MANY thanks to Rodrigo (£2.2m) for providing a classic Dream Team case study at the start of this season.
Leeds’ No19 is currently the Premier League’s top scorer having netted three times in his opening his two games.
On the opening weekend, he equalised via a Jose Sa (£3.4m) error as Jesse Marsch’s side came from behind to beat Wolves 2-1 at Elland Road.
On Saturday, the Spain international scored twice at St Mary’s to put Leeds 2-0 up but the visitors weren’t able to hold out as Southampton rescued a point with a spirited fightback in the last 25 minutes.
Rodrigo now has 18 points to his name, putting him third among forwards behind popular selections Erling Haaland (£7.3m) and Gabriel Jesus (£5m), who have 20 and 25 points respectively.
The 31-year-old has an ownership of just 1% meaning only a small minority of Dream Team managers – let’s be honest, they’re mostly Leeds fans – have benefited from his unexpectedly bright start to the campaign.
Gaffers should now be assessing whether Rodrigo is genuinely a viable option who could offer excellent value for money, or a classic bear trap?
Essentially, the only question that matters is: how likely is it he will continue to provide healthy returns over the coming Game Weeks?
Leading the case for his possible inclusion in a self-respecting XI is the fact Marsch has identified him as a senior player and one of the leadership figures in the squad.
When Patrick Bamford (£3m) limped off against Saints, it was Rodrigo who took the captain’s armband.
His elevated status under the American coach has, at the very least, given him a confidence boost.
Last season he scored as many goals (3) in 12 games at the death under Marsch as he did in 22 outings under Marcelo Bielsa.
This trend has continued into the new term and while some of his performances in recent months have not lived long in the memory, his goal returns have improved since El Loco’s departure with his raw stats now more in line with his better days at Valencia.
At the time of writing, only Darwin Nunez (£5.3m) has registered more shots in the Premier League this season.
However, the case against Rodrigo from a Dream Team perspective is a compelling one.
Stats are useful but they should always be utilised in combination with the eye test.
Rodrigo may have looked lively on the south coast but Leeds fans have frequently been underwhelmed and frustrated by his performances since his £27million transfer in 2020.
He’s evidently a player with strong technical attributes – as his 27 caps for Spain indicate – but he is too often guilty of complacency and poor decision-making.
Many a groan at Elland Road in recent years can be sourced back to Rodrigo giving the ball away when a swift attack looked promising.
There’s also the issue of his exact role for the Whites.
He’s categorised as a forward in Dream Team but is mostly deployed as an attacking midfielder, meaning he’s often tasked with creating chances rather finishing them off – this wasn’t the case at the weekend but his most recent performance as a poacher only came about because Bamford limped off in the first half.
With Leeds rumoured to be in the market for another out-and-out striker, and with promising youngster Joe Gelhardt (£1.5m) to return from a minor injury imminently, Rodrigo’s time as Leeds’ primary goal threat may be limited.
And is there anything in the fact he wasn’t able to claim the Star Man award in either fixture so far despite his goals?
Dream Team bosses should also take into account the relevant upcoming fixtures – Leeds host Chelsea on Sunday.
Instinctively it feels as if the right thing to do is to congratulate Rodrigo on his lively start to the campaign but hold fire on a transfer as there’s a whiff of bear trap about the whole thing.
A goal against the Blues would change the outlook, of course…
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