WHZ Stats: Rice issues perfect Gary Neville response v Chelsea
West Ham United star Declan Rice sent the perfect response to Sky Sports’ Gary Neville with his performance against Chelsea on Monday.
During Sky Sport’s Monday Night Football pre-match coverage, Gary Neville suggested that Rice ‘looked like a central defender in midfield’ and questioned the extent of his passing ability.
In recent times, Rice has developed a reputation of being something of a ‘safe’ passer, a player prone to favour the easy option on the ball rather than being more proactive.
The numbers back up these suggestions too, in Neville’s defence.
According to Wyscout, Rice averages 1.33 passes into the penalty box per 90 minutes in the Premier League this season – with an accuracy rate of 50%.
While he has an impressive 94% accuracy rate for back passes too, the numbers fall slightly when looking at his forward passes, where has an 88% accuracy rate.
However, Rice is a young player that is continuing to improve week on week and his performance at Stamford Bridge came at the perfect time following Neville’s comments about his qualities.
Against Chelsea, West Ham dominated much more of the ball than perhaps they might have expected.
Rice was one of the main beneficiaries of this and the former Chelsea youngster did not put a foot wrong against his old employees.
As per Wyscout, Rice recorded 100% pass accuracy rates in the following categories; backwards passes, forward passes, passes into the final third and into the penalty area.
Not only was Rice brilliant on the ball, but he matched that with an impressive defensive showing too.
He won 100% of his aerial duels and gave the ball away on just one occasion during the 3-0 defeat, according to Wyscout.
Passing statistics can often be misleading or favour those traditional ‘safe’ passers of the ball, but Rice put in an assured and mature performance against Chelsea and did not deserve to come away from the game having lost so heavily.
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