England wasting one of the most talented squads ever assembled on Southgate

[BlueHammer85]

Reminiscent of a young Darren Fletcher, just like a subbuteo figure he plays football in a straight line.

Superb analysis
God knows what the top managers/pundits/ex pros all see in this ‘young Darren Fletcher’ ‘plodder’ ‘overated’ player

 

[Mr Kobayashi]

Superb analysis
God knows what the top managers/pundits/ex pros all see in this ‘young Darren Fletcher’ ‘plodder’ ‘overated’ player

Darren Fletcher was captain of his national team and a regular in title winning teams, he was still a plodder though.

If he was up to the standard why doesn't Arteta play him at defensive midfield?

 

[wattle]

Dead pleased for Rico. Nice to see Southgate thinking a little out of the box for once with these three call ups.

 

[give it to gordon]

Not been following this thread much, what's with all this Fletcher, Gerrard talk ? The game has moved on from these type of players

 

[Bluesince1979]

Phil, Rico and Cole City Academy graduates all in the squad

And trippier

 

[dennishasdoneit]

Can you find quote from me saying Redknapp senior was a top player

I was wrong.it wasn't you who mentioned redknapp 'senior.
My apologies.

 

[dennishasdoneit]

Crazy but i would say his highest attribute is getting/wanting the ball deep, opening up space and driving forward. That's all i ever saw him do for us.

I'd say Rice biggest weakness is when he gets in that attacking third and has opportunity to pull the trigger, He could score some more goals and lacks that edge for sure.

other than that, i've always rated him as one of the best all round players since Gerrard.

I don't see any weakness...his 1st touch could be better.but his goal scoring level is prob where it should be for a player who generally starts from deep centre mid.
My hammer mate says Rice is the best player hes ever seen at WHU ,and her been going home and away since mid 80s to this day.

 

[the blue panther]

I don't see any weakness...his 1st touch could be better.but his goal scoring level is prob where it should be for a player who generally starts from deep centre mid.
My hammer mate says Rice is the best player hes ever seen at WHU ,and her been going home and away since mid 80s to this day.

Blimey - that ignores the likes of Eyal Berkovic who played nearly 80 games for them. Also, a little earlier, probably Brooking and Devonshire.
I know who I'd rather have watched.

 

[BlueHammer85]

Blimey - that ignores the likes of Eyal Berkovic who played nearly 80 games for them. Also, a little earlier, probably Brooking and Devonshire.
I know who I'd rather have watched.

loved Eyal Berkovic but no way was he in the same class as Rice! Rice would have had a field day up against him.
can't argue against your other two shouts but they were before my time and a whole different era.
from 1992+ Rice is the most complete all round midfielder we've had.

 

[dennishasdoneit]

Blimey - that ignores the likes of Eyal Berkovic who played nearly 80 games for them. Also, a little earlier, probably Brooking and Devonshire.
I know who I'd rather have watched.

That's my point. He( my mate) has watched all the players you mention.home and away.
Alan Devonshire was,imo a brilliant footballer. Fantastic close control,used to have a languid but fluid running style bringing the ball from centre mid.linked well with Brooking, but neither of these two players were known for their bite in the tackle.....Rice is predominately known for robust and effective ball winning, and has shown he can then carry the ball and surge from centre mid ...so,as an all round midfield player he is already,imo as important a player to WH as the aforementioned duo. Brooking excelled with a top class passing game, and just seemed to be able to find his team mates anywhere on the pitch.Brooking and Eyal were both superior to Rice in this respect, but all round ,on balance, id say Rice was the better player...
Intresting debate tho!

 

[the blue panther]

loved Eyal Berkovic but no way was he in the same class as Rice! Rice would have had a field day up against him.
can't argue against your other two shouts but they were before my time and a whole different era.
from 1992+ Rice is the most complete all round midfielder we've had.

Fair enough. Back in the day, I used to enthuse about Mike Doyle; non City fans couldn't see it - most non City fans don't even remember him. I'm not going to argue with a Hammers fan about one of their own.

 

[half & half derby scarf]

Fair enough. Back in the day, I used to enthuse about Mike Doyle; non City fans couldn't see it - most non City fans don't even remember him. I'm not going to argue with a Hammers fan about one of their own.

Rice is a bit of a plodder. Average one paced player with decent enough engine. Bit like a skoda. Not a patch on Berkovic really.

 

[Tom Ford]

Being old school I just like these kind of plodders like Rice.. Phillips Fabinho type players. Couldn’t bare Hamann or Mascherano either.. just feel like they steal a living from proper players. When I was growing up midfield was the hardest position to play because you had to be fit enough to go forward when the team attacked and get back when team was defending. Simply breaking up play and giving a two yard pass to a better player and nothing else was never enough. Roy Keane and Patrick Veira were proper midfielders look at there game to see what a proper central midfielders role is.. didn’t like the feller but Cantona hit the nail on the head when he said Didier Deschamps was nothing more than a water carrier.

 

[Alan Harper's Tash]

Being old school I just like these kind of plodders like Rice.. Phillips Fabinho type players. Couldn’t bare Hamann or Mascherano either.. just feel like they steal a living from proper players. When I was growing up midfield was the hardest position to play because you had to be fit enough to go forward when the team attacked and get back when team was defending. Simply breaking up play and giving a two yard pass to a better player and nothing else was never enough. Roy Keane and Patrick Veira were proper midfielders look at there game to see what a proper central midfielders role is.. didn’t like the feller but Cantona hit the nail on the head when he said Didier Deschamps was nothing more than a water carrier.

Your brand of football died a while back. It’s no wonder you can’t support anyone anymore.

You’ll be telling us that Messi and Salah aren’t proper wingers next and that wingers peaked with Peter Beagrie and Brian Riggs.

The number 6 is probably the most important position nowadays.

Hence ”plodder” Rodri should have won the Balon D’Or this year.

 

[Phil1]

Your brand of football died a while back. It’s no wonder you can’t support anyone anymore.

You’ll be telling us that Messi and Salah aren’t proper wingers next and that wingers peaked with Peter Beagrie and Brian Riggs.

The number 6 is probably the most important position nowadays.

Hence ”plodder” Rodri should have won the Balon D’Or this year.

He’s a funny one. :-)

 

[Alan Harper's Tash]

He’s a funny one. :-)

First generation of old people au fair with social media.

The pine for the fjords.

 

[BlueHammer85]

midfield was the hardest position to play because you had to be fit enough to go forward when the team attacked and get back when team was defending.

Lol,are you seriously suggesting Rice doesn’t do this ?!

Here’s some stats from 22/23 about the plodder


‘Rice is coveted by most of the Premier League's top clubs and it's easy to see why: the England midfielder's industrious work is backed up in the stats, winning possession more often than anyone else (334), making the most interceptions (63) and only eight players made more tackles (79) than he did across the campaign.

Indeed, that possession won total is the most by a player in a season since 2017-18 (Abdoulaye Doucoure, 345) and the sixth-most in a season on record since 2003-04.

Rice is also prolific in carrying the ball, ranking second for ball carries (702), ball carry distance (7,136m) and ball carry progress distance (3,827m) among midfielders, behind Rodri.

Only three midfielders made more successful long passes than Rice (151). Rice also covered the third-most distance in the Premier League this season, a total of 412km, which is almost the distance of running 10 marathons.’

 

[Goater=Legend]

Football heritage

Lewis and Palmer brings a tear to my eye

 

[Tom Ford]

Your brand of football died a while back. It’s no wonder you can’t support anyone anymore.

You’ll be telling us that Messi and Salah aren’t proper wingers next and that wingers peaked with Peter Beagrie and Brian Riggs.

The number 6 is probably the most important position nowadays.

Hence ”plodder” Rodri should have won the Balon D’Or this year.

You see.. this is what I mean about being taken in by the modern game, people nowadays get bogged down by tactics and statistics, opta this and opta that.. complete load of rubbish.. who cares how far a player runs surely it’s what he does with the ball which matters. I just think football is a simple game of pass and move it’s not what people want you to believe in that it’s a game of chess. If a team has better players then it’s all about how they apply themselves, tactics doesn’t come in it, if they play at 100% no matter what tactics the opposition employs won’t make a difference because the superior players will win, now if they don’t play to there optimum then there is a chance they will get beat... simple.. they just have to make sure they are right.

 

[Alan Harper's Tash]

You see.. this is what I mean about being taken in by the modern game, people nowadays get bogged down by tactics and statistics, opta this and opta that.. complete load of rubbish.. who cares how far a player runs surely it’s what he does with the ball which matters. I just think football is a simple game of pass and move it’s not what people want you to believe in that it’s a game of chess. If a team has better players then it’s all about how they apply themselves, tactics doesn’t come in it, if they play at 100% no matter what tactics the opposition employs won’t make a difference because the superior players will win, now if they don’t play to there optimum then there is a chance they will get beat... simple.. they just have to make sure they are right.

You keep thinking that tactics are irrelevant. You sound like Tony Pulis.