Rodwell is microcosm of our recruitment failings.
'Strengthening' (term used loosely) the squad rather than first team, and signing players who are cheap & very clearly backups rather than genuine contenders for the position. It's no surprise majority of the core have dipped massively.
See Lowe, Robinson, Rodwell, Fod, Jagielka, Osborn, Burke, Freeman, Morrison, Bogle, Bryan. This is just a list of average or poor players.
This also means we have a woeful bench, and have no game changers.
The only players who have been signed with a genuine cemented first team place have been Ramsdale and Berge. You could argue the strikers (Mousset, Brewster & McB) have been aimed at starters, but we haven't been able to get a tune out of any of them or a proper partnership.
Easy to be critical as higher ability = higher price, but signing player better than what we have is fundamental to improving a squad. Not signing slightly 'better' backups and hoping this gives the first teamer a rocket.