Declan Rice: Souness Highlights Key Area For Improvement To Become World-Class

Axel S�rensen

4 min read

Post on May 03, 2025

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Souness's Critique: The Need for More Goals and Assists

Graeme Souness, a figure known for his insightful analysis, recently pointed out a critical aspect hindering Rice's ascent to world-class status: his offensive contribution. While acknowledging Rice's exceptional defensive capabilities, Souness emphasized the need for a significant increase in goals and assists. He argued that the truly elite midfielders not only dominate defensively but also provide a consistent attacking threat.

• Statistical Evidence: Comparing Rice's goal and assist tallies to midfielders like Kevin De Bruyne or Bruno Fernandes reveals a significant disparity. While Rice excels in tackles and interceptions, his numbers in the final third lag behind those considered world-class. He averages considerably fewer goals and key passes per game, limiting his overall impact on the game's outcome.

• Bullet Points:

  • Significantly lower goal-scoring rate compared to other top midfielders in the Premier League.
  • Limited number of key passes and assists leading to goals.
  • The intense focus on defensive duties often comes at the cost of opportunities to contribute offensively.

Tactical Flexibility and Adaptability: A Key to Improvement

Souness's critique implicitly suggests a need for greater tactical flexibility in Rice's game. To become a truly world-class midfielder, Rice needs to adapt his playing style depending on the game situation. He shouldn't solely focus on defensive duties; instead, he should intelligently venture forward, creating attacking opportunities.

• Examples: There have been matches where a more ambitious Rice, driving forward with the ball and attempting shots from distance, could have significantly altered the game's flow and outcome. A slightly more attacking approach would enhance Arsenal's offensive arsenal.

• Bullet Points:

  • Increased attempts at shots from outside the box.
  • More frequent late runs into the penalty area to capitalize on scoring opportunities.
  • Improved timing and accuracy of passes in the final third to create scoring chances for teammates.

Physical Attributes and Technical Skills: Already Strong Foundations

It's important to acknowledge Declan Rice's already impressive skillset. He possesses exceptional physical attributes and technical capabilities that serve as a solid foundation for further development. His strengths are undeniable:

• Bullet Points:
  • Exceptional tackling and interception abilities, consistently disrupting opponent attacks.
  • Imposing physical presence and unparalleled stamina, allowing him to dominate midfield battles for the entire match.
  • High accuracy in passing, effectively distributing the ball and maintaining possession.
  • Opportunities exist to refine shooting accuracy and power.
  • Enhancing his first touch in attacking situations would significantly improve his overall effectiveness.

The Impact of Increased Goals and Assists on Team Performance

An increased attacking contribution from Rice would have a ripple effect, significantly boosting Arsenal's overall performance. His current defensive contributions are invaluable; adding a consistent goal threat from midfield would create an almost unstoppable force.

• Bullet Points:
  • Adding a significant goal threat from deep midfield.
  • Creating a greater number of high-quality scoring chances for Arsenal's strikers.
  • Enhanced fluidity in Arsenal's overall attacking play.

Conclusion: Declan Rice's Path to World-Class Status

Graeme Souness's key criticism centers on Declan Rice's need to enhance his offensive contributions—specifically, goals and assists. This isn't about transforming him into an attacking midfielder; rather, it's about strategically adding more attacking threat to his already impressive skillset. With focused training and development in this area, Rice possesses the potential to reach world-class status. He has the foundation; now it's about refining and expanding his offensive capabilities. Do you think Declan Rice can achieve world-class status by improving his offensive contributions? Share your thoughts on Declan Rice improvement, and the future of this world-class midfielder in the comments below!