The Arsenal Revolution: How Declan Rice Can Transform Arteta's Squad and Dominate in Multiple Positions

Arsenal received solid confirmation of the value of signing Declan Rice during their 2-2 draw with West Ham at the London Stadium in April. Despite being in a comfortable position with a two-goal lead, Mikel Arteta's team saw the tides turn due to a clever move orchestrated by their record signing.

Rice swiftly raced towards Kieran Tierney as he prepared to deliver a pass to Thomas Partey in the heart of the Arsenal half. With impeccable timing, Rice intercepted the ball, skillfully maneuvering it into the penalty box where he found Lucas Paqueta. This crucial play, resulting in a penalty, was ultimately won by Paqueta and expertly converted by Said Benrahma, resulting in a shift in the game's momentum away from Arsenal. Remarkably, this pivotal moment, initiated by Rice, may even have implications on the title race itself.

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Rice is stationed inside the centre circle when he starts sprinting towards Partey

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Rice reaches Partey and robs him of possession as he tries to turn

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Rice sets up Lucas Paqueta, who gets fouled by Gabriel Magalhaes, leading to the penalty.

This wasn't the initial instance where he hurried to put pressure on Partey in the match. "Rice is simply indicating that he will pursue him," commented pundit Jamie Carragher on co-commentary.

The passage of play exemplified the attributes that captivated Arsenal about Rice: his keen anticipation in recognizing the opportunity, his quickness and strength in securing the ball, and his calmness in assisting his teammate and drawing a penalty.

Furthermore, this passage showcased the remarkable progress that the 24-year-old has made as a player. Originally starting as a center-back at West Ham, Rice seamlessly transitioned into a midfield anchor. Presently, he has evolved into so much more, displaying his impactful contributions in both offensive and defensive aspects of the game, which have skyrocketed his market value beyond £100m.

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Rice's heat maps show how his West Ham role evolved

As Partey found out, his ability to win possession is unrivalled.

Rice was the top performer in terms of ball recoveries in the Premier League last season, with a remarkable total of 334. This put him far ahead of Rodri from Manchester City, who came in second place. Additionally, Rice excelled in interceptions, recording 63 which was seven more than any other player.

At West Ham, Rice has been playing in a double pivot alongside Tomas Soucek. However, his exceptional ability to win the ball, along with his physical strength and impressive distribution skills over both short and long distances, make him a perfect fit for the No 6 role in Arteta's system.

That is where David Moyes envisions his future in the long term. "As his career progresses, he may evolve into a true No 6," he stated in April. It is very likely that this is where he will end up at Arsenal.

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Arsenal have already signed Kai Havertz and Jurrien Timber

In contrast, Rice, who is only 24 years old, is yet to reach his prime and has displayed remarkable durability, appearing in 93% of West Ham's Premier League matches in the past five seasons. On the other hand, Partey, who is still a crucial player in Arteta's midfield, recently turned 30, with only two years left on his contract and a history of sporadic injuries. Throughout the last three seasons, Partey has only featured in 71% of Arsenal's matches.

Arteta is aware that he cannot rely on Partey's fitness moving forward. Thus, he made the decision to sign Jorginho temporarily in January as an alternative. However, it is not just dependability and strength that Rice would bring to the team in that position. His ability to carry the ball is also noteworthy.

Gareth Southgate acknowledged Rice's growth in this area last year, stating, "he effectively disrupts the game and now he possesses the confidence to advance with the ball and move it forward as well." The statistics substantiate this claim.

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Rice excels in carrying the ball, making it one of his remarkable strengths. Based on data provided by Second Spectrum, they define a carry as a touch event wherein the ball-carrier travels 10 meters or more while in possession. Last season, Rice finished second in total carries, only surpassed by Rodri. Additionally, Rice outperformed everyone by covering the greatest distance while carrying the ball.

Rice's carries were particularly remarkable as nearly 70 percent of them were categorized as "pressured," indicating that opposition players were trying to take the ball off him. However, Belgian side Gent learned the hard way in the Europa Conference League quarter-finals. Rice carried the ball all the way from deep in his own half, effortlessly bypassing three defenders to score an extraordinary individual goal.

domestically, there were numerous other examples. Throughout the Premier League season, he surpassed a whopping 214 opposition defenders through carries, ranking fourth in the division.

Rice's exceptional capability of accelerating past opponents, penetrating defensive lines while in possession, is a quality that Arsenal lacked in their deep-lying midfield options last year. This addition would enable Arteta's team to pose a unique threat to opposing teams.

Moreover, what makes it even more enticing is Rice's ability to seize opportunities in the attacking zone. That remarkable goal against Gent was just one among the impressive tally of 10 he has netted since the commencement of the 2021/22 season. His offensive prowess has unquestionably undergone significant progress in his game.

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Since transitioning from defense to midfield under Manuel Pellegrini at the beginning of the 2018/19 season, his performance indicators for chances created, passes in the final third, and shots per 90 minutes have consistently improved, reaching their highest levels in the previous season.

His offensive capabilities have been completely transformed, which is why Arteta may confidently consider deploying him in the left-sided No 8 position previously held by Granit Xhaka. Furthermore, his leadership qualities could also assist in filling the void left by Xhaka's departure.

Moyes recently expressed his belief that Rice has the ability to excel in the role of an attacking midfield player, even in the distinct circumstances at West Ham.

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Could Declan Rice be used as Arsenal's left-sided No 8?

Moyes' team possessed an average of just 41% of the ball last season, the third-lowest in the league, in contrast to Arsenal's 60%. These circumstances necessitated a defensive approach. However, it is important to acknowledge that Rice, who ranked below only James Ward-Prowse of Southampton and Pascal Gross of Brighton in terms of distance covered, highlights his ability to perform as a box-to-box midfielder. Additionally, Rice plays a crucial role in their attacking strategy.

Indeed, West Ham strategically directs a significant number of their attacks down the left side. This is primarily due to the excellent partnership formed by Rice with players such as Said Benrahma, Lucas Paqueta, Aaron Cresswell, and Emerson Palmieri, who all operate on the left side. Additionally, the combination of left-sided centre-backs Angelo Ogbonna and Nayef Aguerd further strengthens the effectiveness of this approach.

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Rice was key on and off the ball on the left of West Ham's midfield

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West Ham favored attacking down their left flank more than their right, implying that Rice could replicate a similar role at Arsenal. This possibility arises as Arsenal looks to bolster their left side, which has thrived due to the flourishing partnership between Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka.

Wherever Rice is deployed, there is no doubt that he would bring stability without the ball. Alongside the growth of his offensive abilities in recent years, the ex-Chelsea trainee has significantly improved his defensive skills.

In the previous season, Rice made fewer tackles compared to three out of the last four campaigns. However, he became increasingly challenging to bypass in one-on-one situations, as evident by the year-to-year decline in the frequency of opponents successfully dribbling past him.

Last season, the occurrence rate was only 0.55 times per 90 minutes, which was three times lower compared to the player's first season as a midfielder in 2018/19. To put it in perspective, Partey and Rodri were dribbled past approximately twice as frequently per 90 minutes in the 2022/23 season.

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Rice's versatility makes him well-suited for various positions, which is extremely valuable to Arteta. The Arsenal manager has been striving to achieve tactical flexibility since the beginning of his tenure.

"We aim to have adaptability," he elaborated in an interview with We in 2020. "If we can master two or three different formations, we will be harder to predict and control... while maintaining our core principles. The ability to switch systems and vary our approach to attacking and defending is vital."

The emphasis he places on versatility has intensified over time. It has become one of the primary qualities he highlights when talking about the recent signings, including Gabriel Jesus and Leandro Trossard. This trend appears to be ongoing, and Arsenal's aspiration is for Rice, known for his quick thinking that influenced the momentum in last season's title race at the London Stadium, to potentially lead them to victory in the future.

This article was first published on June 14

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