2021/22 James Rodriguez

[USABlue]

Tomorrow is our fifth match. He didn't play this summer because Colombia didn't want him. He has not picked up any other injuries since then.

At some point you have to call a spade a spade. He isn't playing, because he doesn't want to play in Benitez's system.

James is an elite talent on his day, but he's too mentally and physically fragile to depend on.

Lets just cash in our small profit and move on.

I don't think it's all on him not wanting to play, I don't think Benitez wants him to play much either. They're just not a good fit together. Hopefully he can contribute until Jan.

As others have mentioned I think he'll be very useful against teams who give us more time on the ball.

 

[TheBigIguana]

I don't think it's all on him not wanting to play, I don't think Benitez wants him to play much either. They're just not a good fit together. Hopefully he can contribute until Jan.

As others have mentioned I think he'll be very useful against teams who give us more time on the ball.

We did manage to get out possessed by Burnley. I think there is a chance we're 20th in possession this season and that's a good thing.

 

[Bkk Andy]

The Echo did a similar year end summary last year that tracked their weekly ratings throughout last season and took averages based on those to remove recency and narratives biases. James was Everton's second rated out field player after Mina.

This argument that he hasn't proved his worth on the pitch for the team is nuts.

Whether he has or hasn't isn't really reflected in this. If we're taking the Echo's article as gospel then James is still an absolutely bang average player and Kenny is better than Coleman.

 

[Bkk Andy]

Th

Tomorrow is our fifth match. He didn't play this summer because Colombia didn't want him. He has not picked up any other injuries since then.

At some point you have to call a spade a spade. He isn't playing, because he doesn't want to play in Benitez's system.

James is an elite talent on his day, but he's too mentally and physically fragile to depend on.

Lets just cash in our small profit and move on.

There's nothing to cash in mate. Nobody wanted him on a free when we were apparently prepared to pay a chunk of his salary.

 

[livinginhope]

James supposedly wants to play football...James supoosedly is an incredibaly talented footballer...James was offered to any club that wanted him on loan with Everton supposedly paying a portion of his wages yet nobody wanted him. Please explain

 

[BlueToff]

Colombia ran tests on his calf and decided he wasn't fit enough. With a limited squad and covid they couldn't risk having him get hurt again.

Now yes, he clearly agitated for a move thus summer. What's harder to say is whether he initiated it or Benitez and/or Brands told him that was what they were going to do. Either way he's not been training until after the window shut so he's really probably not fit yet. Preseason is usually a good month.

Bit of both

 

[Blunatic]

There seems to be a rhetoric surrounding James that suggests he'd be most useful for us against teams that sit deep and allow us possession. I'm of the exact opposite opinion i believe he's most effective in the games against so called bigger sides where the offensive makeup of the opponent means he has more space to operate. Against the deep lying defensive sides he may have more of the ball but he'll have less time and less space to operate in, meaning he ends up dropping deep to get on the ball and ends up to deep and ineffective. His better performances for us last season were against offensive teams, Liverpool, Spurs, Brighton, Man Utd, Leicester etc

 

[blue62]

At various times he's quoted as earning £250kpw, the latest article has him on £90kpw so little wonder he doesn't know who our next opponent is, budgeting must be a nightmare.

 

[BlueToff]

Tomorrow is our fifth match. He didn't play this summer because Colombia didn't want him. He has not picked up any other injuries since then.

At some point you have to call a spade a spade. He isn't playing, because he doesn't want to play in Benitez's system.

James is an elite talent on his day, but he's too mentally and physically fragile to depend on.

Lets just cash in our small profit and move on.

Few things here.

First two games, along with four of our other players, he was isolating. A convenient timing maybe, but he had to isolate.

He returned to training after the Leeds game. He was in full training that week up to Brighton, but didn't play in either match that week as Everton were in talks with Porto. I was told by someone I do trust that it was a mutual decision from Everton and James for him not to travel to Brighton while talks over a move were ongoing.

He has trained fully now for going on 4 weeks, bar the little break all the players had. If Benitez didn't think he was match fit enough for Monday's squad then fine, that's on him. It's not correct, because Rondon looked like he'd been on the ale as he's had no pre-season and not played since May, but it's the manager's decision.

You've said he 'doesn't want to play in Benitez's system'. Well that's just not true. He'll play in whatever system the manager instructs him to, because he's contracted to Everton. But, it's up to the manager whether he wants to use him or not (which again, is his decision).

We will move James on. But we can't now until at least January so it would be mad not to use him in some situations because he is just an exceptional player.

It doesn't need to be all black and white. He's a luxury we can't afford but, right now, he's here, so you use him as what he is - the cherry on top to add quality on top of a structured system.

Are people just forgetting how utterly crap we've been in large sections of our two home games against two pretty poor sides this season?

 

[BlueToff]

There seems to be a rhetoric surrounding James that suggests he'd be most useful for us against teams that sit deep and allow us possession. I'm of the exact opposite opinion i believe he's most effective in the games against so called bigger sides where the offensive makeup of the opponent means he has more space to operate. Against the deep lying defensive sides he may have more of the ball but he'll have less time and less space to operate in, meaning he ends up dropping deep to get on the ball and ends up to deep and ineffective. His better performances for us last season were against offensive teams, Liverpool, Spurs, Brighton, Man Utd, Leicester etc

Agree to an extent - we want his quality to come the fore in big moments which in the past is where we've missed a real quality player to deliver in those moments.

But he's also useful to have on the bench so that he can come on and change certain games when we do need that player to pick the lock.

Which is all most posters who want him to be seen in the squad are saying. We aren't good enough, by any measurement, to ignore a player of his quality and leave him out of 20-man matchday squads.

 

[messymascot]

Few things here.

First two games, along with four of our other players, he was isolating. A convenient timing maybe, but he had to isolate.

He returned to training after the Leeds game. He was in full training that week up to Brighton, but didn't play in either match that week as Everton were in talks with Porto. I was told by someone I do trust that it was a mutual decision from Everton and James for him not to travel to Brighton while talks over a move were ongoing.

He has trained fully now for going on 4 weeks, bar the little break all the players had. If Benitez didn't think he was match fit enough for Monday's squad then fine, that's on him. It's not correct, because Rondon looked like he'd been on the ale as he's had no pre-season and not played since May, but it's the manager's decision.

You've said he 'doesn't want to play in Benitez's system'. Well that's just not true. He'll play in whatever system the manager instructs him to, because he's contracted to Everton. But, it's up to the manager whether he wants to use him or not (which again, is his decision).

We will move James on. But we can't now until at least January so it would be mad not to use him in some situations because he is just an exceptional player.

It doesn't need to be all black and white. He's a luxury we can't afford but, right now, he's here, so you use him as what he is - the cherry on top to add quality on top of a structured system.

Are people just forgetting how utterly crap we've been in large sections of our two home games against two pretty poor sides this season?

I think he offers something different to what we have. I also think him and Richarlison are on a wavelength and his passing ability means we can use Gray to get quickly on the counter attack. His downsides are we will never get 90 minutes from and he won't track back. If we are chasing a game tracking back is last thing on any attackers mind. He may just offer that spark against a team sitting in but he will also be useful on the counter attack if a team is coming at us to try and win as he will play them delightful passes. At least have him in the squad he offers more than Gordon in my opinion.

 

[bag a yoko]

There seems to be a rhetoric surrounding James that suggests he'd be most useful for us against teams that sit deep and allow us possession. I'm of the exact opposite opinion i believe he's most effective in the games against so called bigger sides where the offensive makeup of the opponent means he has more space to operate. Against the deep lying defensive sides he may have more of the ball but he'll have less time and less space to operate in, meaning he ends up dropping deep to get on the ball and ends up to deep and ineffective. His better performances for us last season were against offensive teams, Liverpool, Spurs, Brighton, Man Utd, Leicester etc

Indeed. There's a reason one time 'best defender in the world' VVD tried to break him in half.

 

[Bluestar]

Best player we've had in years yet no bugger wanted him even when offered on a free/loan.

Something doesn't add up there

He remains a beautifully talented player with flaws. He never quite regained his fitness and form last season after VVD “put one on him” in the derby.

The bit that doesn’t add up his salary. That’s why no one was willing to take him. A player that can’t play regularly and see out 90 minutes yet draws a huge salary is always going to find limited opportunities to move, especially in the current climat.

 

[Bluestar]

I note there was some articles yesterday quoting Angelotti about the future of football. Angelotti is quoted as saying he has seen the direction of travel of football firsthand in England, and requires invent pace and power. Players have to be powerful that’s what he’s telling his Real Madrid squad.

 

[EverTheOptimist]

He has more chance being in the new season of Narcos as Pacho Herrera's new Colombian other half than playing for Rafael.