[Archived] Jordan Rhodes

[FGS5635]

Play to his strengths?? that's all I see. Well im not sure he has strengths plural. He has strength and that's finishing. He has nothing else. So basically we have to create as many chances as we can for him to play to this strength. Well he's missed chances in all our recent games, so how many do we have to create to play to 'his strength'? 2 a game, 3 a game, 4 a game, 10 a game. What exactly is playing to his strength? If he fails to deliver his strength then what?

[thenodrog]

Or perhaps better players just make lesser players less visible and less responsible, thus making them seem better than they are.

To put it into context, Lowe isn't a better player when Cairney and Evans are on the pitch. He's just less noticeable. Take one or both out and he's still the same old Jason Lowe.

Same old? How many times have you seen him play this season DE?

[Tardyrover]

When we are playing with one up front it is one of the priorities that the player in that position can do what would be expected of someone in that role. Nobody is saying that given an opportunity Rhodes won't score more than most. However, he also HAS to do other things in that role, particularly away from home, and these are the areas of his game that needs to improve. If he wants to play international football on a regular basis he will have to improve these areas and if wants a move to the Premier League he will have to improve these areas.

Allardyce out!

[thenodrog]

what would you guys think if you were the top scorer in the league and you were dropped? also consider what those who will replace him have done to date. also consider others form and they play. I reckon rhodes wouldn't be very happy about it at all.

1. He's not the top scorer.

2. If his balls and his mind are both in the right place he'll fight like hell to get his place back and if they aren't then he's been outed. Nobody who wants to make a name for themselves can afford to rest on their laurels. Look at the shift really top players like Suarez, Torres, Rooney, RVP put in and tell me if they are resting on their laurels. They are where they are through skill, effort, and blood, sweat and tears . Skill alone will not do it.

[LDRover]

It amazes me the number of people who wanted £8 million spending elsewhere .

Truth is last summer we had spent nearly £15 mill on players long before Rhodes was even considered .

We have spent this summer and will spend the next two summers suffering because of it .

If it had been no Rhodes , then the money would not have been spent elsewhere .

We would probably be in league 1.

Our eggs were all on Leon Best and he has scored a hatful , :-/

The £8 mill on Rhodes ensured we was not relegated , had we not bought Rhodes last season then Venky's would be £8 million Richer , and those accounts would not be the only thing of worry .

If he continues scoring the goals which he has throughout his career to date , then quite frankly he is priceless to Rovers , as his goals are the difference between us being 12th or bottom 3.

Nothing about Venky's signings in 3 years suggest we would be better off without Rhodes and £8 million to waste on more duck eggs

Sorry glen but justifying an 8 million signing by saying he saved us from the third tier of English football is a ridiculous argument.

[Majiball]

He'd only be on the bench, not the transfer list.

aye because in modern football its the club that decides when a player leaves, isn't it?

[Majiball]

1. He's not the top scorer.

2. If his balls and his mind are both in the right place he'll fight like hell to get his place back and if they aren't then he's been outed. Nobody who wants to make a name for themselves can afford to rest on their laurels. Look at the shift really top players like Suarez, Torres, Rooney, RVP put in and tell me if they are resting on their laurels. They are where they are through skill, effort, and blood, sweat and tears . Skill alone will not do it.

1) still on 10, our next highest was on 2 last time I checked.

2) you should read up on those players. Everyone of them has had issues, tantrums, and acted unprofessionally publicly more than once.

[DanLad]

Sorry glen but justifying an 8 million signing by saying he saved us from the third tier of English football is a ridiculous argument.

That's not what he seems to be saying.

Would we have been relegated without Rhodes goals? I think so.

Could that £8 mill have been spent worse? Most definitely yes. We have spent millions more on absolute crap.

[Stuart]

1. He's not the top scorer.

Before Saturday he was clear top scorer. Bloody McCormack got FOUR to take the top spot, by one goal, and Ings got one to go level - and that's in a STRUGGLING Rovers side.

I've said it before and I'll doubtless say it again. SOME ROVERS FANS DO NOT DESERVE TO HAVE A STRIKER LIKE RHODES.

Pretty soon we won't have one.

Could that £8 mill have been spent worse? Most definitely yes. We have spent millions more on absolute crap.

Glen's point is that the £8m WOULDN'T have been spent on anything - better or worse. It was a one-off deal.

I don't see us ever breaking our transfer record again.

[JWUpper]

http://www.givemesport.com/398671-tottenham-must-replace-soldado-with-prolific-scot?autoplay=on&utm_source=outbrain-rss&utm_medium=outbrain-rss&utm_campaign=outbrain-rss

Saw this earlier on. Pretty wishful thinking by whoever wrote it...

[DE.]

Same old? How many times have you seen him play this season DE?

Only twice sadly. I had surgery in August and after my recovery was in America for 3 weeks though so you'll have to excuse my poor attendance record so far I saw plenty of him last season though and trust the opinions of those I know who do go.

I'm very confident in my assertions for numerous reasons, may I suggest however that if you don't find my opinions valid due to my lack of attendance this season you ignore my posts from now on. It would be silly to debate with somebody whose opinion you aren't interested in, don't you agree?

[West Yorks Rover]

aye because in modern football its the club that decides when a player leaves, isn't it?

Well if he was soft enough to want to leave because he was dropped to the bench, I think many would say let him go.

[DE.]

Before Saturday he was clear top scorer. Bloody McCormack got FOUR to take the top spot, by one goal, and Ings got one to go level - and that's in a STRUGGLING Rovers side.

I've said it before and I'll doubtless say it again. SOME ROVERS FANS DO NOT DESERVE TO HAVE A STRIKER LIKE RHODES.

Pretty soon we won't have one.

Couldn't agree more. It's absolutely ridiculous. When I tell people we have fans who criticise Rhodes they look at me like I have two heads. "Your top goalscorer? They don't like him?" "No, 30 goals a season is not good enough. Can't hold a bloody ball up can he?"

[Tom]

I ask again if hypothetically we had a keeper that was the best shot stopper in the league but couldn't catch and his distribution constantly lost the ball and put us under pressure would you say he needs work on that part of his game or say that because he's a great shot stopper he doesn't need to improve the rest of his game?

[DE.]

It's almost impossible to compare a goalkeeper and a striker, and a GK with those types of weaknesses would cost us far more in a game than Rhodes does with his perceived inadequacies.

Btw still waiting for somebody to explain to me who will link up effectively with Rhodes in midfield when he holds the ball up or get on the end of crosses when he's run out to the flank.

[RevidgeBlue]

Before Saturday he was clear top scorer. Bloody McCormack got FOUR to take the top spot, by one goal, and Ings got one to go level - and that's in a STRUGGLING Rovers side.

I've said it before and I'll doubtless say it again. SOME ROVERS FANS DO NOT DESERVE TO HAVE A STRIKER LIKE RHODES.

Pretty soon we won't have one.

Like Glen's post, pretty much spot on imo.

I hope we survive the January window with him still here, if we don't go up however there's surely no way he'll be here at the start of next season.

Never mind last season, where would we be without his goals this season?

[Majiball]

I ask again if hypothetically we had a keeper that was the best shot stopper in the league but couldn't catch and his distribution constantly lost the ball and put us under pressure would you say he needs work on that part of his game or say that because he's a great shot stopper he doesn't need to improve the rest of his game?

What's Robbo got to do with things?

[Tom]

Nah Robbo is the best kicker I've ever seen for us personally, let down on shots from distance and decision making on crosses

[jim mk2]

Rhodes needs to look at some old videos of Ian Rush to see how hard a proper striker needs to work. Rush was a defender when Liverpool did not have the ball. working tirelessly to put opposition players under pressure. Suarez does it now, although he's nowhere near as good as Rush. Rhodes will never be a top class player because he is intrinsically lazy.

[thenodrog]

Only twice sadly. I had surgery in August and after my recovery was in America for 3 weeks though so you'll have to excuse my poor attendance record so far I saw plenty of him last season though and trust the opinions of those I know who do go.

I'm very confident in my assertions for numerous reasons, may I suggest however that if you don't find my opinions valid due to my lack of attendance this season you ignore my posts from now on. It would be silly to debate with somebody whose opinion you aren't interested in, don't you agree?

Too late. I'd already decided that thanks DE.

I ask again if hypothetically we had a keeper that was the best shot stopper in the league but couldn't catch and his distribution constantly lost the ball and put us under pressure would you say he needs work on that part of his game or say that because he's a great shot stopper he doesn't need to improve the rest of his game?

Exactly.

[den]

Couldn't agree more. It's absolutely ridiculous. When I tell people we have fans who criticise Rhodes they look at me like I have two heads. "Your top goalscorer? They don't like him?" "No, 30 goals a season is not good enough. Can't hold a bloody ball up can he?"

Well, seeing that they'll know absolutely nothing about Rhodes, they obviously believe that if he scores - he's done his bit. Guess they think it doesn't matter one iota if he does naff all else for the rest of the game and his team loses. Obviously, they're wrong. Any manager would tell them that.

[thenodrog]

Btw still waiting for somebody to explain to me who will link up effectively with Rhodes in midfield when he holds the ball up or get on the end of crosses when he's run out to the flank.

His teammates.... obviously. Sounds like you would drop all 10 and let superman play on his own.

Rhodes needs to look at some old videos of Ian Rush to see how hard a proper striker needs to work. Rush was a defender when Liverpool did not have the ball. working tirelessly to put opposition players under pressure. Suarez does it now, although he's nowhere near as good as Rush. Rhodes will never be a top class player because he is intrinsically lazy.

Agree with everything but that. Rush was amazing and did what he did in year in year out until he went to Italy. Suarez is a different type of player, he may not play the number of games for Liverpool that Rush did nor win as many medals, he is a hot head of course but he is no less talented imo.

Well, seeing that they'll know absolutely nothing about Rhodes, they obviously believe that if he scores - he's done his bit. Guess they think it doesn't matter one iota if he does naff all else for the rest of the game and his team loses. Obviously, they're wrong. Any manager would tell them that.

I can't believe that this debate is running so long. It's obvious that JR is a fine striker and it's also obvious that he has glaring weaknesses that he needs to improve. Surely no one who purports to follow football or who has ever kicked a ball in anger can deny that? It shouldn't have to be one or the other.

[Speedie Dived]

It's almost impossible to compare a goalkeeper and a striker, and a GK with those types of weaknesses would cost us far more in a game than Rhodes does with his perceived inadequacies.

Btw still waiting for somebody to explain to me who will link up effectively with Rhodes in midfield when he holds the ball up or get on the end of crosses when he's run out to the flank.

This is exactly the issue that people are questioning. Currently the players don't take too many chances to break forward, as Rhodes very rarely get's in positions to cross the ball. It's a waste of energy to bust a gut to join him as he struggles to hold the ball, latch on to balls in the channel. We have seen numerous strikers down the years who this was second nature to, some in good teams, some in bad teams.

And if he did start doing this then questions would be asked why no one is getting in the box, but currently we are not there.

[thenodrog]

This is exactly the issue that people are questioning. Currently the players don't take too many chances to break forward, as Rhodes very rarely get's in positions to cross the ball. It's a waste of energy to bust a gut to join him as he struggles to hold the ball, latch on to balls in the channel.

Indeed so. And in doing so getting wrong side of the ball and their opposite number with all the consequences for the result that that brings.

This is Championmship football not bloody Cub football.

[Speedie Dived]

Never mind last season, where would we be without his goals this season?

Where would we be with Ings and Vaughan up top? I would suggest higher up the league