grim up north
Well-Known Member
This thread is hilarious
Great to hear, he is a young player improving with the benefit of experience, but the potential was there from the day he arrived. Good fans have the integrity to recognise that they may have undervalued a player in his early days but are now seeing the bigger picture and are happy to be more appreciative of him, while sadly some, seeing the respect he has gained will lay low waiting for a miskick or slip up to come out of hiding to wallow in that moment, unable to admit their misjudgement.I was in that squad but not anymore. Our most improved player and it's great to see. His vision, awareness mobility and forward passing have improved. Looks much more accomplished and classy this season.
Took some fans a long ass time to realise the player we had from day one.Took him a long ass time to get there but he now looks the fucking part.
Loving the bursts into the box he’s now making. Fernandinho esque at times.
You can see Fernandinho has been working with him.
The potential was there no doubt, but he was struggling to adapt to the league and our style of play. His slow steady and laboured style looked cumbersome and he most often chose easy option safe passes. I thought he looked more a CB than a DM due to him being 6'-3".Great to hear, he is a young player improving with the benefit of experience, but the potential was there from the day he arrived. Good fans have the integrity to recognise that they may have undervalued a player in his early days but are now seeing the bigger picture and are happy to be more appreciative of him, while sadly some, seeing the respect he has gained will lay low waiting for a miskick or slip up to come out of hiding to wallow in that moment, unable to admit their misjudgement.
I mostly agree with you, except that in the early days, criticism of him by many was well over the top imo. Obviously he's improved with age and experience, but imo the quality was there to be seen in his first season and the impression that he's suddenly turned from the "ugly duckling" to a "swan", is nearly as much an exaggeration as some of the original negative cliches thrown at him. We all see things differently of course and it is great that he is now getting the support of more fans. Pep this week credited Lillo for the tactical work they are doing with him and no doubt Ferna is an influence too. It would be great, as you say, if Ferna stayed as a coach.The potential was there no doubt, but he was struggling to adapt to the league and our style of play. His slow steady and laboured style looked cumbersome and he most often chose easy option safe passes. I thought he looked more a CB than a DM due to him being 6'-3".
I say it as i see it and at the time Rodri looked like he may not have cut it for us. However, he is now doing so with aplomb and it's great to see. I'm absolutely delighted he has adapted and is now flourishing in the team with several MOtM displays this season. He looks a totally different player and you can see he's now enjoying his game. His vision and foresight has improved, so has his passing. And his speed and turn of pace has definitely improved.
And i agree with @Stoned Rose in "Fernandinho has been working with him." His mentoring of Rodri is paying off big time. I really hope Ferno becomes a coach with us because he has been top quality and a huge influence on our younger players.
I'm sorry, I'm going to have to disagree here....We have gone from 'he's shite' to 'he's only good with runners', to 'he's only good when teams man mark'. Soon, all excuses to demean this player will be gone as he is in the very top echelon of the globe's defensive midfielders and irreplaceable in our team.