You guys are definitely underrating him a bit, and I say this as a former hater. But he really impressed me in the game at the Emirates last season and I've been watching him closely ever since and suggested signing him last season before the summer.
He can play in the Partey role but people first need to accept that you're not going to be able to replace Partey like for like. Very few players on the planet have Partey's passing ability and that includes Rice. Once you accept that the candidates open up a bit.
Rice firstly is a superb athlete. Tall, quick across the ground, sharp and strong despite being made to look silly by Saka. That's invaluable in the PL and with our style of play. He's got good press resistance and has loads of composure on the ball. His passing is crisp and has a good range, just not as silky and crisp as Partey. Still a bit West Hamish and need to see how he is passing between the lines but there's no reason why he can't. He is also very good at carrying the ball, might not be essential in the role but it's always good to have in the locker. Last but not least, you can tell he's got a great mentality and some good leadership qualities and that's always going to be one of the first things Arteta is going to look for in a player.
