Declan Rice

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Can someone smarter than me tell me why a midfield (if Pogba actually stays this season) of Rice/Fred/Pogba wouldn't be good?
Because our most productive player is now not in the team/in his best position?
 

MadDogg

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Can someone smarter than me tell me why a midfield (if Pogba actually stays this season) of Rice/Fred/Pogba wouldn't be good?
Firstly, Bruno isn't there.

Secondly, Rice is poor enough on the ball that Fred would have to continue being our main guy getting the ball from the defence and trying to build play. Something that, while he's better than many give him credit for, he isn't as good as what a top team should be aiming for in that role. Alternatively Pogba would be dropping deeper to do it as well, which to some extent would be defeating the purpose of him playing with two more defensive midfielders. Plus he's not great at the role himself - he's capable of playing incredible passes but he's not great at setting the tempo and really controlling the team around.

The theory of Rice is that he's good enough defensively that we wouldn't have to play a Fred next to him (which I probably agree with) and would allow us to play Pogba in a deeper role himself (which I don't agree with). As far as I'm concerned we'd still have to partner him with a player that is better on the ball than Fred while also being more solid than Pogba. It's why I don't want Rice as he's somewhat limited and doesn't suit playing with any of our current options.
 

OrcaFat

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Firstly, Bruno isn't there.

Secondly, Rice is poor enough on the ball that Fred would have to continue being our main guy getting the ball from the defence and trying to build play. Something that, while he's better than many give him credit for, he isn't as good as what a top team should be aiming for in that role. Alternatively Pogba would be dropping deeper to do it as well, which to some extent would be defeating the purpose of him playing with two more defensive midfielders. Plus he's not great at the role himself - he's capable of playing incredible passes but he's not great at setting the tempo and really controlling the team around.

The theory of Rice is that he's good enough defensively that we wouldn't have to play a Fred next to him (which I probably agree with) and would allow us to play Pogba in a deeper role himself (which I don't agree with). As far as I'm concerned we'd still have to partner him with a player that is better on the ball than Fred while also being more solid than Pogba. It's why I don't want Rice as he's somewhat limited and doesn't suit playing with any of our current options.
I’m inclined to agree with the bold part.

I don’t agree his passing is so bad that Fred would have to take over! Rice is not fundamentally worse than Fred in that regard.

Rice and Neves would be a good blend for the two CMs in our usual 4231. Although, if we’re going to randomly pick two guys who don’t play for us, we could probably do a lot better than that.
 

pawanraj

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I want us to sign Rice, so we can make comments about how teams can't handle our spicy Fred Rice.

(Jokes apart, I'd gladly take Rice for Lingard + 30m)
 

MadDogg

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I’m inclined to agree with the bold part.

I don’t agree his passing is so bad that Fred would have to take over! Rice is not fundamentally worse than Fred in that regard.

Rice and Neves would be a good blend for the two CMs in our usual 4231. Although, if we’re going to randomly pick two guys who don’t play for us, we could probably do a lot better than that.
Fred does make more mistakes with the ball than what we'd want, but otherwise he's actually decent at building play out from the back. 'Decent' isn't good enough for what we should be looking for, but it's still comfortably better than Rice is. He's closer to McTominay in that regard.

I'm pretty sure the Neves links just came from one random dude and there's nothing in them. In saying that, I think he's the right 'type' of midfielder we should be looking for, and if we did sign that type (whether Neves or someone else) it would be better to play them next to Fred rather than Rice. Neves would sit in the middle of the field distributing the ball (while being quite good defensively himself), so we'd want him next to a hard-pressing ball-winner rather than somebody who would also be looking to sit.
 

OrcaFat

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Fred does make more mistakes with the ball than what we'd want, but otherwise he's actually decent at building play out from the back. 'Decent' isn't good enough for what we should be looking for, but it's still comfortably better than Rice is. He's closer to McTominay in that regard.

I'm pretty sure the Neves links just came from one random dude and there's nothing in them. In saying that, I think he's the right 'type' of midfielder we should be looking for, and if we did sign that type (whether Neves or someone else) it would be better to play them next to Fred rather than Rice. Neves would sit in the middle of the field distributing the ball (while being quite good defensively himself), so we'd want him next to a hard-pressing ball-winner rather than somebody who would also be looking to sit.
I can see that working in theory but I don’t trust Fred really. Rice can sit when asked or get around the pitch; importantly he has the intelligence and discipline to play the role required of him. Plus he is a leader with strong personality. It’s impossible not to like Fred but I prefer Rice in any role you can mention.
 

KikiDaKats

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I've come the conclusion Rice is the perfect signing for us. The assumption he is limited on the ball is an insult to football. I strongly believed he is over rated but the more I've watched him, I've come to accept he one of the very best out there.
Not being easy on the eye doesn't= not doing the job right. Defensive midfielders that dribble with ball are always out of position defensively.
If Chelsea let Jorginho and replace him with Rice, I'll be pissed off. Knowing Chelsea don't do downgrades.
 

OmarUnited4ever

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Regardless of what we think of him quality wise, is he a pure DM?

in the Euros i felt he was playing as a DM, hovering in front of the back 4, covering spaces, while Phillips pressed high up.
 

Judas

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Glad we're finishing the window like it started, with people whinging over a transfer that seems quite clear it isn't happening but getting annoyed about it anyway.
 

Rojofiam

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We sell them Lingard for a reasonable fee this summer, then in a years' time we'll sign Rice for 60m. I'm not worried about him going somewhere else if we're gonna do well this season, same with Haaland.
 

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Absolutely outstanding tonight. Gets better every time I see him. Bossed Tielemens and Ndidi tonight, has everything you want in a CM.

Will end up at a top four club soon and would be ideal for us, exactly what we need.
 

anant

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Not the finished product, but if he can improve his passing range he'd become WC
 

IrishMcD

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Not for me, not good enough on the ball. Better than what we have but for the price it would take, not worth it. You could get Camavinga and Neves and have change possibly for the price West Ham would want for him
 

Walters_19_MuFc

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His performance tonight is something I'm seeing quite often, yet I'm still hearing people saying he's overrated. Bossed the midfield tonight against two players people label as world class.
 

AltiUn

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Saw Mitten linking us with him earlier. I do think some sort of deal involving Rice and Lingard will happen sooner or later.
 

Brophs

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Saw Mitten linking us with him earlier. I do think some sort of deal involving Rice and Lingard will happen sooner or later.
It'll need to happen pretty soon unless Lingard gets an extension. Or we somehow manage to convince WH to take a player we don't own in p/ex.
 

Michael T

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It'll need to happen pretty soon unless Lingard gets an extension. Or we somehow manage to convince WH to take a player we don't own in p/ex.
Trouble is, the way West Ham are playing at the moment, and topping the table, I don't see how their fans would let the club get away with selling such a pivotal player right now! They would do well to stump up the cash for Lingard, if he'll go.
 

Jaxa

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I think signing him is a bit like when we signed Maguire,

Because he isn’t the best in the world in his position and would come with English tax (so pricey) people think signing him isn’t worth it, not going to agree or disagree with that,

However although Maguire isn’t the perfect CB he’s improved our defence a lot wether you want to admit it or not and is usually consistently very good but prone to the odd banana skin, Rice joining this team would be an instant starter and would improve our midfield imo a lot, he’s also very young and has a lot of room to improve which I think he can but with already so much PL experience , personally I’d take Rice in a heartbeat and if it took 70m plus Lingard then so be it. That’s a #6 sorted for 10 years who I think having Carrick mentor him can become world class
 

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This kid gets it. He gets what it means to be a pacemaker in midfield. Massive engine on him, reads the game flawlessly, and has a bombarding run on him to top it off. He's basically Scott, but better. Him and Scott in midfield would be great. Scott and Fred is a glimmer of what it could be
 

Stacks

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I think signing him is a bit like when we signed Maguire,

Because he isn’t the best in the world in his position and would come with English tax (so pricey) people think signing him isn’t worth it, not going to agree or disagree with that,

However although Maguire isn’t the perfect CB he’s improved our defence a lot wether you want to admit it or not and is usually consistently very good but prone to the odd banana skin, Rice joining this team would be an instant starter and would improve our midfield imo a lot, he’s also very young and has a lot of room to improve which I think he can but with already so much PL experience , personally I’d take Rice in a heartbeat and if it took 70m plus Lingard then so be it. That’s a #6 sorted for 10 years who I think having Carrick mentor him can become world class
I mean we conceded more last season than Liverpool who had no defenders and had to sign another world class CB in addition to an expensive RB but he is doing his thing.
 

E-mal

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I mean we conceded more last season than Liverpool who had no defenders and had to sign another world class CB in addition to an expensive RB but he is doing his thing.
Staggering facts there. His lack of pace will continue to hinder us even with Varane in the side, we will continue tto be unable to play a high line.
 

RooneyLegend

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When the game was 11 v 11 he was pretty much non existent. Looks a decent player but doesn't quite take responsibility. No thanks. Also West Ham play a direct brand of football with no messing about with it at the back.
 

Pexbo

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Staggering facts there. His lack of pace will continue to hinder us even with Varane in the side, we will continue tto be unable to play a high line.
When exactly do you ever see Maguire needing to sprint? He plays much of the game close to the half way line and I don’t think I can remember more than one or two times he ended in a foot race.

Can you remember any times a defender left him for dead and scored?
 

Organic Potatoes

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I think signing him is a bit like when we signed Maguire,

Because he isn’t the best in the world in his position and would come with English tax (so pricey) people think signing him isn’t worth it, not going to agree or disagree with that,

However although Maguire isn’t the perfect CB he’s improved our defence a lot wether you want to admit it or not and is usually consistently very good but prone to the odd banana skin, Rice joining this team would be an instant starter and would improve our midfield imo a lot, he’s also very young and has a lot of room to improve which I think he can but with already so much PL experience , personally I’d take Rice in a heartbeat and if it took 70m plus Lingard then so be it. That’s a #6 sorted for 10 years who I think having Carrick mentor him can become world class
You might be onto something there; that could be the way it works out. At least being a long-term foundation for the team like Harry bit, not becoming world class as I hesitate to use that term here just yet and I don’t think Carrick changes that.
 
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