Declan Rice

[GodlovesUnited]

Such a polarising last few pages

As usual I think the reality is somewhere in the middle. He's a good player.

Sometimes, it’s just that simple.

He’ll do well in a team that needs a physical player to break up attacks and clog up passing lanes.

He’ll struggle in a team that needs a playmaker.

 

[Sylar]

Hes a good player. He didnt single handedly dominate our midfield though, thats insane to think so. He did get better towards the end but thats also because we took of players that could pass the ball and invited pressure. I do think he would look even better with a better team than West Ham.

 

[Hammondo]

He was absolutely everywhere ... except where he actually needed to be.

Hahahaha

 

[Red Dreams]

Forget Rice. In a couple of years or sooner we will see Kobee Mainoo playing in our first team.

 

[Andersonson]

I loved and wanted Carrick, and I think Rice is fairly wank. So, theory dispelled.

We should have started with a five-man midfield, but sure can't keep banging on about that. At the end of the day it is getting harder and harder to keep defending Michael Carrick who offered no support for our forwards and no support for our defence, once again the game completely passed him by. Scholesy was effectively our only centre midfielder.

 

[Hammondo]

Not similar players at in my opinion. Rice likes to run with the ball, press and make tackles. Carrick would sit in pockets and pass through lines all night long without breaking a stride. A player like Carrick is a rarity, whereas there are far cheaper alternatives to what Rice offers.

Casemiro seems to have both their abilities combined.

Carrick was my favourite players and I really don't rate Rice and I think the two things are related because Rice looks crap in comparison.

 

[Valencia Shin Crosses]

Good player. Not a great player. And probably won’t ever leave until it’s too late if West Ham stick to a 100m valuation.

Would be interesting to see how he does in a proactive set up based around keeping the ball and dominating games. I think many players can look solid when asked to graft and run around a bunch without being under the pressure to minimize mistakes at lesser sides.

 

[Roux]

Carrick was my favourite players and I really don't rate Rice and I think the two things are related because Rice looks crap in comparison.

Happy to be proved wrong - but like you, i just don't see it with Rice. We need players with a much higher footballing IQ and technical ability.

 

[poleglass red]

Carrick was my favourite players and I really don't rate Rice and I think the two things are related because Rice looks crap in comparison.

same position but different strengths. Tracking runners, putting himself about was never Carrick's strength. He had great positioning, passing and reading of the game. The passing part of Rice's game would need to improve, he's still only 23 so he has time on his side. Casemiro certainly improved his passing range under Zidane. He's a work in progress, but for leadership and work rate he can't be fault. A little refinement is still needed to be added, but his problem will be his price. He won't be cheap.

 

[Robbie Boy]

 

[Cassidy]

same position but different strengths. Tracking runners, putting himself about was never Carrick's strength. He had great positioning, passing and reading of the game. The passing part of Rice's game would need to improve, he's still only 23 so he has time on his side. Casemiro certainly improved his passing range under Zidane. He's a work in progress, but for leadership and work rate he can't be fault. A little refinement is still needed to be added, but his problem will be his price. He won't be cheap.

Leadership and workrate. The first attributes we need from a CM…

 

[Adam-Utd]

Good player. Not a great player. And probably won’t ever leave until it’s too late if West Ham stick to a 100m valuation.

Would be interesting to see how he does in a proactive set up based around keeping the ball and dominating games. I think many players can look solid when asked to graft and run around a bunch without being under the pressure to minimize mistakes at lesser sides.

just look at his england performances, he can’t do it. he gets lost.

the counter attacking west ham style is perfectly suited to his game.

 

[KikiDaKats]

I think moving to a bigger club will transform him into a top DM/CM. For a defensive midfielder he is an infant.
The price is quite hefty at this stage of his career, he is nearer to a £45m player than £100m.
Though to Liverpool he might be worth it but us and the squad we have at present, I can’t value him higher the £50m.

 

[Valencia Shin Crosses]

just look at his england performances, he can’t do it. he gets lost.

the counter attacking west ham style is perfectly suited to his game.

Tbf England under Southgate set up like cowards as well.

 

[Hammondo]

same position but different strengths. Tracking runners, putting himself about was never Carrick's strength. He had great positioning, passing and reading of the game. The passing part of Rice's game would need to improve, he's still only 23 so he has time on his side. Casemiro certainly improved his passing range under Zidane. He's a work in progress, but for leadership and work rate he can't be fault. A little refinement is still needed to be added, but his problem will be his price. He won't be cheap.

100 percent agree about the positioning but Carrick's passing and dictating play was amazing, he has none of that and so west ham give up the midfield often.

 

[caid]

I dont see how throwing 40 yard passes over your midfield to Antonio can be described as dominant.
Rice would probably be a good signing next to Eriksen or De Jong. But the price we paid for a better player in Casemiro makes a mockery of the transfer fee West Ham were looking for. He needs to leave, he wont develop or be challenged by Moyes system. Even dropping 70m on the guy would be a bit of a risk just because you dont know how he'd adapt to a more ambitious system.

 

[kaku06]

Or it’s not and you’re talking absolute nonsense. Rice was cutting us out when we got forwards for fun yesterday (as evidenced by Bruno’s shocker) and when Eriksen started to tire he took complete control of the game.

That doesn’t suit the English = shit narrative folk love to peddle though, does it.

Wow. Just saw the piling on you by some posters. You are absolute spot on and I couldn’t agree more with your assertion on both Rice and Osimhen. Rice is a special special player and I rarely rate English players. He is as dominant as they come when it comes to defensive midfielders.

So many people on this board are clueless. Their knowledge of other players in other leagues is so poor. They don’t have an opinion of their own, they just follow the narrative. They rate a player like Osimhen to bits who is nothing more than a decent striker at best but shits on Rice who keeps performing brilliantly week in week out. And when he performs against united they say it’s only against us he does that. You have to laugh at their genius.

 

[hmchan]

Another example how Rice fits into a team with more possession and demonstrates his value.

 

[MUnchies]

Another example how Rice fits into a team with more possession and demonstrates his value.

It's against Iran. Chill out

 

[Abraxas]

You'd also say Maguire looks a magnificent defender in a high line against this Iran side. He's passed the ball around, nearly scored.

Not really a game to judge CBs and holding mids on, they have all the space and any footballer at this level can spray passes and look good.

I'm quite a fan of Rice and think he has a lot to offer a top side.

 

[RacingClub]

You'd also say Maguire looks a magnificent defender in a high line against this Iran side. He's passed the ball around, nearly scored.

Not really a game to judge CBs and holding mids on, they have all the space.

Agreed.

They've spent the final 25 minutes of the first passing it around at walking pace under no pressure.

Why does twenty-five auto correct to googleplex?

 

[Berbasbullet]

Another example how Rice fits into a team with more possession and demonstrates his value.

Really liked what he has done today. Great reading of the game.

 

[hmchan]

Really liked what he has done today. Great reading of the game.

When Rice plays well against better sides, people say he has no use playing for a bigger team. When he demonstrates his function against weaker sides, it's just Iran.

 

[Lee565]

He needs to push for a move this summer if he has any ambition, he's a very good player but he is never going to reach another level in a squad like west ham under dross managers like moyes

 

[Who's Kissing Cameras?]

Had a very good tournament.

 

[RonaldoVII]

He needs to push for a move this summer if he has any ambition, he's a very good player but he is never going to reach another level in a squad like west ham under dross managers like moyes

He pretty much hinted that he would during the tournament didn't he? Said something about all his teammates are enjoying playing in Europe etc and he has ambitions.

 

[yumtum]

Signing a 6.5 year contract in 2018 was an unbelievably stupid thing to do, wonder at what point these prospects will be telling their agents to not be so bloody stupid.

Same thing happened with Kane, though Rice being a teen when he signed the longterm contract means he probably saw the huge jump in wages and couldn't sign the contract fast enough.

He'll likely be at West Ham until at least 25, he may even have to wait to walk free when he's 26.

 

[DrogaPortoroz]

Signing a 6.5 year contract in 2018 was an unbelievably stupid thing to do, wonder at what point these prospects will be telling their agents to not be so bloody stupid.

Same thing happened with Kane, though Rice being a teen when he signed the longterm contract means he probably saw the huge jump in wages and couldn't sign the contract fast enough.

He'll likely be at West Ham until at least 25, he may even have to wait to walk free when he's 26.

It is stupid from you perspective, but for players is right thing to do. Everyone wants some financial security. One bad injury and nobody is giving a feck about you.

 

[WeePat]

Rice at the base of Chelsea’s midfield would be a dream to see. Bring the lad home.

 

[Red in STL]

Signing a 6.5 year contract in 2018 was an unbelievably stupid thing to do, wonder at what point these prospects will be telling their agents to not be so bloody stupid.

Why is it stupid? He secured hisfuture, football is fickle, the next game could be your last, for every player that gets a contract there are a 100 who don't, signing that contract guaranteed he would never have to worry about his future

 

[90 + 5min]

One more of those overrated players. No better than what John O'Shea was when he sometimes needed to play in midfield. I really have different views on how football should be played.

 

[golden_blunder]

Personally I think he’s regressed again. After the euros he definitely improved the overall game but he seems to have gone backwards again. Needs the right coach now to develop his overall game

 

[Robbie Boy]

One more of those overrated players. No better than what John O'Shea was when he sometimes needed to play in midfield. I really have different views on how football should be played.

100%

He's stagnated at best in recent years, and was never particularly good to begin with.

 

[Dancfc]

Signing a 6.5 year contract in 2018 was an unbelievably stupid thing to do, wonder at what point these prospects will be telling their agents to not be so bloody stupid.

Same thing happened with Kane, though Rice being a teen when he signed the longterm contract means he probably saw the huge jump in wages and couldn't sign the contract fast enough.

He'll likely be at West Ham until at least 25, he may even have to wait to walk free when he's 26.

It's exactly why I laugh when people try and make Kane a victim of his trophyless career.

In my opinion decision making has to be factored in when accessing a players career and how they're ranked compared to others.

Lewandowski is a good example in reverse, he could have committed to Dortmund with the narrative being "poor Lewa he does his best but can't compete with Bayern", instead he ran his contract down and went to Bayern.

 

[SAFMUTD]

I swear if he wasn't English he would get half the fuss. He's a good defensive midfielder but nothing else, he's so limited on the ball that the prices quoted for him are just laughable.

No where near the level of the true great midfielders.

 

[DixieDean]

Had a very good second half, yesterday.

 

[Lecland07]

He needs to push for a move this summer if he has any ambition, he's a very good player but he is never going to reach another level in a squad like west ham under dross managers like moyes

It doesn't sound like he has any interest in signing a new contract at West Ham, so he will be there for 1 more season maximum. 24/25 isn't a bad time to move to a big club. I think Carrick was about that age.

 

[Lecland07]

I swear if he wasn't English he would get half the fuss. He's a good defensive midfielder but nothing else, he's so limited on the ball that the prices quoted for him are just laughable.

No where near the level of the true great midfielders.

He was the best midfielder on the pitch in the France game. He is very good player.

 

[Abraxas]

He was good against France but largely didn't catch the eye over the course of the tournament. Perhaps raises questions about him when you're expected to dominate and win games, that's when you're looking at his passing range and scratching your head. His skillset doesn't currently add much in that context. But I think with the right options around him it's not so problematic. In club football there's more opportunity for that.

 

[SAFMUTD]

He was the best midfielder on the pitch in the France game. He is very good player.

I think both Tchouameni and Bellingham were far better.

But don't take my word for it, let use some stats:

https://www.whoscored.com/Matches/1697726/Preview/International-FIFA-World-Cup-2022-England-France

According to whoscored he wasn't the best midfielder, but the 4th out of 5. Only above Henderson.