England v Senegal - Sun 4th Dec, 19:00 | Round of 16 | World Cup 2022

[Dirty Harry]

Depends what you think a DM is for. My view is they are there for three things - turning over the ball when we don't have it/protecting the defence, always being available as an outball for your defence, providing forwards/am with the ball.
I think Rice does the first of those well enough but not the other two. Its doubtful he would fit into a City team as he lacks the technical skills and football intelligence.

Don’t think you’re too far wrong there personally mate, I like Rice, he’s a very good player and does a lot of good work for the team, don’t particularly think he’s overhyped in a general sense, just some of the traits we’ve come to recognise as vitally important in that role which you’ve highlighted, but we’ve had Fernandinho, and just my personal opinion, when he’s your yardstick, doubtless many (if any) in world football will reach that level before I’m long gone.

 

[HelloCity]

he's protecting the back 4

giving Bellingham more of a free role

has been making vital interceptions and tackles and closes down loads of areas on the pitch

a big reason we're not conceding and barely letting opposition trouble us


''I feel like everyone needs to start giving us the credit. Every time we win a game, people try to pick apart something and if it was another nation they would be talking about how it was a masterclass performance. I think that was us tonight.'

Agree with what you’re saying but at the same time, that isn’t enough at the top level.

 

[inchy14]

As a neutral I’d go along with this.
Early on you had no out ball into midfield.
That first quick flick from Foden to Kane turned Senegal for the first time. Once you got your first goal, I said it at the time, but you were always going to find the game easier.
Rice doesn’t do that kind of link up under the high press, but overall I thought he played the DM part quite well. He dispossessed their attack many times.
You can see he’s not as creative as Bellingham.
Henderson shouts a lot. Maybe he is the old head out there trying to organise things. Can he? Does he see the problems? Does he see the game like we are used to?
I don’t know generally, but he wasn’t bad last night…… once that first goal went in and after all he is the one that got in the box on the end of the movement.

England vFrance is a tasty prospect. It could go either way. Depends on the belief Southgate shows in Englands ability.

Edited for accuracy.

 

[Vienna_70]

Phil is the youngest player to have two assists in one World Cup knock-out stage match since the real Ronaldo against Denmark in 1998.

 

[BlueHammer85]

Agree with what you’re saying but at the same time, that isn’t enough at the top level.

Well there’s a reason he’s one of the first names for England on the team sheet and why he’ll be playing for a Champions League club next year

 

[inchy14]

he's protecting the back 4

giving Bellingham more of a free role

has been making vital interceptions and tackles and closes down loads of areas on the pitch

a big reason we're not conceding and barely letting opposition trouble us


''I feel like everyone needs to start giving us the credit. Every time we win a game, people try to pick apart something and if it was another nation they would be talking about how it was a masterclass performance. I think that was us tonight.'

He just needs to show for the ball of the defence better, hiding at times behind their forward players, he’ll protect the back 4 better once he’s learned that, he’s just not creating enough angles for the pass out from the back.

 

[inchy14]

Well there’s a reason he’s one of the first names for England on the team sheet and why he’ll be playing for a Champions League club next year

As long as the CL club is the rags I’ll be happy….

 

[Cityfan]

Don’t think you’re too far wrong there personally mate, I like Rice, he’s a very good player and does a lot of good work for the team, don’t particularly think he’s overhyped in a general sense, just some of the traits we’ve come to recognise as vitally important in that role which you’ve highlighted, but we’ve had Fernandinho, and just my personal opinion, when he’s your yardstick, doubtless many (if any) in world football will reach that level before I’m long gone.

Fernandino was an absolutely fabulous player but if people only caught snippets of him in the WC they may not rate him. He had his confidence destroyed when he and Brazil were overrun by Germany in the final.

 

[BlueHammer85]

Fernandino was an absolutely fabulous player but if people only caught snippets of him in the WC they may not rate him.

This is how I feel about fans on Rice

Watching him in the stadium gives you a totally different perspective

 

[Beanhead]

I was thinking it was maybe a touch of herpes

Well.. that was my other thought.