Count one more in the "Nah" camp.
Edit: Poll?
Edit: Poll?
James Rodriguez| Is considering his options
- Thread starter Attila
- Start date
What is really awful about this potential transfer is that Ed will pay a ridiculous amount of money for him. We, and the whole football world, need to hold Real hostage for their crazy transfer/football politics and don't offer some bail-outs like we did for them with Di Maria. If they are forced to sell, they should make a big discount, like they did with Robben and Sneijder
I would prefer Griezmann and really hope we try to get him but if not then James will be a good option too. If he is willing to come here without champions league football then I think we should take the chance, he is a good player and were crying out for a number 10 (considering LVG and Mourinho don't seem to fancy Mata there)
I don't think the fee will be so high either because Madrid want to sell, Di Maria came off the back of a brilliant season where as James hasn't so I don't think it will be a similar type of fee. I wouldn't be super excited about signing him but he will be a better option than Lingard or Rooney.
I don't think the fee will be so high either because Madrid want to sell, Di Maria came off the back of a brilliant season where as James hasn't so I don't think it will be a similar type of fee. I wouldn't be super excited about signing him but he will be a better option than Lingard or Rooney.
Just what we need, another exorbitantly priced, one paced luxury player.
His attitude is a question mark.
So not sure about this 1.
So not sure about this 1.
Pereira
Seriously though, we could definitely use an upgrade there. I think the need for a 10 is being slightly glossed over because of how weak we look in three or four other positions.
It really isn't. Rooney and Mata are absolute muck, Ander has been just as bad, and Fellaini is not a serious option.
We've done better in a 3-man-midfield. Having a shiny new number 10 could mean having to accommodate him by using a formation that is not necessarily optimal for our other players or having to play said number 10 on the wing, which is not optimal for him. It's important to asses the entire squad and decide where the new player would fit within that context.
Arsenal, for example, have had the perfect players for 4:3:3 in the last few years but there's no place for Ozil in that, so they have to compromise. To the detriment of the team, in my humble opinion.
I can't believe some of the rubbish I'm reading. We can't look beyond the discarded, unwanted players of Madrid and the like, we are no competitor of theirs at all. We're literally not even in the same competition next season. If they want a player, they will take them. If they don't, we're among those that will fight for the scraps. You guys really think we can compete for a player of Griezmann's quality? Not a chance.
James Rodriguez is a top player. He outshone Messi, Ronaldo and everyone else at the World Cup just two years ago. The right manager would be able to get him playing this well again. We can't pass up on a player of this ability and spend the summer chasing unrealistic targets again, surely?
James Rodriguez is a top player. He outshone Messi, Ronaldo and everyone else at the World Cup just two years ago. The right manager would be able to get him playing this well again. We can't pass up on a player of this ability and spend the summer chasing unrealistic targets again, surely?
Yeah, that's all well and nice, and I'd probably prefer that too, but van Gaal is never going to use the 4-3-3 (in this sense) and Mourinho's last couple of sides have been the same; a 4231 with a no.10.
Well, feck'em then.
Seriously though, LVG has used the 4:3:3 with us several times, including our last game and also quite often with his previous teams. For what it's worth.
He's not better than Mata and they are similar pace wise, wouldn't see the point.
Too slow...we need a fast creative players not another Mata!!!
Of course it needs addressing but there are more pressing areas of concern in the squad. Rashford is our only acceptable option up front and our options for the right wing are absolutely pitiful. The midfield is arguably as bad too.
This, there are more urgent matters to sort out in this squad before we address the #10 position. That isn't to say it doesn't need improving though.
Why is he one paced?
He really is better than Mata.
Can he play left wing back? If not LVG won't want him
I'd rather someone more athletic to be honest, plus I'd rather we went 433 than persist with 4231
Why is he getting such hate?
He is only 24 still room for improvement. In his first season with Madrid he was arguably Madrids best player after Ronny. This season Madrid started off playing a 4231 where he was the 10. But changed to a 433 with a Defensive Midfielder so he has no place, Madrid I think quite clearly want to sell and recoup some of the cash they spent on him.
So these stories about him being out drinking and whatever take with a pinch of salt because it's 6 of 1, half a dozen of the other... He wants out, Madrid wants rid.
Let's say he is going to be our 'only' signing of the summer. How can some of you guys say you don't want him when he would a big improvement in our attack.
Quicker than Juan and Rooney, Faster on the ball (releases it quicker), his off the ball movement is dramatically better than both, will bring the Wow factor back with his long range and audacious goals and his link up play with the likes of Martial and... Well no one because Martial is litterally our attack.
Current squad with just James:
If we had him this season at 10. I firmly believe he would have been the difference in getting Champions League, maybe even contention for the title with how this season panned out.
He is only 24 still room for improvement. In his first season with Madrid he was arguably Madrids best player after Ronny. This season Madrid started off playing a 4231 where he was the 10. But changed to a 433 with a Defensive Midfielder so he has no place, Madrid I think quite clearly want to sell and recoup some of the cash they spent on him.
So these stories about him being out drinking and whatever take with a pinch of salt because it's 6 of 1, half a dozen of the other... He wants out, Madrid wants rid.
Let's say he is going to be our 'only' signing of the summer. How can some of you guys say you don't want him when he would a big improvement in our attack.
Quicker than Juan and Rooney, Faster on the ball (releases it quicker), his off the ball movement is dramatically better than both, will bring the Wow factor back with his long range and audacious goals and his link up play with the likes of Martial and... Well no one because Martial is litterally our attack.
Current squad with just James:
Rashford
Martial - James - Lingard
Carrick - Rooney
Rojo - Blind - Smalling - Valencia
King Dave
Martial - James - Lingard
Carrick - Rooney
Rojo - Blind - Smalling - Valencia
King Dave
If we had him this season at 10. I firmly believe he would have been the difference in getting Champions League, maybe even contention for the title with how this season panned out.
James Rodriguez is extremely talented and very tactically intelligent. His understanding of space and attacking positioning is as good as any player in the world. What's more, he can play a variety of different roles; #10, on the wing, or in a midfield 3. We'd be mad not to get him if he's available IMO. He's not a luxury player, he's the kind of player you build a team around, and would thrive if he was made the fulcrum of our side. Players such as Martial and Rashford would really benefit from his talent as well.
Err... He is perfectly suited for the hybrid #8 - Iniesta/ Di María type dribbling midfielder role:
He would offer the versatility to play as a #10, the position represented in the graphic above, and as a narrow forward in a 4-3-3. A fit and firing James is among the top 10 attacking talents around IMO, and an aberration of a season isn't sufficient to change that. We could do much, much worse than buying him in the summer. And in terms of being a Madrid reject - this is a club that created the conditions for Robben, Makélélé, Sneijder, Özil, Di María to leave - in the decent decade (sort of).
James Rodriguez is very talented and an excellent number 10 in many ways but the attitude concerns and off-field issues with him are alarming, and IMO too big of a factor in signing him. Besides, I'm pretty sure he has said in the past that he doesn't like the physicality of the English league so that statement alone is concerning.
He's got quite short legs.
Of course, he'd be nice. But he isn't exactly what I'd call a priority. We're in need of a striker and a right winger a lot more.
His signing would depend upon how we want to play next season, which is dependant on the manager. If we're going to play exclusively with a #10 then you bring him in and build the rest of the side around that. If not, he's a bit of a square peg/round hole signing.
His signing would depend upon how we want to play next season, which is dependant on the manager. If we're going to play exclusively with a #10 then you bring him in and build the rest of the side around that. If not, he's a bit of a square peg/round hole signing.
I thought he was a massive waste of money when Madrid bought him and I'm not surprised they're trying to get rid. United should stay far away.
Madrid never needed him, that's the problem. James is a good player, a very good player.
The exact opposite of what we need, we need a proper winger with pace and a goal threat a feel James is best at #10 and like Mata is too slow for the wing.
I don't want.
I don't want.
We needed a number 10 last year and people came up with the same argument about De Bruyne.. Plus we are not going the just sign one player.. This isn't the late Fergie era.
He isn't slow, he isn't slow at all and he isn't weak either. He is a #10 and has the tools for that position but the comparisons with Mata are really bad.
Edit: The caf sees Mata's ersatz everywhere, when Mata is pretty unique.
I'm pretty sure he's leaving in the summer, like 99,9% sure. James is not a midfielder and he played well only when we played 4-4-2 last season (him and Isco are both slow but that was compensated by them playing narrow more often and our fullbacks are both really good at providing width, so it worked wonderful until some key injuries and fatigue at the wrong time of the season). That was it for him. This season Benitez didn't use him and it's the same with Zidane. James can't cut it in 4-3-3 wherever you put him. He was also tried as false nine but that also didn't look good. We wont play with a 10 under Zidane.
Today Zidane said that James is very important for the club and a player for the future, but whatever he says is completely irrelevant, because we know they won't go out with statements that might drive the price down.
I guess whoever pays roughly 80 mil € (Perez priority) and gives James a fat paycheck (Mendez priority) will have him. After the season he had, James probably just want's to play first team football again, in a side that is competing for titles, so I can see him going to any top club that is willing to pay.
Having said that, I think you guys don't need him. He is slow, he doesn't have close control and overall ability on the ball to help United in midfield or the speed and dribbling to be dangerous on the wing. He would just be another Mata. He can also be lazy at times, and I don't know how that would work, slow and at times lazy player in a league where there's no place to hide.
When Benitez was here, James made it look like open conflict (he went to play with NT, had a good game and then stated "it's easy to play when people around have trust in you" and similar bs). I think it all happened to fast for him. From being nobody before the WC to becoming a superstar in a team full of superstars 6 months later, he clearly couldn't handle that.
Anyway, wherever he goes is fine with me, as long as he goes.
@unitedbhoy : this post answers your question also
He's not fast either and he's not great in the wide positions, we don't need a #10 so what would be the point? it's signing a big name player just for the sake of it, one of the reasons we've been wank in the transfer market the past few years.
Of course, I don't doubt our ability to spend. Rodriguez would just be a little lower on my list of priorities.
So has Messi.
How would everyone feel about this if we bought Zlatan too?
We would have to purchase a very quick right winger to compliment Martial on the left...
We would have to purchase a very quick right winger to compliment Martial on the left...
We don't have any attack, so dismissing a #10 because he is a #10 is ridiculous. We could perfectly organize our attack around one, we could do without too.
Edit: I'm not even sure if he is slower than Reus.
Problem with that is Zlatan likes to float around and drop deep, we'd need someone running in behind him all the time. Matuidi does that at PSG as part of a three man midfield, only midfielder we have to do that would probably be Herrera who wouldn't play if we signed James and Zlatan.
James runs behind the striker and he isn't the type of #10 that plant his tents in the middle, he moves around. James is more Mkhitaryan than Riquelme.
He is frustratingly slow. He is also weak but he's not afraid to get stuck in. In that sense he is complete opposite to Ozil and Mata.
I think JPRouve has got James confused with another player. He keeps saying he's a really fast dribbler when everyone else, myself included, sees a slow Mata type player.
Post #432 from the Madrid fan seems more or less spot on to me.
Post #432 from the Madrid fan seems more or less spot on to me.