Declan Rice

[Benarbia’s Backheel]

__________Ederson_________
____Stones__Dias__Ake_____
________Rice____Rodri_____
_______KDB______Foden___
RW?________________Grealish
__________Haaland________

 

[Blueroses]

Let’s not be too rigid in our thinking. Remember, the thought of Stones as a paired DM with Rodri wasn’t even on the radar 6 months ago!

If Stones can step forward, then he would, and the fluidity of our shape would morph into a 2-2-3-3 or 2-2-2-4.

The ONLY thing that concerned most people last season was the fast counter attack. That threat will be ever-present because Pep wants overloads going forwards, which can create exposure when the opposition breaks…especially when they break wide and we are not playing with recognized full backs.

That is why possession and ONLY losing the ball in the final third while trying to create the perfect scoring opportunity is acceptable…giving the opposition 80 yards before they get to our goal and our own players 80 yards to recover or check the counter attack.

The 2-2 gives you an opportunity to stop the attack in midfield, but of it has bypassed the midfield two by going wide, then one of Dias or Gvardiol (in this example) moves out wide to slow the attack allowing the 2 DMs to slot into a reconstituted back 4, with the two wide players in the midfield diamond funneling back into the now vacant DM roles to blunt any runners and the wingers (Foden & Grealish in the above line up) stopping any full backs from creating v attacking overloads against us.

That leaves only Haaland up front, with KDB filling in as needed and able in midfield. As we have seen Alvarez is VERY GOOD at playing that KDB role, as he creates better defensive cover on the counter with his speed late in the game,

It’s non brainier with options and possibilities I hope we can secure Rice if he can take up the challenge

 

[Blueroses]

Di Marzio is close to Sullivan from years back.

Sullivan used to scan the internet looking for players and he would get recommendations from him on those in Italy.

Make sense now. People discrediting him for Ronaldo situation

 

[Colin Bells Boots]

is the deal done?

Has he signed for Arsenal ?

 

[Blueroses]

That's just about the only thing Rice probably needs to be convinced about. Offer him the captaincy and he'll fly to Manchester. If his mate Mason Mount signs for the rags, they can share a private plane.

Rice will get more money at City, win more trophies, play with infinitely better players, under an infinitely better coach, in front of infinitely better supporters.

It's a no-brainer.

Let's face facts... if he doesn't sign for City, he has no brain.

Exactly my stance on this transfer. Arsenal doing apparent leg work since Jan is being mentiomed like we are big bad guys. So ridiculous!

 

[dronefromsector7G]

Give quinoa a go.

Is he the River Plate midfielder?

 

[waspish]

is the deal done?

Sign up 2009 315 posts means>>

Post aggregator [emoji38]

 

[The Stockport Iniesta]

It’s perfectly adaptable to a Back 4 or even 5, but who the fuck are they marking in most games, where we play against a 5-4-1??

In that Back 3 set up, we can go to a 2-2, with Stones moving forward, or a 4-1, with either of Rice or Kovacic slotting into DM and Rodri sliding back and Stones moving wide.

Against teams with a pacy left winger, you can always play a RB at RCB and move Stones forward, or use Ake on the left, but it’s the basic shape we played since the World Cup, which won us the Treble, so I’m not sure it’s as controversial as you’re making it out to be!

Playing a back 4 with Stones moving into midfield when we were in possession won us the treble, not playing with a back 3. It would be impossible for Stones to do the same role as part of a 3, he wouldn't have the licence to roam as he does now.

 

[BooksReject]

Exactly my stance on this transfer. Arsenal doing apparent leg work since Jan is being mentiomed like we are big bad guys. So ridiculous!

A bit like them doing the leg work at the top of the table for the majority of the season… we all know how that worked out for them

 

[Berts Neck]

Rice underwelms me

As does your spelling ....

 

[comiskey33]

Erm no ... and ?

and?
your a ballbag

 

[Jogon 127]

Will be Buzzin if this comes off….fucking class player

 

[Gone for a Burton]

Let's see if a deal can be struck,if any of our players are going to spam and whether he choses City oyer Arse.

We also have a 'left field under the radar' signing lined oop later in the window which people will be pleased / surprised by.

 

[ChicagoBlue]

Playing a back 4 with Stones moving into midfield when we were in possession won us the treble, not playing with a back 3. It would be impossible for Stones to do the same role as part of a 3, he wouldn't have the licence to roam as he does now.

You’re running last years race, and forgetting not only what Pep said about Walker, but the fact that Walker was dropped multiple times at the end of last season.

What is NEXT SEASON’S iteration of Pep’s City is what we are talking about.

As for his “licence to roam,” I think you are confusing the fact that Pep was using him as a midfield overload last season and it wasn’t until the second half of the CL that Pep told him to push forward, into the 8 position (to get behind the Inter press or drag them back) that Stones truly “roamed” at all.

Previously, Stones role was as a second player to overload the opposition midfield when they pushed a midfielder up on Rodri or pulled their CF back to mark him.

City need to create the angle for the DM to pick up the ball if he is going to play the pivot role. If Rodri is being man-marked, we had been shifting it wide to Akanji/Ake/Walker, but teams realize these are the weakest ball players in the team, and are constrained by the touchline, so they can squeeze them and force the long ball or a bad/hurried pass into an already tight midfield.

What the SECOND DM does is to create another angle for that “behind the first press” pass to release us into midfield.

If you watch, Rodri & Stones are involved in a simple “dance” where they keep sliding left/right or forwards/backwards to be available for the pass. Their movement is not choreographed but decided by the movement of the other players and whether the other DM receives the ball or not. It’s simply triangles in fluid motion to create the angle for that first attacking pass, so that the ball can then be played wide or through to the striker(s).

Against a retreating opposition, there is no need for a rigid Back 3, or especially 4, so we often find ourselves with only two “defenders,” even though they are ball playing defenders, often well inside the opposition half!!!

 

[p.taker]

Just gonna chime in here and let you know that you genuinely seem like an absolute bellend.

Coming from you that's a compliment

 

[blue cigar]

Hope it gets done, gives us real legs In the middle which we didn't have last season, he's not a pretty footballer but you can see how he would be effective, what a spine we will have.

Dias & stones
Rodri & rice
Kevin & foden
Terminator

 

[Victorinodennistua]

Tbf I don’t think there are many city fans who doubt whether Rice is a very good player it’s more whether he is the right player to play no. 8 for us.

In this Pep team we’ve seen Silva, De Bruyne, Gundogan and Bernardo in our number 8 positions and more recently Foden. Rice just isn’t at their level in terms of skill, close control and ability to score and create chances.

He has lots of other qualities and if we didn’t have Rodri he would be good enough to play as a number 6 here. But we do have Rodri who is the best 6 in the world.

Maybe Pep has looked around world football and not seen players as good as the 8s he’s had before so has gone for a different profile - imo there is a real lack of depth in quality in world football in all attacking positions at the moment in comparison to previous eras. Obviously if we are bidding 100m then Pep has a vision about how him and Rodri can play together and also sees him covering for Rodri to give him a break too.

Fwiw at the moment I see him being more likely to end up at Arsenal.

Will be Buzzin if this comes off….fucking class player

If we do pull this off can we go after mo salah to end up with a nice Rice salad.

 

[NeilMcnabTwoFooted]

rice kovacic, wheres the flair? too workmanlike for me.

KDB-Foden-Grealish-Haaland plenty flair there

 

[LesBleuMiserable]

If we do pull this off can we go after mo salah to end up with a nice Rice salad.

How about find a decent Curry

ideally for the wind

 

[ONTHERUNWITHTHAKSIN]

You’re running last years race, and forgetting not only what Pep said about Walker, but the fact that Walker was dropped multiple times at the end of last season.

What is NEXT SEASON’S iteration of Pep’s City is what we are talking about.

As for his “licence to roam,” I think you are confusing the fact that Pep was using him as a midfield overload last season and it wasn’t until the second half of the CL that Pep told him to push forward, into the 8 position (to get behind the Inter press or drag them back) that Stones truly “roamed” at all.

Previously, Stones role was as a second player to overload the opposition midfield when they pushed a midfielder up on Rodri or pulled their CF back to mark him.

City need to create the angle for the DM to pick up the ball if he is going to play the pivot role. If Rodri is being man-marked, we had been shifting it wide to Akanji/Ake/Walker, but teams realize these are the weakest ball players in the team, and are constrained by the touchline, so they can squeeze them and force the long ball or a bad/hurried pass into an already tight midfield.

What the SECOND DM does is to create another angle for that “behind the first press” pass to release us into midfield.

If you watch, Rodri & Stones are involved in a simple “dance” where they keep sliding left/right or forwards/backwards to be available for the pass. Their movement is not choreographed but decided by the movement of the other players and whether the other DM receives the ball or not. It’s simply triangles in fluid motion to create the angle for that first attacking pass, so that the ball can then be played wide or through to the striker(s).

Against a retreating opposition, there is no need for a rigid Back 3, or especially 4, so we often find ourselves with only two “defenders,” even though they are ball playing defenders, often well inside the opposition half!!!