With such a massive influx of players this summer, it was going to take time before each of the new members to make their debut.
When you try and implement them into a squad that was large to begin with, it’s going to take time for everyone to get their fair chance at some game time.
However, not everyone has been as lucky as Brice Samba for example, who managed to make such an impression on his debut that fans wanted him thrown in for more games. One of the summer signings who is yet to make his debut is 27-year-old Chema Rodriguez, and I’m starting to get concerned that we might not see him for some time.
Whilst it’s not advisable to break up a pair that have been getting such rave reviews from the fans in Joe Worrall and Michael Dawson, but the age of 27, he’s in the prime of his career. If he can’t get a game now, then we’re in effect just wasting someone who I think could be one of the best centre-backs in the division.
His statistics for Levante prove what a valuable asset he can be, averaging 1.1 tackle and 1.1 interceptions per game, but at the same time committing less than one foul per game, so you don’t have to worry about giving away too many free-kicks when he’s around. Not only that, but with the trend for footballers to be comfortable with the ball at their feet, he can do that as well. He completes nearly just over 24 passes a game, with a success rate of over 75%. Combine him with other members of the team who also like to pass the ball around, such as Joao Carvalho and Tiago Silva, he’ll be able to slot in nicely.
This weekend’s game would be the perfect opportunity to introduce him. With the goal scoring form Aleksander Mitrovic is starting to develop, we’ll need someone to keep him quiet, and Chema would be the perfect guy to do that.
Should we see Chema sooner rather than later? Or do you think we should wait a little bit longer before he gets a game?