To be fair, he clearly can play the 8, and was utilized there sometimes for Arsenal, though I think they will get away from that if Partey leaves and they get a 9 in (so that Havertz can go back to the 8). I am not disputing his versatility at all, and it is not like TAA being shoehorned into an 8 spot he has almost no experience at for his club (actually, none at all).
But...I do think Rice is one of the absolute best DMs on the planet, and when there is a lot of worry about how our defence will cope, having someone with Rice's capability screening them is absolutely perfect, in my opinion. It gives us a lot of security in that spot, and if we played Bellingham at the 8 (as I would prefer) I think it would release Jude to get forward more while still allowing someone like Foden, Palmer or Eze to come in at the 10.
I have to concede that when I originally posited Rice for DM at this tournament, upon being told that he was not a DM I took it at face value and did not see the subtext, still don’t in fact. I just went right on and pointed out how often he had played there, how it was his preferred position, how his country’s needs were different from his club’s needs, all the time entirely ignorant of the complex fungus-like web beneath the surface of the statement “Declan Rice is not a defensive midfielder”. I’m willing to learn if you are willing to teach me Eric - give me the key so that I can understand the full majesty of the subtext.
Foden wasn’t amazing but he wasn’t awful. Palmer might come in for Trent and play on the left in the next game allowing Foden and Bellingham to play in front of Rice.
Pretty much all international teams have to play some players outside their club position. It’s down to the manager to choose who to move but also down to the player to adapt to how they are requested to play and not use being out of position as an excuse.
A fun trend seems to be emerging of fans destroying food associated with rival fans. On Saturday Albanians snapped pasta in half in front of 'distraught' Italian fans and today Austrians have been snapping baguettes in half in front of the French.
The Danish could pour lager down the drain in front of the English later this week and the Swiss could beat a haggis to death in front of the Scots on Wednesday.
The subtext of this was that, while Jordan Pickford plays in goal and always has played in goal, he's not just a goalkeeper. He also likes to paint beautiful watercolours of the Lake District when he gets a chance. Quite how you failed to understand that I don't know.
The trend seems to be "acting like a twat in public, filming it and seeing if enough people are outraged, amused or offended for you to become a minor celebrity"
Danish lager should always be poured straight down the drain and if a man wants to bang his haggis he should probably not do it in public.
Surely Danish lager is probably the best lager in the world??
that of course is an oxymoron. It’s impossible for any lager to be the best in the world when everyone knows that all lagers taste the same. thank goodness for proper beer like a foaming pint of 6x or Jail ale.
Indeed. I think the English defeated lager a while ago. This is a bit sad..but I often eat cuisine of a competing nation during a game. Bacon sandwiches on Thursday and snails tonight
Of course, German lager is vaguely acceptable due to the purity of it's ingredients. And shouldn't be generalised. As my FSA handbook says 'dont ask for kolsch in Dusseldorf or the waiters may turn aggressive. @Kim_il_Swan
Comments
if you'd kept your ears open over the weekend you'd have heard quite a few pundits on tv and radio say something similar
Doesn't make it right of course, just an opinion at the end of the day.
To be fair, he clearly can play the 8, and was utilized there sometimes for Arsenal, though I think they will get away from that if Partey leaves and they get a 9 in (so that Havertz can go back to the 8). I am not disputing his versatility at all, and it is not like TAA being shoehorned into an 8 spot he has almost no experience at for his club (actually, none at all).
But...I do think Rice is one of the absolute best DMs on the planet, and when there is a lot of worry about how our defence will cope, having someone with Rice's capability screening them is absolutely perfect, in my opinion. It gives us a lot of security in that spot, and if we played Bellingham at the 8 (as I would prefer) I think it would release Jude to get forward more while still allowing someone like Foden, Palmer or Eze to come in at the 10.
Nobody said "Declan Rice is not a defensive midfielder".
I’m quite gratified by how many goals have been conceded by teams trying to (over) play out from the back.
One of the many great things about euros/wc is that there is never a dominant team and always one or two 'dark horses'.
Not just the greatest sport in the World, the greatest creation in World history.
Thoughts on Romania as a dark horse @LX1? Ukraine were poor, but I thought Romania's work-rate and pressing was superb.
I have to concede that when I originally posited Rice for DM at this tournament, upon being told that he was not a DM I took it at face value and did not see the subtext, still don’t in fact. I just went right on and pointed out how often he had played there, how it was his preferred position, how his country’s needs were different from his club’s needs, all the time entirely ignorant of the complex fungus-like web beneath the surface of the statement “Declan Rice is not a defensive midfielder”. I’m willing to learn if you are willing to teach me Eric - give me the key so that I can understand the full majesty of the subtext.
Foden wasn’t amazing but he wasn’t awful. Palmer might come in for Trent and play on the left in the next game allowing Foden and Bellingham to play in front of Rice.
Pretty much all international teams have to play some players outside their club position. It’s down to the manager to choose who to move but also down to the player to adapt to how they are requested to play and not use being out of position as an excuse.
@Ed_ Jordan Pickford is not a goalkeeper.
Disappointing to find out Dennis Man and Emmanuel Dennis are two different people.
@drcongo there is not a grain of, no, wait, something about toothpicks or river crossings, the parting of the waves maybe.
And now I am spent again
They were unbeaten in qualifying I think (poor group mind..Swiss were the seeds).
Not for me. Ukraine were poor and I'm not a one game wally.
The constant caveat is Greece 04 though (who were rubbish. They really were). So who knows. Football. Wonderful
A fun trend seems to be emerging of fans destroying food associated with rival fans. On Saturday Albanians snapped pasta in half in front of 'distraught' Italian fans and today Austrians have been snapping baguettes in half in front of the French.
The Danish could pour lager down the drain in front of the English later this week and the Swiss could beat a haggis to death in front of the Scots on Wednesday.
The subtext of this was that, while Jordan Pickford plays in goal and always has played in goal, he's not just a goalkeeper. He also likes to paint beautiful watercolours of the Lake District when he gets a chance. Quite how you failed to understand that I don't know.
The trend seems to be "acting like a twat in public, filming it and seeing if enough people are outraged, amused or offended for you to become a minor celebrity"
Danish lager should always be poured straight down the drain and if a man wants to bang his haggis he should probably not do it in public.
Surely Danish lager is probably the best lager in the world??
that of course is an oxymoron. It’s impossible for any lager to be the best in the world when everyone knows that all lagers taste the same. thank goodness for proper beer like a foaming pint of 6x or Jail ale.
Indeed. I think the English defeated lager a while ago. This is a bit sad..but I often eat cuisine of a competing nation during a game. Bacon sandwiches on Thursday and snails tonight
Washed down with a bottle of cote du rhone naturally
Of course, German lager is vaguely acceptable due to the purity of it's ingredients. And shouldn't be generalised. As my FSA handbook says 'dont ask for kolsch in Dusseldorf or the waiters may turn aggressive. @Kim_il_Swan
If any Europeans start desecrating Yorkshire puddings in front of our lot, it could be mayhem.
There's a few German websites that successfully market Toad in the hole. But don't ask me to explain it to micra
The Danish have even less to write home about than we do, all they have is open sandwiches and Lurpak, this is why they have hugge.
The breakfast of champions....
Only Bavarian lager.
If the Danish pour Danish lager down the drain, surely they are only offending themselves.
It's early days of course but the application of VAR in Euro 2024 has been really good thus far.
What are the chances the Premier League will follow this model in 2024/25?
Also the ITV expert who explains the decision is very decent. Sorry Mr Barton.
I have a proposed model too:
Mbappe makes a huge meal of very slight brush to the face, getting an Austrian player booked.
Seconds later, he gets absolutely clattered (by accident) causing a very real injury to his nose.
I'm not laughing, you are.