2021/22 James Rodriguez

[jinkyali]

How would you ever hope to replace a player of this calibre with the 5 to 10m you are quoting?

He won’t play every game but he is likely the game changer in the ones that he does.

Well you can't can you.
But I genuinely don't see how he gets into the team If the set up yesterday is the preferred method.

It relies on pace, dynamism, grit etc and he doesn't have those qualities unfortunately.

If he's happy being a sub fair enough. But the money men may see that fee being better value than someone on 120k per week on the bench with ten months on his deal.

 

[jinkyali]

I'd expect his agent - having got him here on a free - will expect us to release him without a fee, for the benefit of getting his wages off the books... if he's going.

I assume we can then recover our signing on fee and fees payable to agent too then? Thought not.

 

[ToffeeTim]

Off the striker.

Gray started the first half there before swapping with Richy in the 2nd.

No reason why that couldn't happen.

Won't like.

Don't see it working because he can't carry the ball forward and we couldn't counter attack. His position for English football has to be on the right of a front line, but I don't see how that happens in a 442.

I'm not sure we are good enough to play with a no.10 who hasn't pace to get in behind teams. It's an old fashioned position that doesn't work anymore imo.

First things first, he needs to get himself fit and available, then we can try and work these things out.

 

[Armaghtoffee]

Well you can't can you.
But I genuinely don't see how he gets into the team If the set up yesterday is the preferred method.

It relies on pace, dynamism, grit etc and he doesn't have those qualities unfortunately.

If he's happy being a sub fair enough. But the money men may see that fee being better value than someone on 120k per week on the bench with ten months on his deal.

Southampton are going down. There will be a lot better teams coming to Goodison and we need the quality of James to find an opening.

 

[jinkyali]

Southampton are going down. There will be a lot better teams coming to Goodison and we need the quality of James to find an opening.

I'm not denying that mate but a lot of people aren't seeing the fact that the money men may wish he leaves because his contract runs out in 10 months, he's not a starter and is on 100k plus per week.

 

[Armaghtoffee]

I'm not denying that mate but a lot of people aren't seeing the fact that the money men may wish he leaves because his contract runs out in 10 months, he's not a starter and is on 100k plus per week.

It doesn’t though, the club have the option of a further 12 months.

 

[ToffeeTim]

It doesn’t though, the club have the option of a further 12 months.

If we are being realistic, there is absolutely no prospect of that extension being taken up though.

 

[Armaghtoffee]

If we are being realistic, there is absolutely no prospect of that extension being taken up though.

Under Benitez, no.

 

[ToffeeTim]

Under Benitez, no.

That's how I see it anyway.

My issue with James is fitness and availability given his high wage. I don't know how he is ahead of this season so I'm not particularly invested either way. If he goes, it's regrettable but we will move on and hopefully use the funds to improve elsewhere. If he stays, fine by me.

 

[Armaghtoffee]

That's how I see it anyway.

My issue with James is fitness and availability given his high wage. I don't know how he is ahead of this season so I'm not particularly invested either way. If he goes, it's regrettable but we will move on and hopefully use the funds to improve elsewhere. If he stays, fine by me.

Nothing has changed that way though since we bought Tim. We knew he wouldn’t play every week but when he did he would make the difference.

 

[ToffeeTim]

Nothing has changed that way though since we bought Tim. We knew he wouldn’t play every week but when he did he would make the difference.

We tried to build a system around him though and it failed in the second half of the season when he picked up injuries. I'm all for building a system around him not being available and adding him to it as a little boost or an added improvement. But 442 is the one system I can't work out a place for him, but it suits DCL and Richarlison nicely.

It's complicated for me to see where he fits in, but as I said, I would be inclined to keep him if we think he can be available for selection even as a sub most weeks. I just have no idea where his fitness is at. Only the player and staff have an idea on that one.

There is also the further question of whether we can afford such an expensive bench player. Again, I don't know the finances well enough to have an answer to that.

 

[jinkyali]

Under Benitez, no.

Exactly.
So it's likely why we may see it more value to sell whilst can and use funds accordingly.

Everyone thinks we're offering him out as he doesn't get on with Benitez.
Its likely that it represents better value than him walking away on a free whilst collecting nearly 6m in wages this season alone.

 

[Bedfordblue]

It doesn’t though, the club have the option of a further 12 months.

Probably at the expense of a big ol ‘loyalty bonus’ for him too….

 

[Spadge Vernacular]

Don't see it working because he can't carry the ball forward and we couldn't counter attack. His position for English football has to be on the right of a front line, but I don't see how that happens in a 442.

I'm not sure we are good enough to play with a no.10 who hasn't pace to get in behind teams. It's an old fashioned position that doesn't work anymore imo.

First things first, he needs to get himself fit and available, then we can try and work these things out.

 

[Spadge Vernacular]

I'm not denying that mate but a lot of people aren't seeing the fact that the money men may wish he leaves because his contract runs out in 10 months, he's not a starter and is on 100k plus per week.

Money men being Benitez.