November 27th 2024.
According to Arsenal legend Alan Smith and current Gunners manager Mikel Arteta, Declan Rice continues to play a crucial role for the team. However, they both agree that the club has shown they can thrive without the talented England midfielder. Rice joined Arsenal in 2023 for a record-breaking fee of £105m and has since made 66 appearances for the club.
Last season, Rice was an integral part of the team's impressive run in the Premier League, where they narrowly missed out on the title by just two points behind Manchester City. Despite interest from City, Arsenal was able to secure Rice's signature on a long-term contract, beating out their rivals.
This season, Rice has already missed more games than he did in the entire previous campaign, serving a suspension and also sitting out a match due to injury. However, he returned to the starting line-up in Arsenal's Champions League victory over Sporting Lisbon, only to be substituted in the 70th minute for new signing Mikel Merino.
Although Rice remains a highly influential figure at Arsenal, Smith believes that there are five other players who are more essential to the starting line-up. He names goalkeeper David Raya, defenders William Saliba and Gabriel, and midfielders Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard as the key players for the team.
Odegaard, in particular, has made a significant impact since returning from an injury that kept him out for over two months. Arsenal struggled during his absence but have looked much more formidable since his return. Smith praises Odegaard's professionalism and desire to perform at his best, which has been evident in his immediate impact on the team.
Despite some changes in the line-up due to injuries and rotation, Smith believes that Arteta knows his strongest starting eleven. He points out that even in the recent match against Nottingham Forest, where Rice was sidelined and Kai Havertz was rested, Arsenal was still able to secure a convincing win. This, in turn, has given Arteta more confidence in his squad and the depth of talent available to him.
In the end, Smith emphasizes the importance of utilizing the entire squad, especially when competing in multiple competitions. He believes that Arsenal's recent win without key players will only boost their confidence and strengthen their title chances.
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