I'd use Rodriguez as a trequartista. His stats are best suited to the target man role, but I find that target men are not particularly useful when playing a short passing game. The problem with having a poacher and target man combo when playing short passes is that there is a large gap between midfield and attack, which means that the poacher will often drop back to receive the ball, which is something you really don't want. With the poacher and trequartista combo, the trequartista will be the one dropping deep and the poacher will have more opportunities to do what he does best - breaking the offside trap and running onto through balls. I always feel that the most important factor in attack is making sure the poacher gets as many goals as possible. The trequartista can get plenty as well, just keep the ball on the ground and set to drill crosses. I learnt this when playing as Stoke. I tried to turn them into a short passing team, but Crouch as a target man saw none of the ball. The role really compliments a more direct style. There is of course a support duty for target man, but it's not often you find a player with the right attributes for that role, and they very rarely get scoring opportunities. Just my two cents. We all play the game differently.
He's been scoring over 15 a season in the Prem for me on target man on a passing game so I have no complaints about that. Jay Rod's first touch, flair and passing put me off making him a trequartista - though I play 4-2-2-2 (two wide AMs) and play the ball wide to the flanks to play inside, so there's no gap between attack and midfield for me. I imagine playing a flat midfield would be different - formation has a big impact.
Ah okay, yeah what I said only applies to a regular 4-4-2. If you have AMs moving into the channels then you don't need either striker to drop deep.
Narrowly missed out on promotion to the top division in South Africa with Mpumalanga Black Aces. Was way out in front all season and then hit a disastrous win-less patch in the last couple of months and had to settle for playoffs. I took that disastrous form into the playoffs and was well beaten by FC Cape Town. My unemployment challenge in England is going a lot better so I'm mainly focusing on that now. Promoted in the first season with Droylsden largely due to the signing of Pablo Counago, hired by Crewe in the 2nd season who had just dropped into the Conference. Took them to an FA Trophy and THREE consecutive promotions, with nine players from my conference team surviving and featuring regularly on the way up, and then got offered the Stoke job which is where I am now, sitting in 7th in the Championship in 2017. Crewe is by a long way the most exciting team I have managed on this game. They can perfectly pull off the Barcelona 4-5-1 with short passes and high creative freedom, the team is incredibly well gelled, and their youngsters are ridiculously good for that level. I had a win ratio of 63% there, which is probably the highest I've ever had.
Never able to get rodriguez myself.. Never ever got the messsage about the board negotiating it either .. on the plus side, I signed geoffrey schlupp for like 1.8mill
Started a game as Hibs, with the aim of taking on the Old Firm. Won two consecutive SPL titles with only a few signings (Including Jake Sinclair on loan in the second season) bigger clubs were sniffing my better players (mainly David Wotherspoon) and the squad was very restless. Doesn't help no already established players would think about signing for me! So started a game as Saints. Lallana out for five months in pre-season but still going reasonably well, third mid November. Signed Gai Assulin on loan as replacement for Lallana and Grant Hanley as cover at centre back. Made offers for Sordell and Rodriguez during pre-season but Watford wanted £8m and Burnley £12m! Decided not to make any permanent signing until January so using Shaw, Ward-Prowse and Sinclair occasionally in league and more often in cup games. Just praying for no injuries!
Any good young CB's that I can buy really cheap that become amazing... As CBs I only have Fonte, Hooiveld and Chambers. Martin is wanted on loan by about a million clubs...! Help!
I'm in 2018 and his career so far has been unimpressive - few seasons in Prem, few in Championship. Normally averages 6.6ish in Prem.
oh i see.. Bit of a cheap deal for them.. well every AI is different.. i just hope he will be good cover in the prem then when My saints team are established.
