2020/21 James Rodriguez

[TheBigIguana]

Do the basics, keep the ball, track runners, get involved in play.

He did nothing then looked to be subbed. Not for me I'm afraid.

He did what he could of the basics. It is hard to do the basics when no one else is either.

As for get involved he had more touches than everyone on the team but Gomes and the CBs when he went off. That's despite him supposedly being a forward. That doesn't happen without some effort on his part.

 

[Lloydystark]

Subbed because he was poor? Subbed because he wanted to come off? Subbed to rest him?

 

[nsno-chris]

You could see how frustrated he was numerous times because there was no movement. Again it’s the very basics off football: pass and move, instead we pass and stand still

 

[Tubey]

There were two moments first half - one where he fed a ball into Gomes expertly and the Portuguese idiot turned and fired the worst shot in the world wide. And another where he jinked past two, laid off for Doucoure and received it straight back - you saw him screaming at the fool to make a forward run and he just stood still.

He wasn't great - obviously - but my word you could be Messi tonight and with the statues around him he'd struggle to do something.

He's not going to run and chase back. He's not going to be involved every minute. That's not his game. But if you give him something to work with he makes the most of it more often than not, and tonight he had absolutely nothing to work with.

 

[TheBigIguana]

The numbers only mean so much but when you've got him making 4 dribbles and the rest of the team combining for 2 it is hard to see how he's working with close to enough. The good players aren't the problem.

 

[Sean0925]

James main role in this team is to be a creator but he can't just magically create chances for a team with literally no interest in making movement around him.

 

[Wolf8312]

Unfairly being scapegoated here.

He wasn't great, but any sign of life in an attacking sense in the first 60 minutes all came through him.

I too would be annoyed if the 7 players in front of me couldn't get me the ball.

I don't know. I have noticed when the team plays badly certain players always get all the blame, but when James plays badly the team gets the blame! Apart from a few great goals I do question whether we have played better as a team when he has been playing in that position. We don't seem to create or win anything in the middle of the park and he gets taken out of the game or frustrated too easily.

We looked a lot better when he came off today (and when he was injured tbh) and suddenly offered some semblence of an attacking threat and creativity going forward. Maybe that was a coincidence but I don't know I've had doubts creeping in every game I've watched him and he seems to get injured once every two games (that he plays). If he's getting injured so easily can he really be fully fit?

Maybe a different system or a different position I don't know, but it doesn't seem to be working at the moment. Certain teams seem to know how to wind him up.

Not going to be a popular opinion probably but it is only my opinion and hopefully I will be proved wrong.

 

[TheBigIguana]

James main role in this team is to be a creator but he can't just magically create chances for a team with literally no interest in making movement around him.

Nor if the ball can't get up the field without him being involved in doing it.

 

[Drico]

The team is broken. For a combination of reasons - poor players, poor set-up - we tend to break every so often, especially against sides we are "supposed" to beat at home. Tonight was so bad that it's pointless fingering any of the players. The whole thing completely malfunctioned. This one is on Carlo, for me. We have better players than teams that are regularly beating us at home. He needs to find a solution to that.

 

[TheBigIguana]

I don't know. I have noticed when the team plays badly certain players always get all the blame, but when James plays badly the team gets the blame! Apart from a few great goals I do question whether we have played better as a team when he has been playing in that position. We don't seem to create or win anything in the middle of the park and he gets taken out of the game or frustrated too easily.

We looked a lot better when he came off today (and when he was injured tbh) and suddenly offered some semblence of an attacking threat and creativity going forward. Maybe that was a coincidence but I don't know I've had doubts creeping in every game I've watched him and he seems to get injured once every two games (that he plays). If he's getting injured so easily can he really be fully fit?

Maybe a different system or a different position I don't know, but it doesn't seem to be working at the moment. Certain teams seem to know how to wind him up.

Not going to be a popular opinion probably but it is only my opinion and hopefully I will be proved wrong.

Our only good stretch of the season performance wise remains the first couple months and he was the key.

This current up and down run is just a continuation of the run that began against Chelsea with less luck now.

 

[Roachey11]

Didn't want to know. Not arsed who you are, that's not acceptable at any level of the game.

 

[Sharpies volley]

The most one footed player I've ever seen.

 

[f.t.r.s]

Honestly the lads basically a sexy latino gylfi at times...
As in when he's not being sublime he's a passenger

 

[DOMNOLAN]

The numbers only mean so much but when you've got him making 4 dribbles and the rest of the team combining for 2 it is hard to see how he's working with close to enough. The good players aren't the problem.

This

 

[Wolf8312]

Our only good stretch of the season performance wise remains the first couple months and he was the key.

This current up and down run is just a continuation of the run that began against Chelsea with less luck now.

Funny thing is I actually missed that good stretch because I hadn't paid my subscription! So yeah maybe I haven't really had the benefit of seeing what he's all about! I do worry about his fitness and all these injuries though!