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How can Everton get the best from Rodriguez

By Matt Townsend

BRIGHTON, ENGLAND - APRIL 12: Carlo Ancelotti, Manager of Everton gives instructions to Nathan Broadhead of Everton during the Premier League match between Brighton & Hove Albion and Everton at American Express Community Stadium on April 12, 2021 in Brighton, England. Sporting stadiums around the UK remain under strict restrictions due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in games being played behind closed doors. (Photo by Glyn Kirk - Pool/Getty Images)
BRIGHTON, ENGLAND - APRIL 12: Carlo Ancelotti, Manager of Everton gives instructions to Nathan Broadhead of Everton during the Premier League match between Brighton & Hove Albion and Everton at American Express Community Stadium on April 12, 2021 in Brighton, England. Sporting stadiums around the UK remain under strict restrictions due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in games being played behind closed doors. (Photo by Glyn Kirk - Pool/Getty Images) /
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James Rodriguez cut a discolsolate figure at times during last night’s match at the Amex Stadium as Everton ground out a depressingly dreary 0-0 draw.

Rodriguez put in a good shift and he was working hard throughout the match but found it frustrating as Everton struggled to get any grip of the game and the creative element was largly on the Colombian’s shoulders.

This has been a trend all season long ever since Rodriguez came into the side at the start of the season when he was in superb form and orchastrated the excellence of the Toffees attacking football.

But ever since the first international break Rodriguez has struggled to recapture that form and indeed the Blues overall form and the quality of their attacking play.

Carlo Ancelotti has faced the difficulty of how to get the best out of his Colombian forward and integrate him into a Premier League team.

And he has had to adjust to a style of football that he’s not used to after mainly playing in Spain for most of his career in Europe.

Part of the problem is that Rodriguez is not a natural right sided winger, which is where he has generally played and this has led to an unbalanced side where teams could exploit his lack of pace and tendancy to drift inside.

This was particularly problematic when Seamus Coleman was also injured and so that side of the team was a real weakness.

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It was exposed regularly and Everton suffered some defeats as the season wobbled badly after that excellent start.

The other issue is his injury problems, which have plagued him for most of the past few seasons and have come back this season at Everton.

If your key creative and attacking player is regularly injured then it’s very difficult to effectively integrate him and put together a settled and consistent team that can establish genuine momentum.

I don’t think Rodriguez will ever be able to play more than about two thirds of the season at best so Everton have to recognise that they need alternative attacking approaches one based on a more dynamic set of forwards with pace who can allow the team to press higher up the pitch.

Ancelotti has tried various formations and tactics in an attempt to overcome these problems but he hasn’t been able to find the balance he needs with the existing squad.

This means ensuring the club look at alternative options in the upcoming transfer window to give the Blues a more versatile and modern attack not reliant on just one injury-prone player.