James Rodriguez: Back in form and ready to be Real Madrid's main man
Sunday 21 February 2016 07:22, UK
As speculation about Cristiano Ronaldo's future at Real Madrid rumbles on, a potential successor is returning to form...
Barcelona's brilliance makes the rest look like mere mortals, but watching Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi's defiance of penalty-taking convention last weekend would have angered the men in the capital more than most.
At home to Athletic Bilbao last Saturday, Real had laboured to victory, with the 4-2 scoreline flattering Zinedine Zidane's side, while the Catalan juggernaut rolled on against Celta Vigo a day later.
Yet, one Galactico's showing against Athletic, and then against Roma on Wednesday night, would certainly have pleased Zidane - who may have even saw something of himself in James Rodriguez's fleet-footed flamboyance.
Ronaldo provided the perfect response to critics of his away goals record in the first leg of Real's Champions League last-16 tie in Rome, but we still saw examples of the selfishness and petulance that has made him tough to take for many of the those notoriously hard to please Madridistas.
James isn't of the same ilk, and will not come close to matching the goal tally of Ronaldo, but as we saw with some sublime delivery in Rome, the Colombian is capable of being a different kind of focal point to the Portuguese.
It is fair to say, the 24-year-old has struggled to replicate the form which saw him star at the 2014 World Cup since arriving in Spain. A thigh injury has severely restricted his playing time, but criticism levelled at Rodriguez seems to have some substance.
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Ivan Mejia, a journalist in Colombia, launched a scathing attack on the player during a radio show, insisting that he had "lost his humility" during Rafael Benitez's short reign, with his apparent refusal to warm up to replace Gareth Bale against Sporting Gijon in January.
The accusations did not stop there. Mejia was also adamant that James' game was in decline due to the fact he was "going out at night and racing his car", in reference to accusations he was speeding at 200kmph.
However, there has recently been a seismic shift in mood and fitness - a welcome boost to all concerned.
James showed glimpses of that desired extravagance on Saturday and in midweek, but it is his penchant for a stunning strike that will endear him to the fans the most.
The stats are eye-opening. No player in Europe has scored more goals from outside the box than James since he joined Real.
Saturday's stunner against Athletic means he has managed a joint-high of nine league goals from over 18 yards in less than half (42) the attempts from outside the box of his fellow leaders Christian Eriksen (111) and Bayer Leverkusen's Hakan Calhanoglu (127).
Ronaldo has netted seven times from outside the box in that space of time but from even more attempts from range - 139.
The disdain James had for Benitez was palpable, with the decision to play Bale in a more central role, overlooking a fit-again James, not sitting well. "Yes, I am much better," James said after Benitez's departure. "This helps a lot and I do not think it's just me.
This helps a lot and I do not think it's just me.
"The coaching change has been good for everyone. Not just for me. He [Zidane] talks a lot with everybody and I think it's good for our play."
Under a coach who is an icon at the Bernabeu, and a man who knows a thing or two about how to utilise No 10 talents like James, all the variables are working in the Colombian's favour.
When you are the richest club in the world 11 years in a row, a player's commercial appeal is fundamental to how much time they'll be afforded to develop into the next Galactico, and James has an entire continent waiting for him to flourish into the star they believe he can become.
Ronaldo may or may not move on at the end of the season, but even if the record-breaking forward stays to see out his best years in Madrid, Real have to plan for his successor now, with Neymar, Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez only getting better.
And, playing in his preferred role, the time is now for James to take heed of any advice from his iconic coach and prove that there can be life after Ronaldo, doing something not even the former Manchester United star and his goalscoring exploits could in the process - winning over the demanding Bernabeu masses.
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