Declan Rice

[westham,eggyandchips]

You know it's international break when there's a whole page dedicated to the correct use of a word. :lol:

[hammerman11]

Hate international breaks
Boring engkand and worry about injuries to our players

[YorksHammer]

Rice is restricted by Southgate but he still played well last night

I actually thought Southgate made the same error as Moyes recently by not restricting Rice to the thing he's world class at and have him as a holding central midfielder that picks the ball up from the CBs and distributes it on.

I see Rice as someone, currently, who is playing without a real role - a jack of all trades central midfielder. He's not especially box-to-box, not a deep playmaker, and not a defensive midfielder. That's not on him, that's on tactics, but at both club and international level he's just sat in a weird grey area where he doesn't really do anything specific. He's good enough that he does everything well, so he still looks good most of the time, but he's not really got a specific role for either club or country currently and it's weird.

[Colours never run]

I agree with a lot of that, apart from him not being a Defensive Midfielder.

He currently thinks he's better than he is in the Team. I was prepared to give him the benefit of doubt to see if he could seamlessly play further forward more often if he could score and assist goals and he doesn't look close to doing that. And when it comes at the expense of some of his defensive midfield duties, I think he can't justify it.

Now I say this as an old Defensive Midfield role advocate of his when he first played there for us instead of just Centre Half bur he could back it up straight away producing consistent quality.

It's now 1 of 2 things I want to see happen, either he sticks to doing what he does best at, or he rapidly starts producing it regularly further forward creating chances and scoring goals. I want to see discipline and control back in his game.its not quite there at the minute.

[Crouchend_Hammer]

He currently thinks he's better than he is in the Team. I was prepared to give him the benefit of doubt to see if he could seamlessly play further forward more often if he could score and assist goals and he doesn't look close to doing that. And when it comes at the expense of some of his defensive midfield duties, I think he can't justify it.

It's now 1 of 2 things I want to see happen, either he sticks to doing what he does best at, or he rapidly starts producing it regularly further forward creating chances and scoring goals. I want to see discipline and control back in his game.its not quite there at the minute.

Always amazes me that people just come up with nonsense without any knowledge of the player in question

"He currently thinks he is better than he is in the Team" - righto. Where on earth have you got this from?

Think he is playing crap. Fair enough. but any accusations based on his attitude, commitment, motivation etc are baseless

There are many central midfielders who do not have final assists and goals next to their name but that doesn't mean they are not integral to how their team attacks. You don't get assists for starting off a move, or breaking the lines, or running with the ball to turn defence into qttack, or spreading the play with a 60 yard pass - all things Rice does multiple times a game

[Colours never run]

You've made a hell of a leap there! Not sure where you're coming from based on what I said.

I haven't questioned his attitude at all, just that I don't think playing box to box suits him. Everything else about his game though screams Defensive Midfielder.

You say no knowledge and yet I called his progress early every step of the way and it's evident from the start of this very thread, onwards.

[S-H]

You know it's international break when there's a whole page dedicated to the correct use of a word. :lol:

Nah, just KUMB..

[Crouchend_Hammer]

You've made a hell of a leap there! Not sure where you're coming from based on what I said.

I haven't questioned his attitude at all, just that I don't think playing box to box suits him. Everything else about his game though screams Defensive Midfielder.

You say no knowledge and yet I called his progress early every step of the way and it's evident from the start of this very thread, onwards.

"He currently thinks he's better than he is in the Team."

How do you know what he thinks? Surely this is questioning his attitude??

[hammerman11]

ONE THING RICE DOES NEED TO DO IS IMPROVE HIS SHOOTING AS ITS AWFUL. HES HAD A FEW CHANCES THIS SEASON WHICH HE HAS BALLOONED OVER THE BAR.

[Colours never run]

"He currently thinks he's better than he is in the Team."

How do you know what he thinks? Surely this is questioning his attitude??

Not at all. Players can think they're honestly better than they are without it being an attitude problem and I certainly don't think that of Rice. Bur I do think he's capable of doing more than what he thinks he can and it's on the manager to identify that and tell him it's just not quite working for both his own game as well as for the Team structure. I believe the manager has given his blessing to try it though so no issue there.

And it doesn't mean he can never go forward when the right time in the game arises but it needs to be targeted when we have a real foothold in the game and few and far between. More than 90% I'd say of his game needs to be devoted to the Defensive Midfield role, doing what he does best. Box to box, then we start to lose some of that excellent work Defensively.

[S-H]

Always amazes me that people just come up with nonsense without any knowledge of the player in question

"He currently thinks he is better than he is in the Team" - righto. Where on earth have you got this from?

Think he is playing crap. Fair enough. but any accusations based on his attitude, commitment, motivation etc are baseless

There are many central midfielders who do not have final assists and goals next to their name but that doesn't mean they are not integral to how their team attacks. You don't get assists for starting off a move, or breaking the lines, or running with the ball to turn defence into qttack, or spreading the play with a 60 yard pass - all things Rice does multiple times a game

Spot on.

[Vic_Watson]

Nah, just KUMB..

Nah, just DL...

[mumbles87]

ONE THING RICE DOES NEED TO DO IS IMPROVE HIS SHOOTING AS ITS AWFUL. HES HAD A FEW CHANCES THIS SEASON WHICH HE HAS BALLOONED OVER THE BAR.

But we constantly are told he is one of the best in training at shooting

[-DL-]

Nah, just DL...

3 posts out of a page that has 25 posts and it's just me?

Fool.

[MB]

There are many central midfielders who do not have final assists and goals next to their name but that doesn't mean they are not integral to how their team attacks. You don't get assists for starting off a move, or breaking the lines, or running with the ball to turn defence into qttack, or spreading the play with a 60 yard pass - all things Rice does multiple times a game

Think you are going a bit far the other way there mate. Carrying the ball, yes. The rest multiple times a game? Really?

He also has a bad habit of carrying the ball too far (tbf probably as much about the lack of movement around him as his own inability to see the final pass).

For me his best work is done deep and everything else is a sticky plaster for tactical deficiencies given our lack of ball carrying ability elsewhere in the side.

[Jon]

If GS wants to see the best of Rice in the WC he should have rested him in June and now. The kid needed a break months ago.

[BondsoBob]

ONE THING RICE DOES NEED TO DO IS IMPROVE HIS SHOOTING AS ITS AWFUL. HES HAD A FEW CHANCES THIS SEASON WHICH HE HAS BALLOONED OVER THE BAR.

Why are you shouting? As it happens I agree with you.

[Vic_Watson]

3 posts out of a page that has 25 posts and it's just me?

Fool.

Who started it, buffoon?

[Colours never run]

Always amazes me that people just come up with nonsense without any knowledge of the player in question

"He currently thinks he is better than he is in the Team" - righto. Where on earth have you got this from?

Think he is playing crap. Fair enough. but any accusations based on his attitude, commitment, motivation etc are baseless

There are many central midfielders who do not have final assists and goals next to their name but that doesn't mean they are not integral to how their team attacks. You don't get assists for starting off a move, or breaking the lines, or running with the ball to turn defence into qttack, or spreading the play with a 60 yard pass - all things Rice does multiple times a game

Knew I wasn't going mad, found the statement he recently made about how he sees his game now and that's why I raised the point, I don't think he is as good at that role as he thinks he is:

"I am not just a holding midfielder any more. I was always labelled as one that just sits in front of the back four, I really now want to see myself as a box-to-box player where I can get up and down and create things as well".

Now if he's to be considered a quality Box to Box Centre Midfielder, for me he has to regularly contribute with assists and goals when he finds himself in those areas when he goes flying forward. A great ball carrier, that's not disputed but it's that final third end product I want to see him do more of to justify him haring forward so often. But as it stands since he's been given more licence to do so, he's struggled in 9 games for us this season to score in any, often shooting woefully in to the stands giving possession up easily. On top of that I don't see him creating decent chances often, let alone assist. That end product side of his game in the final third is lacking and I'm struggling to justify him doing that role when the Team has also played so poorly in general with a real lack of points on the board to boot.

Ironically, shouldn't he return to predominantly playing as a quality Defensive Midfielder with the pressure both off him and the Team to produce decent performances and results, I think the goals when he does end up further forward on the odd occasion will return again. But as its stands, he's snatching too many chances and isn't creating much which compounds the issue. I'd prefer him to get back to what he excels at and maybe return to being a more box to box as it just doesn't seem to be working out for him too well right now.

[Vic_Watson]

Needs to start watching videos of Bryan Robson in his pomp if he wants to be a world class all-round midfield player.