Bringing Rice to the Boil

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 aim and managed 4 assists within the Premier League throughout that season. Clearly, his major function in David Moyes’ West Ham workforce was in West Ham’s half. In that very same season, Soucek helped himself to 5 targets 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 take a seat deeper. In 2022-23, Rice’s aim contribution stats switched, he scored 4 targets and bought one help. Soucek bought two targets 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 targets 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 fascinating 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 targets 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 but it surely appeared to me that Arteta was rolling with the punches and felt Havertz at centre-forward and Rice because the left eight was the way in which to go. Arteta has proven a penchant for getting adaptable gamers who can play in a large number of roles- a part of the attraction of shopping for Rice and Havertz within the first place.

Ditto Ben White, in fact. It most likely wasn’t the plan that he would develop into Arsenal’s first selection right-back however his capacity to play the place would clearly have been factored into his signing. The fantastic thing about versatile gamers shouldn’t be solely that it may well get you out of a decent spot when accidents chew it may well really allow the coach to vary 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 doubtless 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 be developing in a short time and in a yr or two, he might be ready the place it’s inconceivable to not play him recurrently.

In the meantime, Partey and Jorginho’s present contracts expire in the summertime of 2025. It appears unlikely that Jorginho’s phrases can be prolonged given his restricted taking part in time. Very stern questions ought 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 newest 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 thought within the NFL as ‘the contract yr.’ It may very well be that we don’t really want to fret an excessive amount of whether or not Rice is a six or an eight and we are able to simply permit him to flit between the roles as obligatory. Nevertheless, the longer term planning of the squad appears to pitch him into a kind of prospects way over the opposite.

I feel what is obvious too is that Rice requires some improvement for both function. Final season, his seven targets 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 aim 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, possibly he takes the ball for a little bit of a jog away from hazard. On Tuesday night time in Lisbon, he fluffed just a few attacking alternatives within the penalty space as a result of I don’t assume his attacking instincts are fairly as eager.

I feel he’s higher when he’s behind the ball and alert to counters and unfastened balls. Many supporters assume that his progressive passing shouldn’t be on the identical stage as Partey and Jorginho, which makes taking part in him on the base of midfield problematic. For England throughout the summer time, we definitely noticed his affect undergo as a result of England’s lack of ball taking part in midfielders to companion him with.

Kalvin Phillips, a distinctly common participant in fact, was enough ballast for Rice within the England midfield for just a few years, as was Jordan Henderson earlier than him. Rice doesn’t have to 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 the moment 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 improvement 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 finished a positive job throughout two positions.

Nevertheless, a choice was made on Havertz that he be the workforce’s striker. A call was made that Ben White was the workforce’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 develop into agency pillars. Arteta’s switch technique reveals you that, sooner or later, he’s most likely going to entrust the six place to Declan Rice. How he manages that transition can be very fascinating to witness.