Declan Rice | Arsenal £105m player

Andersonson

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He is class.
Like Carrick it took years before some of the fan base appriciated him.
Its always the same, fans who think the Pogba's are world class dont like the boring controlling players.

Top quality midfielders like Rice can be the difference between winning a title or nor. The hollywood-passers get you top 4 and maybe a cup once or twice
 

ColvaleGoa

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Pay £105ml once or do like we do splurge out on Casemero who has one or 2 seasons left in him.

Definitely a great business by Arsenal. Price tag or not Rice is performing for them . That all that matters.
 

DJ_21

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Pay £105ml once or do like we do splurge out on Casemero who has one or 2 seasons left in him.

Definitely a great business by Arsenal. Price tag or not Rice is performing for them . That all that matters.
Exactly. We’re probably gonna of spent over 105m once we get a Casemiro replacement so it would have made sense to just get the one player for that much who’s gonna be long term.
 

IncyWincySpider

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Whether he cost five million or a hundred and five I don't think Rice was ever interested in coming here so it doesn't really matter.
 

ThierryHenry14

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He performed as expected so far and he is an expensive acquisition. That's the price you paid for well established EPL English player. Foreign player from other leagues can be cheaper.
 

Fortitude

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The absolute best thing about Rice is a rock solid level of consistency. I’m not overly convinced on his top level, but his bottom level is an absolute sure thing and is weaved into his value. He guarantees an above average performance in every game - his criticism will come from not being an 8+/10 superstar rather than not delivering the remits of his position; he’s Denis Irwin in terms of consistency; for any doubts about what he might ultimately become, you can be assured he will stay where he is as a totally dependable player, easily one of the most consistent in the league in terms of what he assures.

I’m in the camp that seeks elite levels of performance as a first regard for extremely expensive players and have mostly said I don’t see the £100m+ player in Rice, but two things have happened over the last couple of years and the fact of the matter has been that so many in this bracket haven’t even delivered the level of performance to their new club that got them there in the first place and the second is that £100m or so has become the going rate for highly rated midfielders in the PL via artificial inflation, by these factors, Rice is an exceptional purchase ensuring a bare minimum of 7/10 week in and week out, game after game. 8+’s may normalise over time, but even if they don’t, he’ll justify the fee as a lynchpin of the side for years to come.

Whether he’ll become a PL all-time great or not will boil down to the amount of times he can take his game into those elite categories to match the bar of those that have gone before him.
 

Highfather_24

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Fairplay, I didnt think he was capable of playing the lone #6 role, but he is doing it very well for Arsenal, although they have their LB inverting into midfield to help.
 

adexkola

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The absolute best thing about Rice is a rock solid level of consistency.
That's what you need at the DM position.

Price as you mentioned is simply a function of the scarcity of quality PL proven DMs in the marker being chased by more money and suitors. The only way Arsenal could be accused of overpaying is if they could have gotten a player with a similar profile and experience to Rice on the market for cheaper.
 

90 + 5min

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The absolute best thing about Rice is a rock solid level of consistency. I’m not overly convinced on his top level, but his bottom level is an absolute sure thing and is weaved into his value. He guarantees an above average performance in every game - his criticism will come from not being an 8+/10 superstar rather than not delivering the remits of his position; he’s Denis Irwin in terms of consistency; for any doubts about what he might ultimately become, you can be assured he will stay where he is as a totally dependable player, easily one of the most consistent in the league in terms of what he assures.

I’m in the camp that seeks elite levels of performance as a first regard for extremely expensive players and have mostly said I don’t see the £100m+ player in Rice, but two things have happened over the last couple of years and the fact of the matter has been that so many in this bracket haven’t even delivered the level of performance to their new club that got them there in the first place and the second is that £100m or so has become the going rate for highly rated midfielders in the PL via artificial inflation, by these factors, Rice is an exceptional purchase ensuring a bare minimum of 7/10 week in and week out, game after game. 8+’s may normalise over time, but even if they don’t, he’ll justify the fee as a lynchpin of the side for years to come.

Whether he’ll become a PL all-time great or not will boil down to the amount of times he can take his game into those elite categories to match the bar of those that have gone before him.
My big issue is overrating. He is consisent but it is not some world class level we are talking about. We have lot of consistent players in the league. John McGinn, James Ward Prowse for example. You know what you get from him. However, that high quality is not there to say he is 100m player. Maybe he will become that one day but it is so far from it right now. Same goes with Enzo, Caicedo and other very expensive signings just this year. Crazy market and inflating prices but as long as buying clubs are willing to give that money, selling clubs should sign that papper as soon as possible. Rice have done better than Enzo and Caicedo. That is also because of how teams have performed. It is easier to been seen having good game when you play in winning team regardless how you performed. If you compare him to Arsenal players that play in central midfield position, he is not better than Odegaard or Harvetz although they are different types of players so maybe they shouldn't even be compared. We can't say he is better than Partley either. I would even question if he is even a better player than Jorghino. If you replaced Rice with Jorginho, would it actually matter the way they are playing.

You mention Denis Irwin. There can be some similiarities although I think that Irwin had higher level of qualities. Hard to say when they didn't play in same position.
 

adexkola

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If you compare him to Arsenal players that play in central midfield position, he is not better than Odegaard or Harvetz although they are different types of players so maybe they shouldn't even be compared. We can't say he is better than Partley either. I would even question if he is even a better player than Jorghino. If you replaced Rice with Jorginho, would it actually matter the way they are playing.
You've spelt 3 names wrong... Hard to tell if you're wumming or serious with this post
 

90 + 5min

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You've spelt 3 names wrong... Hard to tell if you're wumming or serious with this post
I wouldn't try to be smart pointing out that I've might misspelled some names when I tried to write little to fast.

If you want to play clever and a teacher, do it without pointing out my misstakes and look how you write instead. Start by looking up about punctuation.
 

adexkola

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I wouldn't try to be smart pointing out that I've might misspelled some names when I tried to write little to fast.

If you want to play clever and a teacher, do it without pointing out my misstakes and look how you write instead. Start by looking up about punctuation.
I wasn't trying to be smart. You've just said he's no better in midfield than Havertz and you wumming (misspelt names for comic effect) is a kinder conclusion than you don't know the feck what you're talking about
 

Changeisgood

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Based on this season's performances but also all those with West Ham I think he is on just about every PL team's starting 11. Maybe even City's. Good enough for me.
 

Marwood

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There's certainly a desire to regard him as brilliant. Struggling to remember a more well liked player in recent times. Pundits love him.
 

Changeisgood

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He is quite likeable and a natural leader. He may not be England's best player but he doesn't have to be, there are more naturally skilled players to take over the limelight. He can be like Deschamps and what he did for France some decades ago.

Better than I expected, hope he keeps playing at this high level.
 

awop

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I would even question if he is even a better player than Jorghino. If you replaced Rice with Jorginho, would it actually matter the way they are playing.
You must be joking. Of course it would :wenger: They have some similar traits but Jorginho's best days are behind him, he can't do the work Rice is doing.
Less stamina, less tackling and intercepting ability, 0 threat whatsoever in the box if you can ever find him there etc...
 

TsuWave

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Why on Earth are you posting 6 yr old tweets? You been on a stalking mission this morning?
That’s not how Twitter works, old man. Some of his tweets resurfaced and are currently circulating - similar had happened to Grealish - I just found it amusing he was up late on a Monday doing “Martial FC”. It’s nothing serious.
 

Reapersoul20

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Milquetoast player. Played for a middlin' West Ham team that improved once he left. Plays for a good Arsenal side that is made worse from his inclusion. Poor mans McTominay.
 

90 + 5min

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Once again, nothing special.

Passing ball backwards and sideways looks good in statistic but doesn't matter. Today, when Arsenal top trio don't score people see that Rice is nothing special. You always look when team wins. The question is, can you look good when your team lose.
 

SilentWitness

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Not even close.
In most games he's been putting in 8/10 performances. This is one of the very very few where he's had a sub par one. He's been ridiculously consistent and popped up with important goals and defensive actions for them.
 

GazTheLegend

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He's been one of the best players in the league this season. :confused:
Honestly don't understand all this to be honest. People wait for a team of 11 players to lose, then pick one of their best players of the season to jump on and blame them in a game they had 74% possession and 30 shots on goal in. Clearly, their defensive midfielder is to blame? Feels like a similar situation for Maguire in a lot of ways, huge price tag + English player and that's it, pile on.

West Ham are just the luckiest football team on the planet (after Liverpool of course) and it blows my mind that they manage to win games of football in 2023 the way they do, but fair enough you got to put the ball in the net.
 

90 + 5min

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In most games he's been putting in 8/10 performances. This is one of the very very few where he's had a sub par one. He's been ridiculously consistent and popped up with important goals and defensive actions for them.
You do know what 8/10 perfomances is? Maybe we have different views about that.

He has done today what he has been doing all season. Difference is Arsenal lost because their fornt players didn't score. As long as you are winning everybody thinks you are very good. But as soon as you start losing points people will start to look at you differently.
 

Rightnr

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In most games he's been putting in 8/10 performances. This is one of the very very few where he's had a sub par one. He's been ridiculously consistent and popped up with important goals and defensive actions for them.
Easily. He'd transform our shite midfield, especially if we dropped Bruno.

A lot on here are deluded about the quality of players in United's first 11 but this instance is even more egregious because we were after him for years.
 

SilentWitness

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You do know what 8/10 perfomances is? Maybe we have different views about that.

He has done today what he has been doing all season. Difference is Arsenal lost because their fornt players didn't score. As long as you are winning everybody thinks you are very good. But as soon as you start losing points people will start to look at you differently.
You can individually have a good game and your team loses. You can have a bad game and your team wins. You can have a bad game and your team loses. I can go on.

Fact is, Rice has been excellent in the majority of games this season and Arsenal would be worse off without him. Every player has an odd day but the pile on due to a bad game is funny when in the other thread on the weekend everyone was spunking over him.
 

90 + 5min

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Honestly don't understand all this to be honest. People wait for a team of 11 players to lose, then pick one of their best players of the season to jump on and blame them in a game they had 74% possession and 30 shots on goal in. Clearly, their defensive midfielder is to blame? Feels like a similar situation for Maguire in a lot of ways, huge price tag + English player and that's it, pile on.

West Ham are just the luckiest football team on the planet (after Liverpool of course) and it blows my mind that they manage to win games of football in 2023 the way they do, but fair enough you got to put the ball in the net.
Aren't you saying against yourself now? So when you win, lets credit Rice for that. But when we lose, lets not talk about him. He is nothing special. When Arsenal attackers don't score they fall apart like today. So I'm not blaming Rice for today. He is doing what he has done all season. Picking up balls behind midfield and passing it sideways or backwards. Difference as I said previous is that Arsenal usually wins so people don't see the whole picture.
 

90 + 5min

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You can individually have a good game and your team loses. You can have a bad game and your team wins. You can have a bad game and your team loses. I can go on.

Fact is, Rice has been excellent in the majority of games this season and Arsenal would be worse off without him. Every player has an odd day but the pile on due to a bad game is funny when in the other thread on the weekend everyone was spunking over him.
I don't agree that he has been excellent. He is playing behind a excellent attacking line. Today they didn't score and that is why they lost. He is not doing so much for Arsenal as people think he is. I would say that Jorginho and Partey are no worse players and there wouldn't be any difference if they played instead of Rice.