[Archived] Jordan Rhodes

[Majiball]

how high up the pitch did we play as a team? Higher than normal as we've been rather deep at all times when I've watched this season. That in it's will make a big difference.

[thenodrog]

Heels well and firmly dug in, eh, Gordon? You're starting to sound very petty and small-minded in your one-man crusade against Rhodes. I will never understand why it is he comes under such scrutiny from critics such as yourself whenever the team has a bad spell, while the other ten players fly under the radar. He's the one player who's consistently performed the job asked of him. He's the guy we should be building the team around, but instead he gets the blame whenever Bowyer bodges his tactics up.

In frustration Toppers. Rhodes has God given ability and timing to beat keepers and find the back of the net, but the simple things to a strikers game seem beyond him. He waits for things to happen rather than make them happen like most Prem strikers. I guess 40k+pw negates the need to play in the Prem or at international level. His unwillingness to 'mix it' frequently puts his team mates under unnecessary pressure, gives opposing ch's a relatively easy ride and in general demeans said ability. I've said all this before but you haven't taken it on board.... I guess you just got to be there eh?

btw 'Consistently performed his job'? 1 goal in over two months and then 3 at once does not constitute 'consistency' in any way shape or form. You need to improve your describing words.

Fair point Jimmy. Was at the game and frankly it didn't strike me the team did much different in the way of tactics. In some ways the most 'different' goal was Rhodes's third where Willo got up the field and forced their 'quarterback' into a miscontrol that Jordan took advantage of. When's the last time one of our central midfielders did that? Personal view only, but I thought it was only cos we'd scored three and Rhodes was on a hat-trick that Willo chased forward to hassle Clayton (?).

My mate was there and he said Huddersfield created masses of chances and were desperately poor at finishing them off.

[Proudtobeblue&white]

He's now scored 48 for us in 85 games, better than 1 in 2, Garner 168 in 455 full games, Shearer 112 in 132 full games (league only). Only proves Shearer was bloody awesome, as all in the top flight, Simon smoked and drank too much but we loved him all the more for it, and JR is a very good goal scorer. Stats and all that!

I like him!

[Leonard Venkhater]

Saw these interesting excerpts from something called Squawaka News about Saturdays game:

"Without the goalscoring exploits of the Scot, Blackburn would be nowhere near the 10th position they currently reside in this season. He has scored 20 of their 43 league goals in 2013-14, after scoring 27 times in his debut year at Ewood Park, often taking up the role of match-winner and giving defenders nightmares with his movement in the box. Who knows what would have happened to Rovers if they hadn’t taken that risk on Deadline Day at the start of last season....

"....In truth, Rhodes hardly touched the ball in general play, completing just 12 passes all afternoon and winning just two aerial duels. But he is in the team to simply score goals and there is no arguing the fact that he does this extremely well. His exploits in the Huddersfield penalty area saw him deservedly pick up the Squawka Man of the Match award.

[LDRover]

Those stats add fuel to both sides of the argument.

Look what you've done Leonard, you've made it bloody worse!!!

[MCMC1875]

We wouldn't want to part with our top scorer but what's he worth in todays market?

[thenodrog]

"....In truth, Rhodes hardly touched the ball in general play, completing just 12 passes all afternoon and winning just two aerial duels. But he is in the team to simply score goals and there is no arguing the fact that he does this extremely well. His exploits in the Huddersfield penalty area saw him deservedly pick up the Squawka Man of the Match award.

And there's the rub. That is basically what he does when he doesn't score. Effectively the rest of the time it's 10 v 11. Hence why we concede too much territory to the opposition, end up defending our own pen box and frequently get punished..

We wouldn't want to part with our top scorer but what's he worth in todays market?

£2-3m tops.

[MCMC1875]

And there's the rub. That is basically what he does when he doesn't score. Effectively the rest of the time it's 10 v 11. Hence why we concede too much territory to the opposition, end up defending our own pen box and frequently get punished..

£2-3m tops.

Makes the buying price look a bit inflated then?

[Stuart]

gives opposing ch's a relatively easy ride

He's now scored 48 for us in 85 games

Presumably those ch's enjoyed their easy rides then.

Next you'll be telling us he should have scored more, Gordon.

[thenodrog]

Presumably those ch's enjoyed their easy rides then.

Next you'll be telling us he should have scored more, Gordon.

JR will never fully fulfill his potential, plus we will spew a lot of money. Are you happy with that Stuart?

[Amo]

[Stuart]

JR will never fully fulfill his potential, plus we will spew a lot of money. Are you happy with that Stuart?

If he continues to score 1 in 2 for the remainder of his contract, yes, very happy.

Everyone knows we overpaid for him. By my reckoning, by about £4.5m. Can't change that. But the lad can score goals.

I suppose you would rather have Roberts? Apparently he's PL quality, simply because he has the build to knock people off the ball en route to his Row Z efforts.

Trouble is, you think we would be better off with Rhodes on the bench, and Gestede up top. Based on nothing but the fact that he can head a ball, and some pre-conceived notion that he can hold the ball up better that Rhodes. Me, I'll take the goals, thanks. You've dug a Rhodes shaped hole and you are determined to bury him in it - even if it means Rovers continue to struggle.

[Leonard Venkhater]

Those stats add fuel to both sides of the argument.

Look what you've done Leonard, you've made it bloody worse!!!

We have the same discussions in our family.

To give Gordon his due, he has always acknowledged JR's finishing prowess.I actually think he is right about other aspects of JR's game and in particular that those aspects can be improved on with hard work. That doesn't mean I am a Rhodes "hater". I think his finishing is particularly special and it gets me out of my seat all right.

[LDRover]

Agreed.

Both arguments have their merits, he could improve and work harder and our style of play should play to his strengths. The one thing we all agree on is his finishing.

We certainly overpaid for him though.

[Proudtobeblue&white]

Stuart v Gordon, in the words of Harry Hill, fight!

[yoda]

If he continues to score 1 in 2 for the remainder of his contract, yes, very happy.

Everyone knows we overpaid for him. By my reckoning, by about £4.5m. Can't change that. But the lad can score goals.

I suppose you would rather have Roberts? Apparently he's PL quality, simply because he has the build to knock people off the ball en route to his Row Z efforts.

Trouble is, you think we would be better off with Rhodes on the bench, and Gestede up top. Based on nothing but the fact that he can head a ball, and some pre-conceived notion that he can hold the ball up better that Rhodes. Me, I'll take the goals, thanks. You've dug a Rhodes shaped hole and you are determined to bury him in it - even if it means Rovers continue to struggle.

We may have over paid but with the money now available in the PL and JR almost sure to score 30 at this level, there will be more than a few chairmen with aspirations of getting their hands on that lolly that would probably take a punt on JR to get them up to the PL, even if for just one season.

That is the insanity of football in this country,

Then again, shell out £8 mill to get your hands on £100 mill

[Stuart]

Stuart v Gordon, in the words of Harry Hill, fight!

Nah. I've a lot of time for Gordon, we just don't see eye to eye on this one.

[darrenrover]

We have the same discussions in our family.

To give Gordon his due, he has always acknowledged JR's finishing prowess.I actually think he is right about other aspects of JR's game and in particular that those aspects can be improved on with hard work. That doesn't mean I am a Rhodes "hater". I think his finishing is particularly special and it gets me out of my seat all right.

The fact is on Saturday JR would have satisfied both camps.

He gave as good an all round performance as you could ever wish to see from a centre forward.

What's the catalyst? Can we have more of the same please.

[Proudtobeblue&white]

Nah. I've a lot of time for Gordon, we just don't see eye to eye on this one.

It was more you were in a JR costume, Gordon as his favourite cossy, Gordon?

[Stuart]

[Neil Weaver]

My mate was there and he said Huddersfield created masses of chances and were desperately poor at finishing them off.

Not going to argue with that. If Rhodes had have been playing for Huddersfield, the scoreline would have been the other way around. Thinking about it a bit more, nah, we wouldn't have got two.

[West Yorks Rover]

I think you have to admit Rhodes took his goals well, but 2 of them were gifts from Hudds defenders, as obviously was Conway's, a shocking

howler from their keeper.

Rhodes and the team overall, will need to do a lot more to get anything from Leicester.

[thenodrog]

Trouble is, you think we would be better off with Rhodes on the bench, and Gestede up top. Based on nothing but the fact that he can head a ball, and some pre-conceived notion that he can hold the ball up better that Rhodes. Me, I'll take the goals, thanks. You've dug a Rhodes shaped hole and you are determined to bury him in it - even if it means Rovers continue to struggle.

'Continue to struggle' Nail on head! JR has played virtually every game yet you say we continue to struggle. What I want is us to utilise the midfield talent to the best of our ability, to dominate both possession and territorially which imo means a version of 4-5-1. That is a formation which with him up top and with his back to goal much of the time giving as much as he gets quite simply doesn't suit JR's game.

Oh and btw the average Conference centre forward can hold the ball up better than Jordan Rhodes.

Agreed.

Both arguments have their merits, he could improve and work harder and our style of play should play to his strengths. The one thing we all agree on is his finishing.

We certainly overpaid for him though.

I disagree. He's been here almost 2 years and hasn't improved in that area one bit. No wonder Strachans binned him is it? They can't afford to weaken their midfield by playing more than one striker can they?

Nah. I've a lot of time for Gordon, we just don't see eye to eye on this one.

Quite right we don't. You will however come to agree that I am right in the fullness of time Stuart.

Just as an aside and to save me digging back did you rate Jon Stead? Lots on here did and gave me hell over writing him off on a very vibrant thread, but few admit to doing so 10 years on.

btw for the younger ones Jon Stead was a CF who also signed for us from Huddersfield and played for us for a short time but was never anywhere near Premier League level and has spent (a very erstwhile career) plodding around the lower leagues as I predicted he would.

[Stuart]

'Continue to struggle' Nail on head! JR has played virtually every game yet you say we continue to struggle. What I want is us to utilise the midfield talent to the best of our ability, to dominate both possession and territorially which imo means a version of 4-5-1. That is a formation which with him up top and with his back to goal much of the time giving as much as he gets quite simply doesn't suit JR's game.

Oh and btw the average Conference centre forward can hold the ball up better than Jordan Rhodes.

I disagree. He's been here almost 2 years and hasn't improved in that area one bit. No wonder Strachans binned him is it? They can't afford to weaken their midfield by playing more than one striker can they?

Quite right we don't. You will however come to agree that I am right in the fullness of time Stuart.

Just as an aside and to save me digging back did you rate Jon Stead? Lots on here did and gave me hell over writing him off on a very vibrant thread, but few admit to doing so 10 years on.

btw for the younger ones Jon Stead was a CF who also signed for us from Huddersfield and played for us for a short time but was never anywhere near Premier League level and has spent (a very erstwhile career) plodding around the lower leagues as I predicted he would.

:lol: Sorry, I thought you said midfield talent!

Bit harsh comparing Rhodes to Stead by threat. Although both did save us from relegation virtually single handedly.

Keep clutching at that straw, Gordon. You and I both know that without Rhodes - in the absence of any real other talent any further forward than Hanley - we would be a League Ine team by now.

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

 

:lol: Sorry, I thought you said midfield talent!

Bit harsh comparing Rhodes to Stead by threat. Although both did save us from relegation virtually single handedly.

Keep clutching at that straw, Gordon. You and I both know that without Rhodes - in the absence of any real other talent any further forward than Hanley - we would be a League Ine team by now.

Don't think it is as black and white as that - the weak parts of his game have huge impact on the team as a whole - so it is impossible to say how it would have impacted us this or last season. We can never give him pace - but I am amazed that we can't coach him to hold the ball up better - at the end of the day he isn't small (6ft+) - why he can't be coached to be something like Kevin Davies (but with goals) is beyond me.