22 Aug 2021 15:23:34
Interesting that Rodrigo didn't even make it on to the pitch yesterday. He has so far failed to fit in as a number 10 and Paddy keeping him from the striker spot so at the moment starting to look like yet another very expensive flop.

1.) 22 Aug 2021
22 Aug 2021 16:00:24
Alf As I and RHC predicted. Very skillful player but doesn't truly fit in.

2.) 22 Aug 2021
22 Aug 2021 17:13:51
expensive flop Alf? NO!

for expensive flops I direct you to others say for starters winger Peter Barnes Leeds record £930, 000 s ( huge money in those days) signing in 1981/ 82 from Man City with just one goal that season and did virtually nothing whilst he was at Leeds


as for now keep things simple and effective by playing players in their desired positions

Rodrigo is first and foremost a number 9 ( as he is/ was for Spain )

so play him there only either alternating with Bamford in starting 11 or just as useful coming on as sub for Bamford as he did so effectively at times last season.

should be noted that Rodrigo was our 4th highest scorer ( scored more than Raphinia ) last season 7 goals in 20 odd games

so not accurate to say 'an expensive flop' Alf to be fair to Rodrigo
b.

3.) 22 Aug 2021
22 Aug 2021 17:25:29
I believe if Bielsa showed some of his Stubborn Loyalty he is renowned for then a good run and I am sure Rodrigos skill will shine through. but as you say, at the moment he is on the outside looking in.

4.) 22 Aug 2021
22 Aug 2021 18:18:40
Not Rodrigos fault at all, Orta signed a player for the wrong position.

5.) 22 Aug 2021
22 Aug 2021 18:21:29
From my point of view, Rodrigo did not play yesterday for tactical reasons.

Rodrigo, I understand that he is a natural partner of the central forward (9) or second forward, but since Bielsa does not play with that position, he is a 9 here (today a substitute for Bamford) and, in order to do not leave a player of such hierarchy (compared to the rest of the team) out of the game, he alternates 10 with Robert, and sometimes also Klich

Instead of playing with their usual 4-1-1-3-1, yesterday, I mostly saw him played with a 3-3-1-3. (The 3-3-1-3 scheme is the one most used by Bielsa since its inception, following the school of Louis van Gaal, but since he is in English football, he has taken that extra man in defence and uses it as an extra midfielder)

When he plays with his usual Leeds scheme (4-1-1-3-1) Ayling and Dallas usually play for different bands, but yesterday they were playing both on the same side (the right side) for a long time in the game.

Harrison - Bamford - Raphinha
----------------- Klich --------------
Firpo -------- Phillips ----- Dallas
Cooper ---- Struijk ----- Ayling

In this scheme (3-3-1-3) there is only room for 2 central midfielders (Phillips, Klich) and not the usual 3 (Phillips, Klich, Rodrigo) that he usually uses when standing 4-1-1-3-1.

For this reason, he was forced to take out one of the 3 usual media, and the one who has less weight of the 3 would understand that it is Rodrigo and that is why he was left out.

At the press conference, from my point of view, he simply lied about his pain or the pain was real, but not the reason that he did not play, in order for Rodrigo does not to sit outside the starting team and disappoint him or make him feel like he wasted effort in all his preseason preparation. After all, let's also remember that Rodrigo is one of the highest-paid players (along with Philips, Rafinia, and now Bamford since he signed his new contract) in the club.