The typically argumentative tendencies of Football Twitter have crept up once again, and this time, the debate revolves around 2 of the standout No. 6’s this season.
It all began after another reliably sound opinion from Gabriel Agbonlahor, who was asked for his pick between Declan Rice and Casemiro on TalkSport Edge.
The former Aston Villa player leaned towards Rice, saying, ‘Casemiro is good, he’s not better than what I thought he was, but I love Declan Rice’.
And just like that, the bell was sounded, trenches were dug in, flags were planted, and all-out debate broke out on Twitter.
Before moving on to fan opinions, let’s look at the comparisons objectively.
Casemiro’s campaign at Manchester United started off sluggish, with the Brazilian visibly adapting to the English game as matches went on. But eventually, he established a foothold, and since then Casemiro has been nothing short of imperious.
His defensive acumen, interceptions, and switches to either flank have all been top-notch, leaving United fans rubbing their eyes at the sight of a World-Class Holding Midfielder.
The 30-year-old has actively reminded the world of his credentials, despite having achieved more than most can imagine.
With all the added context, the question beckons, why is Declan Rice being placed in a similar bracket to Casemiro?
The simple answer – is that he’s been that good.
Despite West Ham’s shaky form, Rice remains consistently solid, the England International is almost always a positive for the Hammers.
Strong positioning, effective tackling and a vast passing range are all part of the 23-year-old’s arsenal, coupled with the ability to manoeuvre out of pressure and drive his team forward with relentless ball-carrying.
No.6’s of this mould are rather difficult to find these days, especially with a ceiling as high as Rice’s.
In summary, comparisons between the two are far from unfounded, although Football Twitter seemed to lean heavily towards the Brazilian.
Fans online sprung to Casemiro’s defence as soon as Agbonlahor’s words hit Twitter, with many of them outright rejecting the comparisons.
Citing a case of English bias and paid opinions, users online rubbished the pundit’s claims.
Other takes stated the Manchester United player’s incredible trophy haul, before dismissing Rice by alluding to his comparatively humble achievements.
Opinions in support of Rice were limited and cited the midfielder’s potential to back up their preference.
At Rice's age, Casemiro was on loan.
— West Ham Views (@WestHamViews09) November 2, 2022
Anything he won at Madrid is irrelevant to the conversation.
If Twitter takes can be considered a metric, Casemiro wins with ease.
Although it’s important to mention that the differences, at least currently, are not nearly as vast as fans online seem to suggest.
