Declan Rice

[bristolhammerfc]

Personally I think he should stay with ROI as England will be an unwanted distraction for all sorts of reasons, none of them beneficial to WHUFC.

I think he has looked at it in terms of opportunities to play at tournaments. With respect to ROI, they aren't pulling up any trees in regards the world stage.

[hammernsickle]

Interesting that Eric Dier had a poor game this weekend, and Declan Rice stepped up and showed how you should play the same position. Especially since Decs is trying to decide on his nationality.

Certainly passes better than Dier.

[Ozza]

Southgates right hand man was at the stadium yesterday.

[mushy]

Interesting that Eric Dier had a poor game this weekend, and Declan Rice stepped up and showed how you should play the same position. Especially since Decs is trying to decide on his nationality.

Certainly passes better than Dier.

I never really get the Dier love in, he is what they call a versatile player, in other words not outstanding in any position, yet he is a shoe-in for England.
If Rice played for Spurs he would be in the England team the day he announces his intention to play for them.

[bristolhammerfc]

nor me

[sutts07]

Interesting that Eric Dier had a poor game this weekend, and Declan Rice stepped up and showed how you should play the same position. Especially since Decs is trying to decide on his nationality.

Certainly passes better than Dier.

Let's not forget that Rice was dragged at half time playing against that same team, in that same role.

He had a solid game against Everton, was great in possession and any mistakes he did make were not capitalised on or highlighted. We shouldn't get carried away just yet though, worst thing we could do is label him the next Billy Bonds and heap pressure and expectation on him.

Incidentally, I do agree with the sentiment that Dier is a poor player. I genuinely cannot understand how he is in the Spurs team, let alone the England squad, let alone the England team and to top it all off... he has worn the f**king armband!

That is an honour that should be reserved for a very select few. (we are talking 10 in the last 50 or 60 years (if that!) and Dier is certainly not one of the select few.

[sutts07]

If Rice played for Spurs he would be in the England team the day he announces his intention to play for them.

See Harry Winks...

It is laughable.

[HammerAl]

Dier is one of the most overrated players in the PL. He's just a big lump. Our boy will be head and shoulders above him in a few years.

[Swiss Pauli]

Reminds me of Gareth Barry which, given the career Barry has had, can only bode well for the lad. Let's hope we settle him in that true holding role and he rewards us with some consistently good performances.

[DasNutNock]

I think he has looked at it in terms of opportunities to play at tournaments. With respect to ROI, they aren't pulling up any trees in regards the world stage.

Also, with England, he wouldn't have to put up with that five thousand mile high pile of c*nt, Keane.

[Sloop John B]

Big Rice fan... But guys come on... 1 decent game and we're talking about England/Ireland call ups...

Lets see him put 20 games on the bounce of a similar level first.

[Modern]

While I think it is absolutely fair to suggest Eric Dier is in bad form, I think it is important to at least acknowledge that he has played in the last 3 years over 120 PL games in a side that has finished in the top three in each of those years.

just a couple of weeks ago he is in a midfield that won 0-3 away at Man Utd, last season he was in a midfield that won 1-3 at Chelsea, played in previous seasons wins against Man City, Arsenal, Manchester Utd. he gets picked for England because he has largely performed well for Tottenham over a long period.

Absolutely no reason why Rice can't go on to play for England he looks a very good prospect I have no desire to criticise him at all, just defend Dier, who does need to improve and kick on if he wants to keep his England place, but at the same time he has an decent body of performances to support him.

Pochettino wouldn't have picked him if he was as poor as some here make out and Tottenham certainly wouldn't have enjoyed their most successful period in recent history.

Dier can actually act as a bit of cautionary tale to Rice I think. They can both do play as a defender or holding midfielder, indeed that had always been Dier's trump card giving Spurs tactical flexibility as we move from a back 2 to a 3 or vice versa. But I think being seen as a 'utility' player leaves you open to unfair criticism at times, you can be seen as a jack of all trades but a specialist it none. I suspect it is very hard for players like Rice and Dier to improve as much as others as they are constantly torn between trying to train to be a better midfielder or defender.

Maybe Rice is so good he will be able to train as both with no drop off but it's a lot to ask.

[DasNutNock]

Good post, Modern.

[sutts07]

Tottenham certainly wouldn't have enjoyed their most successful period in recent history.

Successful... What have you won?? I think you are underselling yourselves there and had you not been playing him week in week out and effectively playing with ten men, you might have actually won something and therefore been successful. UCL qualification shouldn't be the benchmark for success.

Let's be honest, it can't be a particularity tough role to play... protecting pretty much the best back four (five if you include the keeper) in the whole country.

What does Dier offer in that role that countless others in the Premier League couldn't?

Anyway, this is about Rice and your comments and cautionary tale towards him is absolutely spot on. That part I am in total agreement with.

[mushy]

Modern,
You have given us a nice potted history of Dier's career there, I assume to show that he can crack it on the top table, but what you haven't really done is given us your opinion of the player.
The reason I ask this is because despite your impressive defence of the man, most Spurs fans I know give him a bit of a pasting quite regularly.
Is the general view over there that he is a good player, one of those unsung hero type players?

Or is it like a lot of people on here, that he is vastly overrated?

[Doc H Ball]

Always good to read Modern’s thoughts

[bubbles1966]

To me, there isn't even a debate about Rice's best position - his every attribute in terms of technique and physicality points to holding/screening midfielder, not centre half (unless as the smallest in a back 3).

The comparison to Garry Barry is a very good one.

[goingunderground]

Great post, Modern.

Do you think your team is worse off without Dier?

[continental skills]

He played in Obiangs role against Liverpool and yesterday they switched.

He seemed to understand this role better

So, too, did Obiang...

[Colours never run]

He played in Obiangs role against Liverpool and yesterday they switched.

He seemed to understand this role better

Yep, I made the same point after the Liverpool game this might be the case at the time and it needed the right players playing in the right holes. It wasn't that Rice was played at Anfield, it was how he was used and it weren't how he should be playing like against Everton. What baffles me is Pellegrini has been religiously playing Rice as a DM but it didn't seem to be the same against Liverpool, with a more freer role which left us more exposed and not asking him to strictly do what he does best just in front of the centre halves. Hopefully this will remain the same now going forward so the boy can build up momentum in this position and the other players are familiar with him playing there consistently.