Declan Rice

[Woody135]

Bellingham would have played in-between the oppo defence and midfield(8/10s) like Gundo and Kev do. Rice is a cdm.

Watch him tonight. Would give our midfield legs and control

 

[Chi-town blues]

Not good enough to lace Jonny boy’s boots .

 

[Kinkladze's crazy skills]

Stones is great,but he isnt a box to box like Rice can be.

If Philips and Gundo are staying,and Kovacic arrives.....i cant see another midfielder being purchased.If either of the previous move on......then this kid is my top choice.

Watch him tonight.

Stones has better spacial awareness superior positionally and can read the game better for me, I've been opposed to his signing a long time mainly because I don't think he has the intelligence to play effectively for us, the physical frame is there he can dominate with that but I've never been convinced of his smarts and I thought he should've been signed by us as a teenager, honestly I could be very wrong but I just think Stones can do that job better, also if we're signing Kovacic as rumours suggest I think Pep wants him to play alongside Rodri for a press resistant backline.

I've not seen a single Fiorentina game this season but if Declan Rice bullies Amrabat easily, assuming he plays for Fiorentina like he played for Morocco during the World Cup then that's a worthy opponent.

 

[Haaland94]

Stones has better spacial awareness superior positionally and can read the game better for me, I've been opposed to his signing a long time mainly because I don't think he has the intelligence to play effectively for us, the physical frame is there he can dominate with that but I've never been convinced of his smarts and I thought he should've been signed by us as a teenager, honestly I could be very wrong but I just think Stones can do that job better, also if we're signing Kovacic as rumours suggest I think Pep wants him to play alongside Rodri for a press resistant backline.

I've not seen a single Fiorentina game this season but if Declan Rice bullies Amrabat easily, assuming he plays for Fiorentina like he played for Morocco during the World Cup then that's a worthy opponent.

I have watched them at home against Poznan. They were down 0-3 after an hour and almost went out. They progressed despite the 2-3 loss in the end. Vulnerable but decent football. West Ham should win, though. Excited to see how Rice plays ;).

 

[Kinkladze's crazy skills]

I have watched them at home against Poznan. They were down 0-3 after an hour and almost went out. They progressed despite the 2-3 loss in the end. Vulnerable but decent football. West Ham should win, though. Excited to see how Rice plays ;).

I hope and suspect West Ham will do it and their fans totally deserve it, they should be the favourites going into this no question but it's a final.

I'm not sure how Fiorentina would do in the Prem their squad doesn't look too impressive at all on the face of it, maybe they have a good team spirit but it looks like they can be got at if they were 3-0 to Poznan, could see Bowen having a very good game for them too if he gets good service.

 

[Jack Hackett]

Stones is great,but he isnt a box to box like Rice can be.

If Philips and Gundo are staying,and Kovacic arrives.....i cant see another midfielder being purchased.If either of the previous move on......then this kid is my top choice.

Watch him tonight.

What’s the feeling about Phillips? A disappointing season for him.

 

[01cravend]

Watch him tonight. Would give our midfield legs and control

It's not more control that we need from the big budget midfield list?. Pep has adjusted this season. He's happy to(for the first time since being here) cede possession(Bayern and Arsenal for example) in favour of defensive solidity and pulling the opponent up the pitch so they are more susceptible to our counters and overturns in the middle of the pitch.
What we need is more G/A from the middle to compensate Gundo potentially leaving and help vs 10 behind the ball defences.

1. Stones is a better CB than Rice is a midfielder so would prefer him for that dual role in the team. Lewis is a fantastic deputy for said role. It doesn't need to be beefed up only bettered if possible(Kimmich rb to midfield).

2. Arguably don't need a new midfielder for the role bellingham would have played. Phil is finally being given more opportunities there and is looking good. Alvarez was hit and miss in the role but showed he can do the job. Gundo not 100% leaving

3. Kovacic is the midfielder we are looking to reinforce the control/dirty work aspect of our midfield anyway??

Think the Bellingham budget would be better used on a winger and with Pep experimenting in the middle it seems he's at least open to the same idea. Exciting summer ahead

 

[Manchester_City_Blue]

Apologies if dupe. Interesting clip from Natalie talking to big Sam. Seems Big Sam is indicating he's heard whispers for Rice

 

[Thaksinssoldier]

To re-iterate he won't be coming here. Expects to be in London. Could change but him and his team don't think so.

 

[brazilians hurt]

What’s the feeling about Phillips? A disappointing season for him.

He’s apparently knocked back interest from Newcastle to stay and fight for a place
Injury hampered his integration & he did himself no favours with Pep returning from the World Cup overweight
Unless he is told he is surplus to requirements I think it likely he gets a second season to prove his worth. In fairness he won’t be the first to struggle in their first season with getting his head around Pep ball
I think most of us would like to see him do well seems a decent sort & is clearly popular in the squad