#16 | Rodri - 2020/21 Performances

[mccity]

Along with Ederson, he’s the only ever-present in the League this season. 24 years old and considered undroppable by Pep. Plays this position for Spain.

Forgive me, but I’d say that’s a pretty decent CV for someone so many people (most of whom appear to have no clue!) love to hate!

I like him. Pep likes him. Enrique likes him. He’s on a long term deal. Get onboard the train...!

You can generally tell who Pep really likes at any given point by how much he refuses to drop them. This season and last it was Walker, Ederson, Sterling, De Bruyne, AND Rodri. I think Dias may be added to that list too.

 

[ChicagoBlue]

You can generally tell who Pep really likes at any given point by how much he refuses to drop them. This season and last it was Walker, Ederson, Sterling, De Bruyne, AND Rodri. I think Dias may be added to that list too.

And Laporte, if he can stay fit.

That’s the “spine” of the team, with Sergio upfront when fit and on song.

All good teams have 5-7 players who pick themselves. The reason Liverpool have done so well in recent seasons is that number has been more like 9 or 10, and they’ve all been fit!

Pep likes to deal with a small squad of versatile footballers. Sadly, in England, the number of games, the injuries, and the number of yellow cards that get thrown around for nothing now, that has stretched his resources, and increased the need to grow the squad of players he has to trust.

 

[discopop]

I fucking love the lad, he‘s tons better than any of our squad in that position and that includes Dinho who is let face it is not upto a full game but he is a leader but I think Rodri is getting there as a leader doesn’t bottle a tackle or a confrontation.

 

[Stiff Little Wingers]

Jury still out for me. There were times last night when he had the ball in space but just won't go forward at any pace. At one point I think he had to go past the ref to pass sideways

 

[blightee]

Damn I didn't realize Rodri had this many boo boys. I think a lot of his "flaws" are an issue with unforgiveable errors by the players around him ie giving the ball away in compromising situations like Mahrez for spurs 2nd (and unfortunately KDB more and more frequently lately). A 29 yo Fernandinho couldn't cover the mistakes being made by the current 5 players infront of Rodri.

 

[Dax777]

Damn I didn't realize Rodri had this many boo boys. I think a lot of his "flaws" are an issue with unforgiveable errors by the players around him ie giving the ball away in compromising situations like Mahrez for spurs 2nd (and unfortunately KDB more and more frequently lately). A 29 yo Fernandinho couldn't cover the mistakes being made by the current 5 players infront of Rodri.

I've been trying to say this for weeks.

 

[OrigamiNinja]

I fucking love the lad, he‘s tons better than any of our squad in that position and that includes Dinho who is let face it is not upto a full game but he is a leader but I think Rodri is getting there as a leader doesn’t bottle a tackle or a confrontation.

I would still rather have Fern but even if what you say is true, you are comparing Rodri to a 35 year old. Rodri being better in that position than a 35 year old is not the level we are looking for. Rodri doesnt have to be our new Fern, he doesnt have the same attributes and does not have to be the same player as him in his prime, but he does have to be as effective as him and on that front, he currently falls woefully short.

 

[sir baconface]

Some players in that team are likely to never reach those levels again.

Rodri came in and Pep clearly has wanted to change things around to freshen it up but Rodri is not going to do that, he wasn't some all action midfielder at Atletico that we have converted, he has always been this way. That's not his fault.

I don't think Pep is asking anything different from him either, just the rest of the team is everywhere. We struggle to get the same back 4 on the pitch, we still have no LB or LW, both strikers are injury prone and the likes of KDB and Sterling look out on their feet.

Good post. Much of the team is either mentally jaded, physically bolloxed and/or off form. Rodri is hardly our worst culprit.

Interestingly, loads on the pre-match thread have “picked” KDB for tomorrow’s monumental home game v Burnley. No doubt the same people will be crying into their beers when KDB misses vital matches with another injury.

No matter. We just have to accept there is a range of opposing and irreconcilable views on any football forum!

 

[ninjamonkey]

He will have a good game tomorrow if Burnley play their usual style and we’ll get people pointing out he played well against Burnley throughout the next few months of anonymity.

 

[domalino]

He will have a good game tomorrow if Burnley play their usual style and we’ll get people pointing out he played well against Burnley throughout the next few months of anonymity.

You've somehow made the incredibly tedious "He was only good because the opposition weren't" argument even more fucking boring by trying to get it in before the game.