2021/22 James Rodriguez

[jazzy]

in theory yes of course. in this instance, having James front and centre may bring all sorts of issues. Even if he's superfit and raring to go (which is a gigantic if) they don't like each other. as SAF says, the manager is the most inportant person at a club, you can't have anyohe undermining that.

Why is James such a threat to Benitez and how is he undermining him?

 

[joey_macmo]

What evidence is there Rafael has an issue though? People are drawing conclusions you are right, but if he is fit enough to train why cant he at least sit on the bench? does he think he is too good for it?

He himself has admitted they were trying to sell him, even to turkey after the main window closed so no replacement could have been signed.

That’s pretty concrete evidence that he doesn’t want him.

 

[Kev50]

Why is James such a threat to Benitez and how is he undermining him?

have you not noticed the barrage of publicity that follows him round, his interivews on social media contradicitng the manager?

 

[jazzy]

What evidence is there Rafael has an issue though? People are drawing conclusions you are right, but if he is fit enough to train why cant he at least sit on the bench? does he think he is too good for it?

He can't sit on the bench if the manager doesn't select him

 

[jazzy]

And........

 

[jazzy]

have you not noticed the barrage of publicity that follows him round, his interivews on social media contradicitng the manager?

No

 

[stretford blue]

What evidence is there Rafael has an issue though? People are drawing conclusions you are right, but if he is fit enough to train why cant he at least sit on the bench? does he think he is too good for it?

Obviously the manager / club wanted James out and probably James himself would have wanted a move but as it stands he is here till January it's up to both parties to resolve any issues for the greater good of the team going forward

 

[4737carlin]

He himself has admitted they were trying to sell him, even to turkey after the main window closed so no replacement could have been signed.

That’s pretty concrete evidence that he doesn’t want him.

So its up to him to find another club, if Niasse can fight his way into a Koeman side lets see if James has as much determination as Oumar the prince had

 

[messymascot]

Maybe James wasn't on the bench yesterday because he wasn't quite ready and Benitez maybe wants to make sure he is at least fully fit. If he never gets on fair enough there is obviously a clash. If James is able to do 30 minutes at a decent level he should be on the bench in my opinion. 3/9 means you can afford to have a variety of players on there and he should definitely be amongst that variety. I hope he gets a few games mainly from the bench and it might convince someone to take that remaining 6 months of us in January. Don't get me wrong I'd rather keep him but Benitez doesn't want him so his wages would be better put towards a player Benitez does want and will use.

 

[jazzy]

Maybe James wasn't on the bench yesterday because he wasn't quite ready and Benitez maybe wants to make sure he is at least fully fit. If he never gets on fair enough there is obviously a clash. If James is able to do 30 minutes at a decent level he should be on the bench in my opinion. 3/9 means you can afford to have a variety of players on there and he should definitely be amongst that variety. I hope he gets a few games mainly from the bench and it might convince someone to take that remaining 6 months of us in January. Don't get me wrong I'd rather keep him but Benitez doesn't want him so his wages would be better put towards a player Benitez does want and will use.

Did you think Rondon looked fit?

 

[Barnfred 55]

James and Benitez go way back. If your James, you know Benitez doesn't want you around. I can see it from my humble standpoint, so he definitely can.
so why stay? his agent could have got a team in one of the big leagues to give him a one year contract, with Everton paying up any balance so he didn't lose out. But he didn't bother. Why? He quite fancies doing not very much til January, and having pops at Benitez every now and again? Whatever the reason, anyone expecting a fully motivated James to come roaring off the subs bench is in for a bit of a shock. We'll see what happens at QPR

So you keep on telling us. But at the end of the day, it's just your opinion and one not based on anything I've ever seen other than he is unreliable fitness wise.

At the end of the day, if he has any ambitions of being a professional footballer by the end of this season, and get back into the Colombian world cup squad, he has to do the business at domestic level this season. He turned down the opportunity to play guaranteed football in the Turkish league at no financial cost to himself. That tells me that it's not just about the money and he actually prefers to be here and fight for his place. We'll see. The manager has to play him first, but with our record with injuries that can't be too far away.

 

[messymascot]

Did you think Rondon looked fit?

No but Rondon won't be injured for 6 weeks of one tap to the calf. Rondon wants to stay. If you had an unfit James playing its a disaster waiting to happen. However some of the things James can do are world class so if he is fit and wanting to play utilise him.

 

[Carloblues]

So its up to him to find another club, if Niasse can fight his way into a Koeman side lets see if James has as much determination as Oumar the prince had

But how is this the same?

Niasse I'm convinced isn't even a footballer, he was a donkey, I'm not surprised koeman took his locker away. Nice story he fought back and scored a few goals bla bla but he was utterly useless.

Rodriquez is quality, he might not do the work bentiez wants that's fair enough l, but for me when he's played he's got stuck in and showed commitment to the cause.

Niasse had to run around like a headless chicken because he had nothing else going for him, Rodriquez shouldn't be asked to run around like a headless chicken to show he's got commitment to the cause.

 

[Barnfred 55]

I think the 5-4-1 was really mean to be a 3-4-3. Townsend said as much in his post-match interview.

Issue was, we had no way of making the ball stick up top so every time we went long it just came back to us. Townsend specifically mentioned Chelsea, who play with 2 10s both capable of dropping deep to get on the ball.

We've seemed to play this shape in the two games so far when the onus has been on us to control possession and in both games tbh we've failed at it. Not to say it can't work, but it needs a player in there to get on the ball. I reckon that could be James' role in that system, as one of the three. If the other two are one of Richarlison/Gray/DCL, then it's a good front three and can be amended as and when. While DCL is out, if Rich is starting up top we can't be just lumping things up to him. Defensively also leaves us with plenty of cover meaning Doucoure can join in the attack. We have to be playing him in behind and that means throughballs or passes into the channels. It's not gonna happen every game and right now James doesn't get in our 'first team' based on how we want to play, I think most people accept that.

We haven't really played 4-2-3-1 btw. If you look at the avg positions in those matches it was pretty much 4-4-2/4-4-1-1. I don't think James works in those systems. If we played 4-2-3-1 with Gray/Richarlison either side it could work but do think he tends to get a bit bogged down when starting central.

I said yesterday, our problem with 3 at the back is that we have 2 full backs who aren't wing backs, so don't comfortably fit into the midfield 4. That has 2 consequences, we end up sitting too deep and the midfield 2 start getting overrun. Which is why Gray and Townsend end up dropping back and then the striker becomes isolated.

Played well, like Germany and Chelsea, it's a very effective system. But the wing backs are what makes it a success or a failure.

 

[4737carlin]

But how is this the same?

Niasse I'm convinced isn't even a footballer, he was a donkey, I'm not surprised koeman took his locker away. Nice story he fought back and scored a few goals bla bla but he was utterly useless.

Rodriquez is quality, he might not do the work bentiez wants that's fair enough l, but for me when he's played he's got stuck in and showed commitment to the cause.

Niasse had to run around like a headless chicken because he had nothing else going for him, Rodriquez shouldn't be asked to run around like a headless chicken to show he's got commitment to the cause.

Thats exactly my point, Niasse as you say was a headless chicken but he got himself a game, if James has the same commitment to the Everton shirt he finds a way too, its on him, if not enjoy Newcastle