James's new role: run, fight and play

[Akrapovic]

He has stood out for his sacrifice at Real Madrid. This is how he hopes to continue as headline.

James Rodríguez has spared no effort to be indisputable in Real Madrid. As if to remain on the payroll, his talent is not enough, James has put all his sacrifice: he runs each ball, puts his leg where he previously took it, goes to the floor, crawls, shows that he wants to participate, be important, be necessary .
That is why he has received many compliments in Spain, not only from the press, but also from coach Zinedne Zidane, who must decide whether to keep him as an initialist, in the game against Osasuna, this Wednesday.
James has been playing for Real Madrid for four games this season and has not gone unnoticed. He is a player who not only contributes with his passes - he has an assist in Benzema's goal against Levante - but with his tactical discipline, fulfilling the orders of Zidane. In the most recent game, against Sevilla, Madrid won and James stood out so much that the press surrendered to its new facet.
The newspaper Marca de España pointed out the weekend that James's role today is the incumbent. “James alternately wears a suit with a tie and work overalls. As soon as he recovers a ball going to pressure as if it were Casemiro to provoke Hazard's first clear chance that he leaves Carvajal alone with a pass that only he had seen. His level right now is a starter, a balancer without a ball, an imbalance without him. He even picked up to try to finish off coming from behind to score. He still lacks gasoline, but it keeps growing. ”
James Rodriguez
James Rodriguez, Colombian flyer.
Other media also highlighted the role of a worker that James has assumed in this new stage at Real Madrid. This is indicated by ABC, which even compared it with the historic Gennaro Gattuso: “James's effort was commendable, in the process of transforming into something else, a hound of the midfield, a Gattuso, without losing his status as a great pin of the current Madrid. From him came the balls for Hazard and Carvajal, two hand in hand that stopped Vaclik and that were the two clearest chances of the first part by far. The two arrived in a similar way: robbery in the Madrid average and direct exit to the area ”.
Yesterday, Zidane was asked about this new role of James. A journalist asked him the specific question: "If on July 1 they had told you that James in September was going to be indisputable, would he have believed it?" Zidane, laughing, replied: “Why not? The good guys are good and in the end James is one of ours and we are 25 players and each one wants to contribute something to the team. ”
If on July 1 he had been told that James in September was going to be unquestionable, would he have believed it?
The new James
James has had participation in different areas of the field, but his influence is on the right side. A review of the heat maps that the player has had in his four games (see graphics) shows that it is there where he participates most, on his right, either from the first line of flyers or later. Even, as happened in the games against PSG, the Champions League, or Seville, last Sunday. In these games Zidane had a 4-2-3-1 scheme and James played right or center right and from there stood out.
James
Before the game against PSG they asked Zidane in what position he could take advantage of James, and said: "He can play in many positions on the field, but it is true that the later he is, the easier he has it."
That versatility represents, without a doubt, a huge growth in the game of James, which is no longer just a ‘10’, which is no longer just an attacking player. This James accommodates, adapts and performs in defense and attack. Good news for Carlos Queiroz, since although James is immovable in the Colombian National Team, he now offers more possibilities.
Even, he has performed in a good way in the same position in which Queiroz has Juan Guillermo Cuadrado, as an interior flyer. James runs, recovers, and gives a clean start, with his passes and assists, putting his teammates to play and returning immediately to his area in the field so as not to leave the team at risk.
This Wednesday, Real Madrid receives Osasuna at the Santiago Bernabéu. Modric and Isco have already recovered, players who could threaten the ownership of the Colombian in the next games but James has made merits to stay in the starting lineup. Thus, he points to struggle, sacrifice and his inexhaustible talent.