Cobwebcat
Well-Known Member
Didn’t TH specifically highlight Rice as a player we aren’t going for?
Didn’t TH specifically highlight Rice as a player we aren’t going for?
That story by the mail is so it makes whoever buys him this summer look competitive with city being linkedYep, City being told Rice will stay one more year unless a club matches the £150m valuation.
Pep is a big fan, but we aren't going anywhere near that price and see nothing in the story in the Mail which suggests nothing more than a gossip flyer.
Well if theoretically Ake went the other way Rice could play CB DM and CM so it’d be fineWe’re not serious here surely. Rice looks a really top player but we have Rodri so even if he came he is not going to get much playing time.
As for central defence, we already have 4 top class players in their prime. Why on earth would we ask him to be 4th choice at a cost of £100 mill plus.
What we need is a good young versatile DM who can dovetail with Rodri. Personally I would have liked to see Latvia given that chance
Maybe we are gonna play x 2 dms next season and saturday was the first look at pep thinking of a change?We have Rodri who is the best DM in the world, so is Declan Rice ready to play as a Rodri's substitute ? I don't think so..
P.S I don't think there will be a new arrival in the midfield, unless Gundogan or Bernardo are sold..
Pep doesn’t work with the notion of “substitutes”Maybe we are gonna play x 2 dms next season and saturday was the first look at pep thinking of a change?
I mean two holding mids starting not interchanging from the bench.Pep doesn’t work with the notion of “substitutes”
That makes perfect sense then, cause in that case Grealish can be utilized better as a second striker / classic "10" and provide assists for Haaland.. Also, KDB is getting older and can't be used as box-to-box forever..Maybe we are gonna play x 2 dms next season and saturday was the first look at pep thinking of a change?
Cud be a 4- 2 -3-1That makes perfect sense then, cause in that case Grealish can be utilized better as a second striker / classic "10" and provide assists for Haaland.. Also, KDB is getting older and can't be used as box-to-box forever..
That's why midfield where we have:
-------------Rodri----------Rice------------------
-----------------KDB/Grealish-------------------
is a good option for future.. But this means that Bernado will be sold for sure, because it's either him or Rice and I don't think Rice will come just to be a squad player, also considering ages of Bernardo and Rodri - they are just entering their prime years.. Gundo is more likely to be used as a squad player and maybe in CL games, where either Rodri or Rice will be rested / rotated..
There is absolutely no way we don’t sign a DMI don't see any new signings in the midfield area..
Cud be a 4- 2 -3-1
...........rodri...rice/dejong...
...bernardo..kdb.....foden /grealish
.................haaland............
If Haaland arrives and club has to pay for that "package" including Haaland's fee, plus agents and etc. and etc. then it means that there will be no money left for another 100m purchase like Rice..There is absolutely no way we don’t sign a DM