Declan Rice: Arsenal's 'all-rounder' assessed by Jamie Carragher and Ian Wright on Monday Night Football
Jamie Carragher and Ian Wright analysed Declan Rice's new role for Arsenal on Monday Night Football and how Jorginho's presence in the team has unlocked the £105m midfielder's all-round ability.
Rice has been able to play further up the pitch for Arsenal since Jorginho has had a sustained run in the team and it is paying dividends for Mikel Arteta, with the 25-year-old scoring three goals in his last five league games.
The former West Ham midfielder is now alongside Martin Odegaard in those more advanced roles, and Carragher explained that this is made possible by Ben White inverting at right-back while Jakub Kiwior holds a more conventional full-back role on the left.
"I think Declan Rice has shown he is a throwback to an all-rounder," said Sky Sports pundit Carragher.
"We define the roles of midfielders nowadays as, 'he's a holder, he's an eight, he's a 10'. He does it all. He can basically do it all in the different roles. Credit to Mikel Arteta as well [for using him there]."
Wright, appearing on Monday Night Football for the first time, added: "I really like Rice in that position. It's almost like when Tomas Soucek used to be holding at West Ham and Rice was able to push up on that left side.
"Everybody thought it was Kai Havertz that was coming into to play as the No 8, but it's Declan Rice that Arteta wanted to do that.
"Obviously when Jorginho wasn't in the side, Declan had to play the No 6 at times and played it very well. But this is obviously what his main strengths are, getting into the box and scoring goals. We know he's capable of doing it, we saw him doing it at West Ham."
Asked about the importance of Jorginho, he added: "Thomas Partey and Jorginho would have been playing the No 6, but they weren't available so
Read on m.allfootballapp.com
