Declan Rice

[Gumzy97]

The youngest of all of them, playing at the highest level in the CL and scoring goals and putting in big performances for his team. That doesn't stand out?

Bellingham is brilliant, but he shows up in the big games in the bundesliga and champions league for Dortmund but then against the lower teams in the league he switches off like he can't be bothered he's like a completely different player in those games it's like he's giving half the effort. Hopefully Pep could change that attitude. Gets silly yellow cards in those lower table games to

 

[WallyA]

Overrated.

Anytime ive seen England control the ball for periods, his weakness on it shows hard.

If he goes to a bigger team they will be surprised he isnt as good as he is being made out to be.

On the other hand... convert him to a CB and I think you have a great player.

 

[Dirty Harry]

For me, good athlete but he runs too much with the ball when a pass will do, (I wonder whether that’s one of the major reasons why Pep’s never been seriously interested in him despite his praises at times), yesterday we saw his athleticism nullified by players who were equally gifted (at least) in that department, he was made to look a very very ordinary player, but as above, and I think I’ve mentioned it before, with the right coaching, I think he could become a very good centre back.

 

[Keeper!]

No, I just don’t see the hype around him. It’s ok to think differently.

I believe that if we replace Bernardo with Bellingham, there’s a fair chance we don’t win the league next season.

If we replace Bernardo with any player we are weakened, one of the best players on planet earth Bernardo and for me the heartbeat of this team.

 

[christened at st marks]

Way overrated, playing Rodri's role by himself would show him up for what he is a CB, that is decent on the ball, Stones would have been better as DM last night but christ knows what the defence would have done without him.

 

[Kinkladze's crazy skills]

He's a good player nothing more and he's also nothing more than a £50m-£60m player as it stands in today's money, he'd have a lot more potential as a centre back if he actually concentrated on that positionally but he's leaving it too late. In midfield they say he's a solid player and could play a Rodri type role at an elite club but I've seen no evidence to suggest that's true, he needs someone to hold his hand deep in midfield for England and he needs Soucek to hold his hand at club level deep in midfield, when they talk about the fees it'd take to get him even accounting for inflation it's a rip off he's so overrated it's unbelievable, Gareth Barry was a far better player in midfield a couple years before he left Villa than Declan Rice ever will be it's clear to see. A lot say Declan Rice is good going forward too but I've never heard so much rubbish about a him that's very wrong, Soucek is actually the one trusted to go forward for West Ham and with good reason too, because he's better at doing it and is more likely to score goals.

This might sound angin but watch West Ham closely and it's very true when you properly think about it, Declan Rice is actually playing the exact same role as Phil Neville was at Everton under Moyes, while Soucek is playing West Ham's version of Fellaini during their Everton days the one trusted to go forward... Rice is the one who stays back he's clearly better now than Phil Neville ever could be, but he's playing that exact same role he's not an elite player and never will be, he's getting unjustified massive praise for not doing a much more effective role on paper than what Phil Neville did as disgusting as that sounds, although again I'll say he's clearly a much better player than that gormless chuckle brother ever was, he's still playing a truly one dimensional role where he needs another defensive minded midfielder alongside him for protection... he'd never be able to replicate that here with success as he clearly doesn't suit us.

I think players like Steve McMahon, David Batty, Nicky Butt or Paul Ince were all more effective actual defensive midfielders, who could properly mark an opponent out of a game by themselves allowing teammates to do more further up the pitch, I know I'm forgetting a lot more too out of just English midfielders from over twenty years ago too that's without mentioning many foreigners, Rice needs someone next to him just to do a job in defensive midfield he isn't or never will be the answer for us. As an Englishman I'd really like to be proven wrong at this World Cup and beyond I'd be glad if he proved me wrong, honestly I think Declan Rice in midfield is at a very slightly higher level than 2001-03 Garry Flitcroft at Blackburn but Flitcroft was much stronger mentally and a leader, that's from a time Flitcroft probably deserved to be capped at least once by England in a far tougher era in England's engine room... If Rice was around back then he'd have won a handful of England caps at best.

 

[TonyColemansbagofapples]

You've basically said what I have always thought. For England, him and Phillips do the job for waistcoat that Fernandinho and Rodri do for us on their own. With more protection from the full backs too.

 

[jimharri]

Same as with Mount, I just don't see it with him. Is he a decent player? Yes, he is. But is he a world class player, as his likely fee implies? No way.

 

[Pedestrian]

Panics in possession. No where near good enough for us but neither is Phillips and he was signed.

 

[TonyColemansbagofapples]

At a reported fee of £42m which is reasonable these days and nowhere near the £80m/£100m fee put next to Declan Rice's name.