2020/21 James Rodriguez

[Egil Olsen]

6 goals / 9 assists in 1,968 mins (~22) for a player we knew wouldn't play every game and some of you think it's a joke we signed him.

I honestly hope we never win another trophy or title in our existence.

Rooney also had an ok stats when he was last here. The point is that JR is not Everton FC, and if he has good stats, it does not necessarily mean that Everton FC has improved. How many times have opponents deliberately attacked JR's side? How has our game developed while JR has been here? There are many considerations that must be taken.

 

[Nymzee]

Rooney also had an ok stats when he was last here. The point is that JR is not Everton FC, and if he has good stats, it does not necessarily mean that Everton FC has improved. How many times have opponents deliberately attacked JR's side? How has our game developed while JR has been here? There are many considerations that must be taken.

Are we a better team with him in it?

Yes / No

 

[riddick]

Are we a better team with him in it or when he's missing.

Yes / No

That's not really a yes/no question

 

[Nymzee]

That's not really a yes/no question

I forgot to crop last part of the sentence when I edited.

 

[Egil Olsen]

Are we a better team with him in it or when he's missing.

Difficult to respond to counterfactual statements. It would have been fun to do an experiment, but it's probably not possible. However, we will most likely end up in 8th place, which means that Everton FC has not gotten much better. We also do not play any better football.

 

[Nymzee]

Difficult to respond to counterfactual statements. It would have been fun to do an experiment, but it's probably not possible. However, we will most likely end up in 8th place, which means that Everton FC has not gotten much better. We also do not play any better football.

No, that's not what I'm asking. Very simple question: are we a better team with Rodriguez in it?

Yes / No

 

[Egil Olsen]

No, that's not what I'm asking. Very simple question: are we a better team with Rodriguez in it?

Yes / No

We have a point average of 1.47 with JR on the field, and a point average of 1.84 without JR.

 

[Nymzee]

We have a point average of 1.47 with JR on the field, and a point average of 1.84 without JR.

That would only be relevant if we played the same sides with him and then the same sides without him.

When you watch us, via the Matrix, do you think "we'd be better if he was not on the pitch"?

 

[Jebus_lives]

Rooney also had an ok stats when he was last here. The point is that JR is not Everton FC, and if he has good stats, it does not necessarily mean that Everton FC has improved. How many times have opponents deliberately attacked JR's side? How has our game developed while JR has been here? There are many considerations that must be taken.

No. He's class.

 

[MACCA75]

He’s a very good player. I find the kissing his arse like he’s Maradona playing for MK Dons a little bit weird though.

If people expect us to be finishing in the top 6 anytime soon we’ll need lots of players of his level and higher.

 

[riddick]

I can't believe there are people saying James is "the problem" The only "problem" we have with James is that we don't have a clue how to create anything without him. He's simply boss.

 

[blue to the bone]

Burn the last few pages of this thread please

 

[matty1878]

I can't believe there are people saying James is "the problem" The only "problem" we have with James is that we don't have a clue how to create anything without him. He's simply boss.

yup

 

[BlueToff]

The Tom Davies stat of being the slowest midfielder is a shocker. As is Iwobi being the anti-pacy, powerful winger tag some give him.

Carlo will know all this. Says in that article he sets us up based on our limitations as well as him saying we'll be looking for quality in the summer in the presser

Well I mean in games we've lost tbf he hasn't set up based on our limitations and that's been the issue.

Davies should have been playing every game while Doucoure was out.

 

[BlueToff]

It is not very difficult to understand. JR has a well-known injury history, has a reputation for not being very professional, and has a high salary. No top clubs were willing to take the risk. I think he has amazing skills, especially his spatial abilities, but we treat him like teenage girls treat Kardashian or Addison Rae. Football is a team sport, and is not about individuals.

If you want to play for the top clubs in the world, you must be in the best possible shape you can be in, and you must be prepared for running a lot, and many high-intensity sprints. JR is nowhere near any of this, and that's the truth. Everton have ambitions, and then we have to build a solid training culture.

Then we must first and foremost get players, who of course have quality, but who also can withstand a lot of training, and who have the mentality to do so. We can not pick up players who lack this drive, and who are more often with the physiotherapist, than on the training field.

Do you think Guerdiola had trusted JR against PSG, or Tuchel when Chelsea met Real Madrid?

Does he? I don't think he does...

He's got a calf injury, which is very persistent. We knew this. We knew we'd be doing very well if we got 30 games out of him this season. He played 6 matches was it, in all comps last year, due to a combination of injury, COVID, Zidane etc.

He's a brilliant player. But he has a niggling issue which isn't going to get better. He has to be the cherry on top for us though. At the moment, he's the cake, and that's the issue.