Arsenal

[Mr Pink]

Maybe I am missing something here but I just don’t see Rice as being in a “different class” to Parker.

When Parker joined us he was nearly 31 and by the time he left he was going on 33. Arguably his best years were already behind him. Age was a bigger factor a decade ago than it is now. It’s probably like Rice joining Arsenal at age 33 rather than 24.

I think Parker is probably a bit underrated because he spent his peak years at Newcastle and West Ham. And he never really established himself in an England team which was dominated at the time by Gerrard and Lampard. Even Beckham was still around. (Incidentally Carrick couldn’t really establish himself in the England first team either. )

Didn't Mourinho buy him at Chelsea as well?

 

[Styopa]

Didn't Mourinho buy him at Chelsea as well?

Yeah for ten mill which is probably something like sixty or seventy mill in today’s market. Not Rice money but I think most people agree Arsenal overpaid for Rice even if he is a good player. I think the fact Rice is an established England international added at least 25% to the fee.

Chelsea was Parker’s big move really and it didn’t work out (although he was only there a season), which is probably why he ended up at Newcastle and West Ham. Before his Chelsea move he was very highly rated but I guess he was seen as not being able to cut it at a big club after that Chelsea.

 

[For the love of Spurs]

Maybe I am missing something here but I just don’t see Rice as being in a “different class” to Parker.

When Parker joined us he was nearly 31 and by the time he left he was going on 33. Arguably his best years were already behind him. Age was a bigger factor a decade ago than it is now. It’s probably like Rice joining Arsenal at age 33 rather than 24.

I think Parker is probably a bit underrated because he spent his peak years at Newcastle and West Ham. And he never really established himself in an England team which was dominated at the time by Gerrard and Lampard. Even Beckham was still around. (Incidentally Carrick couldn’t really establish himself in the England first team either. )

Parker is probably the most underrated DM I can think of in the prem. Kept a really poor West Ham team up for 2 seasons before they went down, was a machine all over the pitch for us. As you say a lot of good English central midfielders then, Carrick as well. It’s a bit like being Carragher or Woodgate with Terry and Ferdinand around, abundance of talent.

Rice is really good but the drop to the likes of Philips is pretty stark.

 

[For the love of Spurs]

Yeah for ten mill which is probably something like sixty or seventy mill in today’s market. Not Rice money but I think most people agree Arsenal overpaid for Rice even if he is a good player. I think the fact Rice is an established England international added at least 25% to the fee.

Chelsea was Parker’s big move really and it didn’t work out (although he was only there a season), which is probably why he ended up at Newcastle and West Ham. Before his Chelsea move he was very highly rated but I guess he was seen as not being able to cut it at a big club after that Chelsea.

Chelsea they had Essien and makelele at their peak, incredible players, had to start again at Newcastle.

 

[Col_M]

On this - serious question... Are the technical areas at the Emirates closer to the pitch than usual? It seemed that the edge of the technical area was only 30cm from the pitch so that the Pep-Pretender could perform his antics?

I haven't seen anything that indicates theirs is closer than others. There are "strict" laws that are not enforced.

 

[rossdapep]

Chelsea they had Essien and makelele at their peak, incredible players, had to start again at Newcastle.

Yeah and back then Parker was more of scoring centre midfielder at Charlton.

So I do wonder if Chelsea bought him expecting to add something in attack like Lampard. But then realised he is better deeper but as you say Essien and Makelele were already there so realised he didnt fit.

I recall him scoring quite frequently for Charlton

 

[aliyid]

On the Rice side, the way I see him is he excels in transition and carrying the ball out of defence quickly. He's limited on the turn and doesn't have much creativity when in possession but as 'a shield' for the back four he's very effective.

This will sound like an outrageous dig (and it's honestly not) but I think he's a lot like Sissoko was for us (but doesn't lose his head when he gets into the final 3rd).

 

[E17yid]

Rice wishes he could pirouette like Parker. Rice is so overrated. Slow, about as mobile as a tanker but he’s great at passing it sideways I suppose.

 

[spursfan77]

The worst Gooner fans seem to have an ability to delete 7 years as if it never happened and then crow about what they were doing last season and 8 years ago with nothing in between.

That just shows how much it hurt them.

 

[spursfan77]

Chelsea they had Essien and makelele at their peak, incredible players, had to start again at Newcastle.

He could have joined us then, but chose Newcastle instead as they offered higher wages.

 

[Bablu37]

You could also add their players going down injured nearly every time they fouled one of our players.

And their players seeming to take rest breaks with fake injuries whenever momentum switches to the opposition...

Oh, and the team's "training ground dog" called "Win". I shit you not...

So pleased Maddison made Saka look like an absolute tit.

Saka made himself look an absolute tit.

I'm all for banter, but a mocking celebration throwing a dart for an OG stemming from a shot that was off target is hilarious. His dart was missing the board and hitting the lady at the back of the bar, not exactly bullseye is it

 

[Col_M]

Saka made himself look an absolute tit.

I'm all for banter, but a mocking celebration throwing a dart for an OG stemming from a shot that was off target is hilarious. His dart was missing the board and hitting the lady at the back of the bar, not exactly bullseye is it

And he's obviously never held a dart before, it was like he was touching up the Mona Lisa

 

[easley91]

Saka made himself look an absolute tit.

I'm all for banter, but a mocking celebration throwing a dart for an OG stemming from a shot that was off target is hilarious. His dart was missing the board and hitting the lady at the back of the bar, not exactly bullseye is it

It was purely banter between mates. Maddison said as much after as they were trash talking during international duty. The way it went in doesn't matter, he probably had it lined up however he scored in the game. And I doubt he knew that would have been taken away and given as an own goal.

Footballers should be allowed to show a bit of emotion, especially in a NLD.

 

[Led's Zeppelin]

Arsenal are smelly.

 

[wakefieldyid]

You can't put parker and rice in the same sentence. Rice is a far far better player.

The same way as you can't put rice and Dembele in the same sentence.

Dembele was a God. Rice is very much mortal. £105m not sure, but it's what the scum needed, and they got £25m back on that twat Xhaka, so not a bad deal.

Although bissouma is looking even more the bargain than what I thought last year. Still surprised we got a fairly clear run at him. Oh and there's the Madison/winks deal...Levy should get done for armed robbery

Hindsight can be very misleading. The young Scott Parker, prior to his injury playing with Chelsea, was a hell of a player, yet the older Dembele, with his dodgy knees etc. was a shadow of his former imperious self, and Winks fully deserved his England call-up back in the day. We tend to remember what we want to remember.

Time will tell whether Rice can kick on, avoid career-wrecking injury etc. and justify his price tag, but he certainly doesn't seem to have hit the ground running at the Emirates.

 

[Cornpattbuck]

I'd argue Bowen is their best player.

Yeah completely different players of course, but imo Bowen was their best player.

Bowen's biggest problem, to my untrained eye, is that as talented as he is he still somehow looks like he should be a random Sunday league player down the park.

 

[Mr Pink]

Bowen's biggest problem, to my untrained eye, is that as talented as he is he still somehow looks like he should be a random Sunday league player down the park.

I know what you mean.

He's awkward looking or lacks phinese, but he's hugely effective.

 

[fishhhandaricecake]

Saka looks like he’ll be out for a while. He will almost def miss Bournemouth and on their site they seem to think Arteta’s been overplaying him and he’s been carrying a long term injury and now he’s fkd.

Their injuries are really mounting up.

Lovely stuff.

 

[BorjeSpurs]

Saka looks like he’ll be out for a while. He will almost def miss Bournemouth and on their site they seem to think Arteta’s been overplaying him and he’s been carrying a long term injury and now he’s fkd.

Their injuries are really mounting up.

Lovely stuff.

If I had a pound for every time Saka was a doubt for a game he ended up started in, I'd probably have about 8 pounds.

He just set a record of consecutive games played in an Arsenal shirt in the league. I wouldn't be surprised to see him against B'mouth.

 

[muppetman]

If I had a pound for every time Saka was a doubt for a game he ended up started in, I'd probably have about 8 pounds.

He just set a record of consecutive games played in an Arsenal shirt in the league. I wouldn't be surprised to see him against B'mouth.

Arsenal always have players who might be injured, might be out for a while and yet somehow almost always play - it's gamesmanship bollocks (or clickbait from journos).