2021/22 James Rodriguez

[BNJ1878]

Rubbish he played pre-season & acted like a statue - we have a manager who is trying to get rid of a prima donna on very high wages who his club country refused to play him as he was unfit.....

Some people just won't see it Joey.

I'd have loved it to work out. It hasn't.

People need to let go and focus on the right now.

 

[PaddyJames]

He doesn't want to be here.

Benitez is forcing him out at gunpoint

 

[Joey66]

Benitez is forcing him out at gunpoint

About 4 more & we are quids in ...... he needs a shotgun .....

 

[blueblue]

Playing as Qatar's poster boy ahead of the first ever WC in the middle east is not going to just be overlooked.

But the reports are he's not that keen and is having to be convinced.

I doubt that playing in Qatar is going to improve his chances of forcing his way back into the national squad.
He may opt for a three or four month loan and then try to switch to a more recognised league in January. If he stays at Everton until January or the end of the season it will probably be the end of his career.

 

[BlueToff]

Come off it he went defensive after the Southampton game 6 games in - he never had horrendous injuries for 32 games straight.

He went defensive as he knew persisting with players like James playing open football wasn't the answer long term as teams had started to work us out i.e double up on Coleman as James offered zero protection to him.

In December (when we really went defensive and tbf it started well but was unsustainable), we were without

Digne
Coleman
James
Allan

We then lost Richarlison before Xmas in the Utd cup game, and we had to run DCL into the ground as we had no alternative.

Same amount of key players as out now, only difference is this has come only 4 weeks into the season and unfortunately has hit our best two forwards

 

[BlueToff]

I doubt that playing in Qatar is going to improve his chances of forcing his way back into the national squad.
He may opt for a three or four month loan and then try to switch to a more recognised league in January. If he stays at Everton until January or the end of the season it will probably be the end of his career.

It won't do any more damage than sitting on Everton's bench I suppose.

He'll play in their league and be the big star and play in the Asian Champions League and be that competition's big star.

That's what Al-Rayyan will be selling to him (as well as match his Everton wage).

I honestly think he'd rather stay at Everton if there was going to be a clear pathway. But I don't think there is. I think he reckons - rightly or wrongly here - that however hard he trains, he won't get picked. I'm not saying that's the right attitude to have, btw, but I get the feeling that's where JR and Benitez are at.

I'm not saying that's RB forcing him out because IMO, every player has to fight for their place.

On top of that though, you've got the club being so, so desperate to get him off the books.

 

[Marius57]

If I’m trying super hard to impress my manager and be in my peak physical shape I’m probably not hanging out smoking on luxury yachts, I’d probably be at finch farm putting the hours in and knocking on Benitez’ door saying I’m ready to contribute.
Maybe Benitez made it perfectly clear his door was never open to James, who knows, but I’m not having that he was pushing his hardest to stay this season.

You having a go at someone for being given a few days off like the rest of the players? He has been training all pre season and other than the days he was isolating and was given a weekend off during the international break, as was the whole squad.

I read on here (and have seen on other social media sites) that he was at FF on Saturday doing individual work as he hadn't been selected and then got photos with some of the kids teams when he went in to wish them luck.

 

[HumbleWedbetters]

Not the same. Rondon hasn't played since May, is clearly not match fit at all and has been brought in on a higher wage wage the majority of the team as a back up striker.

In this scenario, dcl is on £20 an hour as a hard working main employee, and we have brought someone in to support him but pay him £30 an hour.

He will be match fit, more importantly we have a specific need for him in out team as a striker.

James does not have a role in Benitez team, in fact he doesn't have a role in most managers teams as he needs to be accommodated. He is a luxury player in every sense of the word.

 

[The T-Dex]

Come on mate we were cut through like butter last season - West Brom put 2 past us and were all over us until they went a man down, Brighton hammered us 2nd half and could have put more than 2 past us. Liverpool put 2 but should have scored 3, Southampton only won 2-0 but absolutely destroyed us with Ward Prowse having about 5 brilliant chances.

This season we've conceeded 7 goals in 5 games HOWEVER 3 of those goals have been direct unforced errors by 2x defenders (Keane against Saints/Leeds & Dignes OG at Villa). Those goals had nothing to do with the system - we've looked relatively comfortable at the back all season and never really felt like we were being put under the cosh even if we have had spells where we haven't played well.

4 conceeded goals in 5 games is decent.

But we conceded 7.

 

[ForeverBlue92]

In December (when we really went defensive and tbf it started well but was unsustainable), we were without

Digne
Coleman
James
Allan

We then lost Richarlison before Xmas in the Utd cup game, and we had to run DCL into the ground as we had no alternative.

Same amount of key players as out now, only difference is this has come only 4 weeks into the season and unfortunately has hit our best two forwards

But my point is mate he never went back to any kind of system where we could lay a glove on the opposition minus 1-2 games.

If people want us to go back to the crap we were watching last season after Xmas by all means put the likes James, Gomes, Siggurdsson back in the team as thats your end result when you have players with no pace/defensive frailties - you have to keep the system very compact.

 

[HumbleWedbetters]

Got far too many fans enamoured with a players talents and reputation rather than what he actually does.

 

[Joey66]

You having a go at someone for being given a few days off like the rest of the players? He has been training all pre season and other than the days he was isolating and was given a week off during the international break, as was the whole squad.

I read on here (and have seen on other social media sites) that he was at FF on Saturday doing individual work as he hadn't been selected and then got photos with some of the kids teams when he went in to wish them luck.

Anyone could do that on the wages he is on .... Brands is the culprit in all this.....

 

[Bkk Andy]

Doha is supposed to be mega tbf but I've never seen the attraction in either there or Dubai as destinations.

But such is life.

Doha is a great day trip. Dubai is a great shopping trip. Other than that, meh...

 

[Marius57]

He will be match fit, more importantly we have a specific need for him in out team as a striker.

James does not have a role in Benitez team, in fact he doesn't have a role in most managers teams as he needs to be accommodated. He is a luxury player in every sense of the word.

He will be match fit. When? Could have done with him being match fit for when dcl is unavailable. Like now.

And back to your scenario, letting James go now, doesn't help us bring in two hard working players, as we can't sign anyone now. We already don't have enough players for a full squad.

 

[Shibbywiggles]

You having a go at someone for being given a few days off like the rest of the players? He has been training all pre season and other than the days he was isolating and was given a week off during the international break, as was the whole squad.

I read on here (and have seen on other social media sites) that he was at FF on Saturday doing individual work as he hadn't been selected and then got photos with some of the kids teams when he went in to wish them luck.

No I’m not having a go at him, I’m saying in that position if I was desperate to play for Everton I would not have gone yachting. I also did qualify it by saying who knows if Benitez had already told him he had zero chance of playing before he went yachting so it might not be his fault.
Sounds great if he was at FF training and being a good bloke on Saturday, can’t say I noticed it in here due to the pages upon pages of people arguing.