I saw enough of James in the team last season to see the pattern: that we will be running backwards most of the game when a player doesn't do enough behind the ball.
You have this all wrong:
- James is not the massive influence you suggest him to be - we finished 10th and he was a very large part of the reason we did so
- The manager doesn't fancy him, as he underlined at Madrid and by asking him to find a new club this summer here
- The way he's conducted himself in the last 4 months has underlined in spades that he's disinterested in the club and will continue to prove to be disruptive
He will hardly feature if at all this season (or hopefully only to January if we can get shut then).
He is not a Benitez type player and the manager has the right to get results his way.
Just like the way Benitez got an ovation at the first home game, which completely destroyed notions on here that this and other forums with a loud anti-Benitez group were representative of our support, so too will it be proven that this player wont carry any weight amongst the vast majority of Evertonians...they know a piss take when they see it and they wont take too long to let him know it if he ever gets on the pitch and clcoks off as he did under Ancelotti.
Not sure that is an accurate, account of what happened last season, my opinion is our results and bad runs tapered off when he was injured and not in the team. We struggled for a creative force, the line breaker, that could open up a team in one brilliant creative phase of play, as such our strikers goals and the whole team dried up and we tanked. That a pretty significant influence in my opinion.
If the manager doesn't fancy him that his prerogative, im not sure that is the case, if he doesn't he stupid and i dont think he is stupid. I think its speculative. As i said earlier hes already played under manager and been away internationally with im in preseason, he fulfilled all club duties. He hasnt asked for a transfer, he hasn't bad mouthed the club, hes been professional as far as i can see. Its again tr6ying to demonize someone because you turned your face from the player, its a real trait in our fanbase, for very little evidence, not like he did a Rooney on it. I do agree though its the mangers prerogative, he will live and die by results and decisions - not picking Jamo is one. We've both been around the block long enough to know, any good will is a honey moon and two losses and the knives are out for him, at that point Jamo will become a savior. That's how quickly it turns, its inevitable.
The manager will play a dull, systemic, percentage based game - that his MO. It wont get the blood racing and i find it quite amusing that much of the criticism aimed at Moyes historically they are going to get Turbo under this manager. Ultimately football is there to be enjoyed, the natives will get restless of a certain style and we know what happens then.
As i say Jamo is special, Evertonians take to heart players of his skill, quality and Maverick ability, if we cant the club is lost, its part of our culture. I think that is why it doesn't sit well with the majority of Evertonians, playing a statistical, pragmatic, dull game preferred by a manager who isnt one of us, who prefers Iwobis and Townends over the Jamos of this world - who are the epitome of our Maverick school of science culture. Payers like Jamo should be what this club should be about and if we cant find a place for them, we've lost our identity as a club. May as well be Burnlely playing the percentages.