John Terry drools over Declan Rice after West Ham United win v Aston Villa
John Terry has showered praise on Declan Rice on Twitter after West Ham secured their first win of the season against Aston Villa at Villa Park.
Pablo Fornals scored the only goal of the match as the Hammers won 1-0 against Villa on Sunday (28 August) away from home.
Rice looked average in the first half, but he was superb in the second half as the Hammers picked up all three points.
Terry wrote on Twitter: “Declan Rice. Covers every inch of the pitch. What a player.”
Leader
Rice has not only grown into one of the best midfielders in the Premier League, but he is growing into a terrific leader.
After Mark Noble retired last season, Rice is now the captain of the side, and this is going to be a big season for him.
In the first half, West Ham really struggled to make an impact. They defended deep and hardly created any chances.
Rice was very happy to play short, safe and sideway passes. There was a lack of energy and drive from the players.
After the break, it was a different story. Rice was simply outstanding. He covered a lot of areas.
The England midfielder defended really well, and we saw those trademark surging runs from him into the opposition box. There is no doubt that he is a top-class player, and he will get even better this season.
West Ham are on the verge of securing their eighth new summer signing. Lucas Paqueta is expected to arrive next, and quality players around Rice will get the best out of him.