Declan Rice: Page 8 - The Arsenal discussion community: One More in the Tolly

Declan Rice

Don Pacifico

samthegooner I think people are getting far too caught up in trying to fit him into the 8 or the 6

Strongly agree with this. I strongly suspect that the way we set up will evolve away from how we do now if we were to buy Rice/Caicedo (etc.) and won't reflect the current roles of Xhaka/Partey, which is no bad thing given how one-dimensional Xhaka is in this setup and conversely how much is required of Partey.

Kel Varnsen

lorddulaarsenal

Nice powerful bursts past players. We need more physically strong players to compete with City.

daredevil

Kel Varnsen

I would say the complete opposite, we need more technically skilled players to compete with City.

Caicedo and Rice are technically decent but not the level that's going to win us titles, if we are to continue playing the way we do.

Gundogan, Silva, De Bruyne are the level we need to aspire to. Caicedo and Rice aren't it.

JazzG

banduan I will admit most of what I've seen from him is playing for England so since we were linked I have watched him a lot more closely. I don't think his passing range or ability to dictate the game isn't top level but he does have a lot of other things going for him. Especially how he carries the ball forward and he can be decisive in the final third.

samthegooner

I think we need a combination of both technically skilled players and physical powerhouses. Personally, I think we can get caught up in the comparison to City and building a team to specifically beat them as opposed to a strong team that is well positioned to beat the other 19 teams in the league and now, teams in the Champions League. I don't think Rice is as technically lacking as this thread may portray and his performances for England were eye-opening to me. It's tough to project how he might change moving from a mid-table to lower-table team like West Ham to a top tier club but I have confidence he still has a bit more growth in him. I also just love his competitive spirit and attitude and think he could be a perfect successor to Xhaka's vocal leadership in tandem with Odegaard's more reserved leadership.

Qwiss

Gazza M we'll see tonight. I'm not holding my breath.

Qwiss

Or not.

Gazza M

the boy is ready

flobaba

Nah, let’s go sign Debruyne, Silva and gundogan.

JazzG

He covers ground so easily, makes a lot of interceptions from clever reading of the play and having the engine to get across quickly.

Coombs

JazzG and he doesn't even look like he's breaking a sweat. I always thought he just wasn't that dynamic, but more and more it feels like he's just being held back by Southgate and Moyes.

JazzG

FEBravo I think when it comes to transfers we seem to come across as more focus and less incompetent than years gone by. If you look at us recently we aren't afraid to pay what is needed to get it done but we won't go over the top either. With the amount of noise in the media about our links to Rice there is no doubt we have done plenty of groundwork for this deal. Also we are 2nd just behind City and with CL football back it makes it a lot easier to get deals done.

Coombs I still have some doubts about playing him as our No.6 but I can see massive potential in him as a No.8 though. The way he covers ground, blocks passing lanes and snuffs out danger but then how he can move forward with the ball. I see him as an improved version of Xhaka rather the more technical No.8 some were hoping for. Seeing us in recent games I think we need to have two players in the middle who can defend at a high level, we give away too many chances. Rice reading of the game defensively is top notch and yesterday against Utd you can see he reads things early and gets across quickly to shut it down.

Gunner89

He ticks all the boxes.

The one player to truly break the bank for.

MistaT

Just watch that single moment (I've time-stamped the video to it), and sell yourself on him being a great upgrade on Xhaka.

No disrespect to Xhaka, he put in a massive shift and some great performance through the first half of this year, but he's tailed off to a standard we can look to improve upon next year.

RocktheCasbah

Not that it matters as much, except it sort of does... he's a proper good egg too

FEBravo

Yeah you get the sense the pursuit of him is not just about his footballing ability, but the belief that he will integrate well in the current group. His relationship with Saka during the international break etc.

Sicario2 - Tier 1

FEBravo

Yep, as I’ve mentioned before he would be a great cultural fit. He’s a Londoner and would cherish at playing at the biggest London club imo.

Future captain as well.

Clrnc

Sicario2 - Tier 1 and will piss the west ham fans off. Win win

Sicario2 - Tier 1

Clrnc
Fuck West Ham. They are nobodies but it would piss off Chelsea as he was a Chelsea youth player and they always thought they would re-sign him.

FEBravo

Fuck all of you. Now I'm excited about us signing this guy - when we won't I'll be very disappointed now

Clrnc

FEBravo I am not afraid anytime we misses out on our first choice now. Our 2nd choice is mostly good.

The only first choice we had no competition for and signed easily was Vieira 😂

Qwiss

JazzG I still have some doubts about playing him as our No.6 but I can see massive potential in him as a No.8 though.

I think he'd be an upgrade on Xhaka (though I think we could upgrade even more for the price) but a downgrade on Partey. I hope if he comes in this is how Arteta see it. I think he does though, he wanted Caicedo with a view on getting Rice as well. I think he feels Rice will be better at covering Zinchenko when he goes roaming as well as offering a bit more than Xhaka in other areas too.

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