James Rodriguez| Is considering his options

James can be world class playing as No.10. However, Rooney plays there :/ So I guess Mourinho would target another CM able to play in a midfield of 2 and as CAM. Maybe someone like Pjanic or Gomes.
 
A lot of people have been wondering what he offers.

I think this performance highlights that well:



He's not your technically absolute immaculate like an Isco, Silva or Iniesta, but he's a proper match winning attacking midfielder/forward. One who is good with the ball at feet, is a good passer, has enough pace and physicality for a central role, and a gem of a left foot. Mata with pace and skill to beat a defender, and physical presence, if you will.

If we're going to play at a high tempo with quick transitions next season, then this guy is the ideal #10, and a huge improvement over Mata and Rooney. If we're going to play slow possession football, he will struggle.

All subject to his attitude being right of course.
 
I always said i would take him for a relatively reasonable fee, 40-50m and if he really wants the move. His left foot is worth gold.
 
A lot of people have been wondering what he offers.

I think this performance highlights that well:



He's not your technically absolute immaculate like an Isco, Silva or Iniesta, but he's a proper match winning attacking midfielder/forward. One who is good with the ball at feet, is a good passer, has enough pace and physicality for a central role, and a gem of a left foot. Mata with pace and skill to beat a defender, and physical presence, if you will.

If we're going to play at a high tempo with quick transitions next season, then this guy is the ideal #10, and a huge improvement over Mata and Rooney. If we're going to play slow possession football, he will struggle.

All subject to his attitude being right of course.


I agree, a huge upgarde on Mata and Rooney. I would even say he is a very good passer. But i dont think he is a target.
 
With him, Pogba, Zlatan and Mkhtaryan we will have some team next season.
DDG
Darmian Smalling Bailly Shaw
Rooney Pogba
Mkhtaryan Rodriguez Martial
Zlatan​
 
He's not good enough for Madrid and he's not good enough for Mourinho.
 
I will be extremely disappointed by the club if we end up signing him this summer. Do not want at all.
 
He's not good enough for Madrid and he's not good enough for Mourinho.

He's better than Mata and Rooney easily. A clear upgrade on both.

He has no place in Madrid's team since Zidane switched to a 433.

Talent wise, he's the part.

It's attitude that's the risk and whether he can adapt to the culture here.
 
With him, Pogba, Zlatan and Mkhtaryan we will have some team next season.
DDG
Darmian Smalling Bailly Shaw
Rooney Pogba
Mkhtaryan Rodriguez Martial
Zlatan​

Way too unbalanced.

If James is signed, then Pogba does not fit in at all IMO. Pogba isn't a holding player. He is best utilized in an advanced position like James.
 
Way too unbalanced.

If James is signed, then Pogba does not fit in at all IMO. Pogba isn't a holding player. He is best utilized in an advanced position like James.

The odd one out is Rooney and not Pogba
 
Way too unbalanced.

If James is signed, then Pogba does not fit in at all IMO. Pogba isn't a holding player. He is best utilized in an advanced position like James.
I think signing Pogba is very unlikely and signing both of them completely unlikely so that would be a fantastic balance problem that we won't have.
 
The odd one out is Rooney and not Pogba

You missed my point.

Pogba/James in the same team literally won't function well. It's almost akin to using Modric-Kroos as a midfield 2 and hoping it'll work out, but even worse. Doesn't matter if Rooney is in or not for me.
 
You can't sign Pogba AND Rodriguez unless you're going diamond.. or if we sign a monster of a DM to cover for both of them in a three man midfield.

Kante
Pogba Rodriguez
Mkhitaryan Ibra Martial
Doesn't seem to have enough balance for me. Swap either one of them for a Kroos/Modric/Verratti style mid and it looks much better.

Kante
Pogba Modric
Rodriguez
 
Way too unbalanced.

If James is signed, then Pogba does not fit in at all IMO. Pogba isn't a holding player. He is best utilized in an advanced position like James.
You Vangaalists and your talk about balance, soon you will be saying that he doesn't fit our philosophy either. I say attack, attack, attack. The United way.
I might not be 100% serious.
 
I think signing Pogba is very unlikely and signing both of them completely unlikely so that would be a fantastic balance problem that we won't have.

Yeah Pogba is very unlikely.

James seems a bit 50-50. Real Madrid will sell him though. I would be wary of signing him. Just worry he'd be similar to Di Maria.
 
You missed my point.

Pogba/James in the same team literally won't function well. It's almost akin to using Modric-Kroos as a midfield 2 and hoping it'll work out, but even worse. Doesn't matter if Rooney is in or not for me.

With a very good DM next to Pogba I believe it can work. Pogba isn't a no10, he is a very advanced type of CM, also he is 23 and can still adapt his game.
 
With a very good DM next to Pogba I believe it can work. Pogba isn't a no10, he is a very advanced type of CM, also he is 23 and can still adapt his game.

Fair enough. I think someone like Kante would alleviate the issue somewhat, but I still don't think it'd work out.

Probably a moot discussion either way. I doubt either is signed, never mind both.
 
Yeah Pogba is very unlikely.

James seems a bit 50-50. Real Madrid will sell him though. I would be wary of signing him. Just worry he'd be similar to Di Maria.
Protentially, although you could probably say the same of any South American flair player. Probably more of a problem adapting than talant wise, but Mourinho will know him and have an idea of if he could adapt or not.
 
It worrying that we might be after a player solely noted for his performances in the last world cup and little since. If nothing else, Real Madrid are very astute about players abilities and the fact that he couldn't break into the team is a concern. Also, for Madrid to drop his valuation could mean that they really want to get shot of him. But I'm just a fan and Mourinho is a top, top manager and time will tell if he was right about his judgement.
 
It worrying that we might be after a player solely noted for his performances in the last world cup and little since. If nothing else, Real Madrid are very astute about players abilities and the fact that he couldn't break into the team is a concern. Also, for Madrid to drop his valuation could mean that they really want to get shot of him. But I'm just a fan and Mourinho is a top, top manager and time will tell if he was right about his judgement.
It hasn't worked out for him because they signed a player that they didn't need in first place. Whether we do or not is another question but i trust Mourinho on this a million times more then i would perez.
 
The price quoted is the same as De Bruyne's. He seems to be very similar. Fair price then.
 
Do not want. He isn't ripping up trees at club level.
One time tournament player.
Are you referring to the 2014 World Cup? If so, you're way off. He's been a well known, massively rated player since long before then. Just because YOU didn't know of his performances, doesn't mean they didn't exist.
 
He has been criminally underrated on here. People forget he's still 24 years old and is yet to reach his peak. Able dribbler, great finisher, technically sound and creative, he's a complete a number 10. In todays market 50 mil is a fair evaluation not to mention his marketability in Central America would see us get the fee back tenfold.
A frontline of Martial, Mkhitraiyan, Zlatan and Rodriguez will be the stuff of dreams, a fluid attacking lineup with ample creativity and an eye for goal, imo the best attacking lineup since the days of Teves, Ronaldo and Rooney
 
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I might be wrong but he just seems a tournament player to me.
He looked like a world beater at 2014 but at Madrid he hasn't displaced any of the big hitters. He's no Bale or Benzima even if we ignore Ronaldo.

If I'm wrong then I'm wrong.
 
He has been criminally underrated on here. People forget he's still 24 years old and is yet to reach his peak. Able dribbler, great finisher, technically sound and creative, he's a complete a number 10. In todays market 50 mil is a fair evaluation not to mention his marketability in Central America would see us get the fee back tenfold.
A frontline of Martial, Mkhitraiyan, Zlatan and Rodriguez will be the stuff of dreams, a fluid attacking lineup with ample creativity and an eye for goal, imo the best attacking lineup since the days of Teves, Ronaldo and Rooney

I dont see it in the league. Maybe in Europe
 
Do not want. He isn't ripping up trees at club level.
One time tournament player.
Spoken like a true poster talking about a player you haven't seen more than a few times play. But to be fair I guess I wont be happy spending £50m odd on him as well.
 
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He got his move to Madrid on the back of that tournament. I'm not saying he's a bad player but he's not exactly undroppable is he.

7 goals and 8 assists in La Liga this season, with the limited appearances he's had.
 
He got his move to Madrid on the back of that tournament. I'm not saying he's a bad player but he's not exactly undroppable is he.
Him being dropped at Madrid is hardly a criticism. Di Maria was also dropped for Madrid when he became 'unfashionable'. They buy superstars, and try squeeze them into a team. Ronaldo, Benz and Bale are undroppable, and Kroos and Modric the same. That means it's balance versus talent (Casemiro versus James). Zidane is tactically aware enough to favour team balance rather than playing all the superstars. It is hardly James's fault. Bale would be dropped if Madrid had Messi; does that detract from Bale's talent?
You truly are criminally underrating him. He was Porto's best, coveted by many big teams, then he was Monaco's best, and finally from Monaco he got his big move after a phenomenal WC. People think that was his entry onto the big stage, but it's far from the truth. He's been great for a long time, in the league too. If we play with a number 10, there's not a better player to fill that role (taking into account age, potential, game changing ability etc).
 
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