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weegee19 t1_istfc1o wrote

Reply to comment by deckard1980 in [Image] Until it is my time, I will keep clapping for others. by Bishan_cfc

Would mostly blame it on injuries. James was mostly class when fit but a couple of seasons later he simply no longer fit.

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fudgie1 t1_isu86n6 wrote

That's part of it but there's also a larger trend in world football working against him in that the popular tactics have been shifting away from his best position. It's getting harder for attacking midfielders to find a role on many teams whereas 20-30 years ago it was the most important position.

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weegee19 t1_isuax8x wrote

I think he absolutely could have adapted if injuries didnt stymie his progress, but youre also correct in that regard.

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karlverkade t1_isvmw73 wrote

He was also slooooooowwww, so adapting was doubly difficult for him. Other CAM’s could make it work, but he was basically a slow 6 trying to play 10 in an increasingly speedy game. It was maddening to watch him run…like, he was incredibly fit so your brain just expected him to get to the place faster and he just didn’t. Not to mention that he never learned to use his right foot for anything other than standing, and that means that a slow, one-footed attacking mid basically has to be perfect skill-wise. Any tiny little slump was extremely noticeable because he had no speed (or right foot) to fall back on.

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