Declan Rice

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davidmichael

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Rice and N’Didi are both at clubs that we should realistically be able to sign players from and would want to come due to seeing it as a step up even in the position we’re in now, both are players that will only get better and fit the type of profile of player we’re going for so I say let’s go all out to sign one (preferably Rice) in January.
 

Adnan

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Based on what?

From what I have seen over the last 18 months he has been one of the best midfielders in the league, has torn us to shreds a few times.
Based on what he's shown in the EPL which is backed up by the Wolves fans on their respective forum.
 

JJ12

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Based on what?

From what I have seen over the last 18 months he has been one of the best midfielders in the league, has torn us to shreds a few times.
He's never torn us to shreds :lol:

Scored a worldie though. Hollywood ball, occasional screamer. Vastly overrated.
 

Champagne Football

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Rice and N’Didi are both at clubs that we should realistically be able to sign players from and would want to come due to seeing it as a step up even in the position we’re in now, both are players that will only get better and fit the type of profile of player we’re going for so I say let’s go all out to sign one (preferably Rice) in January.
Longstaff possibly has a higher ceiling and might go for considerably less. But probably won't be available in January.
 

charlenefan

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Carragher says we should sign him as Matic's replacement
Neville wasn't so sure
 

Classical Mechanic

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Thought that was a pretty good game from him today


I think he’s improving and has started the season well, still on the fence if we should sign him, see how he progresses.
 

Adnan

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Thought that was a pretty good game from him today


I think he’s improving and has started the season well, still on the fence if we should sign him, see how he progresses.
I'm not sure we should sign him either. But he's definitely a very good young DM at 20 years old. To be showing such maturity at 20 is very impressive.
 

Suedesi

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"English football has a great DM for years to come." I see the media is in overhype mode, until said DM plays in a EC/WC QF where he chases shadows for 90-minutes and is subsequently labeled a national disgrace. Have seen this film before.
 

davidmichael

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Longstaff possibly has a higher ceiling and might go for considerably less. But probably won't be available in January.
I’ve not seen enough from Longstaff to convince me he’s worth the £50 million that Newcastle want for him when Garner is the same player and potentially very good, at least with Rice he’s a different player to Garner long term and also different to McTominay as well so it gives us lots of options tactically.
 

dbs235

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People seem to be forgetting that he's 20 years old. He's doing incredibly well for his age. For a bit of context, at United, Chong is still deemed too young/not ready for more game time and he's 20 in a couple of months. He's also younger than Rashford and AWB.
 

Bojan11

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Rice is too expensive.

Surely we can find someone better in Europe for a decent price.
 

Adam-Utd

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People seem to be forgetting that he's 20 years old. He's doing incredibly well for his age. For a bit of context, at United, Chong is still deemed too young/not ready for more game time and he's 20 in a couple of months. He's also younger than Rashford and AWB.
Very true.

He could end up being a class player but I’m not sure he’s what we need right now. We need the closer to finished article.

Rice will be insanely expensive and we can’t afford to give him the chance to improve like West Ham can.
 

Mainoldo

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People seem to be forgetting that he's 20 years old. He's doing incredibly well for his age. For a bit of context, at United, Chong is still deemed too young/not ready for more game time and he's 20 in a couple of months. He's also younger than Rashford and AWB.
Forget all that. Is he better than Mascherano at 20? If not I’m not impressed at all.
 

Adnan

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Okay, thanks for that. I still don't like him as a footballer.
Rice is developing into a very good DM at 20 years old. He's never gonna be a Pirlo or Carrick type if that's what you prefer. But I think he could as good as or better than Ndidi who is listed as being 22 but it's suspected he might actually be 25.
 

Dante

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Dier is better in the air, Ndidi is better at running around, Rice is better at passing.

On balance, I'd have Rice before either of those two other options. But it would depend on the midfielders he's coming to play with.

If we regularly field 2 positionally questionable AMs, a pure destroyer behind them with good passing range like Rice would be good. This would be my preference if Pogba were to stay for next season.

But if Pogba's leaving, that'll give us a chance to completely restructure the midfield. We already have a brilliant presser in McTominay. It would make sense to then complement him with creativity ahead and behind.

So, I think a midfield of Rice/Maddison/Pogba would work well. As might a midfield with Neves/McTominay/Maddison. Which way we go will depend on the selling clubs.
 

Devil may care

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There really isn't much between them. I'd even say I've been more impressed with Rice from what I've seen of both destroyer type DMs.
For me when the holder isn't offering a tonne on the ball I want the more athletic and agile player of the two, and I feel that is Ndidi, but I don't really want either in truth.
 

Adnan

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For me when the holder isn't offering a tonne on the ball I want the more athletic and agile player of the two, and I feel that is Ndidi, but I don't really want either in truth.
I would prefer a ball player, but it remains to be seen what Ole's strategy is in that regard.
 

WR10

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Watched the whole game today. I was impressed. However it's pretty clear he is at the same level - if not below - as Scott. He does have a more commanding ability when dribbling with the ball but no where near the vision, range and intricate ball control that Scott has.
 

SquishyMcSquish

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Interesting to compare him to Fabinho thus far this season, since I'd say right now Fabinho is considered probably the best DM in the league.

Rice makes more tackles (7 more, thus far) and more than twice as many interceptions. He's also more accurate with his long passing with 22 successful long balls completed to Fabinho's 20. Added to that he wins more duels (34, to fabinho's 22), and has more than 3 times as many successful 50/50's. They're the same in terms of recoveries but one thing I found strange is that thus far Rice is actually winning more aerial battles than Fabinho, which I didn't expect at all.

Fabinho makes more passes and has an assist to his name so far but the differences aren't that stark. You'd obviously expect Rice to have more tackles, interceptions etc because he plays in a more defensive side, but basically he's doing bits in that defensive midfield role, especially for a 20 year old. He's getting through some serious work that is statistically very comparable to some of the best defensive minded midfielders around. Going forward he's not flashy or special but he's not incompetent either.

Very weird that some seem desperate to totally write off a player who is already a key man for a decent PL side at the age of 20, and already starting for the NT. He's putting in some really, really mature performances but just because he's not smashing it in from range like Neves on the odd occasion people aren't excited by the player. There's a reason Pellegrini and Southgate seem to rate what some on here think is a nothing player, and a player who is capable of screening the backline like that can be very important, as we've seen in some of the recent most successful teams around.
 

SquishyMcSquish

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Watched the whole game today. I was impressed. However it's pretty clear he is at the same level - if not below - as Scott. He does have a more commanding ability when dribbling with the ball but no where near the vision, range and intricate ball control that Scott has.
Rice is a better player defensively though. I'd agree that Mctominay is better on the ball, but I don't think he is on Rice's level in terms of the defensive side of his game .. which is the most important thing for a player in Rice's role.

McTominay is also 2 years older, which I think has to be taken in to account. What Rice is doing at 20 years old is pretty exceptional and there's so much potential for growth there in a position which, more than most, the mental side of the game is incredibly important.
 

Adnan

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Rice is a better player defensively though. I'd agree that Mctominay is better on the ball, but I don't think he is on Rice's level in terms of the defensive side of his game .. which is the most important thing for a player in Rice's role.

McTominay is also 2 years older, which I think has to be taken in to account. What Rice is doing at 20 years old is pretty exceptional and there's so much potential for growth there in a position which, more than most, the mental side of the game is incredibly important.
McTominay at 20 wasn't impressing many in our u23 team.

But I agree with your post. Rice is developing into a specialist DM and the stats you shared in your previous post when compared to Fabinho just underline what a talent he is at 20.
 
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