Declan Rice: Balon D’ec

[GoonerJeeves]

Was great today.

Yes, I agree with that. Looked tidy, great deliveries, and won the ball several times high up the pitch. I think sometimes his quality in winning the ball back is underestimated when he plays as an #8.

In the degree that you can say that £105m was well spent, it was well spent.

 

[OnlyOne]

We have to get this guy back at 6 now for the sake of this team, praying Merino can get up to speed quickly.

 

[GoonerJay24]

Imagine Casemiro or Makalele playing as a No.8

He's a CDM or centreback

 

[GoonerJeeves]

We have to get this guy back at 6 now for the sake of this team, praying Merino can get up to speed quickly.

I wouldn't be surprised if Arteta stick Merino at 6. Not sure it is a given that Rice will be the 6 in a trio with Merino and Ødegaard.

We shall see.

 

[Tir Na Nog]

He is next to useless in the final third, maybe sometimes if he has space he can score a long range effort but he's got zero composure and will always choose the simple safe option because he knows he doesn't have the ability to make an incisive pass. He can carry the ball well but its not enough for him to play that left 8 role, unless we just accept that our left 8 doesn't contribute offensively all that much but I don't believe that's what Arteta wants.

 

[OnlyOne]

I wouldn't be surprised if Arteta stick Merino at 6. Not sure it is a given that Rice will be the 6 in a trio with Merino and Ødegaard.

We shall see.

I would be, we signed Rice for 100M to be a 6 and we signed Havertz to be an 8, we have tried to move on from Partey but a few things didn't work.

Merino means round pegs in round holes.

 

[Yousif Arsenal]

Play him as DM Mikel stop BS the next few games he better play DM or we likely gonna be in trouble every counter

 

[hydrofluoric acid]

He is next to useless in the final third, maybe sometimes if he has space he can score a long range effort but he's got zero composure and will always choose the simple safe option because he knows he doesn't have the ability to make an incisive pass. He can carry the ball well but its not enough for him to play that left 8 role, unless we just accept that our left 8 doesn't contribute offensively all that much but I don't believe that's what Arteta wants.

Created a opener for Martinelly with his quick passing today. Elite.

 

[Mitch]

Imagine Casemiro or Makalele playing as a No.8

He's a CDM or centreback

Gerard was the same age as Rice was last season when he was moved from a 6 to an 8. Th difference being Rice was a lot more productive in his first season as 8 as well obviously far superior defensively than Slippy G.

Rice was one the better performers today, as usual.

 

[GoonerJeeves]

I would be, we signed Rice for 100M to be a 6 and we signed Havertz to be an 8, we have tried to move on from Partey but a few things didn't work.

Merino means round pegs in round holes.

I don't know. Arteta has his own ideas. We need Merino though, wherever he is played.

 

[grange]

Spent 100m and still need to sign 2-3 more players so he's comfortable in this system.

 

[HaffBR]

He is a decent player to have, he is a good 6 and a good 8, but he isn't a key player in these positions, so people have a case for him to be overpriced. For me he is a serviceable player, but that needs to be paired with a better press resistant playmaker. Partey isn't it these days.

 

[OnlyOne]

Spent 100m and still need to sign 2-3 more players so he's comfortable in this system.

Where's that been said?

He's one of our most consistent performers at 8, but if you want him to improve the team you move him back to 6.

 

[Geofranco]

Spent 100m and still need to sign 2-3 more players so he's comfortable in this system.

That's what usually happens with English players. Overpriced and limited, but they run around a lot working hard.

 

[Batman]

He is a decent player to have, he is a good 6 and a good 8, but he isn't a key player in these positions, so people have a case for him to be overpriced. For me he is a serviceable player, but that needs to be paired with a better press resistant playmaker. Partey isn't it these days.

 

[Sapient Hawk]

I don't know. Arteta has his own ideas. We need Merino though, wherever he is played.

That's precisely what we're afraid of.

 

[Legend14]

Rice was in last group to return to training. To me he lacks Rice level fitness which is key to his game. Not worried about him at all.

 

[Entropics]

Needs to find a new way to make himself noticed by his teammates. When Martinelli bottled up that chance he ended up on his knees in frustration after unsuccessfully flapping his arms.

 

[blaze_of_glory]

Rice was in last group to return to training. To me he lacks Rice level fitness which is key to his game. Not worried about him at all.

Pretty much what Arteta said after the game too. In two more weeks he'll be more like what we saw last season.

 

[Blood on the Tracks]

Pretty much what Arteta said after the game too. In two more weeks he'll be more like what we saw last season.

The nitpicking of Rice is way over the top.

He was only serviceable today, but he's one of the few players we've got that in the mix for best player in the world in his position.