Mikel Arteta has stated Declan Rice might be used as a centre-back for the primary time since 2023 as Arsenal attempt to cope with Gabriel’s absence as a part of an harm disaster in defence.
Gabriel, who has been virtually ever-present within the Gunners’ run to the Champions League quarter-finals, is out for the season as one among a string of gamers to be dominated out this month, with Ben White, Riccardo Calafiori and Jurrien Timber struggling shorter-term points and full-back Takehiro Tomiyasu a long-term absentee.
“We’d, for certain,” Arteta replied when he was requested whether or not midfielder Rice may type a partnership with William Saliba. “We tried towards PSV away final season. He’s a participant who’s able to doing that.”
Has Declan Rice performed at centre-back?
Rice performed 29 minutes instead within the place towards the Dutch aspect in Arsenal’s last group stage match of their 2023/24 European marketing campaign, when Arteta modified virtually his whole line-up, having already received the group.
He final performed recurrently at centre-half for West Ham throughout the 2017/18 marketing campaign, additionally that includes there as soon as for the Hammers in 2019/20.
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Slaven Bilic, who was West Ham’s supervisor till 2017 and gave Rice his debut as an 18-year-old, says the England worldwide was likened to legendary Chelsea and England centre-back John Terry throughout his time as West Ham’s “largest prospect youth crew prospect”.
“[He was a] centre-back chief, an organiser who rolls up the sleeves,” Bilic informed TalkSport final month, including that Rice solely turned a midfield anchor due to accidents throughout pre-season.
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Declan Rice in defence: ‘We have to step up’
Arteta has succeeded with the experimental use of midfielder Mikel Merino as a ahead in 2024/25 and says the succession of hamstring accidents Arsenal have confronted are “all utterly completely different” points.
“I don’t assume it’s particular to Arsenal and it’s a really tough one to place a finger on,” he mirrored. “We’re doing all of the analysis and attempting to grasp how we are able to carry the likelihood [of more] down as a lot as potential.
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“The pattern may be very, very small as a result of final yr, I feel, we have been the most effective crew in that side. If you ask Willy who he needs to play subsequent to him, the reply is obvious as a result of [Gabriel] brings qualities and makes [Saliba’s] qualities a lot better.
“After we lose a participant and a pacesetter like him, we have to step up. One participant [alone] is just not going to have the ability to do it.”
Well worth the wait. pic.twitter.com/zbsznR63gm
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) April 2, 2025
Everton vs Arsenal
Second-placed Arsenal go to Fifteenth-placed Everton on Saturday (12:30 BST) earlier than internet hosting Actual Madrid within the first leg of the Champions League final eight on Tuesday (20:00).
High-flight leaders Liverpool are 12 factors away from Arsenal with eight league video games remaining, whereas third-placed Nottingham Forest are 4 factors additional again.
