Declan Rice

[Bebestation]

This isn't true. Rice is actually very good in tight spaces and often emerges with the ball against all odds. His pass completion is the highest in the league for midfielders this season. His ball retention (not losing the ball through dispossessions, bad passing etc) is the second highest in the league this season. I think only Rodri is ahead of him on this count. If he couldn't cope with being pressed then he'd lose the ball a lot more.

Rice averages 59 passes a game this season and De Jong 50 so there's not much to support your idea that he abandons midfield.

It is true that De Jong is better against the press but to say that Rice isn't good in tight spaces or against the press is nonsense.

I do agree that they'd compliment each other.

This is what I thought too.

Rice looks very unskillfull - but then you see him getting pressed by 2 or more players at a time and then Rice pulls off a dribbling skill that has beaten all these players and finds himself in open space where he decides to pass the ball on or sometimes - take the ball on for a full box to box run.

 

[Cassidy]

If he didnt cost so much I would be all for it. He would essentially be everything the club would have wanted Mctominay to be

 

[RedRonaldo]

We need better control with game with a baller in midfield who could do alot of link up play under ETH, Rice doesn't strike me as a type of player who is capable of doing that.

 

[Cassidy]

We need better control with game with a baller in midfield who could do alot of link up play under ETH, Rice doesn't strike me as a type of player who is capable of doing that.

We also need a defensive mid

 

[RedRonaldo]

We also need a defensive mid

Or a defensive mid who could control.

 

[Cassidy]

Or a defensive mid who could control.

I think we’ll buy 2 CMs

 

[7even]

Probably one of the best dm in the PL right now together with Fabinho and Rodri but his price tag isn’t suitable for a club like us that probably needs 3-4 quality players two three windows in a row.

 

[RedRonaldo]

I think we’ll buy 2 CMs

We will have to see, we only have 100-150m to spend. From reports so far, we are linking up RW, FW, LB, CB, and CM/DM.

 

[DarkXaero]

As a player, I think he remains a really good fit for us and ticks a lot of checkboxes, including having the attitude & mentality to play here (and I'm careful saying this because I have the opposite of British bias). That being said, the quoted prices make this a non starter, he's not worth anywhere near that and we should simply walk away, focus on other options. Maybe in a season or two, if he's still at West Ham, we could go in for him but until then, do not bite at the quoted prices.

 

[Cassidy]

We will have to see, we only have 100-150m to spend. From reports so far, we are linking up RW, FW, LB, CB, and CM/DM.

+ sales. Anyway we won’t sign Rice due to his fee in my opinion

 

[RedRonaldo]

+ sales. Anyway we won’t sign Rice due to his fee in my opinion

I won't keep my hopes high from players sales. Almost every summer people expect we could sell 3-5 players/deadwoods to raise 50-70m funds, but it just never happens, especially considering very high salary from our underperforming players, would make players sales more difficult than ever.

 

[Classical Mechanic]

+ sales. Anyway we won’t sign Rice due to his fee in my opinion

I think the only club that might move for him this summer is Chelsea. Tuchel was talking Rice up recently. It depends on the situation with their new owners of course.

 

[UTD_Since_1978]

Alright people, listen up...according to reports we have a free run at Rice this summer, do you hear that...a free run!!!

Mind you, not surprised when WHU are quoting prices of £150m or more, no wonder we have a free run, no other club would be daft enough to fork out that kind of money on Rice.

Hey, don't get me wrong, Rice would easily improve our midfield but Rice alone isn't enough for next season.

 

[Hammondo]

This isn't true. Rice is actually very good in tight spaces and often emerges with the ball against all odds. His pass completion is the highest in the league for midfielders this season. His ball retention (not losing the ball through dispossessions, bad passing etc) is the second highest in the league this season. I think only Rodri is ahead of him on this count. If he couldn't cope with being pressed then he'd lose the ball a lot more.

Rice averages 59 passes a game this season and De Jong 50 so there's not much to support your idea that he abandons midfield.

It is true that De Jong is better against the press but to say that Rice isn't good in tight spaces or against the press is nonsense.

I do agree that they'd compliment each other.

You can see plenty of examples on here

Nothing in this video shows he is good in tight spaces/under pressure, running into space is not the same thing.

You cannot look at passing accuracy stats and say it shows hes good in tight spaces/under pressure because it does not show anything about the nature of the passes. Keeping the ball but screwing over who you pass it to is not a good thing. Also considering how easily hes pushing back (watch him for club and country), he often backs off to give himself an easier time but sacrificing the midfield.

 

[Classical Mechanic]

Nothing in this video shows he is good in tight spaces/under pressure, running into space is not the same thing.

You cannot look at passing accuracy stats and say it shows hes good in tight spaces/under pressure because it does not show anything about the nature of the passes. Keeping the ball but screwing over who you pass it to is not a good thing. Also considering how easily hes pushing back (watch him for club and country), he often backs off to give himself an easier time but sacrificing the midfield.

I honestly don't think that you watch the player at all. Are you seriously claiming that he screws his team mates over with his passes?

 

[Hammondo]

I honestly don't think that you watch the player at all. Are you seriously claiming that he screws his team mates over with his passes?

When under pressure he does, many players do, our players do all the time. Passing stats, and stats in general are very misunderstood, and people imply then mean things that they do not.

 

[dinostar77]

Whether we sign Rice or sign Ruben Neves or de jong or someone else is immaterial to me personally.

I remember when Liverpool signed Henderson, Wijnaldum, Fabinho etc. At the time they all seemed underwhelming signings, but they proved to be more than the sum of their parts.

Hopefully we will learn that lesson and can similarly have a combination of midfielders with different attributes who compliment each other. Who they end up being i really dont care. Thats for ETH and his staff to work out.

 

[Classical Mechanic]

When under pressure he does, many players do, our players do all the time. Passing stats, and stats in general are very misunderstood, and people imply then mean things that they do not.

The problem here is that in the first instance you've made a ridiculous claim about the player.

His close control is not that good, not good in tight spaces/against the press, usually will abandon the midfield rather than be able to control it.

When presented with stats that fairly emphatically contradict you, you've then doubled down with a number of absurd arguments.

1. That breaking the press with dribbling isn't really breaking the press
2. That Rice abandons his position which keeps his stats up
3. The Rice plays his teammates into trouble which keeps his stats up

Lastly 'you just don't understand the stats maaan'

We're not talking about Scott McTominay here we're talking about the midfielder with the highest pass completion rate in the entire league and the 2nd highest ball retention rate.

On the first point, the glaring irony is that this is one of De Jongs main strengths as a player. There is no basis in common sense that breaking the press with dribbling is an invalid way of doing it. That Rice is able to do this so well is a big reason why his ball retention is at the elite level.

The second and third points are absurd when you consider the implications they have on how Rice must play the game in order to have so great stats with pass completion and ball retention. It paints a somewhat comedic picture of a player that is constantly on the retreat treating the ball like a hot potato. Anyone that has watched Rice knows that this is not how he plays the game. He actually is 1st in the league for progressive carries and distance travelled with the ball.

It's fine to say that Rice isn't as dextrous or as agile on the ball as FDJ because he isn't, or that FDJ is a better passer and better against the press than Rice because he is. To claim that Rice bad at all the things you listed is just simple nonsense I'm afraid.

I still remain sceptical that you've really watched the player much.

 

[golden_blunder]

The problem here is that in the first instance you've made a ridiculous claim about the player.

His close control is not that good, not good in tight spaces/against the press, usually will abandon the midfield rather than be able to control it.

When presented with stats that fairly emphatically contradict you, you've then doubled down with a number of absurd arguments.

1. That breaking the press with dribbling isn't really breaking the press
2. That Rice abandons his position which keeps his stats up
3. The Rice plays his teammates into trouble which keeps his stats up

Lastly 'you just don't understand the stats maaan'

We're not talking about Scott McTominay here we're talking about the midfielder with the highest pass completion rate in the entire league and the 2nd highest ball retention rate.

On the first point, the glaring irony is that this is one of De Jongs main strengths as a player. There is no basis in common sense that breaking the press with dribbling is an invalid way of doing it. That Rice is able to do this so well is a big reason why his ball retention is at the elite level.

The second and third points are absurd when you consider the implications they have on how Rice must play the game in order to have so great stats with pass completion and ball retention. It paints a somewhat comedic picture of a player that is constantly on the retreat treating the ball like a hot potato. Anyone that has watched Rice knows that this is not how he plays the game. He actually is 1st in the league for progressive carries and distance travelled with the ball.

It's fine to say that Rice isn't as dextrous or as agile on the ball as FDJ because he isn't, or that FDJ is a better passer and better against the press than Rice because he is. To claim that Rice bad at all the things you listed is just simple nonsense I'm afraid.

I still remain sceptical that you've really watched the player much.

Good post

 

[AlexUTD]

The problem here is that in the first instance you've made a ridiculous claim about the player.

His close control is not that good, not good in tight spaces/against the press, usually will abandon the midfield rather than be able to control it.

When presented with stats that fairly emphatically contradict you, you've then doubled down with a number of absurd arguments.

1. That breaking the press with dribbling isn't really breaking the press
2. That Rice abandons his position which keeps his stats up
3. The Rice plays his teammates into trouble which keeps his stats up

Lastly 'you just don't understand the stats maaan'

We're not talking about Scott McTominay here we're talking about the midfielder with the highest pass completion rate in the entire league and the 2nd highest ball retention rate.

On the first point, the glaring irony is that this is one of De Jongs main strengths as a player. There is no basis in common sense that breaking the press with dribbling is an invalid way of doing it. That Rice is able to do this so well is a big reason why his ball retention is at the elite level.

The second and third points are absurd when you consider the implications they have on how Rice must play the game in order to have so great stats with pass completion and ball retention. It paints a somewhat comedic picture of a player that is constantly on the retreat treating the ball like a hot potato. Anyone that has watched Rice knows that this is not how he plays the game. He actually is 1st in the league for progressive carries and distance travelled with the ball.

It's fine to say that Rice isn't as dextrous or as agile on the ball as FDJ because he isn't, or that FDJ is a better passer and better against the press than Rice because he is. To claim that Rice bad at all the things you listed is just simple nonsense I'm afraid.

I still remain sceptical that you've really watched the player much.

How dare you speak sense on the Caf sir.

 

[MikeUpNorth]

At £40m, yes

At £60m, uh, probably not.

At £80m, no way.

At £100m, good god nooooo.

 

[TheReligion]

Alright people, listen up...according to reports we have a free run at Rice this summer, do you hear that...a free run!!!

Mind you, not surprised when WHU are quoting prices of £150m or more, no wonder we have a free run, no other club would be daft enough to fork out that kind of money on Rice.

Hey, don't get me wrong, Rice would easily improve our midfield but Rice alone isn't enough for next season.

ITK knowledge here

 

[Rolaholic]

At £40m, yes

At £60m, uh, probably not.

At £80m, no way.

At £100m, good god nooooo.

This would be the sensiblr approach for basically every top club currently. It's no surprise that we've been the club linked most to him the last year or 2 and West Ham seemingly expect a bloody kings ransom

The valuations are absolutely unheard of for a DM/holding mid especially of his profile yet its seen as a given that he'll go for silly money.

60m to 70 including add ons should be the cutoff for any offer and even that feels steep. Anything higher will feel like Maguire 2.0 where everyone, including ourselves, knows we've been mugged from the offset.

 

[croadyman]

Yeah I would be all for it IF we could still afford De Jong as well, however there is a distinct lack of technical ability in there so should prioritise

 

[croadyman]

Alright people, listen up...according to reports we have a free run at Rice this summer, do you hear that...a free run!!!

Mind you, not surprised when WHU are quoting prices of £150m or more, no wonder we have a free run, no other club would be daft enough to fork out that kind of money on Rice.

Hey, don't get me wrong, Rice would easily improve our midfield but Rice alone isn't enough for next season.

Yeah need more than him in midfield

 

[Irrational.]

We need to buy the next Rice.

 

[BenitoSTARR]

We need to buy the next Rice.

Quinoa?

 

[Red the Bear]

He has a very punchable face so I may be unconsciously biased against, but I don't think he's what we need.

We definitely lack a bit of technical skill in the middle if the park, blowing half our budget on him doesn't seem like the best move.

 

[Blood Mage]

I'm confident the price will put us off, and good. There are midfielders of similar talent out there who can be obtained for a lot less, it's time for our scouts to do their fecking job.

 

[Kaos]

I'm confident the price will put us off, and good. There are midfielders of similar talent out there who can be obtained for a lot less, it's time for our scouts to do their fecking job.

Pretty sure we've recently binned them for not doing said job very well

 

[Valencia Shin Crosses]

The Rice situation is exactly why the PL is so competitive and will never be like the old days where mid and lower table clubs are easy wins anymore. Clubs have enough money now to where West Ham can just give everyone the middle finger that doesn't meet their outrageous asking price, whereas if Rice played in France we would have already agreed a 50m fee and been done with this.

 

[gajender]

The Rice situation is exactly why the PL is so competitive and will never be like the old days where mid and lower table clubs are easy wins anymore. Clubs have enough money now to where West Ham can just give everyone the middle finger that doesn't meet their outrageous asking price, whereas if Rice played in France we would have already agreed a 50m fee and been done with this.

Nah eventually players would wise up to it and would start insisting on sensible release clauses or simply start to run down their contracts if Clubs are being unreasonable in their demands .

 

[Kaos]

Nah eventually players would wise up to it and would start insisting on sensible release clauses or simply start to run down their contracts if Clubs are being unreasonable in their demands .

Yeah I feel like this is slowly becoming the norm not just in the PL, but across Europe. You've got the likes if Mbappe, Pogba, Kessie, Kamara and Mazraoui leaving on a free this summer, whereas the likes of Haaland are leaving with slightly more 'modest' release clauses.

The real negotiations in the future will be agent and sign on fees IMO. Neymar's transfer to PSG has completely inflated and frankly broken the conventional transfer structure.

 

[Valencia Shin Crosses]

Nah eventually players would wise up to it and would start insisting on sensible release clauses or simply start to run down their contracts if Clubs are being unreasonable in their demands .

Yes but my point is West Ham doesn’t need to sell him unless their price is met. Big clubs have to really splurge to get these players like Rice, Grealish, and others. Instead of offering them a decent fee that the selling club has to take because they can’t find the money otherwise.

 

[MyOnlySolskjaer]

I really don't see it at all. It's a massive mistake to pay that much for a player that's not even technical in the slightest. He's okay but he can't pass like Rodri, dictate a game like Modric, dribble like De Jong or press like Kante. There's no outstanding quality that's worth paying that much for a box to box player. He's basically Schneiderlin on steroids.

 

[crossy1686]

I honestly don't see the hype around this guy. £100m? What are West Ham smoking?

 

[George The Best]

Forget him - not going to happen at the price.

 

[horsechoker]

How does this guy's value keep increasing despite him doing nothing remarkable?

Tifo football asking if he's worth £150m?

It's absurd, he'll be approaching Neymar money in 3 weeks time

 

[Judas]

He’ll be at West Ham for ages. No one’s paying what they want. I really like him as a player and think he’d be great for us, but not for silly money.

 

[Lash]