Let's talk about Jordan Rhodes...

[Tony Pulis]

8 hours ago, RichSheffWeds said:

So let’s get this straight, he’s took 21 penalties in his career.

 

Including for Huddersfield, a lot for Blackburn (very, very successfully) and he couldn’t be in our 5 penalty takers in a critical shoot out? 
 

Lets cut the nonsense, his record in the years up to that game was outstanding from penalties. 
 

He should have stepped up to the plate, justified his £30-40k a week wages and took a penalty. 
 

Instead, he left a non-specialist to take one and shoulder the responsibility. 
 

Shambolic is being very polite. 

He actually scored one for us against Villa as well.

[Tony Pulis]

I always wanted Rhodes to succeed (more than most players) but unfortunately when given the chances he hasn’t came up with the goods as often as we would have liked. The strange thing is that when he scores one, he looks invincible and usually scores another (ie Brace against Millwall, hat trick vs Forest). If we did get relegated I would certainly keep him, and depending on contracts I would consider keeping him again for next season and attempting to rejuvenate him a little.

[quinnssweetshop]

9 hours ago, DJMortimer said:

 

You mean like coming here, full of confidence as our record signing and going into a team doing well at the top of the division? Funnily enough Rhodes played in all of the first 20 games after his arrival, starting 16 of them. The reward for this show of faith? Three goals. That's THREE GOALS. In nearly half a season's worth of games. His ineffectiveness led to him sitting on the bench and in the stands so often, not the other way around.

 

After this, Carvalhal, Luhukay, Bullen and Monk all declined to play him regularly, even when some were on loan (Joao, Winnall) or in possibly our worst injury crisis ever (Hooper, Forestieri, Matias, Winnall and Fletcher all out for lengthy periods). During his time at the club he has shared appearances with seven other forwards of various styles and abilities, and until this season, EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM has scored at a better rate than he has (he might just have staggered past Winnall's average this season). And remember, this was supposed to be his USP. Even his biggest supporters acknowledged there was little else to his game. So take away the goals and what's left? Even Atdhe Nuhiu, the oft-proclaimed 'donkey', 'joke' and 'pub player' scored in just 4 months what Rhodes has managed in his entire three plus years tenure at the club. 

 

What do you actually see when you watch him that gives you hope? Toughness holding the ball up to build attacks, a physical presence harrassing defenders, blistering pace to get behind the opponent and stretch the field, quick footed dribbling as he leaves adversaries in his wake, intelligent use of ball and space to create opportunities for others, accurate shooting from all around the penalty area, inspirational determination and leadership? What? 

 

Never in all my years of watching this club has one player been awarded so much patience, had so many excuses made for them. And still some are living in 2015; the last time he actually merited the epithet 'prolific' due to what he was doing on the field, rather than just in fanboy's imaginations.

Absolutely  200% spot on...  

 

People should stop making excuses for a poor player fleecing the club of cash for a shocking return.

[Bannofan]

Rhodes has been a disaster, even more so than Abdi. We can't even give him away on a free at this stage, no-one will take him on his wages.  All we can hope for is a loan, and maybe going halfs on his wages, that would at least save us something. 

 

The reason he gets a ridiculous amount of support on here and in general,  is he is perceived to be 'one of us' for some reason,  and loads of Owlstalkers clamoured for his signature -  and we all know how often the average Owlstalker says 'Yeah, I might have got that wrong'. Rather make excuse after excuse for why he will come good  'if we just...'.

 

 

What is most concerning about Rhodes is the fact that he has not impressed several managers.  Either he is a poor trainer, or he is struggling mentally and just doesn't have the appetite or attitude for the game anymore. 

 

If he REALLY wanted to play football, he would have cancelled his contract and started new somewhere else. He has the money in the bank- probably  a millionaire- from some very lucrative deals , so unless he's incredibly greedy he could have left and kick started his career. 

 

[Jackie Sewell]

No wonder Wednesdayites who saw that Huddersfield game were clamouring for us to sign Rhodes for the next few seasons. I've rarely seen a better centre forward display in all my years. Another glimpse of it away at Forest this season too. My cousin is a lifelong Norwich fan, and they love Rhodes there, the fans love him, the staff from Farke down love him. They want him there. ( Don't just say, they can have him then ). I suspect its another case of us not getting the best out of a player, there are plenty of other examples aren't there. It's not going to change though is it in Rhodes case, unless that fleeting partnership with Fletcher can be resumed perhaps.