James Rodriguez | Al Rayyan Giggs Player

DixieDean

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Perhaps the most gifted player I have ever seen play for Everton.

However, I can not imagine a player less suited to a Benitez team then him. Also, he's made of glass.
 

Madridista2000

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Everton thought they got a great deal when he moved on for free :lol: :lol:

James has been useless for a number of years now. No consistency at all.
 

Lay

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Is it harsh to say he was never as good as the World Cup portrayed him?
 

AltiUn

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Everton's version of di Maria.
 

Luke1995

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James Rodriguez is the most gifted colombian player I have ever seen outside of Atletico Madrid Falcao.

I really hope he can play in the 2022 World Cup if they qualify. But not sure if going to Qatar will help with that.
 

SAFMUTD

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Without that world cup I don't think he would have played in the top teams. To inconsistent, he got lucky Madrid wanted him as his new toy.
 

meamth

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Probably Morten Gamst Pedersen if Pedersen had another level.

Basically, James Rodriguez = Premium Morten Gamst Pedersen.
 

tenpoless

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You never know how tough he has it until you walk in his shoes. They chopped his dick off lad.
 

Bobade

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Shame. I thought he looked great when he first went to Everton. This dick chopping stuff completely passed me by also, first I heard of it today.
 

DWelbz19

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Was there ever a more inevitable end to this transfer?
 

Deery

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Never looked bothered even when he was fit, ridiculously good footballer though just a lazy bastard.
 

UweBein

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Is it harsh to say he was never as good as the World Cup portrayed him?
It's not, is my thinking.
He was probably rather at Bolton Wanderers' level. Real Madrid just had to much money then.
 

KeanoMagicHat

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It's not, is my thinking.
He was probably rather at Bolton Wanderers' level. Real Madrid just had to much money then.
He was La Liga midfielder of the year, in UEFA Team of the Year at Real Madrid, then was in Bundesliga team of the season for Bayern Munich. Bolton level? No chance. Just because he didn't end up the best player in the world after the World Cup and Real messed him around a bit, doesn't mean that he was never good.
 

DWelbz19

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James had serious talent, it just never fully came off because 1. His injury problems, and 2. He didn’t really fit one position in the modern game.
 

Eddy_JukeZ

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I found it funny that they got rid of Ozil and then brought in an inferior player to Ozil literally a year later.

James was very good his 1st season for Real too, but he was worse than Ozil overall and had the same flaws essentially.
 

Bole Top

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I don't get the focus on that particular World Cup. his career didn't start in 2014. he was great for Porto and was great at Monaco as well before he got his transfer to Madrid. if anything, he was probably the best non PSG player in Ligue 1 and had the most assists in the end - all that in his debut season. if he didn't end in Madrid, some other big club would have still bought him regardless of that world cup.
 

UweBein

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He was La Liga midfielder of the year, in UEFA Team of the Year at Real Madrid, then was in Bundesliga team of the season for Bayern Munich. Bolton level? No chance. Just because he didn't end up the best player in the world after the World Cup and Real messed him around a bit, doesn't mean that he was never good.
Was he better than Jay Jay Okocha though? Maybe on the same, hence Bolton level.
 

KeanoMagicHat

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Was he better than Jay Jay Okocha though? Maybe on the same, hence Bolton level.
I think he was, but Okocha was great too. I think it’s sad that Benitez has had no interest in playing him whatsoever because there was enough there from his first season to suggest he could still be a very effective player for Everton. But Benitez is a fairly rigid manager that doesn’t indulge anyone.
 

Kasper

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Feels like it wasn't too long ago that he lit up the 2014 world cup, crazy that it's been over 7 years.
Great player but somehow never really fit in any system. Never looked completely lost but also never really moved the needle wherever he went.
 

Trezeguet17

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Was he better than Jay Jay Okocha though? Maybe on the same, hence Bolton level.
By that logic it is fair to say Drogba was Blackburn level. I mean was he really ever better than Shearer? Hence Drogba was Blackburn level
 

Madridista2000

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James was pretty good at the beginning of his Madrid career. It's just that he was never very consistent. Never played in his ideal position either.

Real always played 4-3-3 in his time. He is more like nr. 10 in a 4-3-1-2.
 

Blackwidow

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James was pretty good at the beginning of his Madrid career. It's just that he was never very consistent. Never played in his ideal position either.

Real always played 4-3-3 in his time. He is more like nr. 10 in a 4-3-1-2.
He played very good as the left 8 when Heynckes came for Ancelotti.
 

Iker Quesadillas

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Which one do you question? Everton? It was probably already too late to get something „better“ and Ancelotti was there.
He shouldn't have gone to Real Madrid, although I understand why you'd take the risk. But Perez literally said "I don't know what position he plays in." It was only ever going to end one way.

He probably shouldn't have gone to Bayern Munich from Real Madrid, especially in an unorthodox two-year loan without a mandatory buy clause. It's not ideal to have just one and a half foot in a club, especially if the reason you're leaving your club is because you want more game time.

But having made that decision, he really should have commited, instead of deciding to leave Bayern after the two-year loan. I believe he didn't want to be at Real Madrid but thought he'd move elsewhere; it didn't happen and he wasted a year doing nothing.

And then, of course, he shouldn't have gone to Everton to follow Ancelotti.

Basically the guy needed to move to a 3rd or 4th placed Serie A team after his three-year stint at Real Madrid.