Tag Archives: Declan Rice

3 more players Chelsea could sign this summer

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Chelsea have been busy so far during the summer transfer window, a year on from their transfer embargo.

Frank Lampard’s side have added prolific goalscorer Timo Werner from RB Leipzig, England left-back Ben Chilwell from Leicester City and experienced centre-back Thiago Silva from Paris Saint-Germain.

Shortly after the closure of the January transfer window, Chelsea agreed a deal to bring winger Hakim Ziyech from Ajax, with the Moroccan international joining his new teammates this summer.

Leaving Stamford Bridge are Willian to Arsenal, Pedro to AS Roma and Alvaro Morata to Atletico Madrid. Of those, only Willian made a significant impact under Lampard last season, whilst Morata had been out on loan in the Spanish capital anyway.

However, it appears Chelsea aren’t done there as Lampard looks to make further adjustments to his squad before the transfer window closes on 5 October. Three players who are being strongly linked with a move to West London are as follows:

Kai Havertz

The German international is believed to be undergoing a medical at Chelsea on Sunday depending on the reports you believe. Kai Havertz is coming off an excellent season with Bayer Leverkusen, particularly following the restart.

Still trying to establish himself as a German international, Havertz was very successful when deployed in the striker role in the closing weeks of the season. However, Werner’s arrival suggests Havertz wouldn’t be signed to play that role, but rather to replace Willian and Pedro as the right winger, where he has spent much of his career.

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Havertz, Chilwell, Silva and Rice? Watch out Premier League Chelsea have arrived

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It’s been an odd transfer window so far with not many big noticeable deals going through between the big clubs but it seems that Premier League side Chelsea are wanting to make a statement for next season.

The Blues have already spent over £80m buying Timo Werner from RB Leipzig and Hakim Ziyech from Ajax. Two players who on paper at least are superb additions to the squad. But Chelsea who qualified for next seasons Champions League after finishing 4th last season are not about to stop shopping yet.

Frank Lampard’s side are closing in on Kai Havertz the German youngster who is being tipped to be brilliant in his position, he currently plays for Bayer Leverkusen. Chelsea have put a succession of bids in for Havertz which have all been rejected although it seems that a deal for £90m could go through very soon.

Ben Chilwell, the Leicester defender has also been a target for some time and his name has been linked to Chelsea. It is thought that a deal for the player could go through this week as the clubs are in talks. But Chelsea are not stopping there. PSG defender Thiago Silva left the club on a free immediately after the Champions League final and it is thought that his next destination is likely to be Chelsea.

The Londoners are also keeping an eye out for Declan Rice at West Ham, although if they get Chilwell it is expected that might not be able to go for Rice too, as the Hammers could demand a hefty fee. But another player who seemingly looks on his way and in a bargain free transfer is Nice defender Malang Sarr. He is only 21 and has impressed in Ligue 1 but has purposely run down his contract which must have made his club furious. They will now get nothing for a youngster, out of all the deals being laid on the table for Chelsea Sarr’s arrival could end up being the best one.

If all the deals go through Chelsea will be looking at spending around £300m and one of the reasons the Blues can spend big is because they had a transfer embargo last summer when they couldn’t buy anyone and that has built up.

Chelsea are pushing this season to advance themselves and whilst it is brilliant news for the club it will be clear that manager Lampard’s position and objectives with the club will have to change with their spending. Lampard has been left in peace with zero pressure on him last season. That ended up paying dividends, after a shaky start Chelsea were in 3rd place for the majority of the season before being pipped down to 4th on the final day of the season on goal difference against Manchester United. It changed nothing of course. Although the board would have been displeased at losing the FA Cup final against Arsenal.

This season the bar will be set higher and any mistakes and a run of poor form will be magnified for Lampard. Then again when you look at what the starting line up could be for Chelsea they may well have their strongest team since winning the 2012 Champions League title.

This next season will be all about closing that gap to Liverpool and Manchester City and being more consistent. Also the club conceded 54 goals last season, that’s simply too many for a top 4 side, so their defence needs to be more shored up.

Chelsea have already raised over £60m selling the likes of Alvaro Morata and Mario Pasalic as they try and balance the books and of course they have lost Willian to Arsenal on a free.

So with this much spending and the quality coming in the pressure cooker will be more on Lampard but Chelsea are the one team in the Premier League so far making headway and making a statement that last seasons top 4 place was not a one off. Can they seriously challenge Liverpool and Manchester City next season though?

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Can West Ham move on with David Moyes or was the end of last season a false dawn?

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David Moyes and West Ham- the two parties have quite a history together. Moyes is in his 2nd stint with the club after being sacked in the first one. He was rehired last season with the Hammers in trouble. They looked like they would go down under him but the former Everton manager found the right balance just when it mattered and, in the end, West Ham comfortably stayed up.

It was interesting to see the turn around and form from the Hammers, and one could even go as far as saying that the feel good factor around a Moyes managed side has not been this good since his days managing Everton a decade ago.

At that time Moyes was seen as a special manager mostly because he kept regularly getting Everton into the top 6 in the league despite a small transfer budget every summer. He impressed so much that he convinced Sir Alex Ferguson that he would be the man to eventually take him over at Manchester United. The rest is history of course and after spells at United and Real Sociedad Moyes reputation was in tatters.

Many thought that getting Moyes back in at West Ham made no sense and to be fair for the majority of his time at the club in his 2nd term they would have been right. Despite West Ham picking up form and collecting 12 points in their last month which saved them from possible relegation we have to look at the hard facts.

It would be easy for any West Ham fan to get carried away- and some even hailed Moyes after the club was saved from relegation this season. The problem is is that Moyes was a contributing factor in the first place to how low the club had fallen last season. The hard facts tell us that Moyes winning percentage this season is 28%, that’s actually lower than when he was sacked the first time around.

From the 21 games he managed this season he won just 6 games, but of course those wins were the ones that mattered towards the end of the season. He did well and there was a feeling of togetherness- us v them, the fight was on and victory was had. One just wonders in the cold winter months coming up if the games played after the restart were just papering over the cracks?

Moyes’ West Ham earned 23 points in those 21 games, which if averaged out would mean that over a full season he was heading for around 36 points. That’s edgy stuff and by no means guarantees safety in any way shape or form.

Having said that if West Ham begin the season the way they ended it, they will be fine and even could challenge for a top 10 place. But one has to wonder how much of that run in was based on a comeback of hope and not skill, quality and a consistency that is needed to make an impact over the course of a season?

So far the Hammers much like other Premier League clubs have been quiet in the transfer market. Although they have made Tomas Soucek a permanent signing after he impressed last season. He has been snapped up for £15m which is a real bargain in today’s game.

Perhaps the Hammers biggest battle before the new season kicks off is keeping Declan Rice who is on the radar of a few clubs. If history tells us anything it is that West Ham have an uncanny ability to have world class talent in their ranks who are always sold when clubs come knocking.

The Hammers kick off the new season at home to Newcastle and then they are away to Arsenal before returning home to play Wolves. A good start will be needed to keep any confidence that has lingered over from the summer. If not this could end up being a long hard season for the Hammers. One way or another this season should reveal if Moyes has been able to find the magic once again or if those few weeks in the summer were just a flash in the pan.

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After West Ham are denied a point are there serious issues with VAR, handball and offside?

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VAR has been the main focus point in the Premier League this season and often made controversial choices. The newest one denied West Ham what looked like a last minute equaliser against Sheffield United. But VAR stepped in and denied the goal based on the fact that there had been a handball in the goal’s build up.

The new technology was right, there had been a handball. It was slight and it certainly wasn’t intentional, not in a Thierry Henry way when the French legend deliberately used his hand to control the ball in a World Cup play off with Ireland over a decade ago. This was different, there was no intention, no malice just the pace of the ball, the way it bobbled and the way the player in a natural position had received it. And yet a goal that looked pretty perfect did not exist and West Ham lost the game, incidentally David Moyes’ first loss as Hammers manager.

West Ham’s Declan Rice was the player at fault as he handled the ball and he had this to say to local sports channel Sky Sports after the controversial moment: “We are fuming all the lads are livid. This is a tough place to come, credit to them they ground it out. We created some chances and missed some chances. The goal at the end was a tough one to take because a point on the road would have been good for us.

Rice continued: “ I’ve just watched it back. He has knocked the ball into my hand. If you are running with your arms like that with the rules as they are now it is handball but it is not intentional. It is a kick in the teeth. I think it is the thoughts of every Premier League player, not just me, pretty much every one doesn’t want to have VAR in the game.There have been so many decisions this season that have been absolutely crazy. They were celebrating VAR like it was a goal and football should not be like that. I can’t get over it, he knocked it into my hand. It is not intentional handball. I was buzzing. I ran 20 metres up the pitch, slipped the ball in for Snodgrass.”

It is very understandable to feel Rice’s frustrations and it has happened countless times when VAR has stepped in whether it is a handball clearly not intentional or an offside. The offside’s this season have been almost comical where most of the time a goal has been chalked off because a players knee, nose or little finger has been officially offside. Surely this is not cheating or the attacking player having an advantage? They would in fact have to be incredibly ingenious to place a nose just in front of the defender all the while keeping tags on where the ball is and where the next pass will be coming from.

So is VAR to blame for the chaos? Well in truth the root of the problem are out of date and new laws. The hand ball situation is a farce, it ruined last years Champions League final for example. All VAR is essentially doing is going with the rules, but it is being too precise. That may sound odd but true football fans or at least the ones following for decades will understand there have always been errors, but those errors have led to goals and not a lack of. It seems ingrained in football fans DNA that the way of the game wasn’t to pause it and then take 3 minutes to decide if a goal is a goal. And like Rice said is it normal to cheer like a goal has been scored when a VAR decision has gone against the opposition?

It does feel that VAR should be taking some responsibility, after all that final decision is coming down to another referee, who is not seeing the issue at hand. If pressure is being applied to have these decisions within the new rules at a 100% return then the rules need to be amended. The bottom line is did that player seek to cheat to get an advantage?

The rules are the rules but they can still be overturned by VAR’s decision, a clear and obvious error and all that. For now that point lost could well come back to haunt West Ham who could be in a relegation battle within a few weeks.

For now this case needs to be filed under c for common sense, let’s hope the powers that be use it fully.

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Could West Ham have finished in a Europa League place without long term injuries?

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West-Ham-v-Everton(1)

West Ham have been safe for a long time, that is the positive news the bad news is that it doesn’t feel like the club have moved on and gone onto the next level. They are set to finish the season in 11th place, though if they can beat Watford away in their last game of the season they would squeeze into the top 10 and finish the season with 52 points. Last season the Hammers finished on 42 points so there has been a significant improvement.

However with the quality that the team possess and a world class stadium to go with it and a successful manager in Manuel Pellegrini perhaps we were expecting more. But the one noticeable problem for the club has been the amount of injuries that they have had to endure. And we are not talking about players missing one of two games or even a few weeks, but chunks of the season which must have greatly affected the team.

Jack Wilshire has only just returned from an injury that he picked up in September and Andy Carroll keeps coming back in fits and bursts but has hardly played this season. But even before the season started there were problems. Manuel Lanzini got injured for Argentina in last summers World Cup- his return date, last month. The case of the highly rated Andriy Yarmolenko is another head scratcher. Injured early on his West Ham career, he wasn’t expected back until March, now he won’t take any part in the season, Winston Reid has been another casualty of the season.

The clubs training facilities at Chadwell Heath have been cited as a problem in recent years but they have another two training grounds and the first team rarely train there although it has been known. Then there is the medical staff- are they up to the job? The probability is that they are indeed and that the clubs injury list is simply down to being unlucky. But then again why does it seem that the Hammers keep missing key players that can make all the difference for long periods of time?

Certainly deciding to bring in Wilshire and Carroll made no sense in the light that these were two injury prone players well before they came to West Ham- to end up with one was a surprise, but both seems odd. Of course on their day and when fit they can be a danger for any opposition team but they simply do not get enough games to play.

One can only wonder if West Ham with their best 11 playing regularly could have challenged for more this season? Perhaps at least 7th and a final Europa League spot in England and a deep run in a cup competition would have been welcome for a side who haven’t won a major trophy since 1980.

Every club gets injuries it is part and parcel of the game, but West Ham need to address why their injuries are taking a season and not a few weeks to mend, otherwise the club no matter who they bring in will be able to go forward.

 

Samir Nasri’s brilliant start to life at West Ham United

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nasri

There were mixed reactions to the initial news that West Ham United were signing Samir Nasri. Having been banned for doping he began training with the Hammers towards the end of 2018 to earn a contract, with it being announced he had successfully done so at the very beginning of January. Many felt that he wouldn’t be up to the standard after his extended period out of the game. However, Manuel Pellegrini clearly saw enough in him during those training sessions to offer him a contract. His early performances have begun to get the supporters on side as well.

He was on left on the bench against Brighton & Hove Albion –the first game after he was signed- before making his debut in the FA Cup Third Round match against Birmingham City. He played 58 minutes in the 2-0 win, showing the technical ability that had led to him being held in such high esteem during his prime years. There were some touches of true class from the Frenchman during the game, with a pinpoint pass to Marko Arnautovic on the edge of the box after the ball had popped up being a prime example.

Nasri also worked hard throughout his time on the pitch, though it seemed he tired after half time before being brought off. However, even after the training he’s undertaken it would have been a big ask to expect the Frenchman to last the entirety of the game.His creative contributions certainly helped In the time he did play, as the Hammers booked their place in the next round.

His performance impressed the manager enough to earn him a spot in the starting line up for the next game. This meant his first game back in the Premier League would be against Arsenal. It was the perfect setting for his comeback: playing against the club who have loathed him so heavily ever since he left them to join Manchester City.

The Arsenal supporters may have been charged up in the stands, but Nasri remained composed on the pitch. A moment which epitomises this is when he had the ball near the edge of the box and was being put under pressure by the Arsenal defence. Rather than panic and try to get a snap shot off, he patiently waited for Felipe Anderson to arrive before laying it off to the Brazilian for a first time shot. The effort may not have gone in, but that alongside other forms of link up play showed that he will be a creative and threatening attacking presence in West Ham’s side.

His most important contribution came in the 48th minute, when Granit Xhaka’s weak defensive header fell to his feet in the box. He took one touch out of his feet, saw Declan Rice and played the ball to the 19-year-old, setting the youngster up for his first ever senior goal. What made the moment even sweeter is that this was the only goal of the game and handed the Hammers the win.

The Frenchman and his team mates will now be looking to build on these victories. West Ham’s next match will be against AFC Bournemouth, with a win potentially taking them up to seventh.

 

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Declan Rice signs West Ham contract extension

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Declan Rice

The January transfer window hasn’t even begun, but West Ham United have already secured a piece of business which will surely be their most important of the winter. Less than 24 hours after yet another stellar performance, this time in a 2-1 win against Southampton, it was announced that Declan Rice had signed a new contract.

This new deal will see him stay in claret and blue until 2024, with the club holding the option to offer him an extra year on top of that. His contract negotiations have been long and drawn out, with the board offering less than was seen as acceptable numerous times. Rice had received criticism from some for not accepting the previous offers, with others using his decision to think over his national allegiances having represented Republic of Ireland three times as a stick to beat him with. The time taken over these decisions have led some to question him.

However, most would say that these two decisions are ones he was right to take time over. Most importantly he hasn’t allowed speculation to interfere with his game. Rice has shown incredible maturity and consistency both on and off the pitch, which is impressive for anyone with all those questions hanging over their head. For him to deal with all of that at the age of 19, while maintaining a high level of performance in the Premier League, is highly impressive.

He’s already made his 50th appearance for the Hammers- which came in the 2-0 loss against Watford. During that game and the victory at St. Mary’s, among other matches, the club’s supporters could be heard chanting ‘Sign him up’. Now that his contract is sorted, West Ham fans can enjoy watching the academy graduate in the heart of their midfield without having to worry about losing him. Rice is someone they’ve taken to their hearts due to the way that he conducts himself on the pitch; there is a clear pride to see someone from the academy who has an affinity with the club excelling to this level.

Rice is an integral part of the team now, having started each of West Ham’s last 17 matches in all competitions. His manager has been complimentary of his performances and the way he’s dealt with everything that’s come his way, including that he feels the 19-year-old has a bright future ahead of him.

Tomorrow’s match against Burnley sees Rice face the team that he made his debut against just 18 months ago. It is a testament to his ability and attitude to see how far he’s come in the time since that two-minute cameo. He and his team mates will be looking to secure back to back wins after losing their previous winning streak against Watford, as they look to push further up the table.

That will be the last match the Hammers play before the madness of the January transfer window begins. According to numerous sources it is highly likely that Samir Nasri will be signing for West Ham on a free transfer. Aside from that many feel that, with the form the men in claret and blue are have shown in December, there isn’t much need for too many reinforcements. Everyone’s just happy that Declan Rice’s contract is sorted.

 

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West Ham keep their first clean sheet of the season

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West Ham came into today’s match against Chelsea off the back of a 3-1 victory against Everton- their first Premier League win of the season. However, there will have been many who doubted that the Hammers would be able to get anything against the Blues, even despite their Europa League travels. Chelsea have won scored 14 times this season, but they were unable to get on the score sheet at the London Stadium, as West Ham earned their first clean sheet of the season.

The game may have ended 0-0 –ending Chelsea’s 100% league record- but the Hammers could have easily won it. Michail Antonio had two chances in the first half which he failed to get past Kepa Arrizabalaga. Andriy Yarmolenko had the best chance though, as he found himself in acres of space just outside the six yard box when Robert Snodgrass crossed the ball in, but his header went wide of the post.

While the missed chances will leave the Hammers frustrated, the lack of opportunities Chelsea created will be satisfying for Manuel Pellegrini and his side. Before the international break West Ham had been widely criticised for their poor defensive displays, especially during their 4-0 opening day loss against Liverpool. They were highly impressive defensively today though.

Chelsea’s midfield three of Jorginho, N’Golo Kante and Mateo Kovacic have dominated games between them this season, however, they were unable to do so today. The trio of Mark Noble, Declan Rice and Pedro Obiang did a brilliant job of keeping them at bay. Yarmolenko and Felipe Anderson also played their part, as they also regularly tracked back which led to the midfield area becoming incredibly overcrowded. This led to their forward passing routes being shut off, consequentially there were plenty of backward passes and hopeful balls from the men in blue.

One talking point going into the match was how the Hammers could stop Eden Hazard, who came into the match with five goals and two assists in five Premier League appearances. While cutting off the supply to him helps, it was clear that the Belgian was going to get the ball at times. When he did have the ball at his feet there was always someone hot on his trail. If he drifted to the right hand side he was met by Arthur Masuaku, if he went to the left Pablo Zabaleta would work tirelessly to ensure he didn’t have space and Rice was always there to help the full back out or fill in for them when required. Issa Diop and Fabian Balbuena were also incredibly resolute in the way that they defended, pulling off plenty of tackles, blocks and interceptions at vital times.

It was clear that with the attacking talent at Chelsea’s disposal they would be able to carve open the occasional opportunity. Whenever they did Lukasz Fabianski, who has been one of West Ham’s top performers this season, was there to stop them. The Polish goalkeeper was arguably man of the match, as he produced some brilliant saves. The pick of the bunch has to be his stop at the feet of Alvaro Morata. The Spaniard, who had replaced Olivier Giroud let off a shot in the box, but Fabianski rushed out, stopping the ball with his face.

The nature of the defending that earned the Hammers a clean sheet today will be incredibly encouraging. With Manchester United next in the league, they will be hoping to continue this form defensively to continue climbing the table.

 

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West Ham must find a way to deal with Eden Hazard

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Eden Hazard

As Chelsea travelled to Thessaloniki, Greece for their Europa League opener against PAOK, which they won 1-0, one notable man had not travelled. Having told Mauricio Sarri that he was tired after the international break and the 4-1 win against Cardiff City, in which he scored a hat trick, Eden Hazard was left home so that he could recover.

The reaction to the Balgian’s request has been mixed, but one thing everyone can agree on is this means he will be fully prepared when Chelsea travel to the London Stadium on Sunday. That does pose one question though, especially for Hammers fans: how do West Ham go about stopping him?

Hazard’s form this season sees him currently sit top of the goal scoring charts. He got an assist in each of Chelsea’s first two games, against Huddersfield and Arsenal. That was then followed up by a goal in each of his next two games, against Newcastle United and AFC Bournemouth, before his mesmerising hat trick last weekend.  It is now West Ham’s task to ensure he doesn’t add to that tally.

With the Belgian’s starting position being on the left hand side of Chelsea’s front three, one decision to be made is who will directly face off with him from the right back position. Having secured West Ham’s first league win of the season last Sunday with Pablo Zabaleta at right back, Manuel Pellegrini may not want to change things. However, with someone with Hazard’s pace it will be a mismatch if Chelsea’s number 10 is able to get in behind him. The other option is Ryan Fredericks, the Englishman possesses plenty of pace but has struggled since signing from Fulham.

Though his base position is on the left, Hazard, especially under Sarri, drifts around the pitch finding pockets of space to exploit. Having produced a superb performance against Everton, Declan Rice is likely to be deployed in the holding midfield role for West Ham, the Republic of Ireland international will likely be asked to keep tabs on the Belgian, especially when he moves infield. What stood out about the 19-year-old’s performance at Goodison Park was his ability to cover his team mates and clear up danger before passing the ball off to a team mate; it is important he is able to do this again if his side are to get a result against Chelsea.

West Ham got a lot of success against the Blues last season, winning 1-0 at home and drawing 1-1 away. Hazard played the entire 90 minutes in both of those matches but didn’t manage a goal or assist. However, in the 2016/17 season Chelsea overcame the Hammers 2-1 in both of the side’s league meetings, with Hazard scoring the opening goal in both games.

Chelsea do possess other threats: Marcos Alonso has one goal and five assists in the league, Pedro (who is a doubt after sustaining a shoulder injury against PAOK) has three league goals, while Willian has one goal and two assists. However, it is clear that if West Ham are to get anything from the game they must nullify the danger that Hazard poses.

 

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Declan Rice shows he’s the midfielder West Ham need

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Declan Rice

Before the Everton match last Sunday, West Ham’s midfield had looked lost on several occasions. With three points desperately needed, most Hammers supporters were wondering what Manuel Pellegrini would do to solve this issue, especially following the news that Jack Wilshere would be out injured. The Chilean’s answer was to go with three in the midfield with Mark Noble and Pedro Obiang deployed with Declan Rice just behind them.

With three defensively minded players in the centre of the pitch, many supporters were left wondering how things would work going forward. However, the team looked incredibly balanced, with Rice being the central cog which kept the team’s machine ticking over for the full 90 minutes. He screened the defence brilliantly throughout the match, covered his midfield partners if they were caught in possession and distributed the ball well whenever he had it at his feet.

With Rice playing such a disciplined and protective role, it allowed others around him to thrive. Noble and especially Obiang created a lot more than they normally would do going forward. However, with them still being defensively aware players they were also able to fill in when needed. When looking at the shape of the midfield when Everton were in possession, they were always a unit; close enough to support each other and double up but far enough to ensure that if the point of play was switched they could go out and cut out the opposition’s options. One thing that was always clear though is that everything centred around Rice.

This also helped Felipe Anderson, Marko Arnautovic and Andriy Yarmolenko to wreak havoc on the Everton defence. There have been games since his £42 million summer move where Anserson has looked ineffective, playing too deep so that he could help Arthur Masuaku defensively. This is partly because the number of attacking minded players Pellegrini had been using also forced them to focus on defensive duties. However, with Rice covering his team mates all the time, it gave the Brazilian and his team mates in the front three more freedom to focus on threatening the opposition. It is clear that this paid dividends, with Yarmolenko getting two goals, Arnautovic getting a goal and assist, while Anderson had Jonjoe Kenny pinned back for the majority of the game.

Rice got a lot of praise after the game, but what makes his mature performance even more impressive is the turbulent start to the season he had before this. He had started the first game of the season, but with the midfield being overrun by Liverpool’s, the 19-year-old was the man hauled off at half time with the side 2-0 down. Things didn’t improve after the substitution as the team ended up losing 4-0. He then didn’t even make the bench against AFC Bournemouth and was an unused substitute against Arsenal and Wolves. The only match he played in during that period was the 3-1 Carabao Cup victory against AFC Wimbledon.

Added to his lack of game time, he was at the centre of a media storm, which was whipped up after he decided to take time over deciding his international future. With three Republic of Ireland caps under his belt, the London-born player took the opportunity to mull over whether he wanted to represent the men in green or England. However, this is something which many including James McClean and Kevin Kilbane took exception to. For the teenager to recover from his early season disappointment and block those criticisms from his head, putting in such an assured performance in the first game since the international break, is testament to his attitude.

The next test for Rice and his team mates is Chelsea, the club that the youngster was released by when he was 14-years-old. With the Blues still maintaining a perfect record in the league, it is clearly going to be a big challenge for the Hammers. However, having impressed so much against another side in blue, Rice will see this as another opportunity to show the slot in midfield he occupied at Goodison Park should be his on a permanent basis.

 

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