Rodriguez

[lamby]

Think we all forget how youg most of our squad actually are.

 

[ChilcoSaint]

Rodriguez is sick

I nearly had heart failure when I read that, then I worked out what you were up to.

 

[Schad]

Coutinho would play the Lallana role though. I have to be honest and say that at the moment, I'd rather have Lallana.

I'd likely take Lallana over Coutinho on recent form as well, but I believe that they could play together fairly easily. Lallana this season has demonstrated that he's dangerous playing on the ball, playing off the ball, playing wide, playing through the middle, dropping deep, and making runs behind defenses. Think it's one of his greatest attributes at the moment...you don't really need to change the style of play or personnel to fit him, because he can be dangerous however he's deployed.

 

[Le Tissier's Laces]

Whom. Also, nobody! Play the best team for the situation. Sometimes a winger will be suitable, other times not. Sometimes he would be effective off the bench. At the very least, I'd like us to have the option in the squad.

Haha, good point. If I live by the sword I have to be prepared to die by it too.

Agreed as an option it makes absolute sense. I wasn't disagreeing at all with the principle, in fact I strongly agree with it, just wondering what people's thoughts were regarding using the as yet unidentified winger were.

 

[Le Tissier's Laces]

If Rodriguez keeps going like this then he'll give himself a great chance of going to the World Cup, especially with Defoe hardly even playing.

Still personally think international football is a step too far right now. Possibly even a mental thing for him.

 

[saintlyhero]

I'd likely take Lallana over Coutinho on recent form as well, but I believe that they could play together fairly easily. Lallana this season has demonstrated that he's dangerous playing on the ball, playing off the ball, playing wide, playing through the middle, dropping deep, and making runs behind defenses. Think it's one of his greatest attributes at the moment...you don't really need to change the style of play or personnel to fit him, because he can be dangerous however he's deployed.

Agreed, my thoughts were Lallana & Coutinho together.
Especially with Wanyama you could put Coutinho in for Davis/JWP, as well as these two have performed he would be a step up.
If we go in for Banega again then this is where he might be deployed.

As for the World Cup and Jay Rod. A couple of years too early, but he has the attributes to get there

 

[TheSecondStain]

He's also a great ventriloquist...his lips never move

And a very quiet voice with a Lancashire accent comes out. Any quieter and it would the (Northern) Man in the Box.

He certainly has found out where that onionbag is, at last. Think this might be just the start as well. Going by that timid and shy voice, he's a high confidence player.

 

[fran-MLs little camera]

Still personally think international football is a step too far right now. Possibly even a mental thing for him.

His call up actually did Jay good. Most people unfairly judge his England game as a failure (unfair because it was an awful game for the whole team), but he was bubbling with excitement (which for such a quiet lad equates to a soft smile). He felt positive about the experience and played with more confidence when he came back.

It can be hard to judge if he has an international future though. Is he playing well because he is a very good player or is he a good player in a team that virtually read each others thoughts.

 

[pass the football]

I think you're right Fran, he has been a new player since his England call-up. Seems to have been encouraged by the experience and seems desperate to perform as well as he can in order to get another chance. Lallana is in the same boat to a degree and both of them have been fantastic recently.

 

[Jose Fonte baby]

Rodriguez had to make a lot of interceptions as Walker kept getting exposed.