Cesc Fabregas has shared that he has been left impressed by what Declan Rice has brought to the table at Arsenal.
There was a lot of pressure on Declan Rice’s shoulders in the summer because he arrived from West Ham United for a club-record transfer fee.
Yet, despite all that noise and hype, he is living up to it, including helping Arsenal beat Manchester City 1-0 at the Emirates on Sunday – the injured Bukayo Saka was blown away by William Saliba’s display.
A man who knows what it takes to take centre stage at Arsenal is Cesc Fabregas and he thinks that Declan Rice’s passing game in the final third has ‘grown’, as he told Premier League Productions (08/10/23 at 4:15 pm).
No one disputed the 24-year-old Arsenal ability to carry the ball forward, bully players off the ball and showcase defensive solidity.
But there were question marks involving his passing
Because of the contrasting styles of play deployed by Mikel Arteta and David Moyes,
Yet he has passed that, pardon the pun, with flying colours so far, according to Cesc Fabregas.
Arsenal players passing
Arsenal legend says “Rice’s physicality allows him to cover so much of the pitch that I think sometimes,
As a lone number six, you lose a big part of his capabilities, especially physically,” said Fabregas.
“He has grown with the ball. I think he is capable of giving final balls now. Even to go to the edge of the area like Rodri. We have seen him a couple of times, edge of the box, Champions League finals and scored the goals. Rice has that talent as well.”
Whilst Rice is improving with the ball and playing in a possession-based system
Where you now have to break down two banks of four rather than have open spaces,
He still has a long way to go to reach Martin Odegaard levels.
