He’s class. To think we probably could’ve had him for around £20-30m more than Casemiro last summer on lower wages and gotten a great player for 10 years instead of 6 months. Such a shambles.
Declan Rice | Arsenal £105m player
- Thread starter Samid
- Start date
This just isn't true. Limited however, yes.
Probably best if we keep our mouths shut on other teams transfers.
Really wanted him 
people judging him based on what he was being asked to do in Southgate’s and Moyes sides were crazy. It was obvious he had so much more to his game. He tried to tell everyone but hey internet fans know better than the player himself
Rice - Mainoo in a 442
people judging him based on what he was being asked to do in Southgate’s and Moyes sides were crazy. It was obvious he had so much more to his game. He tried to tell everyone but hey internet fans know better than the player himself
Rice - Mainoo in a 442
Most of the United fans went by the "overarated & overpriced english player" route, his class was obvious.
Either that or everyone has to play like a City midfielder on the ball to deem to be class - bit like how possesion football is the only way alot of fans regard football should be played.
England got to the Euro Finals because of Rice, not Bellingham or even Kalvin Phillips.
Shame that my favourite player is now at Arsenal because he could have and would have been our next captain.
I Wish Ole could have survived another transfer window because he was absolutely going for Rice over someone like Casemiro.
Would have benefited both a counter attacking team like Ole's second season just as well as a Arteta's possesion holding team.
Either that or everyone has to play like a City midfielder on the ball to deem to be class - bit like how possesion football is the only way alot of fans regard football should be played.
England got to the Euro Finals because of Rice, not Bellingham or even Kalvin Phillips.
Shame that my favourite player is now at Arsenal because he could have and would have been our next captain.
I Wish Ole could have survived another transfer window because he was absolutely going for Rice over someone like Casemiro.
Would have benefited both a counter attacking team like Ole's second season just as well as a Arteta's possesion holding team.
England captain tomorrow, good luck to him. Seems to be the strongest candidate after Kane.
Probably, but I remembered I read that somewhere Rice didn't want to leave London.
Last year there was a discussion of Partey and Casemiro... Now a year later it is about Rice and Mainoo. How quickly football changes
£105m player left the back post unmarked. You'd expect more from him there.
Still overrated and overpriced and I'll stand by that. Glad we didn't go near him.
I stand by my opinion on Rice, even though I can't remember what it was.
You said you preferred naan bread but you’d take rice over roti.
Ditto.
We need to fix way too many problems, spending that sort of money on Rice would’ve been absolute lunacy, so kinda weird we didn’t.
I’ll say he’s a bit better than I gave him credit for originally, but massively overrated in that so many have made out during the season that he’s the kind of player worth breaking the bank for.
He isn’t.
Hmmm.
Id of paid the £ for Rice. If it meant we couldn’t afford Mount & Hojlund, oh well. Get a cheaper striker in.
Rice/Mainoo/Bruno would have been perfect.
Id of paid the £ for Rice. If it meant we couldn’t afford Mount & Hojlund, oh well. Get a cheaper striker in.
Rice/Mainoo/Bruno would have been perfect.
Because we went and spent the money really well last summer. So glad. Ditto.
One loss and all of a sudden he's awful?
Considering your history im not surprised. You'd rather have Herrera and Fred.
You do you
Thank feck we bought Casemiro and Mount for 130m pounds instead.
Some of the overreaction after losing to a 4th placed Villa team in a tight game is a bit surprising. This is our first loss this year, we have been on a great run. It's almost like people were expecting us to go unbeaten the rest of the season.
Arsenal have let in only 5 goals or something on some crazy run because of Rice 
How is he Overrated!!?
Arsenal have the best goal difference in the league because of Rice in particular compared to last season.
How is he Overrated!!?
Arsenal have the best goal difference in the league because of Rice in particular compared to last season.
I mean, before people get their knickers in a twist, no one is saying he's shit. That's he somewhat overrated and not exactly this formidable all-potent midfielder some (both in the media) have been portraying this year is a perfectly fine conversation to have. Several of us have mentioned his limitations, and it's never been about his contribution to the defensive side of the game.
I think he does have the ability to play the 8 role but is obviously better as a 6. Against Villa though, Rice wasn't really the issue. Our midfield and overall play wasn't as good as it has been recently because Arteta took Havertz out of CF and tried him in LCM again. This might have been OK against other teams but Villa are a good side and it wasnt the game to experiment. I thought Partey was starting and he didn't even feature so I'm not sure what went on there.
Arteta should have signed a proper CF instead of Havertz. Given Jesus is frequently a let down in the final third, a more physical option up top would have helped them in this title race.
Not sure if it’s the manager’s nerves filtering down to the players but it’s looking like the third season in a row now that Arsenal are coming apart. Hopefully they get their act together and City have a dip.
Not sure if it’s the manager’s nerves filtering down to the players but it’s looking like the third season in a row now that Arsenal are coming apart. Hopefully they get their act together and City have a dip.
He is but Rice is still a very good player. I’m convinced if United had bought him we would have secured top 4.
In our current side/tactical system? I would go the other way and say he would have looked as poor as everyone else and plenty would already be labelling him a flop etc.
This hyperbole/strawman/misinformation needs to stop.
Saying somebody is overpriced (who cost over 100m) and overrated (has been made out to be far better than he actually is this season) doesn't equate to someone being called "awful".
After one game? I've never particularly rated the bloke since his West Ham days, so I've remained consistent. It's weirder for me how much the hype has being blown out of proportion since his move there. But, imo, the English narrative that he was some worldie who would be Arsenal's saviour had been set in stone before he kicked a ball.
What the feck? You think one midfield could turn this chaos into top 4 material?
You’re absolutely off your head mate, even Robbo couldn’t sort this out, it’s far bigger than one man.
Some of the overreaction after losing to a 4th placed Villa team in a tight game is a bit surprising. This is our first loss this year, we have been on a great run. It's almost like people were expecting us to go unbeaten the rest of the season.
Why are you responding to a drama queen post claiming he’s being called awful?
Absolutely nobody has said anything of the sort.
He’s better than I thought, he was still massively overpriced and I personally think you were better with Xhaka.
Absolutely no doubt. Throw any centre mid into this chaos and he’d be a massive flop, I include prime Robbo, Schweinsteiger, Keane & Vieira in that.
The idea it’s a one-man fix is just so preposterous.
Definitely in the 8 position. Think people were just trying to justify the price tag by convincing themselves he can play that role.
Don’t get me wrong at times we would still be overrun and for example those attacks where we get out numbered with just our CB trying to defend a 4 on 2 would become a 4 on 3 but you would still expect a good attack to take advantage of those situations.
Rice imo has better leadership and organisation skills, is better at reading the game than anybody we have trying to play DM. The reading of the game would help Rice win a lot of interceptions for us. Also pretty decent in the air and covering ground whilst not looking like he is running treacle. Plus he does not seem to hiding when the going gets tough
I honestly think this an absolute mental take.
No single player is making us top 4 quality, we have problems all over the pitch and we as fans need to stop thinking a personnel change here or there will be some magic bullet.
Go watch the Bournemouth first half highlights again and you’ll see that no defensive midfielder would have any chance of stopping any of their big chances there, and that’s the case most weeks, it’s a system wide issue.
I’m certain Rice would be an internet meme like Maguire & Antony already at this point if we’d spent that money on him, because he’d look as lost as the rest of the players under these tactics and despite it being no fault of his own, a 100m + United player in this system would face mass ridicule.
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I think he's looked better than I expected actually. Good transfer for Arsenal, so far.
That said, he went to sleep a bit for Villa's opener yesterday.
That said, he went to sleep a bit for Villa's opener yesterday.
I even agree that Rice is overrated and I’m not saying he would solve all our issues and we would suddenly become this all conquering team but we would be a lot better with Rice instead of Casemiro or McTominay. Is that even debatable? Or maybe I’m seriously underestimating Casemiro and McTominay but I don’t think I am.
Let’s not forget in 3 of our last 4 games alone we dropped 7 points from winning positions. That would put us 6 points behind 4th with a game in hand. I don’t think it’s outrageous to think Rice would have helped defensively to see out games.
Yeah just yesterday they said around the 80th minute that Jorginho coming on would free up Rice to make a difference higher up the pitch, and it’s these kind of games they bought him to make an impact in. Rice is not that player. They allude to him as some kind of heroic figure. He’s a good player and I’d much rather we got him, but even if we had him I’d have found the narrative around him cringeworthy.
Yes because Casemiro has no legs.
Everyone is crying out for rubbish like Onana from Everton and people can't see why Rice would have changed our midfield.
Arsenal played with 2 CAM'S & 1 CDM... does that tactic not sound familiar to you?
Rice Mount Bruno, Rice Mount Mainoo, Rice Mainoo Bruno, would have certainly made a big difference to how we have played.
Especially the 30+ shots on goal we take per game which is one of the major reasons why Casemiro has been so poor.
Arsenal have the best goal difference in the league not just by how many they have scored - but how few they have let in.
If people can't see that's down to Rice when arguably they have played the same defenders as last season then its completely bonkers.
Aston Villa are 4th in the PL & are better than us.
If we beat arsenal, people wouldn't act less shocked because we are a more legendary top club, feeling like these results are are not impossible to us even during a bad season.
But Villa are a better team than us this season, it was 4th best team vs 1/2/3rd in the PL on a similar point level.
With our back 4 this season being the way it has been, Rice wouldn't have made much difference
He is a very good player and has been a great signing for Arsenal. Players are allowed to play badly now and then, they're not machines.
We have only really not had Shaw & Lisandro Martinez, Malacia this season - Varane, Maguire, Lindelof, Dalot, Wan Bissaka, Reguilon, Alvaro Fernades,Amass, Kambwala were all generally there for Ten Hag to use even if Ten Hag ditched/never used them. But again that's the managers fault more than the squads capacity.
Anyway, if you don't think Rice would have made much of a difference then I say forget about signing a CDM this summer and just focus on upgrading our CB'S and fullbacks. Because clearly that's only what's let us down this season
If you think going in to next season with no new CDM and still only using Casemiro & Mctominay as our CDM is a good option then fine I can believe that Rice would have made no/minimal difference to us.
However, if we really do need a CDM this summer then not going for Rice was & is shooting ourselves on the foot.
People don't rate him because of his Nationality and because he doesn't play like Ronaldinho from Brazil or Pirlo from Italy.
He was the reason England made the Euro Finals last tournament and is one of the main reasons that England are one of the favourites this year, without him people would be saying their is a big hole in the midfield just as much as Southgate needed someone like Mainoo to play as a deep lying playmaker to make the team tick. He is one of the reasons Arsenal have been title challengers this year with the best goal difference in the league. Arsenal are still even in the Champions League whilst we got done in our first few games to arguably the same teams.
Rice is class. I honestly believe people who don't rate him only look at a footballers ability when the ball is at their feet so they follow the ball with their eyes & so they don't see what players like Rice do off the ball.
I genuinely believe that the people who don't rate Rice would be & are crap at Chess. Anyone good at Chess would rate Rice.
The man pretty much blocks the central lane by himself on opposition attacks so attacks are more likely to come from out wide.
The guy is class and I've wanted him here ever since I saw him play for England.