Declan Rice hit back at Graeme Souness on Sunday over criticism of his playing style, defending his positioning and pointing to his statistical output following recent punditry claims.
Rice Supports Arsenal Through Tactical Role and Output
- Rice’s work with Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta and his tactical role dropping deep continue to support Arsenal on the pitch.
- Pundit critiques regarding deeper positioning do not reflect his actual attacking output, maintaining his high ceiling in Premier League goal and assist metrics.
- Manager Thomas Tuchel managing Rice’s physical load ensures he is ready for international fixtures moving forward.
Defending the Numbers
The Standard reported that Rice addressed the remarks during a press conference in Madrid ahead of England’s Nations League fixture against Spain. Souness had previously stated on Piers Morgan’s Football Uncensored that the midfielder was “cheating” by dropping into defensive lines and playing “old man’s football.”
“My numbers since I joined Arsenal speak for themselves. For a centre-back, I think that’s not bad numbers! I think I’ve had a lot of assists, a lot of goals and to be a top-class centre-back getting those numbers I’m delighted with that!” said Declan Rice, England vice-captain.
Declan Rice ANSWERS back Souness – says he'd shake his hand, but insists game is completely different to when Souness played – feels he had "average" World Cup – the challenge of staying at 100% fitness in modern gamehttps://t.co/4oU2W9lY70
Tactical Evolution
“No, but look, if you speak about, like you said, the positioning, the old man's football. Look at Harry Kane, for instance.” England vice-captain Declan Rice told The Independent. He cited Bayern Munich forward Harry Kane dropping deep during a recent Champions League match as an example of how elite teams create tactical advantages.
“It’s what the game demands, to get away from your man, to go into different areas to create overloads, to create two v ones, to progress the ball up the pitch. Football is way different,” said Rice.
The Daily Express highlighted that Rice acknowledged Souness’s distinguished playing career while maintaining that the sport has fundamentally evolved. Yahoo Sports added that Rice emphasized his regular tactical coordination with Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta regarding deep progression and positional rotation.
| Metric / Focus | Declan Rice (Arsenal) | Graeme Souness (Punditry Stance) |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Role | Modern Box-to-Box / Defensive Midfielder | Advocates Traditional Midfield Stance |
| Positional Critique | Drops into backline to build up | Labels deep dropping as “cheating” |
| Target Comparison | Harry Kane / Modern tactical overloads | Historical midfield positioning standards |
Backing Ben White
Beyond the tactical debate, Rice offered an impassioned defense of Arsenal team-mate Ben White following renewed booing by sections of England supporters during the fixture against Croatia at Wembley, as reported by The Standard.
Declan Rice takes a swipe back at Graeme Souness over “old man football” and “centre-half” accusations…#afc https://t.co/ORtBIkalQU
“Ben has moved on from what’s happened in the past, he’s totally focused on playing for England. When he’s been fit and available he’s constantly put himself forward to play for England,” said Rice.
The Independent said that Rice’s own physical recovery remains a key talking point following a demanding 69-game season and a subsequent World Cup campaign where he managed hamstring discomfort before receiving a planned intervention from England manager Thomas Tuchel.
Declan Rice said that the most important thing is to look forward to the future and what Ben White is going to do in an England shirt.
Disclaimer: The fantasy and market insights provided are for informational and entertainment purposes only and do not constitute financial or betting advice.
