[Archived] Jordan Rhodes

[Steve Kean's Hypnotoad]

Surely the events of the summer have shown that all the rumours about Rhodes are total and utter garbage. Nobody actually came in for him if Whelan's stringent denial is to be believed, while the press were trying to push the agenda that he was being tapped up by a different club every week.

Nobody came in for him because clubs work on real-life logic. Namely that we would demand a profit on £8m for a player who has improved considerably since he joined and that we're under no pressure to sell him for less because of his long contract.

The press linked him away constantly because they work on irrelevant kiddy-logic. Namely that Rhodes is really good and Rovers aren't.

I personally can't see anything changing next summer either. He'll still have 3 years left and we'll still be under no pressure to sell him. The only difference will be if another good season in the Championship has convinced anyone he's worth £10m yet.

[bluebruce]

Agreed Steve, except that we might be under more pressure to sell in the summer of 2014. Isn't that when our parachute payments reduce?

[booth]

That makes it a rumour still to me. Express is full of crap, especially about Rovers. I should know, my mum gets it so it used to be my household paper. It's a rag.

Still amazing that someone wrote it and someone allowed it to be published.

[Guest Norbert]

That makes it a rumour still to me. Express is full of crap, especially about Rovers. I should know, my mum gets it so it used to be my household paper. It's a rag.

I wonder what Princess Diana would make of Venky's, and our accounts?

[yoda]

I wonder what Princess Diana would make of Venky's, and our accounts?

Its the SAS's fault

[Leonard Venkhater]

Its the SAS's fault

I blame Sutton more than Shearer. "This club deserves some loyalty"

[folkdevil]

See Gordon's at it again. Comparing Rhodes to the great Billy Pirie.

http://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/latest/scotland-squad-can-t-accommodate-jordan-rhodes-1-3122378

[Jimmy612]

See Gordon's at it again. Comparing Rhodes to the great Billy Pirie.

http://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/latest/scotland-squad-can-t-accommodate-jordan-rhodes-1-3122378

All completely accurate from Strachan I think, and fully reflects what many on here think. He has identified Rhodes weaknesses very quickly and despite fan pressure has done what he believes is right for the Scottish team.

No-one can or would criticise Rhodes' ability to score goals, but in a poor side who see little of the ball, you may as well play with 10 men most of the time. This naturally leads to the team being on the back foot for entire matches, as we all experienced last year. Thankfully this year Bowyer has developed a far stronger unit capable of keeping the ball, creating chances and ultimately holding their own in a difficult league. In a crap team (Scotland for instance) you can't afford passengers, particularly one playing in a lone striker role. Last year Rhodes was that passenger far too many times.

This appears to be a difficult concept for some folk to understand. IMO it is just fundamental knowledge of the game.

[Mafioso]

He still scored 30+

Under Appleton he played with same players just a different system and failed to score.

A team that can field Fletcher, Adam, Forrest, Brown etc should be able to provide service for most strikers let alone one that has a goals to chance ratio that surpasses most others.

[RevidgeBlue]

See Gordon's at it again. Comparing Rhodes to the great Billy Pirie.

http://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/latest/scotland-squad-can-t-accommodate-jordan-rhodes-1-3122378

Strachan's talking absolute nonsense imo, he is obviously coming under pressure in certain quarters to select Rhodes and is desperately trying to justify his own (wrong) decision. If Rhodes wss fortunate enough to be on the receiving end of 30 decent crosses per game he'd score around 20 more often than not.

I take completely the opposite view to Strachan on Rhodes, if you're a side like Scotland that struggles to create chances then a striker that needs ten chances to score a goal is no use to you whatsoever. You need a striker like Rhodes who only needs one or two chances more than ever.

Still if Strachan wants to keep leaving out arguably his best player and carry on losing games that's his prerogative. I suppose it's good for Rovers he keeps getting left out because he's less chance of getting injured. Shame for the player himself though.

It also makes me laugh when Strachan speaks condescendingly about JR's goals being at a lower level. It's one he couldn't cope with at Boro.

All completely accurate from Strachan I think, and fully reflects what many on here think

When you say "many" I think you mean "vociferous minority".

[Parsonblue]

See Gordon's at it again. Comparing Rhodes to the great Billy Pirie.

http://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/latest/scotland-squad-can-t-accommodate-jordan-rhodes-1-3122378

I think that's a pretty accurate assessment of where Rhodes is now. Clearly, Jordan is still learning the game and is young enough to improve his all-round game. I remember when we signed Shearer he said that the main reason for coming to the Rovers was to work with Kenny Dalglish and Ray Harford who he believed would improve his all-round game. He was already working with Ray at Under-21 level for England and felt he was improving him as a player and believed that Kenny could teach him how to become a better striker.

[jim mk2]

See Gordon's at it again. Comparing Rhodes to the great Billy Pirie.

http://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/latest/scotland-squad-can-t-accommodate-jordan-rhodes-1-3122378

Strachan is correct on Rhodes, basically echoing all those who know their football on here in saying he's not yet good enough to play at the highest level. It's good news for us of course, which means top-flight club will have continue to have doubts about buying him, but also reiterates that having a brilliant goalscorer is no guarantee of success for the team. Rhodes needs to improve vastly yet if he is to fulfill his ambitions.

[Jimmy612]

When you say "many" I think you mean "vociferous knowledgeable minority that are prepared to consider and discuss the obvious weaknesses in a players game as well as praise his excellent ability in front of goal".

minor correction but I apologise for my earlier mistake

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

Strachan is correct on Rhodes, basically echoing all those who know their football on here in saying he's not yet good enough to play at the highest level. It's good news for us of course, which means top-flight club will have continue to have doubts about buying him, but also reiterates that having a brilliant goalscorer is no guarantee of success for the team. Rhodes needs to improve vastly yet if he is to fulfill his ambitions.

Bottom line with Rhodes - if he had pace, or could hold the ball up like Shearer - we would never have been able to buy him as a Premiership club would have.

For all his faults he has continued to score goals - even when some doubted he would. Personally I think he would still score lots of goals in the Premiership.

IMO he is a good player to have in a team that is playing well - because (as with Tuesday) his goals then make all the difference - when a team is playing poorly he can have a detrimental impact on the whole team. Bowyer would be a brave man - but at some point (if we are struggling) it is going to be appropriate to sub Rhodes and bring on somebody like DJ or Best for the good of the team.

He would be an absolute star at somewhere like Arsenal - it is interesting that Wenger took a gamble on Jeffers (who was essentially a goal scorer) - but looks like he has never consider Rhodes (could you imagine Rhodes on the end of some of the numerous chances that Arsenal create in each match)

[Majiball]

Bottom line with Rhodes - if he had pace, or could hold the ball up like Shearer - we would never have been able to buy him as a Premiership club would have.

For all his faults he has continued to score goals - even when some doubted he would. Personally I think he would still score lots of goals in the Premiership.

IMO he is a good player to have in a team that is playing well - because (as with Tuesday) his goals then make all the difference - when a team is playing poorly he can have a detrimental impact on the whole team. Bowyer would be a brave man - but at some point (if we are struggling) it is going to be appropriate to sub Rhodes and bring on somebody like DJ or Best for the good of the team.

He would be an absolute star at somewhere like Arsenal - it is interesting that Wenger took a gamble on Jeffers (who was essentially a goal scorer) - but looks like he has never consider Rhodes (could you imagine Rhodes on the end of some of the numerous chances that Arsenal create in each match)

so why hasn't wenger persisted with signing poachers?

[RevidgeBlue]

so why hasn't wenger persisted with signing poachers?

Dunno, possibly because Jeffers flopped?

Why hasn't he won a trophy in the last eight years?

[DE.]

IMO he is a good player to have in a team that is playing well - because (as with Tuesday) his goals then make all the difference - when a team is playing poorly he can have a detrimental impact on the whole team.

I don't know how true this is when you consider last season we would almost certainly have been relegated without his goals. And who would have stepped in to fill that sizable void?

[RevidgeBlue]

Strachan is correct on Rhodes, basically echoing all those who know their football on here in saying he's not yet good enough to play at the highest level. It's good news for us of course, which means top-flight club will have continue to have doubts about buying him, but also reiterates that having a brilliant goalscorer is no guarantee of success for the team. Rhodes needs to improve vastly yet if he is to fulfill his ambitions.

Strachan has completely painted himself into a corner on Rhodes by being so publicly and overtly critical of him. (Unfairly and needlessly so imo)

He can hardly pick Rhodes now whilst he remains at Blackburn Rovers. He has already more or less said that scoring goals in a Mickey Mouse League (the Championship) doesn't count. Of course we all know that if Rhodes remained exactly the same player and hypothetically was transferred tomorrow to Liverpool or Manchester United, his perceived flaws would be ignored and he'd suddenly become the first name on Strachan's teamsheet.

The same might happen if he moves to a Premiership Club in January. It might be the only way out of an embarrassing situation for Strachan on whom pressure will no doubt build and build as his results get worse and worse. Not because of Rhodes inclusion or omission per se but because the side as a whole is poor.

[Jimmy612]

Dunno, possibly because Jeffers flopped?

Why hasn't he won a trophy in the last eight years?

Because the spine of the team has been woefully weak since Vieira, Campbell, Toure, Henry, Gilberto and Bergkamp all went seriously downhill/departed. Oh, and Seaman retired.

PL teams don't play poachers, end of.

[RevidgeBlue]

Because the spine of the team has been woefully weak since Vieira, Campbell, Toure, Henry, Gilberto and Bergkamp all went seriously downhill/departed. Oh, and Seaman retired.

.

You're right with the above but whenever a similar argument is advanced in relation to us and the rest of the team not pulling their weight or being good enough in the past the argument always seems to revert back to Rhodes and an alleged inability to hold the ball up.

[Mike E]

You're right with the above but whenever a similar argument is advanced in relation to us and the rest of the team not pulling their weight or being good enough in the past the argument always seems to revert back to Rhodes and an alleged inability to hold the ball up.

And now we have a spine that can be relied upon and with which Rhodes can flourish. Rhodes has his faults but until they directly affect our results, this ain't the time for people to go on about them.

And even his supposed weaknesses aren't that bad. He can hold up the ball, just not brilliantly (but he can do it and do it quite well). He doesn't have the pace of King or Campbell but that doesn't mean he isn't quick.

[Jimmy612]

You're right with the above but whenever a similar argument is advanced in relation to us and the rest of the team not pulling their weight or being good enough in the past the argument always seems to revert back to Rhodes and an alleged inability to hold the ball up.

Now that's not true necessarily.

You can scroll through this topic as long as you want and on every single bloody post I've written, I made reference as to just how bad our side was last season. In fact my whole argument has been that we chucked £8m at Rhodes, rightly or wrongly (time will tell) instead of sacking Kean, replacing him with a decent manager and allowing said manager to rebuild sensibly to create a strong unit. Not sticking a goalscorer atop the the most unbalanced squad to play competitive football.

THIS SEASON - My argument was not necesarilly aimed at shooting Rhodes down, rather I was identifying his weaknesses and exploring the possibility whereby IF we had collected £8-10m for him - COULD we have used that money to build a strong side, perhaps sacrificing our out and out goalscorer, to be replaced by a squad capable of sharing goals i.e. Cardiff & Hull last season. I questioned this because I felt, and still feel (I hope I'm wrong), that without cash injection and sensible buying, Rovers will not go up, with or without Rhodes.

Now it's interesting.....

If Bowyer has built a squad capable of promotion with the severe financial constraints placed upon him then I can only applaud him, and quite frankly we have no reason to sell Rhodes (if it ain't broke don't fix it). If we don't go up I expect us to sell in the summer anyway (and then dependent on what he fetches, my theory might well be put to the test!)

Rhodes is a long way from the complete package, and quite frankly unless he improves his all round game, I can't see him being successful in the PL. Please name me a striker in the last 10 years that has been consistently successful without having something of an all round game, particularly since 4-4-2 has become increasingly unpopular.

For the record I actually think Rhodes ability back to goal etc has improved this season. Long may it continue.

And now we have a spine that can be relied upon and with which Rhodes can flourish. Rhodes has his faults but until they directly affect our results, this ain't the time for people to go on about them.

And even his supposed weaknesses aren't that bad. He can hold up the ball, just not brilliantly (but he can do it and do it quite well). He doesn't have the pace of King or Campbell but that doesn't mean he isn't quick.

He severely lacks pace Mike - that cannot be disputed

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

I don't know how true this is when you consider last season we would almost certainly have been relegated without his goals. And who would have stepped in to fill that sizable void?

One thing that we can only speculate - how much did his lack of pace and inability to hold the ball up impact the team as a whole ? It is a team game - the team with one outstanding goal scorer doesnt necessarily have the best team - just look how well Burnley are doing without Austin.

[DE.]

One thing that we can only speculate - how much did his lack of pace and inability to hold the ball up impact the team as a whole ? It is a team game - the team with one outstanding goal scorer doesnt necessarily have the best team - just look how well Burnley are doing without Austin.

Judging by our team last season I think we can safely say we'd have been screwed without Rhodes' goals - who realistically would have stepped up to the mark? I genuinely can't think of a single player, because the rest of the squad were by and large absolutely woeful last year and in many games a complete embarrassment. Obviously changing managers every few months didn't help, but Jordan is one of the few players who consistently did his job despite everything going on.

[Mike E]

He severely lacks pace Mike - that cannot be disputed

He ain't Josh King but he ain't Goodwillie either. I don't think he is actually very quick but tbh I don't see him as being slow either. Certainly not slow enough to be detrimental to the team. And while he isn't blistering, his movement in and around the box (or the amazing anticipation he has) probably gives him an automatic half-yard on most defenders.