2021/22 James Rodriguez

[EverTheOptimist]

Calling Roger Milla a flash in the pan is a terrible call. 2 African Cup of Nations, 2 ACN top scorer awards, 2 African footballer of the year awards (14 years apart!) and spent most of his career in France and had over a 1 in 2 goalscoring record at both club and country level.

Milla was relatively unknown coming into 1990 purely because of how the world was back then. There were loads of players from that era who were boss who people have never really even heard of who would be global superstars in today's game.

Salvatore Schillaci then it is.

 

[Barnfred 55]

And no doubt he will be used so sparingly that the career threatening fatigue he suffers from shouldn’t come into play.

I can't tell whether that was sarcastic or not but I'll give you the benefit of the doubt and assume it wasn't.

Many of us on here actually believe that this is a positive thing. That being used sparingly will actually make him available more often. The player himself probably wouldn't appreciate my saying that but I think it's true, and will enable us to get the most out of him.

 

[Spadge Vernacular]

Looking forward to more of this from our little magician this season.

Sublime passing

Get in the goal.

Great isn't he. It is no wonder that the Kopites were seething when we got him and are desperate for him to go. Can't wait to see him split them in two again.

 

[davek]

Certainly not the fans or the team. Best player we've had since early Rooney and some kopite ostracises him through arrogance.

He ostracised himself.

And BTW he really isn't all that.

 

[Brett Angell Delight]

The person who gave two of those players in the region of a combined £200-220k a week has just been given a three-year deal

That's one of my issues

Which is a fair enough gripe. With respect to your original point of the club not doing enough to get rid: I don’t think the best DoF in world football could have done any better in getting rid.

Gomes was signed on the back of a pretty successful loan, so I think we were all hoodwinked on that one. I must admit I fell for the “Delph could be a handy player for us” line. He has not been.

Our best hope is that Benitez can get some kind of a tune out of them if and when they’re needed.

To return to topic, the same can be said for James but not sure RB is man enough to swallow his pride on that score. Maybe a run out against QPR and the odd 5 mins here and there if we find ourselves in comfortable positions but not much more.

 

[d34noj]

He ostracised himself.

And BTW he really isn't all that.

He really didn't.

And name one single player since Rooney that has the talent he has. I can't wait for this.

 

[Caolam]

He is the most skilful player at the club. He gives us something no other player in the squad does, he can pass the ball forward accurately. I am happy he is staying and I am hoping he will knuckle down and help out and that Benitez gives him a chance.
With his range of passing, the pace of Gray, Richy running at people and DCL‘s ability it looks like we have options to change things if required.

 

[EFCccc]

He really didn't.

And name one single player since Rooney that has the talent he has. I can't wait for this.

We finished 10th with him mate. And the player that can’t be named had the same goals/assists as him.

 

[jazzy]

Nobody is asking Benitez to make James the central figure to build the team around. Well, I don't think so anyway. Most people, like me, don't even expect him to be a regular starter and will have to settle for being a squad player at best. We even agree that, given the relationship between him and the manager, coupled with the amount of money he is on, it would have been better had he left the club provided we replaced him in the squad.

But, for better or worse he didn't leave and ended the window still our player. Now, there are going to be times, all too frequent I would imagine, that intensity and discipline are not going to be enough. That we need a bit of magic to unlock a stubborn defence or a bit of quality to match the quality of the best teams in the league. It would be absolutely foolish of the club if we were in that position, and we had James available on the bench, if we didn't utilise him just because of some petty nonsense between him and the manager.

Completely agree. I can see him starting against teams that sit deep .

 

[jazzy]

Hope he starts next game.

It's the sort of game we would need him in.

 

[d34noj]

We finished 10th with him mate. And the player that can’t be named had the same goals/assists as him.

Real Madrid won La Liga with him twice, the Champions League with him twice, Bayern won the Bundesliga with him twice. What's your point?

And you're seriously comparing James Rodriguez with Iceland??

 

[davek]

He really didn't.

And name one single player since Rooney that has the talent he has. I can't wait for this.

I think Arteta was a more influential player for us than James, for one.

...and to be influential you have to be on the pitch.

We have James after his peak. If he was at peak or nearing it we wouldn't have him.

The nonsense talked about "I hope we all get to see him play at Goodison in the flesh".

That's just a fanbase starved of talent over the years, not a realistic assessment of his status in the game.

He makes forward passes and scores a few goals?

Great. I've never seen that before.

 

[Barnfred 55]

Completely agree. I can see him starting against teams that sit deep .

I think he should be. It's true that playing him can put pressure on defenses because he won't do the level of covering that the likes of Richy and Townsend will do. But against some teams that won't be as big an issue as it is against others. Against such teams what he brings to the set up outweighs what he doesn't bring. Otherwise it's utilising him from the bench mainly.

I just hope Benitez is a pragmatic person. Like you I'm not a fan, but he has brought us a brand of football it's good to watch again. Let's hope he can surprise me again and bury the hatchet with James.

As far as James is concerned, I'm hoping he's been made uncomfortable by the lack of interest in him this summer, on the back of being dropped from the Copa America squad. If he has ambitions to continue paying top club and International football after this season, he needs to get his head down, work hard to get and stay fit, and make the manager take notice.

 

[d34noj]

I think Arteta was a more influential player for us than James, for one.

...and to be influential you have to be on the pitch.

We have James after his peak. If he was at peak or nearing it we wouldn't have him.

The nonsense talked about "I hope we all get to see him play at Goodison in the flesh".

That's just a fanbase starved of talent over the years, not a realistic assessment of his status in the game.

He makes forward passes and scores a few goals?

Great. I've never seen that before.

Arteta, the player referred to as 'the Crab' was more influential? (By the way - I never said influential for the club, as Cahill/Baines/Pienaar and a host of others would take that accolade) I said more talented.

Arteta certainly wasn't.

James Rodriguez is as close to a world class talent we have had in 15 years, and that includes bouncy shins Lukaku.

 

[davek]

Arteta, the player referred to as 'the Crab' was more influential? (By the way - I never said influential for the club, as Cahill/Baines/Pienaar and a host of others would take that accolade) I said more talented.

Arteta certainly wasn't.

James Rodriguez is as close to a world class talent we have had in 15 years, and that includes bouncy shins Lukaku.

Wold class my arse.