Declan Rice: All Hands On Dec

[SA Gunner]

He's our six, particularly when he has the chance to operate deep and in the box-box role for us. Particularly down our right side.

Arteta needs to find a way to have him and TP/Jorginho/Merino exist at the base of midfield and not get in each other's way. I think that would be our best setup for the season.

Our general centrally, without him we wont look half as solid.

 

[hydrofluoric acid]

How did he miss that header right at the end there?

We laughed back then but we need to seriously start consider that Colombia curse and how to revert it.

 

[Dennis_Bergkamp_10]

With a new contract for Partey on the horizon, Nwaneri's rise and Odegaards return Rice could be on the bench if he keeps this up.

Really hasn't been great since the Euros.

 

[Vanpayslip]

It’s so crazy when you think about it. You have 170 million and you spend it on Rice and Havertz. Both good players, but nothing more than that

The sad thing is that because of the price it has locked Arteta into this experiment and he has to make things work around these two.

 

[MutableEarth]

He's a perfectly fine 6, I'm not having this narrative that he can't play there for us. Maybe instead of having a brute at left 8 we could actually have someone who can dribble and pass to a good standard* so we don't need Rice to become Pirlo or Busquets. I like what he does for us at 6, I'm not bothered about him splitting defences in the first phase.

*-We have a very talented young player who I'm not going to name who can do all of those things but Mikel is obsessed with making him a left-back so clearly that's not on the agenda.

 

[Macho]

I hear the streets are calling him Decline Rice tut tut.

 

[TheGreatWright8]

The rice hasn't boiled this season unfortunately.

 

[Dokaka]

He's a perfectly fine 6, I'm not having this narrative that he can't play there for us. Maybe instead of having a brute at left 8 we could actually have someone who can dribble and pass to a good standard* so we don't need Rice to become Pirlo or Busquets. I like what he does for us at 6, I'm not bothered about him splitting defences in the first phase.

*-We have a very talented young player who I'm not going to name who can do all of those things but Mikel is obsessed with making him a left-back so clearly that's not on the agenda.

Yeah I'm still waiting for Rice to be paired with two good technical midfielders, was always the obvious choice. Let him do the dirty work and give the attackers a platform to shine instead of playing him like he's Pirlo like you said.

Said it a thousand times but the template is Real Madrid with Casemiro. A controller and a creator in front of him, take a lot of the on-ball responsibility off him.

His set-piece delivery has been sensational since joining Arsenal though, really didn't expect that. Low-key become one of the most reliable corner and indirect free kick takers around.

 

[grange]

One of Edu's worst signings

 

[Tourbillion]

So bland.

 

[Red London]

Crap takes in here as usual.

 

[GoonerJay24]

One of Edu's worst signings

Just the amount paid imo

 

[Macho]

Decline Rice.

Thoughts? @Mitch

Rice is a trailblazer like Bellerin and DCL.

 

[Taylor Gang Gunners]

I hear the streets are calling him Decline Rice tut tut.

Damn man, this slander name is top tier.

I’m loving Durkzee atm

 

[Heavy Duty Rom]

A whole football club depending on 1 player in Ødegaard to do anything is pathetic considering how much we spent

Is that really the case or is that just because of what Arteta has decided to do in his absence?

Were we even good this season with Ødegaard in the side? Small sample scale but I’m not sure we were.

 

[Heavy Duty Rom]

One of Edu's worst signings

Lmao, Edu!? This was all Arteta.

 

[SA Gunner]

Arteta saying he needs to be assessed on Thursday to see if he is available for the weekend.

Sounds like he is out tomorrow, let’s hope he makes a speedy recovery.

 

[Topside]

If he's not fit for Chelsea Sunday as he's not travelled to Milan, then he needs to be withdrawn from the next England squad.

No allowing him to go and be assessed by the England medical tean. No chance.

 

[El Realista]

Arteta has been always so lucky with injuries forcing him way to fix the team. If somehow he plays Merino - Partey - Nwaneri and works better he will be saved again by one lucky injury.

 

[Riou]

Spoiler: Me right now...

"Where was Declan when Arsenal needed him tonight, invisible on that pitch!"