James Rodríguez

gaucho_10

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Ceballos and Theo have left ?
No, but talk is Napoli want 2 of them + James. We already had similar deal in 2013. when Higuain, Raul Albiol and Callejon all went there. I think this will happen.
 

Ooge_

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James aka the Colombian van der Vaart. Can´t dribble, isn´t fast enough, doesn´t defend well enough. Could never occupy the OM well at Bayern and Real because of his constraints. Jupp Heynckes let him play in deeper zones as an CM (8). There he had more space and time. When they played with Thiago (6), James (8) and Tolisso (10) in midfield against real madrid, tolisso was the player wo occupied the higher zones. Heynckes was satisfied with James as an CM, even though he said, James has to improve defensively. Kovac played with Javi (6), Thiago (8) and Müller (10). Ugly midfield, but Kovac is still the coach, so James had to leave.
 

thepolice123

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James aka the Colombian van der Vaart. Can´t dribble, isn´t fast enough, doesn´t defend well enough. Could never occupy the OM well at Bayern and Real because of his constraints. Jupp Heynckes let him play in deeper zones as an CM (8). There he had more space and time. When they played with Thiago (6), James (8) and Tolisso (10) in midfield against real madrid, tolisso was the player wo occupied the higher zones. Heynckes was satisfied with James as an CM, even though he said, James has to improve defensively. Kovac played with Javi (6), Thiago (8) and Müller (10). Ugly midfield, but Kovac is still the coach, so James had to leave.
Such an apt comparison.:eek:

Not a big fan of James. His career has stagnanted after 2014 world cup. Has struggled to find his form and true position ever since making the step up to the big clubs.
 

Blackwidow

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James aka the Colombian van der Vaart. Can´t dribble, isn´t fast enough, doesn´t defend well enough. Could never occupy the OM well at Bayern and Real because of his constraints. Jupp Heynckes let him play in deeper zones as an CM (8). There he had more space and time. When they played with Thiago (6), James (8) and Tolisso (10) in midfield against real madrid, tolisso was the player wo occupied the higher zones. Heynckes was satisfied with James as an CM, even though he said, James has to improve defensively. Kovac played with Javi (6), Thiago (8) and Müller (10). Ugly midfield, but Kovac is still the coach, so James had to leave.
Heynckes played him in a 4-1-4-1 on the left 8 with Müller occupying the right 8 - but usually that meant that Müller played the most offensive of them and James was the most central midfielder doing the build up. Both are equally great assistants. They were usually covered by either Vidal or Martinez. Thiago was out with injuries a lot last season and when he came back it usually was James or Thiago. That RM match was special as Vidal was out and Heynckes started with a James, Müller, Martinez-midfield but after Robben got injured he had to put Müller onto the wing. Problem in the first match was that with Thiago and James nobody was doing runs into the box - that is why Tolisso came in the second match.

For Kovac Thiago since the first moment had his not questioned starting position - and rightfully as he just is the most complete central midfielder. With Vidal and Rudy gone who can play the 6, too, Tolisso injured - that only left the no. 10 position for James. But despite having really good individual stats the team functions better with Müller there than with James. I think that with a playmaker on the ten who always wants to have the ball the team gets too easy to read. That - and at Bayern Lewy and Müller know each others movement so well and often act together. With Lewy scoring .45 goals per game without Müller on the pitch and more than 1 with him it is hard for James to fight against that - especially when Müller performs a lot better centrally than on the right, is important for pressing in the right moment and works hard defensively and you have two wingers available. But having just Thiago as a build up player is a problem and I hope that Tolisso will be able to improve that next season partnering Thiago on a 6/8.

James will function great in the right setup and with a coach who always trusts him for a starting position. He is not a guy that fights for it. An offense with enough movement and maybe less ball possession than at Bayern. And even if he can have a high workrate partners in midfield that work hard.
 

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Heynckes played him in a 4-1-4-1 on the left 8 with Müller occupying the right 8 - but usually that meant that Müller played the most offensive of them and James was the most central midfielder doing the build up. Both are equally great assistants. They were usually covered by either Vidal or Martinez. Thiago was out with injuries a lot last season and when he came back it usually was James or Thiago. That RM match was special as Vidal was out and Heynckes started with a James, Müller, Martinez-midfield but after Robben got injured he had to put Müller onto the wing. Problem in the first match was that with Thiago and James nobody was doing runs into the box - that is why Tolisso came in the second match.

For Kovac Thiago since the first moment had his not questioned starting position - and rightfully as he just is the most complete central midfielder. With Vidal and Rudy gone who can play the 6, too, Tolisso injured - that only left the no. 10 position for James. But despite having really good individual stats the team functions better with Müller there than with James. I think that with a playmaker on the ten who always wants to have the ball the team gets too easy to read. That - and at Bayern Lewy and Müller know each others movement so well and often act together. With Lewy scoring .45 goals per game without Müller on the pitch and more than 1 with him it is hard for James to fight against that - especially when Müller performs a lot better centrally than on the right, is important for pressing in the right moment and works hard defensively and you have two wingers available. But having just Thiago as a build up player is a problem and I hope that Tolisso will be able to improve that next season partnering Thiago on a 6/8.

James will function great in the right setup and with a coach who always trusts him for a starting position. He is not a guy that fights for it. An offense with enough movement and maybe less ball possession than at Bayern. And even if he can have a high workrate partners in midfield that work hard.
Very interesting. Thanks for the detailed insight into your managers use of him & their styles.

You mentioned that Heynckes used him as the most central cm doing the build-up. That's exactly what I see where he could fit in with us. We don't really have anyone doing this for us properly. Pogba does it for us currently, but it's not his preferred role. He would rather be further forward, where he's more dangerous.

So the fact he's our only player capable of building up is not ideal.

We play a counter-attacking system & Ole isn't fussed on possession. He likes to attack as direct as possible.

Do you not think James would be a good option on the right of a 3 with Pogba and a high-workrate cdm like Rice hypothetically? We are too lopsided to the left. It would be invaluable for us to have a creative left-footer balancing the team.

What are your thoughts?
 

Blackwidow

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As a CM I would not play him on the right as he really does not use his right foot.

But as much as I know the EPL is nowhere he wants to go to.
 

NoPace

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Looked really good in CM last season I felt. Bin Lingard and bring him in on one those Madrid loans.
If Pogba is going, this seems reasonable to me. He makes sense behind Rashford in a 4-4-1-1:

--------------Rashford------------
Martial--James Rodriguez----RW
---------Fred------CM------------

seems like a plausible front 6 with the right two signings.

He also could maybe work as the false 9 (is he really that different than Tadic, maybe a bit slower) between Martial and Rashford.

A transfer would seem like bad value but a 1-2 year loan really good, even with a healthy fee. I have a soft spot for him after seeing him change his role once Quintero stepped up for Colombia and he moved to RW seamlessly in the group stage and destroyed the Poles with some great assists and general creativity. Colombia would have beaten England if he hadn't gotten hurt, I think.
 

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As a CM I would not play him on the right as he really does not use his right foot.

But as much as I know the EPL is nowhere he wants to go to.
That's fair enough.

It's a shame he wouldn't be interested as I think he's a quality player.

Thanks.
 

Micky Targaryen

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My girlfriend is Colombian so I have seen a lot of James in the last 3 years and he never fails to impress me. His passing is sublime. He isn't the quickest so I don't know if he would fit the style Ole wants to play but he is certainly a massive upgrade on Mata or Lingard.
Lucky bastard.
 

Gilgamesh

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If I were United and believed my midfield seriously lacks creativity but has enough workhorses to cover for James’ deficiencies, I would seriously consider hiring him. He is probably available for around 30 million.

I have watched him the past two years at Bayern, and can say that he has playmaking qualities which are almost unmatched these days. He rarely loses the ball, his passing is sublime, and he can create chances for his teammates out of nothing, even under pressure and against deep sitting opponents. Many of his passes where just “wow!”.

The real and only downside is his lack of speed, which prevents him from dribbling on the offense and shows especially when he has to defend a fast player on a counter – in both areas he is useless. Often though, he showed a surprising will to defend even if he was not very capable. He is definitely not an Özil type of player who only pretends to defend, James really tries and even plays physical and tackles pretty often. I never thought he had an attitude problem, although many other believed that to be the case, I simply didn't see it.

At Bayern they had a very similar player in Thiago, whom Kovac preferred because he can play the 6,8, and 10. Kovac tried James on the wing when injuries hit the team, but that didn’t really work because of his lack of speed. James is a true 10, maybe a 8, but in no way a winger.

If you provide James with fast quality strikers, like Rashford, his killer passes will improve your offence drastically. But then you also need to combine him with willing workhorses in midfield who will cover his back on the defence side. If you do both, he will shine and boost your team. But, for instance, I’m not sure whether a Pogba would like to cover and run for him…
 
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Gesalt

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The attitude he is showing in real Madrid is amazing, hope he gets more play time.

Creating killer passes, defending and showing amazing work rate
 

MVBDX

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He's looking more and more like the player he was under Heynckes.
 

ThierryHenry14

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He was labelled as past it, over the hill, do not want, not united quality here back in summer
 

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He was labelled as past it, over the hill, do not want, not united quality here back in summer
He's having a good couple of weeks, big fecking deal. Neither Bayern Munich, nor Real Madrid really wanted to keep him. He's currently at Madrid, because they couldn't flog him.
 

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He's having a good couple of weeks, big fecking deal. Neither Bayern Munich, nor Real Madrid really wanted to keep him. He's currently at Madrid, because they couldn't flog him.
I think alot of Bayern fans would've wanted him to stay had Kovac not been manager. He was fantastic in his first season but clearly did not work well with Kovac so the decision to part ways was mutual. James didn't want to stay and Kovac didn't want him either.

But his quality was never in doubt.
 

ThierryHenry14

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He's having a good couple of weeks, big fecking deal. Neither Bayern Munich, nor Real Madrid really wanted to keep him. He's currently at Madrid, because they couldn't flog him.
Yep. I do aware only players at the level of Lingaard and Rashford are good enough to play for man utd.
 

Champagne Football

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Yep. I do aware only players at the level of Lingaard and Rashford are good enough to play for man utd.
I wouldn't get carried away too quickly about James Rodriguez. Di Maria has been playing well for PSG. Alexis Sanchez looking decent for Inter. Doesn't mean they are a good fit for this club.
 

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Or Pepe, or David Luiz, or Mustafi..

Wait. Am I doing this right.
They are indeed Arsenal quality. I don't have a problem with that at all. James is also definitely more than good enough to play for Arsenal as well.
 

TheReligion

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They are indeed Arsenal quality. I don't have a problem with that at all. James is also definitely more than good enough to play for Arsenal as well.
Yes you're right. Dan James is head and shoulders above £70m Pepe at the moment. He's definitely Arsenal quality.
 

TheReligion

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let's revisit this in a year of time. May be you are right.
Why not visit it now? Dan James is performing better than the £70m Pepe. David Luiz also looks complete turd next to the equally garbage Mustafi.

By all means come and take the mick out of United at the moment but your team is hardly pulling up trees is it? Despite the fact you've spent big money and had your coach in place much longer than Ole.
 

ThierryHenry14

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Why not visit it now? Dan James is performing better than the £70m Pepe. David Luiz also looks complete turd next to the equally garbage Mustafi.

By all means come and take the mick out of United at the moment but your team is hardly pulling up trees is it? Despite the fact you've spent big money and had your coach in place much longer than Ole.
I am sure Sean Longstaff and Callum Wilson are better than Pepe and James.
 

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Poor showing tonight. Don't see Real Madrid renewing his contract that ends this season if I'm not mistaken. What next for him? Surely there's still a decent player in there. Italian maybe would suit him?
 

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Poor showing tonight. Don't see Real Madrid renewing his contract that ends this season if I'm not mistaken. What next for him? Surely there's still a decent player in there. Italian maybe would suit him?
He renewed an extra year before leaving to Germany.,until June 2021.
Another summer trying to sell him
 

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Good shout. Can definitely see David wanting him there. And I think he has been disillusioned enough to think he has nothing left to "prove" in Europe. Not saying MLS is "shite", but you get what I mean.
I live in NYC and a friend of mine works as staff member for the New York Red Bulls reserve team.....the rumours in the MLS are pretty strong that Inter Miami are in talks with him & David Silva and they want Gaich or Macias.
 

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I live in NYC and a friend of mine works as staff member for the New York Red Bulls reserve team.....the rumours in the MLS are pretty strong that Inter Miami are in talks with him & David Silva and they want Gaich or Macias.
That would be some pull off, but I don't see David Silva going just yet.
Been meaning to follow the MLS and Inter Miami but the time difference in watching the MLS is crap. :(

On James, I really wonder what's he thinking, it also depends if he gets offers from some European clubs, which he most certainly will get I think. Will money talk...
 

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That would be some pull off, but I don't see David Silva going just yet.
Been meaning to follow the MLS and Inter Miami but the time difference in watching the MLS is crap. :(

On James, I really wonder what's he thinking, it also depends if he gets offers from some European clubs, which he most certainly will get I think. Will money talk...
Should Everton get the Europa League spot then maybe he goes there because of Ancelotti.
 

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His fall from grace has been spectacular.

Star of the 2014 World Cup
His first season with Real Madrid was excellent. He played his favourite position of attacking midfielder, and contributed to an incredible tally of 35 goals (17 goals and 18 assists).

Since then it's been all downhill. There was a brief moment where it looked like the old James was back (his first season on loan at Bayern was good), but that turned out to be a false dawn.

He's still only 28 years old, it would be bizarre to see him move to MLS at this age.
 

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James going to the MLS at 28 would be a definitive sign that he’s given up. It’s so below his level it’s laughable.
 

Thiagoal

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I live in NYC and a friend of mine works as staff member for the New York Red Bulls reserve team.....the rumours in the MLS are pretty strong that Inter Miami are in talks with him & David Silva and they want Gaich or Macias.
I think Silva is off to Qatar
 

That'sHernandez

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His fall from grace has been spectacular.

Star of the 2014 World Cup
His first season with Real Madrid was excellent. He played his favourite position of attacking midfielder, and contributed to an incredible tally of 35 goals (17 goals and 18 assists).

Since then it's been all downhill. There was a brief moment where it looked like the old James was back (his first season on loan at Bayern was good), but that turned out to be a false dawn.

He's still only 28 years old, it would be bizarre to see him move to MLS at this age.
James going to the MLS at 28 would be a definitive sign that he’s given up. It’s so below his level it’s laughable.
Could it not be that the would cup and his couple of decent seasons, one of which was straight after the World Cup, are actually the exceptions as opposed to a true reflection as to his base performance levels? I’ve never been particularly impressed by him, some great moments but him becoming a flash in the pan was overtly predictable as is the case for most talents bursting into the scene in international tournaments.
 

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Could it not be that the would cup and his couple of decent seasons, one of which was straight after the World Cup, are actually the exceptions as opposed to a true reflection as to his base performance levels? I’ve never been particularly impressed by him, some great moments but him becoming a flash in the pan was overtly predictable as is the case for most talents bursting into the scene in international tournaments.
It’s possible. Most likely to me is that he’s not a modern player. A no 10 in a world that doesn’t want them any more.

Even so, he’s far, far too good for MLS
 

Nou_Camp99

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I think Silva is off to Qatar
Why on earth would anyone want to take their family to a place like that? They are 100 years behind the rest of the world with their views and rights. Surely he doesn't need the cash that badly.

Pep went out there too didn't he when he left Barca as a player?
 

That'sHernandez

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It’s possible. Most likely to me is that he’s not a modern player. A no 10 in a world that doesn’t want them any more.

Even so, he’s far, far too good for MLS
I think that’s probably a little unfair on the MLS to be honest, there are plenty of players who have gone there and not exactly set the league alight by being so much better. It’s probably fair to say he’d be one of the better players there but I wouldn’t say far, far better than the rest.

That being said, I don’t particularly rate him so reality is probably somewhere between both our assessments!