The Scottish Player & Fred

Originally Posted by Denis Irwell

Aye, we could do with a bit of guile there but I can’t hate them like some do.

They’re limited, but you can’t fault their effort. They’re also not defensive midfielders, which is what we need. That’s not their fault either.

They both have just enough about them to keep you hoping

The Scottish Player in particular has been good recently. He has an energy and tenacity that nobody else does for us and it’s infectious. Now he’s adding goals and crucially, a bit of consistency to his performances. We’ve seen games from him in the past where he’s been dominant, scored goals…but then followed it up with a horror show. Consistency is his issue and there’s signs he might be growing out of that now.

Declan Rice is apparently a £100m midfielder and The Scottish Player was as good as him today.

We’d have won at Villa if he’d played too IMO.

Originally Posted by Dr Stranger

They’re limited, but you can’t fault their effort. They’re also not defensive midfielders, which is what we need. That’s not their fault either.

They both have just enough about them to keep you hoping

The Scottish Player in particular has been good recently. He has an energy and tenacity that nobody else does for us and it’s infectious. Now he’s adding goals and crucially, a bit of consistency to his performances. We’ve seen games from him in the past where he’s been dominant, scored goals…but then followed it up with a horror show. Consistency is his issue and there’s signs he might be growing out of that now.

Declan Rice is apparently a £100m midfielder and The Scottish Player was as good as him today.

We’d have won at Villa if he’d played too IMO.

Declan Rice carried West Ham on his back today and if not for him we’d have probably scored more. If they’d have gotten a point all the credit would have gone to him.

The Scottish Player was ok, he played his role well but he’s too limited a footballer for him to be there long term. Overall we played well but there were the typical frantic moments and sloppy periods that came from our midfielders inability to pass the ball consistently.

Both shite today, that's the thing with Scott (don't even class Fred as a player) he can be brilliant for 45 minutes one week then an annoying nothing the next.....

They aren't title winning standard....

Sounds like Scotty bossed Rice today?

Not surprised in the slightest tbh, he’s obviously the better player.

Originally Posted by Dr Stranger

They’re limited, but you can’t fault their effort. They’re also not defensive midfielders, which is what we need. That’s not their fault either.

They both have just enough about them to keep you hoping

The Scottish Player in particular has been good recently. He has an energy and tenacity that nobody else does for us and it’s infectious. Now he’s adding goals and crucially, a bit of consistency to his performances. We’ve seen games from him in the past where he’s been dominant, scored goals…but then followed it up with a horror show. Consistency is his issue and there’s signs he might be growing out of that now.

Declan Rice is apparently a £100m midfielder and The Scottish Player was as good as him today.

We’d have won at Villa if he’d played too IMO.

Originally Posted by NedKelly

Declan Rice carried West Ham on his back today and if not for him we’d have probably scored more. If they’d have gotten a point all the credit would have gone to him.

The Scottish Player was ok, he played his role well but he’s too limited a footballer for him to be there long term. Overall we played well but there were the typical frantic moments and sloppy periods that came from our midfielders inability to pass the ball consistently.

I wasn’t knocking Rice. He played well. And so did The Scottish Player. Very tight game and a good battle in midfield. Just a bit of praise in the context of him playing well in a battle with a player pegged as the answer to our problems and a £100m player.

Originally Posted by Dr Stranger

They’re limited, but you can’t fault their effort. They’re also not defensive midfielders, which is what we need. That’s not their fault either.

They both have just enough about them to keep you hoping

The Scottish Player in particular has been good recently. He has an energy and tenacity that nobody else does for us and it’s infectious. Now he’s adding goals and crucially, a bit of consistency to his performances. We’ve seen games from him in the past where he’s been dominant, scored goals…but then followed it up with a horror show. Consistency is his issue and there’s signs he might be growing out of that now.

Declan Rice is apparently a £100m midfielder and The Scottish Player was as good as him today.

We’d have won at Villa if he’d played too IMO.

Rice is quite a way better IMO.

McTominnay needs work on showing for the ball better. Countless times in games there is no pass on because he appears to be hiding behind an opposition player. We really are hamstrung by McFred's lack of ability on the ball.

Originally Posted by Dr Stranger

They’re limited, but you can’t fault their effort. They’re also not defensive midfielders, which is what we need. That’s not their fault either.

They both have just enough about them to keep you hoping

The Scottish Player in particular has been good recently. He has an energy and tenacity that nobody else does for us and it’s infectious. Now he’s adding goals and crucially, a bit of consistency to his performances. We’ve seen games from him in the past where he’s been dominant, scored goals…but then followed it up with a horror show. Consistency is his issue and there’s signs he might be growing out of that now.

Declan Rice is apparently a £100m midfielder and The Scottish Player was as good as him today.

We’d have won at Villa if he’d played too IMO.

Don’t recall agame where we won so many second balls as today. Some games it was like we went 90 minutes without winning a tackle

Originally Posted by AK14

Sounds like Scotty bossed Rice today?

Not surprised in the slightest tbh, he’s obviously the better player.

Not exactly, but Rice was carrying a lot of dead weight, whereas for once McFred weren't.

Rice was okay without being outstanding but still think there's better options out there than any of them.

Originally Posted by Coracao

Rice is quite a way better IMO.

McTominnay needs work on showing for the ball better. Countless times in games there is no pass on because he appears to be hiding behind an opposition player. We really are hamstrung by McFred's lack of ability on the ball.

I don’t think he hides. I think it’s more a reading of the game. Positional sense isn’t the best. Same when he’s on the ball too. He has a tendency to get his body shape wrong for the kind of pass he needs to play.

He’s improving though. We’ve had plenty of players down the Years with limitations who have been invaluable. He can be that, but we still need upgrades in that area.

I wasn’t suggesting he is better than Rice either btw. Just praising his performance in a battle with him,

Originally Posted by andyroo

Not exactly, but Rice was carrying a lot of dead weight, whereas for once McFred weren't.

Rice was okay without being outstanding but still think there's better options out there than any of them.

If we could get Rice for around 25m then he’d be a decent backup for Mctommers.

Looks like some people are happy with perpetual mediocrity

Originally Posted by NedKelly

Looks like some people are happy with perpetual mediocrity

No it doesn’t.

Originally Posted by andyroo

Not exactly, but Rice was carrying a lot of dead weight, whereas for once McFred weren't.

Rice was okay without being outstanding but still think there's better options out there than any of them.

This.

Rice was the pick of their midfield tbf.

Originally Posted by dunk

This.

Rice was the pick of their midfield tbf.

Back in the day 100m would get you a world class player

These days it gets you “the pick of West Ham’s midfield”

I wouldn’t buy him.

He’s better than McT though. Not much, but he is, particularly as a DM.

Originally Posted by Dr Stranger

No it doesn’t.

I think it does.

Originally Posted by AK14

Great post that.

I’m not sure if Rice could handle the pressure cooker environment and whether or not it would get to him and he’d boil over.

Certainly not a £80 million improvement on what we have.

£#%&! me we would be looking at a Pogba type player for that money.
(Actual impact vs perceived impact.)

Originally Posted by AK14

Great post that.

I’m not sure if Rice could handle the pressure cooker environment and whether or not it would get to him and he’d boil over.

could have a paddy any time.