Aye, that trio would be a very very good midfield.
Declan Rice
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Aye, that trio would be a very very good midfield.
It has nothing to do with whether he's the right type of signing. What people don't agree on is if he's actually good enough.
If we're going to challenge for silverware again, we need someone who can do more than simply break up play. Rice does a decent job of that, but he's not brilliant, so that means the other aspects of his game need to be better than they are in order for him to be at the level we need.
It's definitely the type of signing we need in terms of position. I'm one of the few who reckons that Rice is a better ball player than he has shown and I don't believe Southgate's England are set up to let him show it either. There are absolute moments and games for West Ham that he shows he has that ability and maybe its just an age thing for him to gain that level of consistency in that aspect, along with playing in a better more dominant team. Defensively he is everything we need and is mobile enough to cover ground too. For what its worth I'd absolutely rather a better ball playing, cheaper European option (Zakarria maybe) but its a very vital position that we are lacking in and I hope the club are looking at it. Scott and Fred should be kept as fantastic rotation options too in my opinion.
Ndidi is the player I'd want ultimately, I'm somewhat reserved about Rice.
I remember seeing Carrick at spurs and thinking 'I'd like him at United' when our midfield had the missing puzzle, I have the same feeling with Ndidi.
With Rice I think his price will be a lot higher although he is only 22.
if Pogba did sign we'd ultimately have.
---Rice
Bruno-Pogba
or
--Ndidi
Bruno-Pogba
with Fred, VDB, McTominay, Matic as options.
Then the team needs a RW, RB and CB for the season too.
After that the only addition is to spend big on a striker (once Cavani has gone, I think he is good for an extra year).
I'd still look to sell Martial, and Bailly (if Bailly isn't fit enough) but Jones, Rojo, Pereira, Romero, and Lingard should all go.
No idea with Pogba if he decides to go or not, but if he wants major honors him staying would mean United arent far off at all.
Ndidi is the AWB of DMs. Solid defensively but average on the ball he`d handicap our ability to play out from the back or make any progressive passes from midfield. You can get away having one such player in your team but having 2 of them would hold us back too much
Rice is much better on the ball and just as solid as him defensively. His price would be steep but affordable West Ham`s financial losses and his desire to leave would put his price around 60m which is not bad at all. Ndidi wouldn`t be any cheaper BTW Leicester have extorted 130m for Chilwell and Maguire but between the two its Rice for me all day
Lampard getting the chop is the best news we could have got in terms of this transfer swinging in our direction. He'd still cost an obscene amount though.
I really can't judge Rice at all I haven't seen enough of him, that's why I can't really say reliably.
Given Rice's history with Chelsea I wouldn't be so sure that it was only Lampard pushing this one, if he's a 'club' signing then like those before him Tuchel wont have too much of a say
Roman not a fan of Lampard's desire for Brexit FC.
Why would re-signing a player upset the bosses ?
Rice was 14 when he left
Rice was 14 when he left
Itd embarassing, like the abuse we took when resigning Pogba.Why would re-signing a player upset the bosses ?
Rice was 14 when he left
If they did this then it adds on to the criticism of letting Salah and KDB go as well.
Why would re-signing a player upset the bosses ?
Rice was 14 when he left
He was 14. I don't think it can be compared really, seems mentally a bit fragile seeing as we've already done it with Pogba and the world didn't end. They wouldn't have been the first or last to re-buy a former youth player.
They already did it with Matic and If Rice continue to show the improvement as he has been they would definitely be in for him.
In a position where they have Kante? After releasing today`s article on how wanting Rice actually led to Lampard leaving? Highly doubt it
They desperately needed a DM when they got Matic plus his fee was just 20-30m Rice would cost 50-60m minimum again in a position they already have Kante
Wonder if Arsenal would feel the same about re-signing Kane?Why would re-signing a player upset the bosses ?
Rice was 14 when he left
I honestly don't think there's anything wrong with admitting your mistake and re-signing them, better than watching them go tear it up for your rivals.
Kante isn't DM never has been ,he seem to be past it as top Cm as well Chelsea would continue to struggle if they intend play him as DM.
Have we in any way or form ever actually been linked with him?
This could be like the Luke Shaw signing, everyone had him down to go Chelsea.
Its still very unlikely his Chelsea history automatically means he`ll go there especially after the news that has come out today DIRECTLY from Chelsea that they dont want him and never did. The negative PR would be beyond epic proportions and he`s not even a Tuchel type of player he`ll likely want someone from the Bundesliga like Zakaria
Also Shaw was a Chelsea fan growing up and Lukaku directly chose us over Chelsea summer 2017
when you say he isn't a DM , what are you referring to him as, holding mid?
He is CM who happens to be better at defensive side of the game while chasing and breaking up the play, he has mostly excelled when he has been paired with someone who sits and screens the defence he struggles if he is asked to do that job .
Well we will certainly see in the summer whether or not he still has that desire to join his mate Mason, my main concern over signing him instead of a european option like Zakaria is the price difference but does feel like he is a player who gets whatever club he plays for
On the other hand you could argue an european option would take time to settle into the PL and not knowing the opponents well.
Having an immidiate impact instead of in a years time is worth quite a lot.
So we’ve got a free run at him if we want him then.
Over to you Declan, 5 month audition.
Over to you Declan, 5 month audition.
Personally I just don't think he's good enough. There's no question we need a real DM this summer. And there aren't many good ones out there. But we need to pull our fingers out and find one, not settle for an expensive one as if that's the same thing.
Who are some of the alternatives you'd like? I've had my eye on Zakaria for a while now.
Someone like Camavinga has a lot more to his game, Rice isn't the kind of player I'll break the bank for,decent but without any x-factor to him
The thing is if we’re playing BOTH Fernandes and Pogba together in a 4-2-3-1 then we DON’T need someone who does more than break up play, cover Fernandes and Pogba to do their thing and shield the defence
We’ve got as much creativity from midfield in Fernandes and Pogba as anyone in world football but the problem is always sacrificing one of their strengths because outside of Matic who’s legs went a couple of years ago we don’t have the player to do the dirty work, we have to play McTominay and Fred to basically do the job of Matic if Matic had stamina and ground coverage.
I like Zakaria and I like Soumaré at Lille but as we’ve seen with Chelsea this year simply buying expensive and highly rated players from abroad that need to settle doesn’t always work and we’ve gone down that road so many times since Sir Alex retired, the likes of Rice and Kane would have been proper Sir Alex signings and until recently we’ve strayed so far away from what worked.
Yes Rice has limitations from what we’ve seen so far but we’re building a team to function properly into making us trophy winners and some of the parts aren’t always the flashiest but the best functioning, a pure out and out defensive midfielder with bundles of stamina to cover countless amounts of ground week in and week out who simply breaks up play and protects the defence is needed to play Fernandes and Pogba in the same team every week and allow us to start being a constant offensive threat instead of individual genius getting us by.
Well the fact Chelsea seemingly dont want him should remove that obstacle out of our way if we want him.
Reports that Frankie wanted him but hierarchy wouldn’t go back on decision to let him go/bring him back. If Moyeseh wants Lingard, this is an open goal.
I had recognised that Rice was more a ball winning midfielder than a deep lying playmaker.
However, like a lot of us - I was a bit reserved about his passing abilities even if that isnt his original style of football.
However, ive been wondering what a coach like Carrick could bring out of him. I think for a 22 year old who is predominantly a ball winning midfielder, he could be coached by carrick to be quite well rounded after watching some of his videos & matches. He could one day have that ability to break up the play by himself and set up the team for a counterattack with a simple but quick accurate pass to his attacking team mates. He doesnt seem as unable on the ball as he does for Southgate and England.
It's one of those players where if Ole goes for him, then I will be happy and believe the manager has seen a player that can be our future CDM. The price of the transfer never really bothers me. If Ole ends up going for someone like Zakaria (a much more ball carrying/dribbling from deep type of CDM) or Koopmeiners (a left footed deep lying playmaker) - then I will be happy to think that Ole didnt think Rice was the one and leave it at there.
However, like a lot of us - I was a bit reserved about his passing abilities even if that isnt his original style of football.
However, ive been wondering what a coach like Carrick could bring out of him. I think for a 22 year old who is predominantly a ball winning midfielder, he could be coached by carrick to be quite well rounded after watching some of his videos & matches. He could one day have that ability to break up the play by himself and set up the team for a counterattack with a simple but quick accurate pass to his attacking team mates. He doesnt seem as unable on the ball as he does for Southgate and England.
It's one of those players where if Ole goes for him, then I will be happy and believe the manager has seen a player that can be our future CDM. The price of the transfer never really bothers me. If Ole ends up going for someone like Zakaria (a much more ball carrying/dribbling from deep type of CDM) or Koopmeiners (a left footed deep lying playmaker) - then I will be happy to think that Ole didnt think Rice was the one and leave it at there.
If Pogba stays, he should be our main target in the summer. Would improve our midfield, and is also capable of playing CB. If he's really available for 50m, we should go all for it.
Does anybody have one of those fancy passing charts that compare his passing stats to other midfielders who play his position?
Is he quick distributing the ball forwards with accuracy, we suffer when we have two players in the midfield pivots who dwell on the ball. Fred's been pretty good this season with the quick transition forward to set counters up after winning the ball.
No doubting his mobility and positioning/ball winning skills.
What are people's thoughts on Anguissa from Fulham? Always impressed me when I've watched him, could thrive in a superior team
Is he quick distributing the ball forwards with accuracy, we suffer when we have two players in the midfield pivots who dwell on the ball. Fred's been pretty good this season with the quick transition forward to set counters up after winning the ball.
No doubting his mobility and positioning/ball winning skills.
What are people's thoughts on Anguissa from Fulham? Always impressed me when I've watched him, could thrive in a superior team
Not sure how helpful those will be but check these ones -
Edit: Seems not to be working for some reason.. Just click the share button and copy the link from there.
Hopefully Tuchel spends age evaluating the squad. I’d be in for Rice but you’d imagine we aren’t top of Moyes Christmas card list and we’d get rinsed which is never a good time. Remember being quoted 40 something million for longstaff. Jaysus
How long does he have left on his contract?
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