Pat Nevin: James Rodriguez can be important for Everton
Everton manager Rafa Benitez would have no other choice than to play James Rodriguez going forward, according to Pat Nevin.
The Colombian midfielder, 30, was unable to secure a summer transfer exit from the Goodison Park outfit and now has to wait until at least January.
Rodriguez has since rejoined the Toffees in training, and Benitez insists he remains part of his plans for the season.
Nevin believes the South American has too much creativity not to be used in some games, claiming Everton could do with his services at some point.
The former Toffees star told BBC: “Rafa is an exceptional coach and he’s not daft. If Rodriguez is there until January at the least, why would you have that type of quality and not use it?
“Games aren’t just about who starts, it’s about what happens during them, and on pure match intelligence and opening up defences, James is probably the best player in the team, so you wouldn’t ignore that.
“Almost certainly, there will be situations which suit him, especially as the squad lacks depth compared to the top Premier League teams.”
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Rodriguez is the club’s highest-paid player, and that made an exit impossible as suitors were not ready to meet his demands.
Benitez and the player could not work together at Real Madrid, and while many expected him to leave upon the Spaniard’s arrival at Goodison Park, that did not happen.
Everton cannot afford to keep paying his huge wages only for him to remain unused.
While Rodriguez is going to fully struggle with playing how his boss wants at this point in his career, he is not going to be completely useless in the scheme of things.
He is not going to be able to run for 90 minutes or put in the defensive shift Benitez wants from all his players, but there will be room for his creativity against some teams and during points in some games.
This marriage of inconvenience has happened despite the best efforts to find a solution during the summer, and both parties now have to find a way to accommodate each other until January or next summer.
In other Everton news, Toffees man details why he joined new club on deadline day.
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