He was what they needed, yes. Havertz doesn’t belong in the conversation, unless the conversation is about who they massively overpaid for.
But even if Rice is that player, by your own admission, he’s not the best in the world. My initial response was regarding you saying “Both Woolwich and Liverpool went out and bought the very best players in the world for their key positions”. They didn’t. Even Liverpool’s best recent signings, Alisson and VVD, this place would have been on fire if we’d signed a goalkeeper with one decent top level season for £70m and a centre half with two seasons at Southampton, having previously played in shitty wee Scotland, for even more money.
World class / best in the world signings rarely happen and agreed, it’s a table we don’t eat at. But to say we can’t, don’t or won’t compete at the level Woolwich and Liverpool do isn’t true. Some players will join them, some will join us, but we are all aiming at the same level of player, with the very, very rare exception.