Though he's only 20, he's one of those players where there doesn't seem to be a massive amount still to come from him. He'll obviously be a solid DM, but doesn't have the zip to be a Kante or the technical ability to be a Carrick. I just find it hard to see that much potential in him. He's another Eric Dier in my opinion. He'll probably end up being better than Dier, but a better version of Dier still isn't amazing. I think we always have to be careful when judging physically mature youngsters, as it's so easy to get carried away when they are playing first team football at a young age.
Declan Rice | Switches international allegiance to England four years ago
- Thread starter Walters_19_MuFc
- Start date
It’s funny the way stats are such a recent invention you can’t compare with potentially similar players from the past. A 20 year old Michael Carrick would be an interesting comparison. I suspect Carrick was already a miles better passer of the ball at this stage but we’ll never know.
Sorry if posted elsewhere but I believe Will Keane has switched to Ireland.
https://m.independent.ie/sport/socc...ter-catching-mick-mccarthys-eye-37825892.html
Some small consolation for Ricegate?
https://m.independent.ie/sport/socc...ter-catching-mick-mccarthys-eye-37825892.html
Some small consolation for Ricegate?
This whole international allegiance thing is stupid.
Let them play for any country that they have citizenship for. If they hold Irish/English citizenship then let them play for both.
Let them play for any country that they have citizenship for. If they hold Irish/English citizenship then let them play for both.
His average in the league is 3/4.6.
Matic 4.3/6.2, Fernandinho 3.1/5.2, Henderson 5.2/8.3, Kante 0.9/1.3, Xhaka 5.9/9.4, Neves 6.9/11.5.
Rice 65%, Matic 69%, Fernandinho 59%, Henderson 62%, Kante 69%, Xhaka 62%, Neves 60%.
Cheers, so he's not much better than Hendo in that regard.
Thing is that despite the grief Henderson gets on here, he is a good player. I think his weaknesses are getting the ball out of his feet and passing range. I think Rice is pretty good at distributing the ball quickly from what I have seen.
I'm not massively convinced that Rice will be be a significant upgrade on Henderson or Dier. Hope I'm wrong.
The thing is there's going to be a lot of bitter Irish fans posting petty things like this on twitter due to Rice's choice, I mean you can go to even players like Pogba and Modric and find a sloppy pass like that to clip up and use. I missed most of the game last night but from what I did see he seems more comfortable driving the ball out than passing it to me.
Luckily the FAI had the foresight to help the England fans out on that count
Tweet
— Twitter API (@user) date
Yeah, definitely. Irish twitter is very bitter about this. Find it a bit silly myself. And, obviously, one misplaced pass tells us feck all about his quality. Just thought the clip was funny in response to someone worried about his long range passing.
I tend to keep myself out of these situations where a player has to choose the country he plays for, my main football focus is United rather than International, but I know some take it very seriously, it's a fair enough point on his passing in general though, people hoping for a new Carrick will be disappointed, he looks to have similar positional awareness defensively but on the ball isn't anything special.
Bitter Irish fans? Are you actually serious? Lad our problems run much deeper than Rice and Grealish. Everyone of us laugh at our football team and unlike English fans we can take the slagging of them in good heart. Declan Rice would have made little difference to our hope however my view is that, like Grealish, he will never be a mainstay international for England because you guys have far better talents coming through.
There are plenty of Irish fans that are bitter about those two players choosing to play for England, I didn't say all Irish fans. Personally, as I said to Pogue, I don't care about International football that much so it wasn't a big deal to me either, nor is England being the butt of jokes, especially back when we had a crop of players that should have done much better than they did. As for Rice, I don't know how much game time he'll get for England, someone said he's just like Dier and bar being better running with the ball, I'd agree he's similar, but I'm not sure who England's options coming through in the holding role are.
Watched him closely last night and he’s a clever lad. His anticipation is really good.
He isn’t a midfielder, though. Well, he is. But never a top one. If he moves back to centre half then I think that’s his ticket to a top club. Stones without the stupidity, in a way. If he sticks to midfield then I think he’ll be a little one dimensional and quite similar to Dier and Henderson.
He isn’t a midfielder, though. Well, he is. But never a top one. If he moves back to centre half then I think that’s his ticket to a top club. Stones without the stupidity, in a way. If he sticks to midfield then I think he’ll be a little one dimensional and quite similar to Dier and Henderson.
if as you described the type of midfield Rice will be, I don't think England will gain more from this when he switched to England if they have likes of Dier and Henderson.
I put all my hope in James Garner, he looks so talented and Carrick-esque
Tweet
— Twitter API (@user) date
We're some shower.
Well deserved
It's like Caitlyn Jenner winning woman of the year.
A very nice parting gift to give him
Is this Irish WUMming or a genuine show of respect for him? If it was me I'd go and collect it.
Turn up in an England shirt 
.
.We could have a bit of craic with it alright. Blast a bit of Chas and Dave out while he's walking up, get Ray Winston to present it etc. Serve jellied eels as a starter. The possibilities are endless. If anyone can pull it off, the FAI can.Turn up in an England shirt
They couldn't pull off a d1ck in a whorehouse.
I'm guessing it's just that during all or most of the polling period he was pledged to Ireland.
Can I blame John Delaney? I'd like to blame John Delaney.
Psst... I'll have you know they have plenty of experience with whorehouses.
Which is why this kid is earning over a million/season and just called up by Southgate and you're relegated to just thumbing your nose at him while watching him on TV.
The kid should switch sport and become a boxer, hell of a left arm on him!
Are Ireland that bad that they can't give it to the runner-up? Really funny though.
Probably so unorganized are the FAI, they had written down Rices name as winner and lost the voting cards to see who came 2nd. Never underestimate their incompetence.
Oh dear, Declan, you've royally fecked it mate.
Don't think that's gonna swim mate.
Seems like a bit of a tosser doesn't he?
Anyway, he's taken a step up clearly but we all know he's gone from a side with a 0% chance of winning a major international tournament, to another side with a 0% of winning a major international tournament. It's grand.
In other news, wouldn't be too upset if he replaced Matic.
Anyway, he's taken a step up clearly but we all know he's gone from a side with a 0% chance of winning a major international tournament, to another side with a 0% of winning a major international tournament. It's grand.
In other news, wouldn't be too upset if he replaced Matic.
It's ok, he's English now. Brexit means Brexit and all that
Don't think that's gonna swim mate.
Madness
Oh dear, Declan, you've royally fecked it mate.
England have one of the most talented squads in world football coming up, and just reached a semi final .. sure, zero chance.
Also, that tweet was from ages ago, everyone says immature shit in their youth. People change.
He's obviously seen the light now and joined the right side.
He's obviously seen the light now and joined the right side.
Game of opinions.
You said 'we all know' .. which we don't, because most people probably recognise that the England squad which is coming up has at least some chance of winning a trophy. And regardless, I'd rather actually experience the world cup than not ever even get to go.
You don't respect the king of the friendlies semi final they're in?