Declan Rice: Bend It Like Decam

[OnlyOne]

Best midfielder in the world though? Not for me, a bit too limited in his game.

Best in the world at what he does though? Yeah, has been for at least a couple years.

Bit difficult though because their aren’t many like him in the world.

Your Pedri’s/Vitinha’s are much different.

I guess the question is what midfielder would you rather have in your team?

Honestly I don’t think there’s many right now I’d rather than Rice.

I think he gets into every single team in the world.

 

[Geofranco]

Hard to qualify any of our guys as best in the world as they haven’t won anything. We can properly re-access those shouts when we put that right.

But if I’m building a midfield from scratch, Dec is the first player im picking. Absolute cheat code in virtually every area of the game, and is now a dead ball specialist on top of that.

He is not that great in tight spaces under pressure or on the half turn and not really the type to play defense splitting passes that just cuts open a stubborn defense. He is the ideal box to box type midfielder.

 

[Tir Na Nog]

You can see having Zubi and Eze in midfield takes the pressure off him in terms of build up, playing the through the lines or asking him to be a playmaker. You think back to his first season here were often we'd play Havertz and Ødegaard as the two more advanced midfielders asking too much of Rice as a lone 6 in terms of progressing the play.

But that's football it's not a one man show and we've now got the midfield setup that allows Rice to flourish a lot more. Zubi progresses the play and can be a deep lying playmaker, Eze provides that creative spark.

 

[Trilly]

Bit difficult though because their aren’t many like him in the world.

Your Pedri’s/Vitinha’s are much different.

I guess the question is what midfielder would you rather have in your team?

Honestly I don’t think there’s many right now I’d rather than Rice.

I think he gets into every single team in the world.

Yeah it’s pretty difficult to evaluate. Rice is a defensive + set piece cheat code whereas Pedri/Vitinha mean your team will never struggle to get the ball into the final third. They all get into any team in the world so idk how to rank them really.

I think the reason I put a player with Rice’s skill set slightly below is because he can sometimes be a bit of a non-factor if you’re an elite team that needs to break teams down. This is why Rodri won the Balon D’or. He was kind of doing both.

Think of it this way: if you were doing a midfield draft you probably go for a Vitinha/Pedro or a Xavi/Iniesta with your first pick but your 2nd pick would be a Rice/Kante to pair with them.

 

[Gooner Zig]

That partnership with Zubi is cash money and certain posters were saying before a ball had been kicked this season that it would propel us to the next level as a team.

 

[OnlyOne]

Yeah it’s pretty difficult to evaluate. Rice is a defensive + set piece cheat code whereas Pedri/Vitinha mean your team will never struggle to get the ball into the final third. They all get into any team in the world so idk how to rank them really.

I think the reason I put a player with Rice’s skill set slightly below is because he can sometimes be a bit of a non-factor if you’re an elite team that needs to break teams down. This is why Rodri won the Balon D’or. He was kind of doing both.

Think of it this way: if you were doing a midfield draft you probably go for a Vitinha/Pedro or a Xavi/Iniesta with your first pick but your 2nd pick would be a Rice/Kante to pair with them.

I don’t even know if I would but ngl I don’t watch the other two week in week out, or ever.

I think it’s Rice’s consistency that’s the cheat code, his floor is like a 7.

It would be interesting to see him outside this Arsenal team tbh.

 

[db10_therza]

Yeah it’s pretty difficult to evaluate. Rice is a defensive + set piece cheat code whereas Pedri/Vitinha mean your team will never struggle to get the ball into the final third. They all get into any team in the world so idk how to rank them really.

I think the reason I put a player with Rice’s skill set slightly below is because he can sometimes be a bit of a non-factor if you’re an elite team that needs to break teams down. This is why Rodri won the Balon D’or. He was kind of doing both.

Think of it this way: if you were doing a midfield draft you probably go for a Vitinha/Pedro or a Xavi/Iniesta with your first pick but your 2nd pick would be a Rice/Kante to pair with them.

I get what you’re saying but for me, honestly, Rice is better at what he does compared to his rivals than what Vitinha does compared to his rivals. And since you need to have both profiles in your team anyway, like if this was a draft, I’d pick Rice first knowing that even if Vitinha gets picked there’ll still be a decent pick up in the next round for that position.

 

[Gooner Zig]

For real, how did it take for him moving to Arsenal to find out he could strike a ball so cleanly?

How was he already not on set piece duty at West Ham and England prior to him coming here? That idiot Southgate had the likes of Foden taking corners ahead of Rice at the Euros

 

[db10_therza]

For real, how did it take for him moving to Arsenal to find out he could strike a ball so cleanly?

How was he already not on set piece duty at West Ham and England prior to him coming here? That idiot Southgate had the likes of Foden taking corners ahead of Rice at the Euros

I think it’s just coz he’s also good in the air + massive so he was always trying to get on the end of them.

 

[Gooner Zig]

I get what you’re saying but for me, honestly, Rice is better at what he does compared to his rivals than what Vitinha does compared to his rivals. And since you need to have both profiles in your team anyway, like if this was a draft, I’d pick Rice first knowing that even if Vitinha gets picked there’ll still be a decent pick up in the next round for that position.

I guess I'm biased but if I'm doing the "pick the players" thing, Declan is the first one I pick.

- Big game player
- Insane ball striking and dead ball prowess
- Insane engine
- Ability to get on the scoresheet

As a total package, there is no MF itw that offers this.

 

[Return of The King]

Except for deluded Chelsea fans who claim that both of their full backs, their 3 CMs and CF our better than ours.

Seems like now they are the voyeurs constantly comparing themselves to us wasn’t that Jose’s big dig? In fact we are firmly in the head of everyone in the league

 

[OnlyOne]

I guess I'm biased but if I'm doing the "pick the players" thing, Declan is the first one I pick.

- Big game player
- Insane ball striking and dead ball prowess
- Insane engine
- Ability to get on the scoresheet

As a total package, there is no MF itw that offers this.

I think Bellingham vs Rice is a more interesting one tbh, they have enough box to box similarities.

 

[Trilly]

Yeah if you’re talking B2B then it’s Bellingham.

Takeaway the set pieces and Rice is still learning when it comes to consistently making an impact in the final third while Jude is Jude.

Don’t want to get into another Trilly hates Arsenal players thing I just think crowning him the best in the world is a stretch when he’s basically an OOP + set piece player.

 

[Return of The King]

Yeah if you’re talking B2B then it’s Bellingham.

Takeaway the set pieces and Rice is still learning when it comes to consistently making an impact in the final third while Jude is Jude.

Don’t want to get into another Trilly hates Arsenal players thing I just think crowning him the best in the world is a stretch when he’s basically an OOP + set piece player.

Bellingham is like a recessed forward almost. He doesn’t do anything approaching Rice’s ball winning. Tchoumani is the guy for that. I see Rice as 6/8 combo while I see Jude as an 8/10 combo

 

[Trilly]

Bellingham is like a recessed forward almost. He doesn’t do anything approaching Rice’s ball winning. Tchoumani is the guy for that. I see Rice as 6/8 combo while I see Jude as an 8/10 combo

Jude was a lot more balanced in England and Germany. Got made an auxiliary forward in his debut Madrid season and ended up playing the same role for England but he’s always been a true B2B midfielder imo.

I think he’s playing a more traditional CM role now so let’s how this season goes for him.

 

[Return of The King]

Jude was a lot more balanced in England and Germany. Got made an auxiliary forward in his debut Madrid season and ended up playing the same role for England but he’s always been a true B2B midfielder imo.

I think he’s playing a more traditional CM role now so let’s how this season goes for him.

Yes since they got Mbappe he is a more traditional CM. He gives more of a threat in final third. But he doesn’t rack up the tackles, duels, and interceptions of Declan. Jude is more gifted in attacking third and Declan is better as a ball winner

 

[MikelHadADream]

He is not that great in tight spaces under pressure or on the half turn and not really the type to play defense splitting passes that just cuts open a stubborn defense. He is the ideal box to box type midfielder.

This is the only department where he is not at least an 8/10. Saying that, he never gives the ball away and has developed a long cross field pass.

 

[Blood on the Tracks]

Rice is just a cheat code tactically. Because of his engine he basically plays two roles.

You can argue where he ranks in terms of our best current players but he's the player we miss the most when he's not there for sure. No-one else at the club has the skillset and physical attributes he does and it's pivotal for how we play.

 

[Makingtrax]

Jude was a lot more balanced in England and Germany. Got made an auxiliary forward in his debut Madrid season and ended up playing the same role for England but he’s always been a true B2B midfielder imo.

I think he’s playing a more traditional CM role now so let’s how this season goes for him.

Bellingham may have more moves in his locker but Rice rarely puts a foot wrong. They’re different types of players. Rice more like Rodri in that he does the basics extremely well without looking silky.

 

[Dokaka]

He can do everything but at the highest level it’s hard to expect players to become someone they’re not. Player’s tendencies and instincts under pressure when the stakes are highest is what makes them who they are for better or worse and we know that Rice can break lines but isn’t a line breaker.

I think it’s safe to say he’s never going to add Pedri/Vitinha/Zubimendi type passing to his game and that’s fine. If he does though, he becomes the best midfielder itw and it wouldn’t be close.

Those guys are also nowhere near Rice defensively though so I'm not sure they're inherently better, just different.

If Rice had Pedri's passing he'd literally be the best player of all time