Sorry TH but Rodri is way above the levels of those players.I understand why people should justify why they don't take to a certain City player.
For me, you have sugar-coated it to the extent because we all know Pep and a lot of Blues consider him a top player.
I don't consider him any better than Javi Garcia or Fernando in many aspects, which is criminal for the money we paid.
Perhaps it was because I was simply under the misapprehension he was Fern's long-term replacement?
He's not fit enough to wipe his arse at 36, never mind a peak Fern.
But who is, that's the real problem?
Sometimes I look at Rodders and think there is something great waiting to burst from its box, certainly when I saw him maul Burnley away the season before last.
That night, even De Jong said it was one of the most complete showings from a defensive midfielder he had seen.
Sadly, it was against Burnley, and we haven't seen much like it since.
Also, you get statements about Rodri's lack of pace, but how many 6ft3 DMs do you see covering every blade of grass?Pep also signed Xabi Alonso at Bayern, who had no issue with the pace of the English league, mainly because it's not actually any faster than any other league as is lazily suggested. Sure, some individual teams in England have a lot of pace, but that's true of any country.
Pep wanted Jorginho before he got Rodri. The Jorginho that just won the Champions League Final despite his lack of pace. Rodri would have absolutely flourished next to Kanté and in front of a back three too.
The fact is we attack with a lot of players ahead of the ball and if we get caught out we get exposed, that has always been the case. But check our goals against column and it really doesn't look any different whether Rodri, Fernandinho or anyone else plays that role.
Form? It’s a champions league final! Fuck form you play the best players available and pep decided NOT to go with Rodri as DM.Sorry TH but Rodri is way above the levels of those players.
He has been a mainstay of our team for more than 90% of the season and only lost form in the last couple of weeks which led to him being dropped for the 2nd leg of the UCL semifinal and final.
Form? It’s a champions league final! Fuck form you play the best players available and pep decided NOT to go with Rodri as DM.
That makes no sense as,instead,he included the most out of form player in our squad,and one who also had the added effect of destroying our balance and shape.Sorry TH but Rodri is way above the levels of those players.
He has been a mainstay of our team for more than 90% of the season and only lost form in the last couple of weeks which led to him being dropped for the 2nd leg of the UCL semifinal and final.
Rodri holds on to the ball to long and then gets jumped on , losing position of the ball.Sorry TH but Rodri is way above the levels of those players.
He has been a mainstay of our team for more than 90% of the season and only lost form in the last couple of weeks which led to him being dropped for the 2nd leg of the UCL semifinal and final.
Garcia did in 13/14. But toure carried him and a lot of the team to that title.Probably! But both of those players were also capable of decent one-off games.
Both also won Prem titles?
Also, you get statements about Rodri's lack of pace, but how many 6ft3 DMs do you see covering every blade of grass?
He's a big lad. His size has been very PL useful. He's good on setpieces defensively, and he normally is very good at bouncing players off of the ball.
In fact, people talk about him being knocked off the ball and giving away under pressure (which has definitely happened), but they seem to ignore the fact he's statistically right at the top for PL midfielders playing passes under pressure and I've seen him multiple times a game overpower someone. If anything he's tailor made for the PL.
Garcia did in 13/14. But toure carried him and a lot of the team to that title.
Fernando signed the following summer and stayed for 3 years without winning the title. We won centurions in 17/18 the year he left.
They were both average players and were the tip of the iceberg of our poor recruitment in those 12/13, 13/14, 14/15 years that also included:
Rodwell
Nastasic
Sinclair
Maicon
Jovetic
Navas
Demichelis
Mangala
Bony
Thankfully we’ve improved significantly since!!
Has been since he first came. Cheerleaders shouted "slow", "only passes backwards", "can't defend", "can't pass forwards","awkward", "easily knocked off the ball" etc. etc. etc. and some sheep all said "Baa Baa" and tried to pull the wool over our eyes. Pep wasn't fooled , he saw the quality, but the sheep can't get the wool out of their eyes, their loss.I see Rodri is being groomed as our next scapegoat. Lovely stuff.
Demechelis and Navas were both decent signings. Apart from that doubt there’s a club around that couldn’t produce a similar or worse list for signings. Its how it is.Garcia did in 13/14. But toure carried him and a lot of the team to that title.
Fernando signed the following summer and stayed for 3 years without winning the title. We won centurions in 17/18 the year he left.
They were both average players and were the tip of the iceberg of our poor recruitment in those 12/13, 13/14, 14/15 years that also included:
Rodwell
Nastasic
Sinclair
Maicon
Jovetic
Navas
Demichelis
Mangala
Bony
Thankfully we’ve improved significantly since!!
What are you on about?Form? It’s a champions league final! Fuck form you play the best players available and pep decided NOT to go with Rodri as DM.
Playing Raheem did make no sense. If he didn't rate Rodri then he wouldn't have played in all those games that we went unbeaten.That makes no sense as,instead,he included the most out of form player in our squad,and one who also had the added effect of destroying our balance and shape.
Then Sterling shouldn’t have been anywhere near the first team, if form is a factor.What are you on about?
He didn't play him because he had lost form. If he hadn't I am sure he would have played him, just like he did for most of the season.
Not true, Rodri got bummed v Liecester H 2-5Sorry TH but Rodri is way above the levels of those players.
He has been a mainstay of our team for more than 90% of the season and only lost form in the last couple of weeks which led to him being dropped for the 2nd leg of the UCL semifinal and final.
He does at times, but most of the time he is the one that begins the passing from the back. It's this ability that had Pep playing him all through our unbeaten runRodri holds on to the ball to long and then gets jumped on , losing position of the ball.
Opposing teams know this and now target him, that's why he's was dropped.
Up to him to sense danger quicker and get rid of ball.
Of course Pep rates him,he may not have been at his best in the final,but we would have been a damn site more solid and cohesive with him (or Dinho) in the side.Only Pep knows why he chose that moment to get creative.Playing Raheem did make no sense. If he didn't rate Rodri then he wouldn't have played in all those games that we went unbeaten.
I agree with you that in regards with Raheem in this particular game. However, if form isn't a factor why was he dropped in favour of Phil?Then Sterling shouldn’t have been anywhere near the first team, if form is a factor.