When Arsenal signed Declan Rice last season, the elation was off the charts because the Gunners had signed a generational talent that was going to take the team to a new/ level.
He had a successful debut campaign for Arsenal scoring more goals and generating more assists than he had ever done in his career, but he remained a defensive lynchpin in the squad. Alongside Martin Odegaard and Thomas Partey, the Englishman forged a formidable partnership and despite being an ever-present for Arsenal for the entirety of last season, Rice played every available minute for England in their European Championship campaign that saw them go all the finals before losing to Spain.
It’s fair to say that fatigue has taken its toll on Rice as he didn’t get the opportunity to recharge his batteries like the rest of some of his teammates, and with Mikel Merino suffering a shoulder injury at the start of his Arsenal career, Rice continued to feature alongside Partey or Jorginho, primarily as the left 8, with Kai Havertz taking the center forward berth.
This hasn’t given us the chance to see Rice play as a No. 6, but in the resounding victory over Monaco, he played with Merino at the center of the park, in what I would call his favored position, and the difference was clear. Despite featuring for an hour or so, Rice put up an all-action performance and earned a rapturous applause when his number came up to be replaced by Jorginho.
I would prefer to watch Rice play in this formation on a consistent basis and with Merino in full fitness, we might be chanced to continue to witness greatness personified.
