Former Liverpool captain Graham Suness has delivered a scathing critique of Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice after the Gunners’ 2-1 win against Chelsea.
Speaking on Piers Morgan's show, the pundit claimed that the £105 million signing is too often found dropping back into defence during play build-up.
“How many times do you see him being the last man on the ball? When they are trying to play out, he’s the final player. He sits between the two centre-backs or between a centre-back and a full-back. He’s the last man. Most of the time, he’s not playing in midfield,” Suness remarked.
He described this style of play as a 'cheat'.
“In my second or third home game as a player, I dropped to four at the back just like so many midfielders do today. It’s football for old men. It’s cheating. You get the ball without any pressure and pass it to your full-back,” added the Scotsman.
While Suness acknowledged that Rice is England's top defensive midfielder, he questioned his effectiveness in an attacking sense.
“He plays too deep to have any real impact on the game. Let me tell you what he can do. Right now, he’s the best defensive midfielder in the country; he reads danger well. But again, he’s always at the back,” he continued.
The former player even suggested a positional change for Rice.
“Then he’s not really a midfielder, is he? I think he could be a centre-back. The ball travels faster than you run. I see him running 30 yards with the ball and making a sideways pass. He strikes the ball well and shows good composure; there’s nothing to dislike about him,” he added.
“But modern players are a bit soft. Criticism doesn’t sit well with them. He’s not a complete midfielder,” Suness summed up.
Suness stressed that he doesn’t see Rice as a world-class player.
“I’m not sure he gets into Barcelona, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, or Manchester City. If you need the best in that position, City had two — Fernandinho and Rodri. They played in midfield. Next time, please watch him closely. He comes in, gets the ball without pressure, makes a 10-yard pass to Gabriel, and plays it sideways,” the Scotsman declared.
Furthermore, he even blamed Rice and Elliot Anderson for England's exit against Argentina in the World Cup semi-final.
“When England went 1-0 up against Argentina, they panicked. ‘Oh, what do we do now?’ And I place that on Declan Rice and Anderson as the central midfielders in the engine room. They didn’t make Argentina play. They fell back, holding hands with the four at the back,” Suness concluded.
Despite the criticism, Rice remains a key player for Mikel Arteta, especially with the addition of Bruno Guimaraes, who joined for £75 million, now available for rotation.
