Arsenal 5-1 Man City, Player rating and Match Reaction

[Niall_Quinn]

If you’ve watched how City have played this season even in games they’ve won, you would see that without the ball that yes even poor players can exploit their weaknesses (I didn’t exaggerate when I claimed they had no chance of winning the title without Rodri, a lot of ageing players being made to play in a way that teams can exploit). Is Rice a poor player? No he’s an excellent no6. But arguably so was Gilberto Silva and he absolutely lacked the attributes to play in the Vieira role

So we'd have done even better yesterday if we played Rice deeper and let him trail his man as far as the halfway line then limit himself to breaking up the play? We have the best back five in the league, why do we need to spend 100mill+ to supplement that? Is that what you believe Arteta and Co were admiring when they got the chequebook out?

Okay, fine. Rice is just a bog standard scrapper, good engine, no technique, can't pass, it's worrying to learn that.

So who would we have put in his place?

[HCZ_Reborn]

So we'd have done even better yesterday if we played Rice deeper and let him trail his man as far as the halfway line then limit himself to breaking up the play? We have the best back five in the league, why do we need to spend 100mill+ to supplement that? Is that what you believe Arteta and Co were admiring when they got the chequebook out?

Okay, fine. Rice is just a bog standard scrapper, good engine, no technique, can't pass, it's worrying to learn that.

So who would we have put in his place?

I can’t tell if you’re being obtuse or whether these are actual questions

[Niall_Quinn]

I can’t tell if you’re being obtuse or whether these are actual questions

Well you said Rice is no good in the role he's playing, can't pass, lack of technique, etc, and he'd be better as a defensive midfielder, or did I hear that wrong? Or are you referring to the 80s #6 role at centre back?

Regardless, if we're shifting Rice around, who are we shifting him with, or who are we brining in?

[HCZ_Reborn]

Well you said Rice is no good in the role he's playing, can't pass, lack of technique, etc, and he'd be better as a defensive midfielder, or did I hear that wrong? Or are you referring to the 80s #6 role at centre back?

Regardless, if we're shifting Rice around, who are we shifting him with, or who are we brining in?

1) the Point was that Man City’s paucity means that we could play Rice there and not come up too short


2) I literally say in every match thread that we should swap the positions around and play Partey at 8, he’s better on the ball, better passer, better reading of the game and where other players are going to be. Also he’s useless at tracking runs, and putting out danger so our back four is more exposed this season. Partey isn’t the perfect no8 either…arguably it’s a role that doesn’t need to exist. If we bring in Zubimendi would make sense to move Rice on and bring in a more attacking midfielder to double pivot with Odegaard. Or keep him on the bench for when we play away at big sides and need to stodge up the game

[Niall_Quinn]

Partey. Knew it.

So the Rice thing is just a byproduct of the Partey thing? Not going to spend the next 2 days arguing about why the idea of Partey in that role would be catastrophic. But the amount of balls we'd give away in critical areas of the pitch ought to be enough to knock that on the head. If he's useless at tracking runs and putting out danger for the back four, why would we ever want him further up the field applying these special talents?

No, not spending the 2 days. So we'll let you have Partey there.

How old is Partey? How much longer will he be here? Almost left in the summer didn't he? Is he here next year if we can't bring in a more attacking midfielder to double pivot with Odegard? We'll have sold Rice, or he'd have demanded a move to keep his international career afloat rather than warming the bench for us. Sold at a loss I would think, and a big one.

It's one way to go I guess. We're bringing in Zubimendi, big wages there, and hopefully a striker, big wages. We'll save some on getting rid of Rice, of course. So maybe there is some room to bring in a more attacking midfielder to double pivot with Odegard.

But who? Any names spring to mind? Somebody who could be double pivoting up top with Odegard, and Partey, Rice and Jorginho all booted? We'd have Trossard, Martinelli, Saka, Zubimendi, and don't forget Sterling if he stays. Which leaves Merino as the steel in the middle, given the bloke we dump Rice for will be pivoting away up front.

You sure you thought this through fully?

[HCZ_Reborn]

Partey. Knew it.

So the Rice thing is just a byproduct of the Partey thing? Not going to spend the next 2 days arguing about why the idea of Partey in that role would be catastrophic. But the amount of balls we'd give away in critical areas of the pitch ought to be enough to knock that on the head. If he's useless at tracking runs and putting out danger for the back four, why would we ever want him further up the field applying these special talents?

No, not spending the 2 days. So we'll let you have Partey there.

How old is Partey? How much longer will he be here? Almost left in the summer didn't he? Is he here next year if we can't bring in a more attacking midfielder to double pivot with Odegard? We'll have sold Rice, or he'd have demanded a move to keep his international career afloat rather than warming the bench for us. Sold at a loss I would think, and a big one.

It's one way to go I guess. We're bringing in Zubimendi, big wages there, and hopefully a striker, big wages. We'll save some on getting rid of Rice, of course. So maybe there is some room to bring in a more attacking midfielder to double pivot with Odegard.

But who? Any names spring to mind? Somebody who could be double pivoting up top with Odegard, and Partey, Rice and Jorginho all booted? We'd have Trossard, Martinelli, Saka, Zubimendi, and don't forget Sterling if he stays. Which leaves Merino as the steel in the middle, given the bloke we dump Rice for will be pivoting away up front.

You sure you thought this through fully?

Your problem is (and in fairness I’m guilty of it as well) that brevity is just not your friend. I don’t know where letters finds the time to break down your interminable ramblings and answer each point but I suspect that’s because he could be made redundant and no one would even notice.

All I can say is you seem to come to a lot of conclusions here that don’t really necessary follow from anything I’ve said, and given you pontificate so much about how football was so much better in the 1980s gives me every impression that you stopped watching after May 26th 1989.

I’ll tell you what, when I’m finished for the day I’ll consider giving this a response it doesn’t deserve, but consider only mind you

[Niall_Quinn]

Your problem is (and in fairness I’m guilty of it as well) that brevity is just not your friend. I don’t know where letters finds the time to break down your interminable ramblings and answer each point but I suspect that’s because he could be made redundant and no one would even notice.

All I can say is you seem to come to a lot of conclusions here that don’t really necessary follow from anything I’ve said, and given you pontificate so much about how football was so much better in the 1980s gives me every impression that you stopped watching after May 26th 1989.

I’ll tell you what, when I’m finished for the day I’ll consider giving this a response it doesn’t deserve, but consider only mind you

I wouldn't worry.

You've said we should sell Rice and play Partey in his place.

I think you've said enough already.

[Mac76]

Also he’s useless at tracking runs, and putting out danger

he did just that yesterday on more than one occasion

1If we bring in Zubimendi would make sense to move Rice on ... Or keep him on the bench for when we play away at big sides and need to stodge up the game

A player that cost £105m on the bench, yes great idea

[HCZ_Reborn]

he did just that yesterday on more than one occasion



A player that cost £105m on the bench, yes great idea

Partey tracked his runner is like saying you posted something that was insightful and thoughtful and showed signs of intellectual curiosity. It veers beyond the unlikely


I agree, having him on the bench would be a bit of a waste. Maybe because he’s English we’d recoup most of the money for him as well. It’s no disrespect to Rice but what I’ve seen of Zubimendi he has the ability to surpass Rodri and we simply don’t need both him and Rice in the same team most of the time


Of course Zubimendi hasn’t been confirmed yet so don’t want to count my chickens

[Niall_Quinn]

Partey tracked his runner is like saying you posted something that was insightful and thoughtful and showed signs of intellectual curiosity. It veers beyond the unlikely


I agree, having him on the bench would be a bit of a waste. Maybe because he’s English we’d recoup most of the money for him as well. It’s no disrespect to Rice but what I’ve seen of Zubimendi he has the ability to surpass Rodri and we simply don’t need both him and Rice in the same team most of the time


Of course Zubimendi hasn’t been confirmed yet so don’t want to count my chickens

Take a pause and start digging up.