Declan Rice

[Neville Kneville]

Maybe if you only looked at the possession stats and didn't watch him play.

The one thing he's genuinely good at is keeping hold of the ball, and winning it back when Mark Noble inevitably loses it. The other stuff from what I've seen in half a dozen matches or so, he's OK at, not special yet, but he won't lose the ball. I think it's an obvious comparison to make but Pellegrini is using him a lot like Fernandinho in that 13/14 season where he just kept things simple and covered up Yaya's defensive deficiencies while Yaya ran riot in attack.

He is likely to improve pretty quickly in the passing game if he ever plays under Pep.

People get so excited about players like Jorginho hitting 150 passes but imo 148 of them, John Stones or Laporte could play if they had spent years playing that position & been allowed to do it without criticism. It's mentality rather than skill imo.

Rice seems to be an intelligent player & naturally good at defending, able to run with the ball, decent at passing & also looks to me if he could become a direct attacking threat.

We tried to sign Fred, then Jorginho but imo Rice would already be a better player in our squad if he'd been here since summer.

 

[salfordbluetrue]

He is likely to improve pretty quickly in the passing game if he ever plays under Pep.

People get so excited about players like Jorginho hitting 150 passes but imo 148 of them, John Stones or Laporte could play if they had spent years playing that position & been allowed to do it without criticism. It's mentality rather than skill imo.

Rice seems to be an intelligent player & naturally good at defending, able to run with the ball, decent at passing & also looks to me if he could become a direct attacking threat.

We tried to sign Fred, then Jorginho but imo Rice would already be a better player in our squad if he'd been here since summer.

I thank my lucky stars they did not arrive , but i am not sure Rice can do Fernandinho`s job, i keep saying pace and it must P*** people off but Harmann De Jong Javi Garcia and Barry all lacked pace and none would get into this side but were all important in our growth, and all needed someone else to do the leg work for them, for me Rice would also, but then again Jorginho would and does

 

[Neville Kneville]

I thank my lucky stars they did not arrive , but i am not sure Rice can do Fernandinho`s job, i keep saying pace and it must P*** people off but Harmann De Jong Javi Garcia and Barry all lacked pace and none would get into this side but were all important in our growth, and all needed someone else to do the leg work for them, for me Rice would also, but then again Jorginho would and does

He doesn't appear especially lacking in pace to me.

Not lightning obviously, but he seems to get into position ok & ran through the centre of Liverpool on at least one occasion.
As for doing Fern's job; nobody can.imo, but at least Rice has got a bit of physique & steel about him, & it's proven he can stand upto the Premier League, unlike most of the people we have been linked with in that area.

 

[twosips]

I don't think he lacks pace. He's actually got a stride that kinda reminds me of Michael Johnson when he burst onto the scene. Big, tall stride that's deceptively fast.

 

[Stoned Rose]

I thank my lucky stars they did not arrive , but i am not sure Rice can do Fernandinho`s job, i keep saying pace and it must P*** people off but Harmann De Jong Javi Garcia and Barry all lacked pace and none would get into this side but were all important in our growth, and all needed someone else to do the leg work for them, for me Rice would also, but then again Jorginho would and does

Garcia wouldn’t get in out under 9s girl’s team mate.

 

[Stoned Rose]

Good young player but not a patch on Ndombele.

 

[bobom]

I thank my lucky stars they did not arrive , but i am not sure Rice can do Fernandinho`s job, i keep saying pace and it must P*** people off but Harmann De Jong Javi Garcia and Barry all lacked pace and none would get into this side but were all important in our growth, and all needed someone else to do the leg work for them, for me Rice would also, but then again Jorginho would and does

And yet I don't think it's pace that sets Dinho apart. When he breaks up counter attacks, by fair means or foul, what allows him to do that is his great positioning - it's remarkable how often he's close enough to breaking opposition players to disrupt play.

 

[Armaan]

Not at the level we require.

 

[salfordbluetrue]

And yet I don't think it's pace that sets Dinho apart. When he breaks up counter attacks, by fair means or foul, what allows him to do that is his great positioning - it's remarkable how often he's close enough to breaking opposition players to disrupt play.

Dead right how often do we see him by himself in midfield stopping the counter how often do we see him going toe to toe with a speedy attacker being last man back , he is slowing down as age catches up with him and that shows in his bookings, as good as Rice is he is not as fast as Fernandnho now, and never finds himself alone in midfield

 

[Centurions]

He doesn't appear especially lacking in pace to me.

Not lightning obviously, but he seems to get into position ok & ran through the centre of Liverpool on at least one occasion.
As for doing Fern's job; nobody can.imo, but at least Rice has got a bit of physique & steel about him, & it's proven he can stand upto the Premier League, unlike most of the people we have been linked with in that area.

I don't think he lacks pace. He's actually got a stride that kinda reminds me of Michael Johnson when he burst onto the scene. Big, tall stride that's deceptively fast.

Obviously the Dutch league is a long way off playing in the PL and I've not seen Smith play for a long while but out of interest how would you two compare Matt Smith to Rice?