Declan Rice: All Hands On Dec

[BigPoppaPump]

We've taken for granted how important harmony is because the vibe has been so good in the club.

Must admit I am a bit unsettled by Rice's recent outbursts.

He’s always playing up to the ‘make Rice captain’ brigade.

Do people not see how performative he is? Always playing up to the cameras.

 

[GoonerJay24]

He’s always playing up to the ‘make Rice captain’ brigade.

Do people not see how performative he is? Always playing up to the cameras.

I'm telling you, there are problems behind the scenes with him and the ex Sociedad midfielders

Ødegaard is blamed every second on social media and it's impacting his confidence. Zubimendi, connects better in possession with Merino. Go back and rewatch the games without Rice

 

[Mrs Bergkamp]

We've taken for granted how important harmony is because the vibe has been so good in the club.

Must admit I am a bit unsettled by Rice's recent outbursts.

Harmony is fine but acceptance of mediocrity isn't. It's about time there was positive dissent.

 

[Aubamabludclat94]

The Forest game is not the game to start looking around trying to point fingers for dropping points. Every starter, and I really do mean everyone, looked like utter **** at their jobs that day, their job being to break down and create clear cut chances versus a poor Forest team. When the whole team looks like that, you have to look at the manager. His starting 11 was simply poor. No balance, no cohesion, no problem solving. He can’t keep putting forth these lineups that aren’t platforming his forwards the right way. Time to go back to the drawing board

 

[merciarsene]

He’s always playing up to the ‘make Rice captain’ brigade.

Do people not see how performative he is? Always playing up to the cameras.

Yeah.. he is playing on pure reputation now. Hardly see him do anything of note. Just watch the last 5 minutes of the forest game and see how useless he was in midfield. All this anger was missing as he was resting on the ball, while his brain moved slowly to figure out where to pass. Remove him from midfield and give him a little rest.

 

[Tell.]

Yeah, we definitely shouldn't take him for granted. He's ambitious and clubs like Real Madrid or Bayern will be interested in him.

Rice isn't leaving his comfort zone of London until he's well past his prime. Declan in Germany or Spain?

 

[berric]

He's probably here for as long as we wants. Great player, worth every penny.

However, when we're against deep blocks I feel we need to go with only one of Rice/Zubi. Ideally we go with Sociedad midfield (Zubi - Ode - Merino) as they all seem to be on the same wavelength and capable of fantastic stuff (like vs Villa); OR we go Rice behind two AMs. Rice + Zubi and Ode is overkill.

 

[GoonerJay24]

He's probably here for as long as we wants. Great player, worth every penny.

However, when we're against deep blocks I feel we need to go with only one of Rice/Zubi. Ideally we go with Sociedad midfield (Zubi - Ode - Merino) as they all seem to be on the same wavelength and capable of fantastic stuff (like vs Villa); OR we go Rice behind two AMs. Rice + Zubi and Ode is overkill.

Was similar today too and soon as he comes on, we struggled in a low block

 

[Gunner D]

I'm telling you, there are problems behind the scenes with him and the ex Sociedad midfielders

I know you don’t rate Rice which is fair, but this honestly sounds ridiculous.

 

[GoonerJay24]

I know you don’t rate Rice which is fair, but this honestly sounds ridiculous.

When I say problems, I don’t mean they’re beefing or ignoring each other. You just pick up on these things sometimes as a fan, based on how players combine on the pitch

I’d say the same about Gyokeres and Saka, for example

 

[Batman]

He's probably here for as long as we wants. Great player, worth every penny.

However, when we're against deep blocks I feel we need to go with only one of Rice/Zubi. Ideally we go with Sociedad midfield (Zubi - Ode - Merino) as they all seem to be on the same wavelength and capable of fantastic stuff (like vs Villa); OR we go Rice behind two AMs. Rice + Zubi and Ode is overkill.

It sounds insane to say because yes, in theory you would probably want to play more facilitators against a low block but Rice's delivery from corners has been the key to us getting the opening goal that unlocks low blocks so he's kind of indispensable against them. I still believe that a Rice and Zubi double pivot with Rice on the right and Eze ahead of them is the way to go against low blocks.

 

[Dokaka]

Genuinely funny how some people always flock to this thread at the slightest hint of Arsenal under-performing in a match. Bro puts in MOTM after MOTM performance against the best teams in the world and yet he still has to shoulder the blame when the 9 outfield players around him can't produce.

Some people so entrenched in their opinions that they'll grab on to anything and run with it.

It sounds insane to say because yes, in theory you would probably want to play more facilitators against a low block but Rice's delivery from corners has been the key to us getting the opening goal that unlocks low blocks so he's kind of indispensable against them. I still believe that a Rice and Zubi double pivot with Rice on the right and Eze ahead of them is the way to go against low blocks.

While you could in theory construct a midfield that would be better at unlocking a deep block in open play - at the cost of safety in transition of course - his set piece delivery makes him more than worthwhile to still have on the pitch as you said.

Some people will never rate that part of the game and it is what it is, but thankfully the table doesn't really care where that +1 goal comes from.

 

[BigPoppaPump]

People always call him a leader but he never steps up when it's time, just plays up for the cameras. Was awful today.

 

[Mudi]

Was nowhere and that against Case ...

 

[Aubamabludclat94]

Was great in the first half when we were the clearly superior team before Arteta literally pressed the self destruct button. Complete panic job from the boss today. Rice simply cannot be the main progressor of a possession based team looking to win titles. That's not his main strength.

 

[DanDare]

Been missing for a month

 

[MutableEarth]

He was great first half, faded along with everyone else in the 2nd.

 

[Ljonin]

Very very disappointing run of games from him. He’s way too limited with the ball in o ever be regarded among the absolute elite

 

[Taylor Gang Gunners]

He was great first half, faded along with everyone else in the 2nd.

I don't even think he was great first half tbh. Made a couple of good tackles but going forward was average. Second half he was terrible. He looked clueless.

 

[Batman]

Not a good game at all by his standards. Now granted, he was better than the chuckle brothers next to him in the first half and at least he didn't actively contribute to our problems but it wasn't good enough. To be honest we just don't look right out of possession since Arteta has gone all in on both fullbacks playing auxiliary striker. It really affects our shape in our transitions and counter press and I think that it hurts guys like Rice who are now not where they should be.