Declan Rice

[Frank Grimes]

I liked him last year whenever I watched him. He was immense versus Liverpool. Not half as average as some here would have you believe.
Need to see what he does this season before I make up my mind about him though.

 

[NoPace]

This!

Whenever I've seen WH play, he looks OK but I've been far more impressed with Diop

Yeah, At gunpoint, I'd say that right now he's West Ham's 4th best player behind Haller, Anderson and Diop in some order. Lanzini a similar level as he is looking more and more like his impressive pre-injury self too but the bar is so high for a #10 who's not as good a player out wide or deeper in midfield, though he'd walk into our team such is the state of our #10 and RW issues.

 

[jesperjaap]

People saying he is rubbish, yet many are saying how much Mcominay is developing? I know who I would rather have. I think Rice is a good player, especially his football brain for such a young player. His reading of the game and positioning is very good, so too is his weight of pass, breaks up a lot of attacks.......but, not sure his ability and depth of talent is that good that he can progress to a great player and with the fees talked about, think there are better options, Ascacibar for example does everything he does as well as being a far better tackler and would probably be nearer half the fee

 

[Classical Mechanic]

Ascacibar for example does everything he does as well as being a far better tackler and would probably be nearer half the fee

If you do the comparison for last season it doesn't appear to be the case, Rice is also playing in a tougher league

He would be peanuts in comparison but a much bigger gamble in my opinion.

https://www.whoscored.com/PlayerComparison

Not that I am advocating for signing Rice.

 

[RooneyLegend]

We are never paying 90m for a Dm who can't play it out. Don't worry about that.
This thread is just full of the same posters laughing at Brexit FC when we signed AWB and James. Now they can laugh at a story that won't happen so it's not thrown back at them when they appear to come good.

We just paid 50 million a full back who adds nothing in attack.

 

[AFC NimbleThumb]

We just paid 50 million a full back who adds nothing in attack.

Thank god I joined this forum.

 

[ManchesterYoda]

Buy Rice and promote Garner. I think a 3 man midfield of Pogba as no.10 in front of Rice and Garner would be very good.

 

[cyberman]

We just paid 50 million a full back who adds nothing in attack.

You cant be talking about AWB here?

 

[Bestietom]

There are better DM out there than Rice, but he is still young and learning and looks like he will be a top player. Still prone to some mistakes but improving all the time.

 

[Adnan]

He's definitely a good player but more of a destroyer type DM. Apart from one poster who was obsessively against this potential signing, most sane minded fans recognise that Rice is definitely a good player. And it remains to be seen how high his ceiling is considering he's still only 20.

 

[CM]

I didn't want to put this in the Transfer Forum thread because it didn't seem the right place, but this is quite an interesting little stat.

Tweet

— Twitter API (@user) date

 

[Bastian]

I didn't want to put this in the Transfer Forum thread because it didn't seem the right place, but this is quite an interesting little stat.

Tweet

— Twitter API (@user) date

There probably should be a transfer thread for him. Agreed, nice stat. Something we should be quite attracted to given recent years.

I know he's being heavily linked to Chelsea, but if the rumours are true that Moyes wants some of our deadwood, there really could be interesting scope here for two birds with one stone.

I watched quite a few West Ham matches following the re-start, I really like him.

 

[diarm]

The thing I like most about him is that he looks to play forward. He reminds me of on form Matic in that he'll look to make sharp passes forwards to players between the lines and when he can't pick one out, he'll carry the ball forward himself until something comes up.

 

[Offside]

I like him a lot think he’d be great at Chelsea.

 

[WeePat]

Watching this you almost forget he's the best player in an entirely different Premier League club.

Tweet

— Twitter API (@user) date

 

[UweBein]

Hmm... from his club's perspective he is acting highly unprofessional.

 

[TrustInJanuzaj]

I’d have serious reservations about his passing ability.

 

[Berbasbullet]

He's clearly not that bright then.

 

[WeePat]

I’d have serious reservations about his passing ability.

I did too, in fact it was my biggest concern with him, but, having watched him in a handful of games since the turn of the year, he's genuinely come on leaps and bounds in that regard. It's clear that he's worked hard on that part of his game.

 

[TrustInJanuzaj]

I did too, in fact it was my biggest concern with him, but, having watched him in a handful of games since the turn of the year, he's genuinely come on leaps and bounds in that regard. It's clear that he's worked hard on that part of his game.

If that’s truly the case then he will do well when combined with his other physical abilities.

 

[Donut]

His passing is actually pretty good. He hit some wonderful passes against us, and the shot that Pogba "saved" was going on target as well. I think he's at least as good technically as Matic is, and he'd be starter for us. Shame he seems to be nailed on for Chelsea.

 

[Red Indian Chief Torn Rubber]

Too expensive to buy when you need to make other signings in a window.

 

[Robbie Boy]

Really hope Chelsea sign him. Would hate for us to waste money on such a bang average player.

 

[treble_winner]

Really hope Chelsea sign him. Would hate for us to waste money on such a bang average player.

I guess you said the same thing when Chelsea got Kante from Leicester and Liverpool got Robertson from Hull?

 

[Robbie Boy]

I guess you said the same thing when Chelsea got Kante from Leicester and Liverpool got Robertson from Hull?

Way to go with those presumptions. I don't rate Rice which has nothing to do with any other players.

 

[Cassidy]

I guess you said the same thing when Chelsea got Kante from Leicester and Liverpool got Robertson from Hull?

I hope you're not suggesting Rice has shown anywhere near the level of quality shown by Kante at Leicester

 

[SER19]

I'm very much torn on rice. I've seen him look very very ordinary and also seen him a couple of times and thought he's what we need.

Should we go for him I think solskjaers business so far has earned him the benefit of the doubt and I'd be optimistic, but not at any ludicrous fee

 

[Robbie Boy]

I'm very much torn on rice. I've seen him look very very ordinary and also seen him a couple of times and thought he's what we need.

Should we go for him I think solskjaers business so far has earned him the benefit of the doubt and I'd be optimistic, but not at any ludicrous fee

Thing is, the fee will be most certainly be absolutely ludicrous.

 

[WeePat]

I'm very much torn on rice. I've seen him look very very ordinary and also seen him a couple of times and thought he's what we need.

Should we go for him I think solskjaers business so far has earned him the benefit of the doubt and I'd be optimistic, but not at any ludicrous fee

He's only 20, so this fluctuation in performances is to be expected. I'd say, to me, he looked like an ordinary version of prime Matic until the turn of the year. He has progressively improved what I considered to be his weak points. He's almost a completely different player to the one he was last season, or even at the start of this season.

 

[Pagh Wraith]

I'm very much torn on rice. I've seen him look very very ordinary and also seen him a couple of times and thought he's what we need.

I often think the same. At the end of day it's pretty much useless carbs but on the other hand you feel like something's missing without it.

 

[Cassidy]

He's only 20, so this fluctuation in performances is to be expected. I'd say, to me, he looked like an ordinary version of prime Matic until the turn of the year. He has progressively improved what I considered to be his weak points. He's almost a completely different player to the one he was last season, or even at the start of this season.

Ive seen the same said about McTominay, would lean towards caution with this one

 

[Robbie Boy]

I hope you're not suggesting Rice has shown anywhere near the level of quality shown by Kante at Leicester

The comparison is ridiculous. How are Robertson and Kante even in the same sentence? One was at relegated Hull and the other was probably the best player in the craziest title winning season ever. Every club in the world would have wanted Kante but Chelsea got in there quick. Robertson looked good at Hull but Klopp has clearly elevated him to all new levels.

Hate these kind of smart arse posts that insinuate that people that don't want players from 'lesser clubs' only want superstars or whatever other drivel they come out with. Rice is hyped to bits, is an England international and would cost £60m+. It's hardly like we're talking about some unknown little gem here. To even compare him to Robertson who cost feck all and came with zero hype is just ridiculous.

 

[WeePat]

Ive seen the same said about McTominay, would lean towards caution with this one

That's fair.

It's just what I've observed about Rice this season. There are flaws in every player, so there plenty of reasons not to buy Rice. There are also plenty to like about him.

 

[charlenefan]

Absolutely everywhere today. Very good performance

 

[2mufc0]

Good player. Ship has probably sailed for us though after signing Casemiro.

 

[FujiVice]

Good player in need to a step up. He's the player you buy for 30 million in 2012, not someone you pay 100 million for. Which might price him out of a move.

 

[AFC NimbleThumb]

Likes to raise his game versus us, hasn’t he been poor for them this season?

Unfortunately Declan, Casemiro is here so that ship has sailed old boy. Chelsea it is.

 

[FootballHQ]

Fantastic positional sense.

Needs to become a bit more ambitious with his passing. Too often he bursts though and decides just to knock it sideways instead of risking a defence splitting ball.

Think it's pretty obvious he's going to end up at Chelsea sooner or later although Liverpool could do worse than having a look given their current midfield woes.

 

[charlenefan]

Good player. Ship has probably sailed for us though after signing Casemiro.

He could play with Casemiro, probably not the way ETH would want to go though

 

[Idxomer]

That was probably the best I've ever seen him.