It is well known that Declan Rice and Mason Mount are best pals and have been since a very young age when they both played for the Chelsea academy.
But it is also well know that not only Rice, but other professional players, coaches, managers, and other experts in the game all rate Mason Mount highly. Yet there remains to be a small section of Chelsea’s fans on social media who do not rate him, and unfairly abuse him.
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And for this reason, players, managers, etc are always forced to answer questions on why some people don’t rate Mount, and yesterday, it was Rice’s turn.
He was on England press conference duties ahead of the Senegal game, and of course there was always going to be Chelsea related questions.
As reported by The Evening Standard, Rice was full of praise for his England team mate, and says his numbers for Chelsea are incredible.
“I don’t need to talk too much about Mase,” Rice said at England’s Al Wakrah training base on Thursday. “He probably just doesn’t fit the agenda of what people want an attacking midfield player to look like in this day and age.
“He is one of the best players I’ve played with — and I’m not saying that because he’s my best mate. If you see the way he helps the team, I think that’s why Gareth is so keen on him and picks him all the time.
“Not only with the ball, his quality he shows in abundance for England and Chelsea, but the way he is off the ball: you don’t see many number 10s who have that together. He is such a team player, such a hard-working, honest guy.
“Sometimes fans, people online, social media, they just don’t like him. For what reason I honestly don’t know. But, look, his numbers for Chelsea are incredible.
“He’s won the Champions League, won the Super Cup, at such a young age and for the rest of his career, he can go on and be whatever he wants to be. And I know he doesn’t let that noise get to him.
“Look, let Mase go and do his thing. When he’s doing that it makes me happy seeing my good friend go and perform at the best level.”
Scratching my head here. Why do we care if some small number of folks don’t rate Mason Mount and “unfairly abuse him?” I mean, is that really even “a thing?” And if we’re so concerned about defending Blues players “unfairly abused,” how about some love/support for Pulisic? (Of course not, because Mount is a British golden boy and Pulisic is a popular target of British ridicule—mainly because he’s an American golden boy. Apparently, Blues supporters can’t find room enough in their heads or hearts for both, lol!)
To be honest, most of what I see regarding Mount isn’t outright abuse. It’s actually level-headed folks pushing back on the largely unfounded over-exuberance of those who think he’s the second coming. I consider myself one of the former, but that doesn’t mean I don’t “rate” Mount or even that I don’t like him. I just think he’s good (very good on his best days), but not world class (i.e., not undroppable). Indeed he’s looked merely average at times this season for club, and, as recently as the US game, for country. But I can’t quite understand why it should qualify as blasphemy to say so, much less make it newsworthy for one of his mates to say “yeah, but he’s still a good player.” Of course he is, just maybe not as good as his biggest fans think!
No offence to anyone but this goes a bit further Rice since entering the England team with some others has an agenda to keep Jordan fucking Henderson out of the team with the assistant coach included
Good on Gareth Southgate for for picking his team I hope
You know why mase isnt effective? Its when we dont realize coaches and teams are not built or planned to play around him. I mean look at his play on his best days, its all when hes at no8 and the ball goes to him and the team wins. You put him in 10-11 like in tuchel chelsea, it doesnt make sense. His dribbling and his pace isnt his strength, his passing esp those short through balls. His pass won the champions league for Chelsea. But again hes a great player and coaches need to realise this and build the attacking play around him. Like messi and Cristiano..great player need this special treatment.
I love him