I see no harm in buying Rice for 100M. He’ll just pass it back.
Bellingham 150m / Rice 100m
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik and Imran hold a long overdue conversation about United's awful league form with 1 win in 7. They discuss a disappointing draw at Bournemouth, a not so disappointing draw against Liverpool and a crushing defeat at Chelsea - Is time nearly over for Erik Ten Hag?
Then in a special second half of the pod, Nik welcomes Natalie ( https://twitter.com/natalie_17) to discuss the fortunes of Manchester United Women as they booked a place in the FA Cup Final after a historic first ever win vs. Chelsea.
None. Thanks
It’s a weird trend post Barcelona especially for United fans whos best midfielders of all time are probably Keane and Robson.
If someone pays that amount for rice or bellingham it tells you more abour the current ridiculous state of players market than the actual level of yet another couple of overrated british players by your media
Musah's nationality is quite a strange story. I read that he was born in the USA when his Ghanaian parents were on holiday there, then they moved to Italy where he lived until he was about 9/10. They then moved to London and he joined Arsenal's academy. If you hear him talk he has a thick London accent, and yet he plays for the USA, when he probably qualified for all 4 of those countries. It's not surprising he chose to go to Spain to play, he's a born nomad.
He's a good player, I think. The USA did well to get him to declare for them.
Neither. Thank you very much.
The English academy system must be a joke, how they haven't develop a single midfielder mastero in the Continental mold since Paul Scholes is beyond me, add the available talent pool and the money that easily trumps whatever the Spanish and the others have and it becomes a farce.
I rather we look to the continent than the outdated British model.
I rather we look to the continent than the outdated British model.
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Different era for midfielders when those two played. All action mids in todays game just become really difficult to fit into a side if they don’t have an elite skill.
Feels as though England still puts too high of a value on physical traits at times
Jesus, did somebody actually say Declan Rice is better than Casemiro? That person should not be allowed to speak about football from now onwards if so...
Bellingham is 19y, regular on the national team and key player for a topside team in Bundesliga. I value him a step up price wise compared to Sancho.
Sancho was sold for £73m, but Borussia had a £120million (€140m) price tag on him, so price tag and value are two different things.
I expect City to buy Bellingham for the same price as Grealish, around £100m.
Sancho was sold for £73m, but Borussia had a £120million (€140m) price tag on him, so price tag and value are two different things.
I expect City to buy Bellingham for the same price as Grealish, around £100m.
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The academies used to love big athletic players. Now they are very much about technical skills. The problem is there’s still no transition to first team football for them. They end up farmed out on loan and having to take their chances elsewhere. Take Chelsea for example, Mount, James, RLC and Chalobah are more athletic footballers and have made the jump to the first team. They have some technical skills but they didn’t make it because they knew how to dribble.
i agree. Keane was someone i was going to mention
It's a positive thing to have but their appearance obsession with it is just ridiculous.
Keane did the basics incredibly well and was well capable of setting the tempo at the highest level possible, he was deceptively technical with a great footballing brain to boot and could receive the ball and start our attacks , I haven't seen much of Robson as much as I would have liked to but according to people with more authority on the subject than I he was much the same, the likes of Bellingham and rice show neither of those traits at a good enough level to be united players if we were to dominate again.
Although to be fair Bellingham is still young, he could grow to develop those qualities but it's to be seen.
Deep laying playmakers hasn’t been a thing for a long time now? They’re fazed out because they become pressing triggers in the modern game
Can even see it with our own fans and our youngsters. First thing you hear about a lad is “needs to bulk up and get on loan to the championship” even if he’s technically a few levels above senior players in the team.
I swear Pedri himself could be in our academy and fans would think he needs a loan to the championship to get used to the physical side of the game
For £100m? I better be getting the next Paul Scholes yeah.
I can't see how anyone can see the value in spending that kind of money on midfield players who aren't press resistant. Whose game depends on energy and having space, rather than being able to use the ball to make space.
I see no world in which Bellingham reaches Keane's level. Keane could fire the ball through the lines brilliantly. Bellingham's passing is nowhere near as crisp over distance. He's young but I have never heard of someone's passing game developing that significantly once a player reaches adulthood.
For example, Beckham could pass like a god when he was young. His range didn't change with age. Just his consistency of execution.
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That’s an actual trait in English football that needs developed. I don’t know why you’re treating physicality as some sort of second tier attribute that isn’t important.
Phil fecking Foden has to be phased in by Pep fecking Guardiola due to the physicality of a young player in the English league
You wouldn’t like the next De Bruyne?
I don’t think so Football is a sport and the most physical fastest team most likely wins the game.
The current World Cup holders are examples of this, they won the World Cup based on being physically better than every other team.
What they need to stress though is more variety, we don’t just need physical players we also need players like Pirlo Xavi etc who can still make it at the top regardless of being physically the best, variety is how your win everything, Spain themselves will find this a problem soon if they don’t mix their technical prowess with athleticism you’ll find teams who are less technically gifted will simply outrun and fight them, it’s all about having the right balance.
France and Brazil have the best balance for me in terms of world football.
If Bellingham was looking like that I might consider it.
The advantage of Scholes is he could actually do everything (except tackle). He won the title playing in the heart of midfield and off of Van Nistlerooy as a #10.
I don't think so either but tried to not be too harsh, he's still young so still has time to improve/change his game.
People are caught up on this Spain esque way of playing football when Brazil has the most world cups because they balance technical ability flair and speed. Imagine a world where we didn’t have physical marvels like Pele Ronaldo Ronaldinho and only the likes of Xavi Busqets and David Silva... Boring.
De Bruyne is Beckham on steroids. He plays CM but is very very very decisive in the final third. He doesn’t control games.
I only say that because at times De Bruyne could look flustered under pressure, he doesn’t swivel or have a touch as tight or close control as good as the likes of Scholes Xavi Pirlo but I would still take him for 100m this time 10 years ago knowing what we know now.
I don’t think Jude is worth £100m for what it’s worth, I still have some reservations with his passing ability and consistency of his touch under pressure.
Yes agree with that, kinda my point.
I’ll take Rabiot for 20 millions instead. We will have few millions to spear and is much more what we need.
What? France won the World Cup because they are technically fantastic, had a genius deep playmaker in Pogba, and Mbappe up top.
Not because they outmuscled everyone. Ridiculous thing to say
I’m not saying it’s not of any importance. I’m saying many still treat is as a main priority even if a teenager can play circles around older more physical players. And Foden could be phased in because Pep already had a legion of technically brilliant midfielders ahead of him to where he wasn’t clearly a level ahead of them.
I think it’s more ridiculous to say Pogba was a genius deep playmaker, he certainly isn’t and I think most people would agree with that.
France won because of their physical qualities coupled with their technical ability , Mbappe is faster than everyone on the pitch but also better technically, Pogba the same. France have a very defensive style if anything and it’s partly their physical presence which gives them the edge, the same actually with Brazil before them, people like to talk about their incredible flair but Ronaldinho Pele Garrincha Ronaldo were also stronger and faster than every other player also, you can’t take that away from them and it forms a big part of their success.
To be fair to the kid, there's more than one way to skin a cat. He can carry the ball forward from deep in midfield at his feet, which is a good way of unlocking teams.
However, if you compare Bellingham doing it to say a young Paul Gascoigne the difference is in the close control. Bellingham needs more space. His management of the ball at close quarters isn't as good as Gazza's. Bellingham is easier to hurry into loose touches, he's easier to provoke into mistakes. You can press Bellingham more easily than you could do Gazza.
Now people might say: Don't be unfair you can't compare him to Gazza. However, people are talking about £100m. Plus, can a player's close control improve that much once they reach adulthood? Gazza at Newcastle, Gazza at Spurs, was the same on a basic level as Gazza at Lazio and Rangers etc. The difference was in decision making, execution. The things that come with age.
I am not saying Bellingham isn't worth getting. Just not getting for £100m. In my view, one day Bellingham will be like the best version of Wijnaldum at Liverpool. I don't see that as a £100m player.
Should probably go rewatch Pogba for France if you don’t think he’s dominant in that role for them.
And you keep naming some some of the most gifted footballers of all time as physically dominant which is just strange. There have been plenty of players as quick as Ronaldinho, but almost none as gifted in the history of the game with the ball at their feet. It’s a terrible example
Ive been watching Pogba for more than 10 years mate, he is not a genius deep lying playmaker, the fact some managers thought he was is probably why he never did as good as he was supposed to at United.
Yes they are gifted but also athletically in the top 1% of football also, Ronaldinho was one of the strongest footballers I’ve ever seen, Ronaldo Pele etc were all incredible physical marvels. The point is England shouldn’t do away from putting importance in physical qualities, it’s a sport and their demographics are far more comparable to Netherlands and France than it is to Spain.
Physicality is always a plus in any sport football included doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t put a great deal of emphasis on making players technically gifted also, you can have both like the very best nations have had.
Yes, yes, and yes, particularly with your point on Nicky Butt.
Casemiro moots the need for Rice. Bellingham would be a nice addition, but we need a top 9 first.
Three reasons:
1. They are nowhere worth those price-tags. They are overpriced because "English players in EPL" bias.
2. Football is 50/50 skill and passion. That is why we love the sport and that is why Japan beat Germany.
3. Southgate is a moron.
1. They are nowhere worth those price-tags. They are overpriced because "English players in EPL" bias.
2. Football is 50/50 skill and passion. That is why we love the sport and that is why Japan beat Germany.
3. Southgate is a moron.
They thought Jack Wilshere would be a fantastic technical magican. Even Lallana was hyped up at one point to being that kind of player for them.
You're spot on with your assessment .