Install the app
How to install the app on iOS

Follow along with the video below to see how to install our site as a web app on your home screen.

Note: This feature may not be available in some browsers.

Why on earth did we sell James Rodriguez?

Status
Not open for further replies.
Calvin Aldi said:
He's built a career on being good at Porto and then showing flashes of brilliance every so often in addition to his World Cup goal in 2014.

Also injury prone players who've played their entire career in slower leagues tend to struggle when they end up in the Premier League. He's got good PR you can give him that.

That and the fact that he never gave the impression that he ever wanted to be here, once Ancelotti was gone it was only a matter of time before he went.
Click to expand...
well, and, those 6 goals he scored last season and his assists. Its not like he did nothing last season like say Delph...
 

Legend Barry Horne said:
We had a truly world class player - Benitez decided he didn’t fit his style to the extent he needed to sell him - other new signings have done well but maybe are being sussed out a bit. In a light squad, surely James could be helping us right now?? The whole thing was bizarre
Click to expand...
The only sensible explanation I heard was that Benitez thought he was injured too often to be worth the wages.
 

Egil Olsen said:
Why did we sell JR? Cutting costs, rarely in match form, football has evolved, context: playing in the world's most physical and intense league for a team that is average, and where defensive solidity weighs more than the opposite. JR also does not fit Benitez's philosophy, or most modern mangers' philosophy.

Some people constantly mention that it is not important to run, but it is more important what you do with the ball. It's just a myth. Of course, what you do with the ball is important, but teams that prioritize ball possession do not run significantly less during a football match. Xavi was, for example, the player who ran the most for Barcelona in almost every match, and a player like Inestia was not far behind.

So what you do with the ball is no more important than what you do without. During a match, a player has the ball on average for 3-4 minutes, so I would say it is more important what the player does without the ball.
Click to expand...
Except that as an attacker, what you do with the ball really is important. Quality, decision making and end product is really what separates the good from the top quality players. We’ve surely seen enough of the likes of Lennon, Walcott, Iwobi, Bolasie to know that runners without quality won’t get you very far. A team needs a balance between graft and craft.

Another point is that if you have a team full of runners, you want at least one passer to spot and release the ball for their runs.

Bottom line, we had no one in the squad bar James who is a creative passer. We let him go and kept a headless chicken like Iwobi. I don’t really have a problem with letting James go but if we were dead set on it then we should also have forced Iwobi out too and the money saved from both gone to a player who can spot a pass in the final third. We didn’t and are completely reliant on the counter attack as a result and are now playing Iwobi instead of James. The inevitable is now playing out and nobody can be pleased with that decision making by the club.
 
BigDuncTributeBand said:
Except that as an attacker, what you do with the ball really is important. Quality, decision making and end product is really what separates the good from the top quality players. We’ve surely seen enough of the likes of Lennon, Walcott, Iwobi, Bolasie to know that runners without quality won’t get you very far. A team needs a balance between graft and craft.

Another point is that if you have a team full of runners, you want at least one passer to spot and release the ball for their runs.

Bottom line, we had no one in the squad bar James who is a creative passer. We let him go and kept a headless chicken like Iwobi. I don’t really have a problem with letting James go but if we were dead set on it then we should also have forced Iwobi out too and the money saved from both gone to a player who can spot a pass in the final third. We didn’t and are completely reliant on the counter attack as a result and are now playing Iwobi instead of James. The inevitable is now playing out and nobody can be pleased with that decision making by the club.
Click to expand...
this is a point worth thinking about. Would you have rather seen James coming on against Watford or Iwobi? would you have rather seen James trying to create something to get us a point at Wolves or Iwobi? There isn't really a comparison.
Even if what half of the moaners on here say is true and James was a passenger, we replaced a very talented passenger who demonstrated a clear end product with an untalented passenger.
 

Status
Not open for further replies.

Welcome to GrandOldTeam

Get involved. Registration is simple and free.

Register
Back
Top