Alex Walsh 
The tactical flexibility of Declan Rice
During the match against Crystal Palace, it became evident that Mikel Arteta plans to utilize Declan Rice in various roles throughout the season.
This revelation stemmed from an interview Rice conducted after the game, where he highlighted the contrasts in his roles during the matches against Palace and Forest.
Rice elaborated on his roles in the two matches—against Forest, he operated as the left player in a midfield diamond, while against Palace, he assumed the role of a single pivot. In the first match against Forest, this positioning allowed him to venture into more attacking areas, nearly resulting in his first goal when he struck the post with a volley.
In the recent game, Rice positioned himself prominently in the center of the midfield, exerting control over the game through his exceptional passing ability.
By the end of the match, his pass accuracy had reached an impressive 90%.
He also had a potential assist opportunity when he smoothly navigated past a couple of Palace players, delivering a no-look pass to Eddie Nketiah, who unfortunately lifted his shot over the bar.
Arsenal fans are likely hoping for increased attacking contributions from Rice, particularly when he occupies the left position in a midfield diamond, as he did in the match against Forest.
Last season at West Ham, he managed to tally four goals and two assists. However, there's a belief that he can surpass those numbers this season while wearing the Arsenal shirt.
Rice himself addressed this aspect after the game in his post-match interview with Sky Sports, expressing his intention to bolster his offensive prowess.
He's aware of this need to add more goals and assists and is diligently working to refine this facet of his game.
If he manages to do that, I can’t see what’s stopping him from becoming the best midfielder in the world.
Alex Walsh will be writing extensively on Arsenal this season for the Gooner Fanzine online and in print.
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