Declan Rice

[hammerman11]

why would you sell him ?

not a LB but offers pace and skill going forward and one of the few who can beat a man

[getback]

What's the story with a new contract for Rice?

[e17]

Being offered 8k when Andy Carroll is on how much a week?

I’d leave if I was him

[hammerman11]

need to pay rice the going rate. he had a great first season and clearly has a future, hopefully with us !
if he is on 8k and wants 20k then offer 15k for the first year increasing on appearances etc up to the 20k over the course of the term of the contract. we need good young players rather than spending 10m on old has been defenders lets promote our own as he is good enough.
need to sort oxford out if committed and good enough keep him if not sell asap 10-15m

[Johnny Byrne's Boots]

IF, and I stress IF, the rumours about Carroll's latest injury are true then surely it's grounds for instant dismissal? Sack him and redistribute his wages among the youngsters we want to keep.

[gaptooth]

We pay him what he deserves and we keep a good player happy.

We don't and we might have a problem.

Just about sums it up for me - it's not any more complicated that that is it?

[hammers92]

Let’s try him at CDM now. He played there for Ireland and won MOTM and will probably be playing there for the rest of his time there now. The fact he’s aware of how to play CB but his best position “might” be CDM is something we really need to have a look at

[claret parrot]

If we were aware of a youngster showing the potential Declan has, while establishing himself as a first team player for a PL rival at his tender age, would we not move heaven and earth in an effort to winkle him away from those ungrateful, unappreciative, tossers and come to us where he'd be looked after and treated with the respect he deserves?

WTF are we doing paying fortunes to build a solid team while treating the long term corner-stone of that team with what looks to me like contempt. Do the club want him to go to Tottenham or somewhere on a free once his contract runs down?

Pay him his 30 odd k per week and get our future captain tied down and looking at West Ham as his home for the longterm.

[OFT]

We pay him what he deserves and we keep a good player happy.

We don't and we might have a problem.

Perfectly sensible, and, I suspect we know quite a bit more about what DR can do in the team for his wages than some of the new arrivals who ,I assume are on 'slightly' more than he is.

[FAH_1973]

Played at centre back yesterday and was our best defender. Often coming off and covering Diop and Fredericks.

[Hemel Iron]

Played at centre back yesterday and was our best defender. Often coming off and covering Diop and Fredericks.

Not what others have said, apparently he was utterly useless.

[Colours never run]

He's not a natural centre back. Sooner or later he'll be played more in his rightful place as a Defensive Midfielder.

[frankiemac]

Played at centre back yesterday and was our best defender. Often coming off and covering Diop and Fredericks.

i would agree...especially in the first half, he was everywhere

shocker for the 2nd goal...other than that, was really good

[frankiemac]

Played at centre back yesterday and was our best defender. Often coming off and covering Diop and Fredericks.

Not what others have said, apparently he was utterly useless.

apparantly...i was there, he was amazing in the first half

the whole defence looked disjointed 2nd half...we had no wilshere, changed things up front, and chucked some kids on...they put some more senior players, so we were far more under the cosh

overall declan did really well...just poor for their second goal

[Valley Hammer]

I was there as well and apart from the fact, he should have prevented the second goal, he was our best defender by a country mile.

[Johnny_C WHU]

Cracking player, one with real potential.

Really don't understand the position with the new contract though?

Ex mentioned about the board not wanting their fingers being burned again after Oxford but surely completely different cases. How many other prem teams would have a squad player on £8k a week!

They must see the value in him and offer terms that reflect his importance to the squad.

[Colours never run]

My MotM today. He's the Defensive Midfielder we've been crying for.

His positional sense is spot on, always showing and making space to receive the ball before invariably popping it off first time to the right player in space. Sniffs out danger like a good defender does dropping into the backline when need be. Passing game is bang on for one so young. Very mature and can be trusted to do most of the things right in the middle of the park. He's also quick across ground with his young legs and enthusiasm to burn. Has a tongue in his head too and ain't afraid to use it by barking our orders or letting his team mates know he's about if in trouble. He doesn't appear overawed by the big names he plays with either. As much as he does a reasonable job in the backline, I just feel it's a position that holds him back as he has so much more to his game than just blocking, tackling etc as important as those qualities are. His game appears to be a good fit with Noble and Wilshere either side of him in the middle complimenting each others game.

I really do think this boy is special.

In one sense, I feel Pellegrini is a bit lucky finding such a player within the squad without having to find them first. I reckon he'd be quietly over the moon to have such a kid to work with.

If Pellegrini is serious about starting him as DM at times, I think it will allow us to step up our passing game comsiderably in the middle of the park with the excellent passers of the ball we now have across the midfield and up front. Can see a few teams chasing shadows at times with the likes of Anderson, Yarmolenko, Arnie, Hernandez Wilshere, Noble, Lanzini and Rice passing the ball for fun during the season.

[YorksHammer]

Agree completely with that, thought he was excellent for us last night.

[hammerman11]

Pellegrini is no fool and will use rice as a DM based on what we saw yesterday and previously. Rice will learn a lot from a decent manager as opposed to slav who was limited and Moyes who tried to publicly shame him last season for the odd mistake.
we need to sign him up and working under a manager like pellegini for the next few years will greatly improve him.

martin oneill and roy keane play him in midfield for Ireland and I suggest they know a thing or two about the role compared to moyes and bilic.


rice will make mistakes as all young players do but he will be a top player and captain for us.


hopefully club improve their offer substantially and sign him up on a long contract.

[Georgee Paris]

Okay, so Rice is the defensive midfielder we’ve been crying out for. Are you 100% certain? I’m sure he is better than Drinkwater and can be the next Carrick. I just hate to see our young players lauded for a position and then sold down the river if and when it doesn’t work out.
I’m fairly certain Pellegrini has the skills as a manager to pick the best team available to play each team rather than rigidly sticking to the same 11 and system every game.