Just 16 minutes were enough for us to witness James RodrÃguez‘s best display of the season. The Colombian, who has been under fire for months now, gave us a glimpse of the immense talent which resides in his left foot.
It was precisely this that he used to produce his first piece of class, placing a perfect ball on Karim Benzema’s head. The Frenchman simply could not miss and opened the scoring for Real Madrid. This was the beginning of a sublime James performance in which he demonstrated just why Real Madrid paid 80 million euros for him.
Benzema was once again the beneficiary of another great assist from the No. 10 in the 16th minute. This time the Frenchman’s control allowed the Espanyol defence to prevent him from scoring, but there was nothing they could do to stop James’s subsequent long-range strike. Although he received a little help from Pape Diop, he had hit the ball with real venom.
More involved in defence
Beyond producing some great play with his left foot, providing assists and netting a goal, James was more involved in winning the ball back. He was more integrated into the team’s play, calling for the ball, cutting out the opposition’s attacks and demonstrating that he is a player who is once again committed to the the cause. The arrival of Zinedine Zidane, who has set him a specific plan so that he can rediscover his form of last season, has been fundamental in getting one of Real Madrid’s greatest talents to show us what he is really capable of.
Bron: Marca
