2021/22 James Rodriguez

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Fan reaction will change regardless of James involvement.
It will. But are you seriously telling me that the biggest issue won't be the fact that James isn't getting played. The second we drop a single point against a team fans think we should be beating, and people will start gobbing off if James is still sitting in the stands, or even brought off the bench with maybe 5 minutes left.
 
A part of me thinks if this guy was setting the place alight in training, showing strong and serious desire he wants to be in the team and the other senior players (and Benitez) recognised this then I'm sure he'd be in. I think the "feud" between player and manager would fade in to insignificance, especially given the players wage.

I'd hope he's not in the team because he's not deemed good enough for the fight that lies ahead. Who knows the truth? I don't, but if he were the real deal he'd be in, of that I'm 100% certain.
You think Benitez thinks Antony Gordon is more likely to make a difference than James Rodriguez?
 
It will. But are you seriously telling me that the biggest issue won't be the fact that James isn't getting played. The second we drop a single point against a team fans think we should be beating, and people will start gobbing off if James is still sitting in the stands, or even brought off the bench with maybe 5 minutes left.


I don't know. I can't say for sure what other people think. I do know that any manager gets a good boo after a poor result. Benitez history means the booing would probably be louder and more sustained.

As for team selection, I'd rather leave the decisions to whoever is the manager. It's his job and when they review how he's done at seasons end he'll have to explain why if our performances/points are worse than expected, particularly if an expensive, talented asset like James is unused.

The Manager sees the application and effort of all the players day in, day out and picks based on that. I expect now all the windows are closed he slowly gets more and more squad time provided the effort is there. (I doubt he ever starts for us again unless we have a major injury pile up.)

Page 367 for a player yet to kick a ball. He's certainly a conversation stirrer.
 

I don't know. I can't say for sure what other people think. I do know that any manager gets a good boo after a poor result. Benitez history means the booing would probably be louder and more sustained.

As for team selection, I'd rather leave the decisions to whoever is the manager. It's his job and when they review how he's done at seasons end he'll have to explain why if our performances/points are worse than expected, particularly if an expensive, talented asset like James is unused.

The Manager sees the application and effort of all the players day in, day out and picks based on that. I expect now all the windows are closed he slowly gets more and more squad time provided the effort is there. (I doubt he ever starts for us again unless we have a major injury pile up.)

Page 367 for a player yet to kick a ball. He's certainly a conversation stirrer.
That's fair enough mate. It's your choice and I absolutely respect that.

But I have always criticised managers who have not played some of my favourite players, or continued to play those I don't like. Often the manager has proved me wrong. But I've always done it regardless of who the manager is, and I'm not going to stop now just because somebody on an internet forum tells me that I can't criticise Benitez. I'm not accusing you of that by the way, but many on here are saying that.

So far this season, despite me not liking Benitez as an individual, I have given him a lot of positive feedback on his team selection and the way he has us playing. The only criticism I have given him so far is starting with 3 at the back against Burnley (nothing to do with James) as I've criticised every other Everton manager over the last 10 years that has tried the same. But I've never had to make upwards of 50 posts defending my comments before as I have this week.
 
I think there has been a fair bit of game playing from both sides leading up to the end of the transfer window, but I think now it’s done till January James will be fighting to get in the team and working hard in training. Benitez will recognise this and he will play some part in the our games in the next 3 months. Here’s to hoping.
 
That's fair enough mate. It's your choice and I absolutely respect that.

But I have always criticised managers who have not played some of my favourite players, or continued to play those I don't like. Often the manager has proved me wrong. But I've always done it regardless of who the manager is, and I'm not going to stop now just because somebody on an internet forum tells me that I can't criticise Benitez. I'm not accusing you of that by the way, but many on here are saying that.

So far this season, despite me not liking Benitez as an individual, I have given him a lot of positive feedback on his team selection and the way he has us playing. The only criticism I have given him so far is starting with 3 at the back against Burnley (nothing to do with James) as I've criticised every other Everton manager over the last 10 years that has tried the same. But I've never had to make upwards of 50 posts defending my comments before as I have this week.
I'm not sure I've read anyone who has posted on here that Benitez is above reproach ? When he actually looses a game, pretty sure most (including me) will be on his back, especially if it's a poor sub or poor tactics shown.
It seems to me the James lovers on here are way more vitriolic than ones that are choosing to believe he's not up for the fight... heck no one actually knows what James has been told by Benitez.or what James has said to him...no one on here anyway so this whole forum split is pointless. Certainly not worth all the bickering and name calling from either side.
 
This Raffles/Jamez stand off is a bit reminiscent of the Duncan McMagic/Gordon Lee affair in ‘77.

When Gordon came in everyone thought he would never play McMagic but play him he did and Duncan was used plenty for the rest of that season and the following season before joining Chelsea.
 

Mind games to get James playing with higher tempo in a world cup year.




Or he truly hates him



Side note: it's been a long time that we have had a player that receives so much media attention, similar to like a pogba etc. We really can't trust what the media says about him or the relationship. But one thing is for sure, he made an arse out of himself going on Twitch
 
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This Raffles/Jamez stand off is a bit reminiscent of the Duncan McMagic/Gordon Lee affair in ‘77.

When Gordon came in everyone thought he would never play McMagic but play him he did and Duncan was used plenty for the rest of that season and the following season before joining Chelsea.
If Benitez does likewise with James, even if mainly from the bench, I don't think many of us would have any qualms. I certainly wouldn't.

We all know that overusing him will just end with him being out for sustained periods
 
That's fair enough mate. It's your choice and I absolutely respect that.

But I have always criticised managers who have not played some of my favourite players, or continued to play those I don't like. Often the manager has proved me wrong. But I've always done it regardless of who the manager is, and I'm not going to stop now just because somebody on an internet forum tells me that I can't criticise Benitez. I'm not accusing you of that by the way, but many on here are saying that.

So far this season, despite me not liking Benitez as an individual, I have given him a lot of positive feedback on his team selection and the way he has us playing. The only criticism I have given him so far is starting with 3 at the back against Burnley (nothing to do with James) as I've criticised every other Everton manager over the last 10 years that has tried the same. But I've never had to make upwards of 50 posts defending my comments before as I have this week.
Spot on! Everyone can defend their position, and it's not anybodies job to convince you you're wrong.

The 3 at the back v Burnley was daft. They'd have been quite a bit of blowback had the team not got 3 points.

As for James, I'd love to see him play. The only place I can see him maybe fitting in under Benitez is as a bit of a floating 2nd forward. (4 4 1 1)

It's just hard to justify dropping anybody right now. Looking ahead I don't think QPR will be a fair introduction for him, they'll be properly up for it.
 
The problem is with all of this is, we simply don't know the circumstances.

He's in training, but we don't know if he's strolling around. He's had his say on Twitch, but no player comes out and says how it's all their fault.

Rafael has equally kept his cards close to his chest. He's only said when he's available and that he's training. He can't come out and slag him off, as it causes more discontent.

Dealing in FACHTS only and not rumours (Rafael hates him/James wants out etc) the only thing that's made me think that this is on James, is his comment about not knowing who we were playing. I expect any player, injured or unavailable etc, to still know this, to still be cheering on his teammates and talking about the win.
 

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