25 Jan 2021 14:51:16
Ed002, With Lampard now gone will this impact Chelsea's interest in Declan Rice?

I know it was Frank who was pushing for him, while others at the club were reluctant to spend big on resigning a player the club had released as a kid.

Could this open the door for United to swoop? Thanks.

{Ed002's Note - Yes I would think so, he was very much a Lampard pick. Manchester United are interested as I have explained but they need to see what is happening with a couple of players first I would think.}

1.) 25 Jan 2021
25 Jan 2021 16:52:59
Shappy, I like Rice and think he could come in and be our modern day Carrick (especially with Carrick there to help mould him) . Defensively he is good and has good energy so will help the defense whilst having an eye for a pass to get the attack flowing well.
For me I would look at Rice or Saul, however I just don't see the Saul thing happening.
Rice would replace Matic even if we have both of them for a year, Would allow for OGS to use McTominy/ Fred as box to box in games we need the energy or the guile of VDB.
I am assuming that Pogba will move on, however if he stays it does not preclude us getting Rice.

2.) 25 Jan 2021
25 Jan 2021 17:30:12
A midfield trio of Rice, Van De Beek and Bruno on paper would look class.

3.) 25 Jan 2021
25 Jan 2021 17:43:04
Brad for me if we are going to play as an offensive midfielder as Bruno then we need to balance that out with a true holding midfielder. Rice would be a good option. His passing while not the most expansive is certainly better than most give him credit for. He is great defensively and shielding the back four, while he is fairly press resistant as well.

You'd then need to pick between McTominay who offers physicality and the ability to drive with the ball, Fred who offers work rate and good quick forward passing or Donny who'll keep the ball better, as the third man in midfield.

4.) 25 Jan 2021
25 Jan 2021 17:54:29
Fred doesn't offer much passing Shappy. Don't be kidding anyone😁.

5.) 25 Jan 2021
25 Jan 2021 19:12:44
Shappy I used to think the same about Rice and his passing which was the main reason I was against signing him, but after watching him more this season I now think passing is one of his strengths. He’s really come on leaps and bounds in that department. Worth looking out for the next time you watch him.

6.) 25 Jan 2021
25 Jan 2021 17:39:07
Thanks Ed.

7.) 25 Jan 2021
25 Jan 2021 19:55:05
I’d still be looking at Zakaria as a holding midfielder. He’d cost half as much as an English midfielder.

8.) 26 Jan 2021
26 Jan 2021 07:00:16
Rice is improving every year.
That's one of the major reason I like him. He may take another leap once he joins a CL club.

9.) 26 Jan 2021
26 Jan 2021 10:54:20
Deependra, I think players reputation often leads us to see things not necessarily as they are.

This season when comparing our midfielders only Bruno and Mata average more "Key passes" per game. Bruno (2.9), Mata (1.3), Fred (0.9), Pogba (0.8), McTominay (0.6), Matic (0.5).

So of the players who tend to play as one of the double pivot, Fred actual makes more key passes than Pogba, Matic and McTominay.

Fred attempts the joint most number of passes per game (85) with Bruno.

While only McTominay has a higher pass completion rate (86.3%) compared to Fred (86%) .

So of our players playing in the double pivot he makes the most passes, completes pretty much the joint most passes, and plays the most dangerous passes forward.

So I think its fair to say he his passing in this system is a strength.

10.) 26 Jan 2021
26 Jan 2021 12:46:49
Blimey Shappy.

We can watch the game ourselves, and if you do so, you will see that Fred's misplaced passes are usually during a transition into a counter attack and that is why people (rightly) say Fred's passing is a weakness of his.

Fred may well complete his 5 yard passes to the nearest player and your stats can prove that, but when we are looking to counter attack it's a complete lottery where the ball ends up after he releases it.

I can hear the collective groans around Manchester when he plays a ball behind someone or straight to the opposition.