29 Jan 2018 03:52:44
Hi guys,

Can I ask does anyone know why we decided to sell Jay Rodrigues this summer as opposed to any other forwards? Looking at his present form this would seem to be a serious error of judgement combined with an equally disastrous decision to sack CP (my opinion) . I welcome everyone's comments and opinions. Regards vs.

1.) 29 Jan 2018
29 Jan 2018 08:20:53
He has had a couple of good games especially Liverpool he has scored a goal every 3 games or so let’s not go overboard 15m was good money.

2.) 29 Jan 2018
29 Jan 2018 08:24:49
Well in my opinion it was right to sell him as he did actually play a fair amount of games before he was sold to WBA and he didn't exactly prove himself apart from one stunner against Bournemouth. WBA's play evidently suits him better hence he is doing better. Another note, if he is as good as everyone is now saying he is (just because he scored two goals against liverpool) why weren't they complaining about him leaving last summer. If shane long suddenly netted two goals for saints against man city and saints one, shane long would be the one striker we must keep, although he has been rubbish for most of the season. So what I am trying to get at is that Rodriguez hasn't done that much for WBA, so just because he scores 2 goals in a 3-2 win over liverpool doesn't make him a great striker, and considering the form he was having at saints before he left it was right to let him go.

3.) 29 Jan 2018
29 Jan 2018 08:43:24
Jay Rod never impressed much when playing before he left but I feel he needed a run of starts and 90mins to get back to it, but in this league we couldn't afford to play him 90mins for 4 or 5 games in the hope he might get back to where he was. With his transfer I always assumed that he would of wanted to go, a few hard years for him he just needed a fresh start at a new club to get his career going again, hope it does kick on from here as he was a joy to watch before his injury, just hope he doesn't do it against us.

4.) 29 Jan 2018
29 Jan 2018 10:08:23
But you know he likely will!

5.) 29 Jan 2018
29 Jan 2018 11:33:25
SaintChris mused about this too following the weekend’s West Brom result. I do understand why some may pine for players we’ve sold in the recent past when they play in a position of the pitch we’ve struggled in this season, especially when they hit a patch of form and we’re still struggling for goals but it’s a negative thought. You are putting someone unattainable on a pedestal for that very reason – you want to find a negative about the club to have a whinge about. It may not be conscious on your part, or that of SaintChris, but why always assume that someone has it better off than we do? I’m not sure I’d want to be in West Brom fans shoes at the moment.

We can only guess why Jay Rodriguez was sold in the summer. My guess would be a combination of the following. After his injury, Jay made 43 league and cup appearances for the club over one and a half seasons and scored 7 goals in that time. His best season (pre-injury) was when he was able to play using his pace as a wide forward linking up with Rickie Lambert. His first full season back (last season) we no longer had a target man as Pelle had left and he struggled. Jay had also lost a yard or two of pace. The club showed no inclination to sign a target man in the summer and perhaps this was a decision on their part to no longer play with a such a player in the team. Jay was not particularly effective as a lone striker, or indeed as a wide forward without a target man to feed off, as demonstrated on his return. West Brom offered £12- £15m for him depending on your source and it was not a bad deal for the club for a player who had lost pace and was no longer a starting player in any position as he was proving less effective there than others.

Jay has played 23 times in the league for West Brom this season and scored 4 goals. He is hardly prolific. Since Pardew came in and tinkered with the formation a little, Jay has benefitted from playing up top with Rondon which has helped him to get some goals of late. We do not play with 2 strikers/ forwards so his improved form at West Brom is unlikely to have arisen with us.

I for one did not think the club was crazy to sell Jay in the summer as it appeared to me he was a shadow of his former self and despite being given lots of opportunity, he never really found form. I was pleased to see him go to a club where he was more likely to play consistently and get an opportunity and so it has proved, but sadly, the goals have still not been free-flowing for him.

The error in my view was not selling Jay Rodriguez in the summer, it was failing to recruit any attacking players.

6.) 29 Jan 2018
29 Jan 2018 11:50:18
thought he was a great player and felt he deserved/ needed that clean start. good luck to him.

7.) 29 Jan 2018
29 Jan 2018 23:11:18
My theory is when we didn’t have any alternatives and we had been looking everywhere for a fast goal scoring forward is that we already had one in JRod he just needed more time. Our style of play is the problem no front line and just rely on counter attacks. We already knew JRod was a quality player but we just needed to give him a bit more time. Gabbiadini looked quality as well when he came here but we have been playing a formation that doesn’t suit either of them. Something is wrong with our set up hence we score very few goals especially from forward players.

8.) 31 Jan 2018
31 Jan 2018 03:27:50
I agree that we sold Jay at the right time for him, the right time for us as he was never really playing as well as he did before his injury and we all wished him the best for the future. Good for him that he's found his niche and that he is playing well in a team he clearly compliments, well done Jay.