The Rodwell Incident

[ToxtethBlue]

His off the ball pace I mean. It's no use just bombing forward non-stop without the intelligence to back it up. That's why Usain Bolt isn't a top class footballer, and why Dwain Chambers failed spectacularly at rugby. Just running fast isn't enough. Drenthe is quicker than Messi and Ronaldo over 100m but who's the better wide player?



He would, yet whilst the potential may still be there and the squad is so thin then I'm all for giving him a run in the Arteta role to see if his footballing brain is really up to scratch. It's his make or break season, but I don't personally have the faith in him to come good. That's not to say he won't; yet if I were the manager and a £10m bid came in for him now, I'd let him go.

But we are talking about fullbacks, and alot of there game is based on running in a straight line for 90 minutes. You don't need particularly intelligent movement to make an overlap for your wide player. It's basic stuff really, and Rodwell is a very good athlete.

As for his technical ability, I think your way off to be honest. Go and have a look at his goal against Huddersfield or his assist for Arteta's goal against City a year or two ago. Average players can't manipulate the ball like that. The ability to control the ball effortlessly with either foot and change direction with relative ease. He's not quite Arteta, Osman or Barkley, but he's a good footballer. I'm the first to admit we don't see it anywhere near enough, but I think that's down to his mentality. He definitely has it, the raw attributes are all there.

 

[steken1]

He's got no aggression and no drive by the look of how he plays. He never, ever gets a tackle in. Where the myth that he's a great footballer came from god knows? he's gotthe physicals and he's neat and tidy but that's it!

 

[Tubey]

But we are talking about fullbacks, and alot of there game is based on running in a straight line for 90 minutes. You don't need particularly intelligent movement to make an overlap for your wide player. It's basic stuff really, and Rodwell is a very good athlete.

As for his technical ability, I think your way off to be honest. Go and have a look at his goal against Huddersfield or his assist for Arteta's goal against City a year or two ago. Average players can't manipulate the ball like that. The ability to control the ball effortlessly with either foot and change direction with relative ease. He's not quite Arteta, Osman or Barkley, but he's a good footballer. I'm the first to admit we don't see it anywhere near enough, but I think that's down to his mentality. He definitely has it, the raw attributes are all there.

I actually didn't criticise his technical ability, I'm just saying he can't maintain it because his mindset is weak and his off the ball movement isn't anywhere near good enough to go with his tidy play when he does get the ball. That's why I called him "composed" before. And that's why I'd rather him be given the "Arteta role" this year to see whether he has something about him or, as I suspect, he's a sheep in wolfs clothing who'll turn out for Huddersfield in a few years. I hope I'm wrong.

Also, running up and down is definitely not the only trait needed for a full back. And after QPR, I never want to see Rodwell in any sort of wide area ever again. He kept running into Neville because he had no attacking instincts and even Neville wanted to get ahead of him in play.

 

[ToxtethBlue]

I actually didn't criticise his technical ability, I'm just saying he can't maintain it because his mindset is weak and his off the ball movement isn't anywhere near good enough to go with his tidy play when he does get the ball. That's why I called him "composed" before. And that's why I'd rather him be given the "Arteta role" this year to see whether he has something about him or, as I suspect, he's a sheep in wolfs clothing who'll turn out for Huddersfield in a few years. I hope I'm wrong.

Also, running up and down is definitely not the only trait needed for a full back. And after QPR, I never want to see Rodwell in any sort of wide area ever again. He kept running into Neville because he had no attacking instincts and even Neville wanted to get ahead of him in play.

That's fair enough, I have similar reservations of his game in this area myself, but I would say the movement is different from role to role. I think he'd be better running onto things, coming from deep and getting beyond the strikers. He can also carry the ball with pace and power, similar to someone like Yaya Toure. I agree about his ability to find and create space for himself infront of his back four. It definitely needs work.

I didn't say it was, but it's definitely a big part of being a fullback. They are decoys really, off the ball runners. They don't get that license to drift either so alot of it is confined to a certain area of the pitch. The very best fullbacks are more expansive, but Rodwell wouldn't have to be near that standard to replace Neville or Hibbert. Whether he's a good enough defender in those type of positions, I couldn't say, but I think that would be a bigger test for him than his ability to distribute and support the attack from that fullback.

 

[chicoazul]

I agree with Tox and Brownz. They be chattin some sense there

Unless they kick out Goat, there is no room in The Stepover Trinity mate so you're wasting your time.

 

[best little spaniard]

Unless they kick out Goat, there is no room in The Stepover Trinity mate so you're wasting your time.

Who'd want to be part of that motley crew? I've been saying exactly the same stuff as they have, but in a less confrontational, more friendly way, plus every so often I throw in a diagram. Has Toccy ever done a diagram?

 

[RFUS]

Who'd want to be part of that motley crew? I've been saying exactly the same stuff as they have, but in a less confrontational, more friendly way, plus every so often I throw in a diagram. Has Toccy ever done a diagram?

Toccy doesn't need diagrams mate. He conveys his points so well you can immediately understand and visualise them.

Diagrams are only a notch or two above using bold, underline and italics.

 

[best little spaniard]

You can't explain that in words mate

 

[RFUS]

You can't explain that in words mate

So he's attached a swingball to his leg and he's trying to hit the excitable gymnast in the distance?

 

[best little spaniard]

So he's attached a swingball to his leg and he's trying to hit the excitable gymnast in the distance?

****.

 

[joey55]

The one thing everyone seems to think he has lots of, which I completely disagree with is talent (obviously enough to be a Prem player, but not the levels required to be a special player) . I keep reading that he can be whatever he wants to be or that he's so talented, but just needs more confidence or better coaching. But I just can't see why people think he is so talented. Incredibly talented young players have a passing range like Thiago Alancantara, or Fabregas had at 20. Rodwell isn't even close to having the passing ability someone like Tom Huddlestone had at 18. He's got no special dribbling ability like Robben or Messi had. He doesn't seem to have surging ability and final ball of a Gerrard type. He doesn't have the incredible close control of a Berbatov. Infact he isn't even particuarly good in any of these areas, let alone special. If it's just confidence or better coaching we need, shouldn't we be seeing regular glimpses of awesome quality, that are let down by some poor decision making or similar? He scored a couple of good goals, but so have loads of **** players. If he's so talented, where are the clever through balls, the outrageous chips over the defence, the curls using the outside of his foot, the mazy runs, stopping the ball dead when recieving 60 yard pass and the unstoppable free kicks? In fact what is there to suggest he's got anymore talent, than the likes of Gareth Barry, Michael Carrick and Jermaine Jenas? Infact where is the evidence he's even as talented as them? They all been capped for England at Jack's age, whilst Jack can't seem to hold down a place for the U21's.

 

[Nealroy]

The one thing everyone seems to think he has lots of, which I completely disagree with is talent (obviously enough to be a Prem player, but not the levels required to be a special player) . I keep reading that he can be whatever he wants to be or that he's so talented, but just needs more confidence or better coaching. But I just can't see why people think he is so talented. Incredibly talented young players have a passing range like Thiago Alancantara, or Fabregas had at 20. Rodwell isn't even close to having the passing ability someone like Tom Huddlestone had at 18. He's got no special dribbling ability like Robben or Messi had. He doesn't seem to have surging ability and final ball of a Gerrard type. He doesn't have the incredible close control of a Berbatov. Infact he isn't even particuarly good in any of these areas, let alone special. If it's just confidence or better coaching we need, shouldn't we be seeing regular glimpses of awesome quality, that are let down by some poor decision making or similar? He scored a couple of good goals, but so have loads of **** players. If he's so talented, where are the clever through balls, the outrageous chips over the defence, the curls using the outside of his foot, the mazy runs, stopping the ball dead when recieving 60 yard pass and the unstoppable free kicks? In fact what is there to suggest he's got anymore talent, than the likes of Gareth Barry, Michael Carrick and Jermaine Jenas? Infact where is the evidence he's even as talented as them? They all been capped for England at Jack's age, whilst Jack can't seem to hold down a place for the U21's.

Well your right in that there's nothing to suggest he's got the creative talent of a Fabregas or Thiago but i'd say in his first couple of seasons he did enough in other ways to suggest he might be on a par with Barry, Carrick or Jenas in the future. Wouldnt that be enough for us? His development has ground to a halt and i don't think anyone here is denying that but i think it's those early performances that have led people to believe that it might be something other than a complete lack of talent that is to answer for this. He was a regular in a top 6 Premier League team at 18-19, a prospect that other managers and journos were purring over. If you've enough talent to do that it can't just leave you surely? Not in the dramatic way it seems to have deserted Jack?

You might be right but i don't think so. It has all the hallmarks of a mental issue. If not confidence then hunger to succeed, belief in the project, happiness within the club or the position that he is playing. If its hunger to succeed then he'll never be a regular anywhere - its a prerequisite at any level, my money would be on him ending up a squad player at a lower end prem side. If it's any of the others he'll be a success somewhere, someday, hopefully here.

 

[ToxtethBlue]

I wouldn't put Jenas in the Barry/Carrick bracket but I would say Rodwell has a similar skillset. Good, not great passing ability, decent footwork and capable of retaining possession. Not outstanding footballers, but very decent by English standards. There isn't an English midfielder who manipulates the ball like Arteta let alone Xavi and Iniesta. Sad but also very true. Paul Scholes was the last top level player in that category.

I would say Rodwell is ambidextrous (underrated quality) and is a completely different athlete to the likes of Barry and Carrick. Bigger, stronger, quicker. He has the athleticism to be a more expansive player, rather than someone who's solely a passer and plays infront of teams, looking to shift the ball from side to side.

If he can combine these attributes, and It's easier said than done, he has the potential to be more than a decent player. Tom Huddlestone is a perfect example of a talented player who's developed later than expected. He was behind players likes Jenas, Zokora and a number of other mid level midfielders for ages, he didn't really break into the first eleven until he was around 22-23. Youth development isn't an exact science, young players come through at different stages. Some come through early and drop off, others have a bit of a lull and build slowly with experience. I think Rodwell has enough about him to succeed.

 

[kenada_blue]

The one thing everyone seems to think he has lots of, which I completely disagree with is talent (obviously enough to be a Prem player, but not the levels required to be a special player) . I keep reading that he can be whatever he wants to be or that he's so talented, but just needs more confidence or better coaching. But I just can't see why people think he is so talented. Incredibly talented young players have a passing range like Thiago Alancantara, or Fabregas had at 20. Rodwell isn't even close to having the passing ability someone like Tom Huddlestone had at 18. He's got no special dribbling ability like Robben or Messi had. He doesn't seem to have surging ability and final ball of a Gerrard type. He doesn't have the incredible close control of a Berbatov. Infact he isn't even particuarly good in any of these areas, let alone special. If it's just confidence or better coaching we need, shouldn't we be seeing regular glimpses of awesome quality, that are let down by some poor decision making or similar? He scored a couple of good goals, but so have loads of **** players. If he's so talented, where are the clever through balls, the outrageous chips over the defence, the curls using the outside of his foot, the mazy runs, stopping the ball dead when recieving 60 yard pass and the unstoppable free kicks? In fact what is there to suggest he's got anymore talent, than the likes of Gareth Barry, Michael Carrick and Jermaine Jenas? Infact where is the evidence he's even as talented as them? They all been capped for England at Jack's age, whilst Jack can't seem to hold down a place for the U21's.

you're right, he's proper ****e.

 

[TX Bill]

I'll repeat what many have said.

Lack.

Of.

Confidence.

Amazing what that can do to your game.