Within the 2021-22 season at West Ham, Declan Rice performed in a midfield double pivot with Tomas Soucek. Throughout that season, Rice was the deeper of the 2 gamers. He scored one purpose and managed 4 assists within the Premier League throughout that season. Clearly, his predominant function in David Moyes’ West Ham group was in West Ham’s half. In that very same season, Soucek helped himself to 5 objectives and an help because the extra superior member of that partnership.
Within the 2022-23 season, Moyes swapped the gamers round. He gave Rice better freedom to play from field to field, whereas Soucek was requested to sit down deeper. In 2022-23, Rice’s purpose contribution stats switched, he scored 4 objectives and received one help. Soucek received two objectives and three assists however questions started to abound over Soucek’s type throughout that season. Throughout an away defeat at Crystal Palace, Soucek’s substitution was greeted with ironic cheers by travelling Irons followers.
The purpose right here is that Rice was equally comfy within the extra superior function and the extra defensive function however Soucek was solely actually comfy in a kind of roles. As soon as Rice left for Arsenal, Soucek’s attacking contact returned with seven objectives and two assists as soon as he returned to his extra superior place.
Had Rice stayed at West Ham- fortunately he opted to affix Arsenal- I think about West Ham would have come to the conclusion that they need to ‘sit’ Rice and permit Soucek to play within the box-to-box function. What’s attention-grabbing is that Rice began his Arsenal profession because the deeper midfielder, Kai Havertz had been purchased to play within the ‘left eight’ function vacated by Granit Xhaka.
Gabriel Jesus’ ongoing damage points and the return to health of Thomas Partey noticed a reshuffle in early 2024. Rice moved into the left eight function, Havertz to the centre-forward place with Partey on the base of the midfield construction. Rice produced seven Premier League objectives and eight assists final season, which represented a really wholesome return for a box-to-box midfielder.
It led me to write down a presumably untimely column throughout the summer time hailing Rice because the inheritor obvious to Granit Xhaka. It won’t have been the preliminary plan however it appeared to me that Arteta was rolling with the punches and felt Havertz at centre-forward and Rice because the left eight was the best way to go. Arteta has proven a penchant for purchasing adaptable gamers who can play in a mess of roles- a part of the attraction of shopping for Rice and Havertz within the first place.
Ditto Ben White, after all. It most likely wasn’t the plan that he would turn out to be Arsenal’s first alternative right-back however his capacity to play the place would clearly have been factored into his signing. The fantastic thing about versatile gamers isn’t solely that it will possibly get you out of a decent spot when accidents chunk it will possibly really allow the coach to alter the plan altogether if that’s the manner the wind blows.
Nevertheless, since penning that summer time missive about Rice being a box-to-box midfielder, my considering has modified slightly. At that time, I felt buying a long-term substitute for Partey and Jorginho was seemingly on the playing cards. As a substitute, Arsenal purchased Mikel Merino whose attributes I’d pitch squarely between Granit Xhaka and Kai Havertz. Ethan Nwaneri can also be arising in a short time and in a yr or two, he might be able the place it’s inconceivable to not play him commonly.
In the meantime, Partey and Jorginho’s present contracts expire in the summertime of 2025. It appears unlikely that Jorginho’s phrases shall be prolonged given his restricted enjoying time. Very stern questions needs to be requested if Partey’s deal is prolonged. Medium time period, Arsenal want a six greater than they want an eight and the exercise of the latest switch window strongly means that Rice’s future is on the base of the Arsenal midfield.
Arteta appears to have little urge for food to play with out Thomas Partey in the meanwhile who’s having what is understood within the NFL as ‘the contract yr.’ It could possibly be that we don’t actually need to fret an excessive amount of whether or not Rice is a six or an eight and we will simply permit him to flit between the roles as mandatory. Nevertheless, the longer term planning of the squad appears to pitch him into a kind of prospects excess of the opposite.
I believe what is obvious too is that Rice requires some growth for both function. Final season, his seven objectives represented a really respectable return for a box-to-box participant. Nevertheless, this season, riddled by a damaged toe and an exhausting 2023-24, he has but to attain a Premier League or Champions League purpose and doesn’t have an open play help in both competitors.
Arsenal will surely need a greater return from a quantity 8 than that. My feeling on Rice is that he’s a ‘behind the ball’ participant, he sees hazard, he runs to snuff it out, he retains it easy, perhaps he takes the ball for a little bit of a jog away from hazard. On Tuesday evening in Lisbon, he fluffed a couple of attacking alternatives within the penalty space as a result of I don’t assume his attacking instincts are fairly as eager.
I believe he’s higher when he’s behind the ball and alert to counters and free balls. Many supporters assume that his progressive passing isn’t on the identical stage as Partey and Jorginho, which makes enjoying him on the base of midfield problematic. For England throughout the summer time, we definitely noticed his affect endure attributable to England’s lack of ball enjoying midfielders to accomplice him with.
Kalvin Phillips, a distinctly common participant in fact, was satisfactory ballast for Rice within the England midfield for a couple of years, as was Jordan Henderson earlier than him. Rice doesn’t must play subsequent to prime Xabi Alonso or Pirlo, only a first rate passer will suffice. That England have relied on Jordan Henderson, then Kalvin Phillips and at present don’t have anybody to tackle that comparatively modest mantle tells a narrative.
Scott Willis wrote a very good piece final month debunking some myths round Rice’s passing. I nonetheless assume it’s definitely a growth space, to obtain the ball extra easily on the half flip and to distribute with slightly extra silk and disguise. Both manner, Arsenal invested over £100m on Rice and he has carried out a tremendous job throughout two positions.
Nevertheless, a call was made on Havertz that he be the group’s striker. A call was made that Ben White was the group’s right-back. Bukayo Saka hasn’t performed on the left wing for Arsenal for over 4 years. Eventually, your ‘franchise’ gamers cease being movable jigsaw items and turn out to be agency pillars. Arteta’s switch technique exhibits you that, in some unspecified time in the future, he’s most likely going to entrust the six place to Declan Rice. How he manages that transition shall be very attention-grabbing to witness.
