The only thing I would disagree with about this is 'unsung'. I think most people would agree that our outstanding players this season have been Jrod, Lallana, Lovren and Fonte.
I was hoping that article would be about Steven Davis. Nonetheless, Rodriguez deserves some plaudits. I have always appreciated his workrate, but the results were not always there. Especially under Adkins where he was relegated to a left-wing sort of role. MP makes better use of Rodriguez's ability and willingness to run around everywhere. He still has flaws, but he is much improved this year and I believe he will improve still further. The last missing piece for him is better awareness of players and situations and developing a more complete game rather than just all running. He tends to play with his head down a little too much... his speed is his greatest asset but it also causes him to be too much action and not quite enough thought. I still have concerns as to whether he will ever be truly the sort of elite-level striker Saints need, but I didn't think he would even be as good as he is now so I've gone from being a skeptic to more of a let's-wait-and-see approach. And he deserves to be in the starting XI, even if it means either Osvaldo or Lambert has to be benched at times.
I've said since seeing him early last season, this lad will get better and better. He is 23, great attitude, willing to listen and learn. I'm beginning to think he'll end up an Ian Rush-esque striker. In another two seasons, he could be really something. Oh, and he has pace!
Poch seems to love Jrod, always keeps his place and never gets subbed. Remember lallana getting subbed regularly at the start of poch's reign and then obviously the rotation between lambert and osvaldo, but Jrod is a constant - huge credit to him
He's one of a rare breed these days, a forward who will just run straight at the opposition rather than always looking for the pass. I think he scares defenders very much - they tend to bunch around him to try to stop him, yet he powers though in a way that he didn't seem to manage when he first arrived. All through last season and early this season I was predicting to my son that as soon as he scored a couple and got his confidence he'd not stop scoring. I hope I'm right. Vin
Totally, IMO the only thing he's really missing is his finishing & seeing as he's scoring more frequently that's obviously getting better.
I knew that JRod would do well this season. Things can fizzle out with Dani and Rickie. Jay creates things for himself. It may also be that defenders don't watch him as closely as they do the others.
I do think that getting in another player od real quality who is comfortable in wider positions and gives us something different could free up JRod to play more centrally if needed/against certain oposition. Agree that he will only get better and certainly has all the physical attributes to be an excellent and consistant attacking threat.
Still not happy that Roy stuck him on the left wing for 45 minutes, as if he was going to have a great game from there. Hope his World Cup chances aren't over, but if they are then he'll definitely be in for the next tournament (with Lallana Shaw etc etc).
If he keeps banging them in at the rate he is, Roy will have to take another look at him. And this time, play him where he is most effective.
It was a terrible game to make a debut in...JRod was having to be defensive. He said himself that he enjoyed the experience despite how hard the game was. If not now, he could be picked for the Euros.
I think that JRods time spent with the England set up has done him the world of good Whether due to a boost in confidence of the recognition or mixing with the top English players has rubbed off on him and things he is doing I am not sure but I certainly think its done him (& Saints) the world of good
In a game where few did well, the media seemed to home in on JRod. I felt sorry for him and was afraid his confidence would take a knock, but no sign of that in a recent interview. He was thrilled with the opportunity.
The fact that Rickie, Jay and Adam got selected at all suggests that Hodgson is at least prepared to look beyond the big names at the big clubs, which puts him one up on most of his predecessors as England manager. All three of them will be aware that if they continue to play well they'll have a foot in the door.
I can honestly see a day in the near future where Southampton have the most representatives in the England squad.
