Which version of Declan Rice do you prefer?
Initially, Declan Rice’s signing led some to believe he would succeed Thomas Partey in Arsenal’s midfield. Due to Partey’s frequent injuries and his age, Arsenal decided in the summer of 2023 to spend £105 million on a defensive midfielder.
Some criticised Arsenal for spending so much on a defensive-minded player, arguing that such a fee is typically reserved for attacking players who are expected to immediately contribute to the team.
Spending £100 million plus on someone like Alexander Isak or Viktor Gyokeres makes more sense than doing so for a defender or a #6. Remember how controversial it was when Arsenal parted with £50 million for Ben White?
Nevertheless, Rice joined the team and, despite playing as a #6 at first, was decent; he later tried his hand at an LCM position and excelled.
Last season, particularly in the second half, there was a debate about whether Rice was more influential as an LCM or as a #6.
Thus far, Thomas Partey has made an impression in his role as a number six: he’s on a comeback. The way the Ghanaian international plays the role differs significantly from that of Rice. In fact, there was an argument that Rice can’t reach Partey’s levels in that role.
On Wednesday, however, in a 3-0 victory over Monaco, the Englishman performed exceptionally well as a DM again, with Partey moved to right-back.
Rice’s passing was crisp and varied. They say he can’t play long passes, but he did exactly that. He was also able to deal with the opposition’s pressure and easily got the ball forward, whether through his outstanding ball-carrying abilities or by just passing it.
I may have already hinted that I adore Declan Rice’s role as a #6, as it enables coach Arteta to play Merino, who is an ideal LCM. Despite this, how does the Englishman contribute to both roles, and where do you see him fitting in?
Rice when played as a #6.
– Facing play, more touches, better usage of passing
– Greater transition control influence
– Better use of ball striking
– Slipped final third RHS passes
Rice when played as an #8
– Box crashing
– Better usage of forcing turnovers is high
– Greater ball-carrying influence
Which version of Declan Rice do you prefer? If Declan Rice is playing at #6, do you still believe there is a need to find a long-term replacement for Thomas Partey?
Jack Anderson
ADMIN COMMENT
So here are some simple rules which I must insist commenters follow….
You agree not to give any personal abuse to other Arsenal fans. Everyone is allowed to hold their own opinions even if you disagree with them. It COSTS NOTHING TO BE POLITE TO OTHER ARSENAL FANS.
CALLING ALL ARSENAL FANS! Anyone who would like to contribute an Article or Video opinion piece on JustArsenal, please contact us through this link…
If Rice can play at 6, then no, we don’t need to worry about replacing partey in the future. I’m sceptical, though – I think a lot people see him as a CDM because he does share a lot of qualities as a traditional CDM, however, our CDM should be more of a deep playmaker, and despite the assessment of his performance against Monaco, I’m not convinced. Two areas I think partey excels and rice doesn’t are 1) turning in front of the defence (absolutely key when we play out from the back) and 2) spotting and playing key passes from deep. Maybe he did well against Monaco, but I thought they were quite naive and not necessarily a good test. I also don’t think we’ve done well with rice in that position previously (we tend to be more predictable in attack because we can’t get the ball forwards into dangerous positions quickly enough imo), so it will take more than that to convince me he’s ready for to play that position. Maybe we’ll find out more today – I would like to be wrong as it would solve a real problem for us.
Imo Lewis-Skelly is far more suitable as a long term solution – has exactly the right skillset from what I’ve seen.
It used o be simple – a number six was a defensive midfielder and a number eight was an attacking midfielders but the modern game is more complex now.
I see Rice as a defensive midfielder but in the modern pressing game it is worth having someone with his defensive ability playing high up the pitch to box in the opposition. He had also had the attacking skills to accumulate goals and assists. What he does not have is the vision and quick thinking matched with passing ability that makes Partey and Jorginho experts in the number six role.
Agree with Davi, there is a reason why Jorgino came back to the team to take the number 6 position when Partey was injured and Rice remained a L8. He is good but to the level of Partey as a 6. Partey possesses a lot of qualities combined like Breaking opposition presses, positional intelligence, silk turning on front of the defence, deep playmaking and an obsession with clever passes, and with all due respect, Rice is a hardworking, determined and passionate yet everage CM, to me he is more like midfield version. Of Tierney, self driven, hungry, lovable but just everage or slightly above average.
Ask Partey to play LCM and see if he also won’t be bang average at the end of the season. Rice is a DM. Ask him to play Xhaka role he will suck. Odegaard role he will suck. We need Rice back at DM or out of the team completely.
I hope you’re right, but we have played rice at DM and the team suffered – it might not have been because of rice (havertz was also playing midfield which probably didn’t help), but still, I need to see more before I’m convinced that rice works in a team like ours.
Rice is a monster when playing DM but downright mediocre as a LCM. Normally we would just wait for Partey to get one of his usual injuries and Rice resumes his normal DM position but Partey has managed to stay fit way too long this season. So now I don’t know, we have 2 excellent players fighting for 1 position. Partey is slightly the better, all-round player but Rice is younger, fitter, faster and cost a ton of money. The only solution is to let Partey leave at the end of his contract to allow Rice thrive. Rice is the future.
Imo, as long as Pathey is fit he is better of as NO6 he is a modern DM that can dictates play just like Jorginho. Rice is the best conventional DM Arsenal have, he covers the defence. But depending on the opposition Rice is better as NO8 just like Merino they both can run with the ball at the opposition on left side of Midfield. Pathey can’t run with the ball. If Pathey isn’t fit or needed at the right full back ,then Rice can play NO6.
I can’t really warp my head around it because when partey play as the 6 arsenal attack looks sharp but we look so open centrally while when rice plays their we look compart but slow and predictable, partey plays some passes that makes you go wooh but the stat says rice plays twice does passes but any which way if arsenal can sign a game changing player 2/3 of the problem will be solved
By the look of today’s line up, I’d say he has the Partey role.
Rice is one of the top DM is world football; been that for a few years and is incredibly consistent in that role.
As a LCM he has been average; moves the ball, doesn’t unbalance the midfield, but isn’t a game changer. I daresay he could be swapped with Merino at LCM without much difference in the squad.
At times IMO Arteta tries to force versatility over plain common sense. Rice at LCM over DM? Moving Partey to RB, Timber to LB rather than playing just a different LB? Forcing Havertz into LCM even when it unbalances the midfield?
Reinventing the wheel rather than just using a spare so to speak often creates more problems than it solves.
Even Wenger tried doing this; Ramsey on RW, Ozil on RW, unbalanced the team. He refused to bring in a true DM for almost a decade, trying everything else except a DM like the team needed.
Managers know more than fans, but that doesn’t equate to them always being right. I simply say put players in positions for them to be their best, not square pegs in round holes trying to prove some theoretical tactic as a manager.
“Even Wenger tried doing this; Ramsey on RW, Ozil on RW, unbalanced the team. He refused to bring in a true DM for almost a decade, trying everything else except a DM like the team needed.”
Agree on the DM point, but how often did Ozil and Ramsey play RW? I can’t remember Ozil playing there tbh – I don’t doubt you that he did, but I only remember him playing CAM. And he played on the wing well before joining arsenal anyway, before he joined Madrid – I remember him playing well there for Germany.
And you’re ignoring Wenger’s successes with changing players’ positions – Lauren, Toure, Ljungberg, Wiltord, Santi Cazorla, Reyes, RVP and Thierry Henry
Ramsey and Ozil played quite a few games on the RW, due to our glut of midfielders Wenger acquired.
Have you forgotten we had so many CAM’s in the team we could field half the starting lineup with CAM’s?
Santi was a great example, because he was too talented and productive to sit the bench, but with Ramsey, Ozil, and others in the team Santi was shifted to B2B where he excelled, especially with Coquein.
Ramsey on the wing, Ozil on the wing, Santi on the wing, Ox on the wing, to name just a few.