In a recent interview ahead of Everton‘s clash against Tottenham Hotspur in the FA Cup on Wednesday night (via Liverpool Echo), Carlo Ancelotti revealed that he is sweating on the fitness of James Rodriguez, who has sustained a calf problem. The Toffees boss said, “I think he (Rodriguez) had a little problem on his calf, a tight calf.
“I took him out after 70 minutes to avoid risk. Now he’s going to train today.
“If he’s ready to play tomorrow, he will play tomorrow – if he’s not ready and if the calf is still tight, he’s going to play in the next game on Sunday.”
Rodriguez’s Impressive Form At Goodison Park This Season
Rodriguez has managed to re-establish himself as a top performer during his time at Goodison Park since joining from Real Madrid last summer. The Colombian international has done well to score five goals and register seven assists in 18 matches for the Toffees this term across multiple competitions.
The former La Liga star has been productive with his all-round contributions down the right flank as he is averaging 1.2 tackles, 0.7 interceptions, 1.7 shots, 1.9 key passes and 1.5 dribbles per game in the Premier League this season. He has also distributed the ball accurately in the final third as evidenced by his pass completion rate of 82.6% in league football (stats via whoscored).
What Does The Colombian International Bring To The Table?
Rodriguez is a technically-gifted footballer who can make some clever runs with the ball towards the opponent’s penalty area. He has also got the vision to play a defence-splitting pass in the attacking third and can shoot the ball with minimal backlift but with precision from long range.
The 76-time Colombian international can contribute by scoring or creating some important goals for his team in the opposition half. He has also worked hard for Everton defensively, which shows how effective he is becoming under Carlo Ancelotti’s tutelage at both ends of the field.
Ancelotti Sweating On The Fitness of Rodriguez: Big Blow For The Toffees?
Despite all of his good work on the pitch, Rodriguez’s season has been hampered by multiple injuries which could be a concern for the Toffees in the future. Now that he has sustained another injury problem (even though it looks like a minor one), this latest development will be a massive blow for the Merseyside club going into their crucial FA Cup showdown versus Tottenham Hotspur in midweek.
Losing Rodriguez for this game will make life even more difficult for the Toffees on Wednesday night as they just do not have the same firepower without him on the pitch. The Colombian playmaker has developed a solid understanding with Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who might find goal-scoring chances coming at a premium without the veteran attacker playing beside him in the final third.
