Pedro Rodriguez

[Deco 20]

Pedro's case is really a very strange one. I'm inclined to mention the good ol' "form is temporary, class is permanent", but with him, the bad-form part has been going on almost as much as the good part. Then again, scoring 20+ goals two seasons in a row, 13 in the next one, etc. is not just luck or coincidence. He is a scorer. He scored 10 goals in his last 11 appearances for the national team, which is borderline ridiculous considering that he's not even a starter. He hasn't lost his scoring skill. Somehow he just can't reach that level with Barca most of the time nowadays. The entire discussion is pointless, anyway, because unless a new, radically different coach arrives, Pedro is going nowhere.

He's not getting into scoring positions anymore, that why

 

[Dan1983]

He just isn't the same player he was in 2010-11

 

[Kerrybai]

Pedro's case is really a very strange one. I'm inclined to mention the good ol' "form is temporary, class is permanent", but with him, the bad-form part has been going on almost as much as the good part. Then again, scoring 20+ goals two seasons in a row, 13 in the next one, etc. is not just luck or coincidence. He is a scorer. He scored 10 goals in his last 11 appearances for the national team, which is borderline ridiculous considering that he's not even a starter. He hasn't lost his scoring skill. Somehow he just can't reach that level with Barca most of the time nowadays. The entire discussion is pointless, anyway, because unless a new, radically different coach arrives, Pedro is going nowhere.

It's not pointless though. Pedro likely will stay but he should only be used as a squad player against relegation fodder etc, and perhaps as a super sub in the big games. However his name should be nowhere near the starting sheet for big games. As you mentioned already he is worth having around right now as we don;t have many options on the right and he'll be useful for the smaller games. We will struggle to ever get our hands on the CL again though without a major upgrade on that right side.

 

[karthik]

We have quality players who are struggling, not just Pedrito. I would partially blame it in the system of making Pedro do a lot of back tracking and attacking at the same time which effectively cuts out his free movement up front to attack and score goals.

It is hurting to see when we have great players like Cesc, Pedro, Alex and still fail to score a goal till Leo comes for the rescue. Some serious problem, that.

 

[El Guaje]

I'm not saying he's a Messi or that he should be a starter, I'm just saying that, at his cost and talent, this guy is worth having around. Plus he does tend to score those important goals every once in a (long) while. In his current form, he's no starting XI material, which makes him OK for the games in between the most important ones, rotating with those who are better than him. (Although few players can play on the right.) Unlike Alexis, he was dirt cheap, and came through the ranks and has been around and contributed to the success this team has had. How someone would rather sell him than Sanchez is unfathomable to me.

Because Sanchez has simply performed better than him since he came even tho playing less?

And that Pedro has been good before doesnt cut it. With that logic, Ronaldinho would still be around. Or not.. because he isnt from La Masia..

 

[FCBarca]

He just isn't the same player he was in 2010-11

No he isn't and part of that surely is down to the tactics because our wide players merely look to funnel opportunities back to Messi rather than take chances themselves...It's utterly predictable and combine that with everyone on the planet knowing Messi is going to shoot, the work for a defense becomes far easier...Feeling like Pedro will be more useful as an attacking midfielder at this rate

 

[Elite-BkD]

Most of it seems to be down to factors which are absolutely out of his control. I missed the latest match but generally his touch / passing / movement / decision making etc have all been pretty much the same - excellent. The team as a whole plainly operates very different to how it did two years ago and Pedro getting substantially fewer opportunities to take up positions to shoot on goal seems a deliberate part of the changes. His goal scoring has still been fantastic for Spain, no?
On another note, why on earth would anyone have any problem with the way management treats him? He's worked hard for years and years for this club, he NEVER stops giving 110% on the pitch and has shown to always be willing to do whatever is asked of him to help the team, and has very regularly contributed in big ways in the more important matches, (distinctly NOT a thing of the pass - see clinical finish against PSG with progression on the line) not to mention never slacking off in the slightest during what are generally regarded as 'less important' fixtures. Literally zero attitude/behavioral problems ever and he's immensely loyal, and seems like he must be one of the easiest players in the history of professional sports for management to work with. Selling him because the team as a whole is not functioning properly would be absolutely ridiculous.
And another thing, the preferential treatment that La Masia graduates get is definitely warranted. I don't remember half so many complaints about it when it played a big role in the ridiculous success the team had under Pep. The manner in which the club brings up players through the youth teams and integrates them into what is consistently one the finest sides in the world is incredible, and one of the best things about FCB. Would anyone seriously suggest we should just abandon all that and start buying up established stars en masse, hope they'll happen to suite the system nicely and remain loyal and act right and give everything they have every time they step foot on the pitch, all the while gambling an outrageous amount of money on it, and just because for the time being we're no longer head and shoulders above every other team in Europe? Crazy!

 

[BerkeleyBernie]

Most of it seems to be down to factors which are absolutely out of his control. I missed the latest match but generally his touch / passing / movement / decision making etc have all been pretty much the same - excellent. The team as a whole plainly operates very different to how it did two years ago and Pedro getting substantially fewer opportunities to take up positions to shoot on goal seems a deliberate part of the changes. His goal scoring has still been fantastic for Spain, no?
On another note, why on earth would anyone have any problem with the way management treats him? He's worked hard for years and years for this club, he NEVER stops giving 110% on the pitch and has shown to always be willing to do whatever is asked of him to help the team, and has very regularly contributed in big ways in the more important matches, (distinctly NOT a thing of the pass - see clinical finish against PSG with progression on the line) not to mention never slacking off in the slightest during what are generally regarded as 'less important' fixtures. Literally zero attitude/behavioral problems ever and he's immensely loyal, and seems like he must be one of the easiest players in the history of professional sports for management to work with. Selling him because the team as a whole is not functioning properly would be absolutely ridiculous.
And another thing, the preferential treatment that La Masia graduates get is definitely warranted. I don't remember half so many complaints about it when it played a big role in the ridiculous success the team had under Pep. The manner in which the club brings up players through the youth teams and integrates them into what is consistently one the finest sides in the world is incredible, and one of the best things about FCB. Would anyone seriously suggest we should just abandon all that and start buying up established stars en masse, hope they'll happen to suite the system nicely and remain loyal and act right and give everything they have every time they step foot on the pitch, all the while gambling an outrageous amount of money on it, and just because for the time being we're no longer head and shoulders above every other team in Europe? Crazy!

+1 I'm with Elite on this.

 

[DonAndres]

I'd like to see how involved he is in attack when Montoya plays and he has the flank free to himself. If he still remains invisible then it's a matter of him just being unwilling to try to be involved.

 

[SoMa]

Its not that ridiculous . A hattrick against Belarus and doubles against Panama and Saudi Arabia will move your record from 2 in 12 10 in 11. The important stat is 5 league goals in each of the last 2 seasons.

This.

 

[Plip]

He's not getting into scoring positions anymore, that why

It's not really Pedro's fault alone, though.

The team has changed from a horizontal beast to a more of a vertical behemoth that turns ever so slowly when the need be for taking quicker action. Look at, for example, Messi who lurks near the box and then bursts out from there to either score or play the ball back. Both our wingers have simply stopped penetrating and making those runs into the box because the play remains stagnant and there rarely are passes released the same way they were in, say, 2009.

In order for Pedro to be effective, the whole teams needs play much faster horizontally instead of slowing the play down. It's really not a coincidence the two have occurred coincidently.

 

[Kerrybai]

Most of it seems to be down to factors which are absolutely out of his control. I missed the latest match but generally his touch / passing / movement / decision making etc have all been pretty much the same - excellent. The team as a whole plainly operates very different to how it did two years ago and Pedro getting substantially fewer opportunities to take up positions to shoot on goal seems a deliberate part of the changes. His goal scoring has still been fantastic for Spain, no?
On another note, why on earth would anyone have any problem with the way management treats him? He's worked hard for years and years for this club, he NEVER stops giving 110% on the pitch and has shown to always be willing to do whatever is asked of him to help the team, and has very regularly contributed in big ways in the more important matches, (distinctly NOT a thing of the pass - see clinical finish against PSG with progression on the line) not to mention never slacking off in the slightest during what are generally regarded as 'less important' fixtures. Literally zero attitude/behavioral problems ever and he's immensely loyal, and seems like he must be one of the easiest players in the history of professional sports for management to work with. Selling him because the team as a whole is not functioning properly would be absolutely ridiculous.
And another thing, the preferential treatment that La Masia graduates get is definitely warranted. I don't remember half so many complaints about it when it played a big role in the ridiculous success the team had under Pep. The manner in which the club brings up players through the youth teams and integrates them into what is consistently one the finest sides in the world is incredible, and one of the best things about FCB. Would anyone seriously suggest we should just abandon all that and start buying up established stars en masse, hope they'll happen to suite the system nicely and remain loyal and act right and give everything they have every time they step foot on the pitch, all the while gambling an outrageous amount of money on it, and just because for the time being we're no longer head and shoulders above every other team in Europe? Crazy!

A player of Pedro's supposed 'quality' should be able to adapt his game to still be a threat in attack. Yes our whole team has declined, but that does not explain his poor first touch in many games, or his non existent dribbling. You mention that the team operates differently than it did 2 years ago giving Pedro less opportunities, well then Pedro clearly isn't the player we need for this new approach. If we go back to Barca of 2-3 years ago then great he can be a star again, but if that's not going to happen then we need to try other options on the wing.

 

[Elite-BkD]

A player of Pedro's supposed 'quality' should be able to adapt his game to still be a threat in attack. Yes our whole team has declined, but that does not explain his poor first touch in many games, or his non existent dribbling. You mention that the team operates differently than it did 2 years ago giving Pedro less opportunities, well then Pedro clearly isn't the player we need for this new approach. If we go back to Barca of 2-3 years ago then great he can be a star again, but if that's not going to happen then we need to try other options on the wing.

His touch has not really declined, nor his finishing. In what was then the most important match of the season (home game vs Milan) his control and one touch passing were fantastic. Then again, against PSG, the touch was there and the finish as well when it mattered most. He did give the ball away cheaply too often in Germany but who didn't? And that's definitely got something to do with finding himself in the shocking position of watching Busi/Xavi/Messi/Iniesta all looking sub-par or poor against an overwhelming Bayern. In general his touch/passing/movement/decision making have not declined. The lack of dribbling plainly complies with what management asks of him. He is not really in a position to change his function within the team, the fans may want to seem him scoring more and offering decisive attacking contributions, but if the coach doesn't ask him to change his play in order to do that then he's right not to.
As for the difference in the team I'd say it's in part down to tactics and also down to the shocking defense. Wouldn't you agree that things definitely do need to change in a considerable way and that if we just see more of the same for the next year or two, that's a huge failure of management?

 

[Ursegor]

He has scored 10 goals in his last 67 La Liga games (2 1/2 seasons). And he's the first name on the team sheet this season.

 

[Deco 20]

It's not really Pedro's fault alone, though.

The team has changed from a horizontal beast to a more of a vertical behemoth that turns ever so slowly when the need be for taking quicker action. Look at, for example, Messi who lurks near the box and then bursts out from there to either score or play the ball back. Both our wingers have simply stopped penetrating and making those runs into the box because the play remains stagnant and there rarely are passes released the same way they were in, say, 2009.

In order for Pedro to be effective, the whole teams needs play much faster horizontally instead of slowing the play down. It's really not a coincidence the two have occurred coincidently.

Completely agree with you and it's probably hindering him even when he gets an opportunity to go through as he has to think it through and can't do it on instinct.