James Rodríguez had yesterday a very good chance to try to convince Zidane and all Real Madrid supporters that he can play more minutes and participate in the important matches Los Blancos have the next weeks.
Zidane included yesterday James in the starting 11, who asked for more minutes in an interview in his country:” I want to play more, but there is someone that decides if I play or not”. The Colombian midfield entered in a line up two months later, but his performance, as almost all the players of the team, was really poor. The statistics demonstrate that he did not play good. In the 71 minutes he payed, he was the player who lost more balls (16) and the one who had the worst percentage in passes, with 80% after going only 36 good passes of 45. Beyond statistics, James was irrelevant in the game and he did not took advantage of the great opportunity Zidane gave him.
The journalist did not doubt asking Zidane, what he thinks about the performance of the Colombian midfielder, and the French manager defended his player:” I do not see him disconnected. He had the same performance as his partners, He played his match and he maybe need more continuity”, Zidane said.
Despite he only played 71 minutes against Sporting Gijón, the Colombian midfielder is the 20th player of the squad in minutes with 569, just ahead Casemiro (409 and injured since September 18), Coentrao with 128 minutes, Mariano with only 45 and the third keeper that has not play any minute.
Los Balncos have play so far 19 matches, where James has been in the starting 11 only 5 games ( Espanyol, Villarreal, Dortmund, Cultural Leonesa and the recent game against Sporting Gijón. We can also say that there have been seven matches that the Colombian player has not play any minute, either by an injury or by a decision of Zidane. James will be again in the starting 11 in the match of Copa de Rey Los Blancos will play the next Wednesday against Cultural Leonesa, but there are many possibilities that in the next regular season match against Barcelona he will not be in Zidane’s line up.
This will not be the fist time that Zidane don’t believe in the Colombian player in the important matches. Last season he did not play in the victory against Barça at Camp Nou where Los Blancos won 1-2. Zidane also did not count with him in the match against Wolfsburgo, when Real Madrid had to come back a 2-0. He also did not play any minute in the final of the eleventh Champions League.
Comment:Rubbish… all the players played poorly, not only james. He should leave in january and be a king of football in premier league. Madrid must regret.