Gary Neville claims Declan Rice ‘can’t’ perform one thing well enough for Arsenal

Manchester United legend Gary Neville has made a stunning revelation about Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice’s limitations. Declan Rice of Arsenal has been one of the Premier League’s standout players this season. Former Newcastle United manager Alan Pardew recently stated that he would choose Rice above Manchester City’s Phil Foden as his Player of the Season winner. The 25-year-old joined Arsenal from West Ham United during the summer transfer window. After establishing himself as one of the top defensive midfielders in the game during his time in East London, he jumped right in for the Gunners and hasn’t looked back since.

Rice joined Mikel Arteta’s squad as a seasoned No. 6. He has now demonstrated that he can be much more than that, with the ability to make an impact on both ends of the pitch. Arteta pushed Rice to pursue a more advanced role. The England star has now had the finest season of his career in front of goal, with seven goals and eleven assists across all competitions. Rice has frequently been played as a No. 8 in the second part of the season, with Jorginho or Thomas Partey sitting behind him at the base of Arsenal’s midfield trio, in the No. 6 role, guarding the back four.

Rice currently aims to become the world’s top box-to box midfielder. Gary Neville feels that this is where his attention should be.

Gary Neville expresses shocking criticism of Arsenal’s Declan Rice.

The commentator included Rice on his Premier League squad of the season.However, he made it clear that he favours the player in a more attacking role. Speaking to Sky Sports, the former full-back stated: “Rice is not that position [#6] that has been formed this season, where Partey or Jorginho have had to come in. Rice isn’t particularly good at playing that position [#6], but he’s better on the left [as a #8]. Mikel Arteta has proven that. “That position [#6] is a different level of intelligence, I’m not saying Declan Rice is not an intelligent football player, I think he’s a sensational player & how he’s improved has been unbelievable, but I don’t think he can play in that position with real discipline.”

Declan Rice enjoys the greater flexibility offered him at Arsenal.

In all honesty, it would be cruel to imply Rice lacks discipline when playing in a defensive role. He has demonstrated multiple times throughout his career, whether for Arsenal, West Ham, or England, that he can perform effectively as a defensive midfielder, focusing on breaking up opposing attacks. However, he appears to have taken his game to a new level since being freed farther up the pitch. He can now express himself more freely and play with greater freedom because he is no longer bound by defensive obligations. The question currently confronting Arteta is how to recreate the Arsenal midfield unit around Rice, given both Partey and Jorginho are in the twilight of their careers.