan to have the fight in midfield that we started the season with. The other midfielders look OK when out there with both, but get exposed when only one is out there with them.

A little midfield depth would go a long way towards covering for Rodriguez's shortcomings and would enable us to give him more opportunities to unlock the lesser sides we've struggled against.

 

[little elfin]

Some people may be still dream of Ebbrell, Horn and Parkinson in midfield but that was long time ago.
Today we need quality on the ball to play against pressing or counter-pressing.
Man city has no hardman but Fernandinho.
Last night Kroos, Modric and Casemiro outclassed Liverpool.
Ideally James would play higher up the pitch in the final third but he had to linked up play between defense and midfield and run into the box to score a goal because no one in this team has passing range and possession play like him.
That is why he is the weakest link in this mid-table mediocrity

 

[WA Toffee]

.

But that's quite important, isn 't it? Even if you have a Ferrari, you will not win a 365-day car race against a Toyota if it only works 160 days. For me, fitness is a pretty significant issue.

I am not arguing that JR is not a very good football player, he is the very definition of a classic No. 10, but in today's European football there is no room for them anymore. Possibly someone will revolutionize this again, but it remains to be seen.

Often this season, AD has had to play two roles to hide JR's weaknesses. It does not work if you are going to compete against the best. We have also seen it this season, the opponents have strategically attacked on our left side.

In today's football you have to have speed, and you have to have many high intensity sprints. Unfortunately, JR is not capable of that, and along with his fitness problems and this inability, he is out of the question for the big clubs.

Just so we are clear, do you think it was a mistake to sign him?

 

[Egil Olsen]

The garage has a lot of parking spaces for cars. Even in the individual sports like tennis and golf, a player that performs at a very high level for part of the year earns more than a grinder that finishes in the bottom third of the money list. It's about total points earned over 38 games, and there's a place for players who singlehandedly win points that would otherwise be lost but struggle with fitness. See: Iniesta. It does have to be at the right price, but we got that.

I think you're much more on point with your criticism of Rodriguez as a a defensive liability. It's probably why Zidane never rated him, and it tends to explain why the Bavarians got good use out of him when he was fit, as they were very solid otherwise through midfield and the back.

It's why we'll have to prioritize a top midfielder in the summer. We can't depend on Gbamin ever being the player we bought, and it's pretty clear at this point that we're dependent on having both Doucoure and Allan to have the fight in midfield that we started the season with. The other midfielders look OK when out there with both, but get exposed when only one is out there with them.

A little midfield depth would go a long way towards covering for Rodriguez's shortcomings and would enable us to give him more opportunities to unlock the lesser sides we've struggled against.

I do not completely disagree. Still, Iniesta played at Barcelona, and was part of some legendary teams. The best Barcelona teams had an intense pressure game. In addition, Xavi, Busquets, Inestia, etc., were brought up and educated in positional football. This provides a completely different context.

Everton do not dominate domestic series or European football like Barcelona, nor do we have the world-class players like Barcelona. Barcelona usually had a ball possession of 60-80 percent in their matches. Nor do we have the philosophical framework like Barcelona. They were therefore less vulnerable to injury.

We, on the other hand, are a club that has ambitions to become a top club. At present, we do not have a squad that can match that ambition, nor do we have a philosophical framework. We are therefore very dependent on the players who have been bought in to make us better, to play the majority of the matches. To get continuity and form psychosocial relationships on the field, we need players who can play together over time.

Therefore, I think signings like JR and Allan are the wrong strategy. They play too few games and the perspective is too short. As for JR, we are not a team that dominates ball possession, and are often in the last third of the field. Where JR's strengths are.

 

[Terrarian]

JR wouldn't be here if not for injuries, not sure Allan has been injury prone but this has been a strange season with no proper break or pre season, everyone has lots of injuries not just us.

 

[Egil Olsen]

.

Just so we are clear, do you think it was a mistake to sign him?

I think this is the wrong strategy, and many such purchases involve high risk. But in the end, it is the end product that counts. If we manage the top 6, and he has substantially contributed to it, it is difficult to claim that it was wrong to get JR. If we end up outside the top 6, I would definitely say it was wrong to buy both him and Allan. Then we have gained little.

 

[coollino]

completely normal in here i see

 

[WA Toffee]

I think this is the wrong strategy, and many such purchases involve high risk. But in the end, it is the end product that counts. If we manage the top 6, and he has substantially contributed to it, it is difficult to claim that it was wrong to get JR. If we end up outside the top 6, I would definitely say it was wrong to buy both him and Allan. Then we have gained little.

So basically you think it was a mistake to sign him, but if he proves you wrong, then you thought it was a good idea to sign him.

 

[jazzy]

It really is quite simple.
James is our best player by a mile and we have to find a way to get him on the pitch more .
But that's not simple.
Perhaps we need to think outside the box and get him to play the 1st 15 and last 15 matches of every season and give him an extended winter break in between so that he can go sun himself.
I'm only half joking.

 

[Egil Olsen]

So basically you think it was a mistake to sign him, but if he proves you wrong, then you thought it was a good idea to sign him.

Yes. My hypothesis based on my limited football knowledge is that it is strategically wrong to sign JR (and corresponding player profiles), but if the data contradicts my hypothesis, I must admit that I was wrong. The question is where to set the limit. If we do not qualify for Europe, I do not think my hypothesis has been refuted.

 

[WA Toffee]

Yes. My hypothesis based on my limited football knowledge is that it is strategically wrong to sign JR (and corresponding player profiles), but if the data contradicts my hypothesis, I must admit that I was wrong. The question is where to set the limit. If we do not qualify for Europe, I do not think my hypothesis has been refuted.

Unless of course the issue is that the players around him are not good enough to get us into Europe.

I that that is more likely the cause if we do miss out, because I see James producing chance after chance whenever he plays, surely it can't be his fault if DCL or Richarlison miss those easy chances?

 

[BlueToff]

Ffs man, our fans