Declan Rice

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NZT-One

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Declan Rice has on top of being a good footballer one very important thing that we are sadly lacking and that is he is a true leader in midfield...he is the closest player to a young Roy Keane I´ve seen and hopefully we do go all in for him
If we could get him for a decent price, alright, but the quoted ones were laughable. How many times have we seen these midfielders that were looking good for smaller teams only to be out of depth when they entered a big club. Leicester bought Soumare for 25 mio from France last summer. The guy had a pretty good game against us yesterday. We have enough of the "young, British and promising" category and we were fleeced more than enough. I don't want to see another Maguire situation if it can be avoided. Westham is a Moyes team, I think, that impacts how he plays and how successful he is - but United doesn't play like that and hopefully, that isn't the plan for the future as well.

I personally don't see it with him, but he often plays well and I think, he is a good player. But not 70 million good at all.
 

Bebestation

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I feel to some if he played abroad and was a different nationality he would be rated higher. They then say the opposite "that he is only rated because he is English or some crap".

Tchouameni can do crap all in a match before Pogba turns up a gear then it's Tchouameni that gets the hype.
 

DomesticTadpole

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Would love him here, but cannot see it happening with Ole. Why would Declan want his career stalling under Ole and Co's stellar coaching?
 

Random Task

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Would love him here, but cannot see it happening with Ole. Why would Declan want his career stalling under Ole and Co's stellar coaching?
I'd love him here too, but I can't see the board stumping up the funds for him with Ole's future in the balance - despite their recent statement suggesting otherwise.
 

glazed

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I'd love him here too, but I can't see the board stumping up the funds for him with Ole's future in the balance - despite their recent statement suggesting otherwise.
He's contracted to West Ham till 2025. No way would Ed get into that kind of negotiation. Much better off buying someone just as good but not English for half the price.
 

Scholsey2004

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I wasnt convinced that an out and out destroyer was what we needed but after recent performances i'm coming around to the idea of getting Rice, although maybe not at the quoted price. I dont think even with Rice we can play Pogba in a 2 though so we probably need Rice and 1 more. Pogba needs to be playing somewhere in the bank of 3 behind the striker. I know he plays in a 2 for France but the Prem is all about pressing and intensity now and he just isnt that player.
 

RooneyLegend

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I wasnt convinced that an out and out destroyer was what we needed but after recent performances i'm coming around to the idea of getting Rice, although maybe not at the quoted price. I dont think even with Rice we can play Pogba in a 2 though so we probably need Rice and 1 more. Pogba needs to be playing somewhere in the bank of 3 behind the striker. I know he plays in a 2 for France but the Prem is all about pressing and intensity now and he just isnt that player.
Spain press more than every team in the league outside of Pool and City. We're just a poor side with an even worse structure.
 

Bebestation

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I wasnt convinced that an out and out destroyer was what we needed but after recent performances i'm coming around to the idea of getting Rice, although maybe not at the quoted price. I dont think even with Rice we can play Pogba in a 2 though so we probably need Rice and 1 more. Pogba needs to be playing somewhere in the bank of 3 behind the striker. I know he plays in a 2 for France but the Prem is all about pressing and intensity now and he just isnt that player.
This is it one of the reasons for me too.

Rice is a player who kind of just sits in his central position in front of the centre backs.

From that position he either makes an interception, makes a block - or ultimately if he cant do none of those things he just kind of sits there and the opposition have to try go around him which means they usually have to go wider and around him instead to take the fullbacks on.

One of his best assets is his ability to read the game and the attack - he can get in to the best defensive position just before the attack has started and ultimately it makes the opposition attack 15% harder than it would be than one of our other players just running behind them and pressing to make an interception after they lost their player a minute ago.

We are are currently a team heavily prone to counter attacks. Our midfield gets ripped open as no one is positioning themselves right. Rice is a leader and he will be as deep as it is necessary to be - and hopefully allow the other midfielders to get forward like Soucek gets to do whoever that may be for us playing next to him.

The other thing that I like about him is his ability to play as a CDM in front of the CB'S and nearly always drop back in to a back 3 to either create a back 3 defensively or to get the ball from them before bringing the ball forward. His passing is a bit too safe but when he does initiate it can be good. He plays how Matic plays for us now and it makes me wonder if we ever get Ten Haag as our future manager that he could use him 'slightly' like how he used Frenkie De Jong at ajax (who is 100% the superior player and I'd have him here over anyone if we could get him) but the more robust/less technical on the eye version because he can play like a player who drops in to a back 3 and brings the ball forward because he is surprisingly quite press resistant.
 

Adnan

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He would improve us but I don't think it would be prudent paying a premium for him. West Ham are gonna demand at least £70m, if some of the reports are anything to go by. I think we can sign a good combative midfielder from elsewhere, who will likely cost considerably less IMO.
 

GueRed

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I'm still on the Rice Bandwagon.

Until the other options convince me I'll stay on it.
 

Maniron

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I'm still on the Rice Bandwagon.

Until the other options convince me I'll stay on it.
There isn't a club in Europe that wouldn't want him. We need to see his fee as an investment rather than a cost. He probably has 10 years of his best playing time in front of him.
 

devilish

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There isn't a club in Europe that wouldn't want him. We need to see his fee as an investment rather than a cost. He probably has 10 years of his best playing time in front of him.
Alternatively he could turn out to be an extremely overpriced player rival fans like to point their finger at to make fun at us. Like for example Harry Maguire
 

davidmichael

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I’d honestly be happy for us to offload Dalot, Bailly, Jones, Matic, Lingard, Mata, Chong and Martial then use our entire summer budget on just Rice and Bellingham as that sorts out our midfield for the next decade.

I’d bring Laird, Mengi, Tuanzebe, Garner, MejbrI, Shoretire and Elanga up to replace the outgoing players as those minutes should be used up by players that potentially have a future at the club rather than those just around to fill the squad up but more importantly they’d be hungry with something prove and won’t cost a penny.

We’ve on paper got a great starting 11 outside of midfield so put Rice and Bellingham into what we already have along with a tactically astute head coach like Ten Hag and I honestly believe we’d challenge for everything on a domestic level which after the summer signings we should be doing already.
 

Trequarista10

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I’d honestly be happy for us to offload Dalot, Bailly, Jones, Matic, Lingard, Mata, Chong and Martial then use our entire summer budget on just Rice and Bellingham as that sorts out our midfield for the next decade.

I’d bring Laird, Mengi, Tuanzebe, Garner, MejbrI, Shoretire and Elanga up to replace the outgoing players as those minutes should be used up by players that potentially have a future at the club rather than those just around to fill the squad up but more importantly they’d be hungry with something prove and won’t cost a penny.

We’ve on paper got a great starting 11 outside of midfield so put Rice and Bellingham into what we already have along with a tactically astute head coach like Ten Hag and I honestly believe we’d challenge for everything on a domestic level which after the summer signings we should be doing already.
I know I'm not replying to the major point of your post, which I largely agree with, but I think Chong may have a future with us compared to some of the other young players. He's raw but he's performing well in a higher level of competition than most of our other youngsters. He has also shown more versatility, which is useful for a squad player. Being left footed is also an advantage as it allows him to fulfill some roles that right footers simply can't. Plus his work rate is a rare attribute that could see him have more success at the top level than others who may have shown more technical ability at youth level.
 

davidmichael

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I know I'm not replying to the major point of your post, which I largely agree with, but I think Chong may have a future with us compared to some of the other young players. He's raw but he's performing well in a higher level of competition than most of our other youngsters. He has also shown more versatility, which is useful for a squad player. Being left footed is also an advantage as it allows him to fulfill some roles that right footers simply can't. Plus his work rate is a rare attribute that could see him have more success at the top level than others who may have shown more technical ability at youth level.
I don’t see Chong as ever being good enough to start ahead of Greenwood, Sancho and Rashford and at best I think Chong would be a good signing for someone like Southampton or Palace as mid table.

He’s really progressing this season and just showing that everyone who said the likes of Soumaré, Zakaria, N’Didi, Koopmeiners, Brozovic, Bissouma, Neves and all the others that have been mentioned before aren’t the right option and that if we want to be the best again we need to pay what’s needed and Rice is absolutely what we need.
 

Red_toad

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Can see in games like today exactly where he’d fit into the team, we’ve got McFred doing a lesser job combined than Rice could do by himself holding a midfield.
 

Bebestation

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Not good enough for us according to many experts on here :lol:
I can understand the hesitation for 100 million but that's hardly anything to do with Rice, that's got more to do with West Ham and United being a rich club.

Compared to forwards who have stats with balls in the net there has hardly been a CDM that who at the age of 22 so far away from their prime that you go spend 100 million on.

However, I just don't give a crap about the money.

He is a good player. He does that shielding thing really well and is something we can use so much. His passing is a different level for West Ham than for England.

The thing is with Rice is that all the alternatives do not play like Rice or even Matic - they play like alternatives to Fred or Mctominay. I find those players are good but relatively easier to find.

Rice's pressing resistance ability is very underrated.
 

gajender

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Not good enough for us according to many experts on here :lol:
Under a progressive manager he would be absolute beast and would excel at all the things his detractors think he isn't capable of doing just because currently they have their blinkers on.
 

Suv666

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Typical overrated Englishman. Hope we steer clear after getting fleeced for Maguire and AWB.
 

Escobar

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We need to get another player, he is too expensive. Hope our recruitment team is doing a good job by finding a cheaper gem
 

Bebestation

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I'd like to bring up Tchouameni.

Monaco won vs Montpellier who only had 35% possesion but managed the same number of shots and shots on target as monaco. Showing how many times they are able to get past their midfield.

Then there is Rice and West ham Vs Spurs.

West Ham registered 13 shots vs 7, same shots on target, West ham playing with less possesion overall aswell.

Rice does the shielding job really well.

I've said this before- I've watched Tchouameni and people get right past him. He isn't a CDM and he is more a CM with defensive ability like a potentially better version of Fred or Mctominay.

He is not a shielding player that is a replacement for Matic though which I really want at the club. It is why I want Rice. He is more of a specialist as a midfielder than an allrounded one.

It's like if I had the option of buying a deep lying playmaker or the improved version of Fred or Mctominay - I'd choose the deep lying playmaker.

Likewise I'm choosing the specialist shielding/Anchorman type player we can get. It's more useful.
 
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Verward

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Rice would be a nice addition but with him in our current setup (4-2-4), we'd label him flop soon.

Unpopular opinion but I do not think McFred are as bad as everyone makes out them to be. Give them to Klopp or Pep and I'm pretty sure they'd suddenly look like world class. Those 2 cannot do everything on their own and need some support from our front men. Our front men dont bother to track back and help the midfield and it was so clear compared to Liverpool players yesterday. I guess we are one of bottom teams in terms of "Total distance covered" team. I understand Ronaldo never had pressing game as strong aspect of his play but I'd expect Rashford, Greenwood and Bruno to work harder and help the midfield. I'd rather like to see Sancho and VDB instead of Rashford and Greenwood. Ronaldo is untouchable otherwise I'd like to see Cavani with VDB and Sancho.

Ole needs to try something different. He just cant rely on his favorite players to bail him out all the time.
 

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Can't see him moving for a while yet as his contact is really problematic, West Ham are doing well and he has English tax on top. See him not moving until 2023 or later.
 

Adam-Utd

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If he keeps up his current form then he'll be worth that easily, and especially to a club like ours who is desperate for a player like him.
Moyes literally said he was available for 100m, now he's worth more.

There is no chance he goes anywhere for 2/3 years at least.
 

L1nk

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I feel like this will be like Maguire, overspending on him whilst there's probably equally as good players who aren't English who will be just as good if not better, see us signing Maguire whilst City then signed Ruben Dias for a cheaper price, who is younger and who has currently ended up being the better signing. Only conceivable reason i can see us wanting Rice is because he's English (Irish)
 

Adam-Utd

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I agree with the first bit, but I doubt Rice will still be at West Ham in 2 / 3 years if he keeps developing as he is.
I just can't see anybody ever spending more than £70m on a defensive midfielder. Only attackers ever go for that sort of value.

It's not like Rice is a big world wide personality either. He screwed himself by signing a 7 year contract.
 

Volumiza

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It's not like Rice is a big world wide personality either.
That wouldn't matter at all. If there are top teams after a DM, then Rice would be currently on their list no doubt. £70m is loads but if a team needs it and can afford it then I don't see what would stop it, nothing to do with personality.
 
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