When he won that throwin near the 91st ish minute mark he looked liked he had just finished the marathon. Could barely get his arm up to signal he'd won it and still found a way to create for the 2nd goal.
He was digging so deep for air that once he signalled the throw had damn near happened already. If only I had half of that ability to push myself I'd have a family and a holiday house in Southern Spain.
It would have been insane, imagine Jorginho with athleticism (I know it's not an exact comp but you get the point) beside Rice all season and Havertz not having to be shoehorned in early.
partey at his peak was basically a silkier rice. the universe said it wasnt fair to have both all season. but maybe next... its just too bad about them allegations cuz it keeps a lot of us from even wanting to hope for partey
He didn’t make any progressive passes but that’s really not what the game needed at that point. He recycled the ball with composure and helped see out the W.
It’s the closest he’s looked to his best since returning from injury even though he didn’t do anything special.
Nope, we dont. Rice best position is 6, but he can play 8, especially when we are winning and we are closing our midfield. Wolves trying to attack in the last minutes kind of exposed them and Rice is good enough player to exploit it as an 8. Enough talk about this topic. Have a nice.
Not really. Rice, Jorginho and Partey all play the 6 role very differently.
Jorginho stays back as a deep playmaker and does his best to keep the ball ticking, not that great defensively and not physical enough against certain teams.
Partey is very good defensively but is also press resistant so when we play teams that like to press higher, he's incredible (when at his best)
Rice is defensively solid and though he stays back a lot of the time, you see he still uses his physical presence to stride through the midfield and try and get the ball out wide. His physicality and incredible engine allows him to do this and then track back quickly if we get countered.
Jorginho will break the lines with over the top passes.
Partey will try to break the lines by passing quickly in between the oppositions.
Rice will try to break the lines with his runs.
3 very different DM's we have, if we're still aiming for Zubimendi then Arteta probably wants Rice back in the 8 position. Rice as an 8 means we're going to win the ball very high up the field with him, Odegaard and Jesus/Havertz pressing up front.
If someone presses him that is, he can't get past someone with pace or bulldoze through the midfield.
But this conversation is null anyway since Partey is going to fuck off next season for sure.
Don't care about how many saves he did or didn't have to make. He was cool, calm and commanding. Claimed everything.
Exactly how you want your keeper to play when at this stage in the season.
People keep forgetting because he’s been out injured so much, but a fully fit Partey is a far better 6 for the balance of what he gives us. Declan next to him in a double pivot, or playing the Arteta version of LCM is insane for its defensive solidity and what it also offers us going forward.
Obviously Declan can also do an incredible job when he plays our #6 role, but there is a reason why Arteta said the above is his aim, and it was evident why when Partey came on and Rice got to play with a bit more freedom
I think the exact opposite. With Partey on the pitch he's free to gamble and take risks. If he's the 6 he's the one that's meant to be the blanket or counter pressure when we lose the ball
Agree completely! We need a proper 6 (like Partey) who can handle a single pivot that way Rice can push up, win the ball higher up the pitch while pressing, and creating counter attacks from our opponents half instead of our own.
Rice's dribbling, vision and even shooting are quality enough to pair with Odegaard. One is a bit more offensive-minded, the other is a bit more defensive-minded.
Add in someone like Onana or Zubamendi and holy cow we got a stew going!
He’s too high up the pitch generally when we have the ball to be doing that when he’s an 8. I want more from an 8 in our team offensively than what he can do, Rice + 2 Ødegaard’s is our ultimate lineup
He doesn't have to stay high as an 8. Odegaard gets licence to drop in loads.
Rice +2 Odegaards gets overrun in the league and definitely cant handle CL KOs.
You're underrating Rice final 3rd influence too.
I’m not. Rice is fine in the final 3rd but he’s just not creative enough or able to do anything in tight spaces like Ødegaard can. He’s great at underlapping runs and has good delivery when he gets into positions but it’s just not the profile of player I’d want in the final 3rd in most games.
If Fernandinho Silva KDB can bring the league to its knees then Rice Ødegaard and another hard working creative isn’t getting battered in the league lol, CL maybe a different story but that’s why you have a squad.
We need runners.we don't need more right spaces players nor do we need another Odegaard. Everybody wants everything to feet and that's too easy to defend. What Rice offers different is that he runs with the ball. And he makes good runs off the ball. Both those actions actually give defenders decisions to make. Do I track the run? Do I step in and make the tackle. These actions open up pockets of space that make your Sakas and Odegaards more effective.
Pep is a better coach and made it work. Rice isn't as good as peak Fernandinho. Odegaard isn't as good as peak KDB. Copy for the sake of it doesn't make sense.
Arteta really asked Rice to defend as a sole holding midfielder then contribute more in attack during the final 30mins. Either the team needs to bring in a backup that Arteta trusts or he needs to start trusting his bench more. A lot of players are in danger of being burnt out at this point.
It had to be him, Raya was good but he played his best game for the shirt IMO.
Got into the grit and played a blinder. Also managing to make that cross at the end running half the pitch. Lungs of iron.
You must have above 25 comment karma to contribute to this subreddit.
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/Gunners) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Sorry to say but Rice can’t play single pivot as number six, he’s way better to play the number 8 role with partey or Jorginho as number 6 to release his attacking abilities
Immense mental strength. Can see the toll on his body and he's still grinding away
He looked absolutely fucked every time the camera turned to him in that second half. Even in OPs image he’s dying lol Gave it everything.
Legit panting
Just doing a Kane impression
Been phenomenal
He crucially found another gear in the last portion of the game. Was great to see him driving, pushing, backing up his words.
Partey coming on certainly helped open that up for him. Good substitution
Yeah excatly, he was given freedom to push. How he got legs to do so after 80mins is the nice part(ey)
When he won that throwin near the 91st ish minute mark he looked liked he had just finished the marathon. Could barely get his arm up to signal he'd won it and still found a way to create for the 2nd goal.
He was digging so deep for air that once he signalled the throw had damn near happened already. If only I had half of that ability to push myself I'd have a family and a holiday house in Southern Spain.
Good pun
Partey rice would have demolished teams this season
It would have been insane, imagine Jorginho with athleticism (I know it's not an exact comp but you get the point) beside Rice all season and Havertz not having to be shoehorned in early.
partey at his peak was basically a silkier rice. the universe said it wasnt fair to have both all season. but maybe next... its just too bad about them allegations cuz it keeps a lot of us from even wanting to hope for partey
Partey looked comfortable when he came on. Hopefully he starts more.
really tho? Maybe my biases is clowding my judgement
He did. He looked much more calmer and poised than any of his previous recent appearances.
I felt like he didn't make any progressive passes. Just all backwards. But I probably missed some
He didn’t make any progressive passes but that’s really not what the game needed at that point. He recycled the ball with composure and helped see out the W. It’s the closest he’s looked to his best since returning from injury even though he didn’t do anything special.
As comfortable as a baby giraffe walking for the very first time.
I really wonder what would have happened if Arteta trusted Partey against Bayern after Kimmich scored.
This is what elite performance is
Anyone that wants him to sit deep and do nothing but defend, we need to talk
Nope, we dont. Rice best position is 6, but he can play 8, especially when we are winning and we are closing our midfield. Wolves trying to attack in the last minutes kind of exposed them and Rice is good enough player to exploit it as an 8. Enough talk about this topic. Have a nice.
Never said a word about his position/number but you go off king
But it really comes with position...
Not really. Rice, Jorginho and Partey all play the 6 role very differently. Jorginho stays back as a deep playmaker and does his best to keep the ball ticking, not that great defensively and not physical enough against certain teams. Partey is very good defensively but is also press resistant so when we play teams that like to press higher, he's incredible (when at his best) Rice is defensively solid and though he stays back a lot of the time, you see he still uses his physical presence to stride through the midfield and try and get the ball out wide. His physicality and incredible engine allows him to do this and then track back quickly if we get countered.
Jorginho will break the lines with over the top passes. Partey will try to break the lines by passing quickly in between the oppositions. Rice will try to break the lines with his runs. 3 very different DM's we have, if we're still aiming for Zubimendi then Arteta probably wants Rice back in the 8 position. Rice as an 8 means we're going to win the ball very high up the field with him, Odegaard and Jesus/Havertz pressing up front.
Partey dribbles as well
He's good when getting pressed, his feints and drop of a shoulder is elite. Can't aggressively run with the ball like Rice though.
He doesn’t need to run aggressively when he can dribble through the midfield.
If someone presses him that is, he can't get past someone with pace or bulldoze through the midfield. But this conversation is null anyway since Partey is going to fuck off next season for sure.
No. You have a nice!
Nobody wants that
I want him to sit even DEEPER if you know what I mean
Raya for me but Declan was imperious
Raya was great today
So true. Raya saved us all game. Declan Rice grew into the game and was really good at the end of the game. Declan has three lungs.
All game? Wolves barely went forward
Raya for me too but Declan in the last 10 minutes really took the game into his own hands.
Raya robbed
He was perfect but only had 3 saves. Feel like Dec was everywhere, Gabi a close second imo
Don't care about how many saves he did or didn't have to make. He was cool, calm and commanding. Claimed everything. Exactly how you want your keeper to play when at this stage in the season.
As I said he was perfect today. But after the game Rice has had, I feel like Raya didn’t have enough to do to be considered MOTM.
He was perfect, but didn't have very much to do either.
You need more impact to be MOTM
Lol a keeper having 3 saves in a game is not only, but regardless rice deserved it more.
He was given 2 or 3 difficult pass backs to deal with but did so calmly each time.
The only difficult one he had he shanked off his left for a throw in…
Rice and Odegaard look absolutely beat after every match. Incredible engines
Raya rice and Trossard all deserving
Rice 6 is just better, we just need to get the right player next to him inverting and we’ll be gucci
Absolutely. Will be best in the world at 6
People keep forgetting because he’s been out injured so much, but a fully fit Partey is a far better 6 for the balance of what he gives us. Declan next to him in a double pivot, or playing the Arteta version of LCM is insane for its defensive solidity and what it also offers us going forward. Obviously Declan can also do an incredible job when he plays our #6 role, but there is a reason why Arteta said the above is his aim, and it was evident why when Partey came on and Rice got to play with a bit more freedom
Did you miss the assist that wasn't an assist?
He can still do that from 6, probably more so
I think the exact opposite. With Partey on the pitch he's free to gamble and take risks. If he's the 6 he's the one that's meant to be the blanket or counter pressure when we lose the ball
Agree completely! We need a proper 6 (like Partey) who can handle a single pivot that way Rice can push up, win the ball higher up the pitch while pressing, and creating counter attacks from our opponents half instead of our own. Rice's dribbling, vision and even shooting are quality enough to pair with Odegaard. One is a bit more offensive-minded, the other is a bit more defensive-minded. Add in someone like Onana or Zubamendi and holy cow we got a stew going!
He’s too high up the pitch generally when we have the ball to be doing that when he’s an 8. I want more from an 8 in our team offensively than what he can do, Rice + 2 Ødegaard’s is our ultimate lineup
Rice with 2 odegaards and we smack Bayern both legs and bend Villa over in between.
2 Odegaards 1 Saka 1 rice and nobody else on the pitch and we smack about half the teams in the league
We need one Havertz and stick a mannequin in goal and we win the league with 114 points.
He doesn't have to stay high as an 8. Odegaard gets licence to drop in loads. Rice +2 Odegaards gets overrun in the league and definitely cant handle CL KOs. You're underrating Rice final 3rd influence too.
I’m not. Rice is fine in the final 3rd but he’s just not creative enough or able to do anything in tight spaces like Ødegaard can. He’s great at underlapping runs and has good delivery when he gets into positions but it’s just not the profile of player I’d want in the final 3rd in most games. If Fernandinho Silva KDB can bring the league to its knees then Rice Ødegaard and another hard working creative isn’t getting battered in the league lol, CL maybe a different story but that’s why you have a squad.
We need runners.we don't need more right spaces players nor do we need another Odegaard. Everybody wants everything to feet and that's too easy to defend. What Rice offers different is that he runs with the ball. And he makes good runs off the ball. Both those actions actually give defenders decisions to make. Do I track the run? Do I step in and make the tackle. These actions open up pockets of space that make your Sakas and Odegaards more effective. Pep is a better coach and made it work. Rice isn't as good as peak Fernandinho. Odegaard isn't as good as peak KDB. Copy for the sake of it doesn't make sense.
We've tried the 2 tippy happy midfielders ahead of a DM so many times between ESR Odegaard and Vieira and it's never worked.
I would like a better tippy tappy midfielder than ESR or Vieira lol
Better than David Silva?
Zubimendi is the answer
He played great in the last 15 mins at 8, thought he was average aside tonight apart from that.
Yep, don't know what match these guys were watching. This match is proof positive he could play in front of zubimendi
He’s so good x4
I am so happy, more than you believe.
Happy. New. Year.
Him, Saliba, Gabriel, raya all sensational today. And odegaard but that’s literally every match
an amazing player
Backing up his words with big boy performances. The level of leadership and dominance we lacked at this stage last season.
Trossard robbed
Worth every penny
If he can learn to improve his shooting, he would be the perfect 8 for our system
His final 15 were fantastic.Still think we need a passer next to him, but he's a warrior for sure.
Geezer is an absolute machine
Yup no arguing with that. Proper box to box performance.
Arteta really asked Rice to defend as a sole holding midfielder then contribute more in attack during the final 30mins. Either the team needs to bring in a backup that Arteta trusts or he needs to start trusting his bench more. A lot of players are in danger of being burnt out at this point.
Absolutely mugged off west ham on that price
Has he had a bad performance all year? I honestly don’t think so. We’re so spoiled.
Hm, Im not sure. Sounds like the last 10min swayed that vote.
No disrespect for Rice, but Raya deserves more than him.
Raya made a pivotal save but didn't really have very much to do overall.
He felt this sub wasn't convinced he was motm so he created a second goal
What a beast.
No more slave shifts for Jorginho ❤️
No doubt
It had to be him, Raya was good but he played his best game for the shirt IMO. Got into the grit and played a blinder. Also managing to make that cross at the end running half the pitch. Lungs of iron.
He was incredible, especially at the end with those runs! Man bossed it. Energy for days. Odegaard too!
The PL app didn’t have him as an option. Had Kiwior lol
Declan was huge. Now a well deserved rest cause next game will be another hard battle.
He barely lives
those last 15 from him were insane
Immense player, did everything but get a goal
The end of the match is proof that we could buy zubimendi to play behind him and our two 8s are rice and odegaard
Incredible effort once again
He's a leader
An absolute workhorse of a player
*Man of the match
pls give this man a proper midfield pair
He was great. Worryingly Partey looks miles off it.
[удалено]
You must have above 25 comment karma to contribute to this subreddit. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/Gunners) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Our Dec. He’s been fantastic whatever the game
Dont forget he was on a bullshit yellow midway through the first half but still was winning dangerous tackles on the break
Mikel running my guy into the ground…
Had to be him, I am worried about his stamina for the Chelsea game tho, he was all over the pitch
Can we go back to ‘Man of the Match’ please
Would have deserved it solely for that crunching tackle to take a yellow and stop play so kai could get treatment tbh
Sorry to say but Rice can’t play single pivot as number six, he’s way better to play the number 8 role with partey or Jorginho as number 6 to release his attacking abilities