Declan Rice welcomes his former employers to the Emirates Stadium on Thursday for the first time since swapping east for north. His startling impact has lifted the Arsenal midfield to an entirely different level, so we take a look at what makes him such an efficient operative, and why he is pushing Erling Haaland in the latest PFA Player of the Year odds.
How Good is Declan Rice?
Very.
The fact that very few people, if any, have questioned the £105 million transfer fee Arsenal paid in the summer is testament to his performances thus far.
Rice has added a physicality and fluidity that was glaringly absent from Arsenal‘s midfield last season, particularly in the sporadic periods where Thomas Partey struggled with injuries. Sitting just ahead of arguably the league’s most in-form centre-back pairing – Gabriel and William Saliba – the Gunners suddenly have an inexhaustible, unflagging trifecta that have been integral to their record as the joint-best defensive unit this campaign.
Taking a look at the Declan Rice stats pack after 18 games, you can certainly pick out attributes that make him such a recognisable force; 2.1 tackles per-90, 1.6 interceptions per-game.
What the stats fail to disclose is the indescribable presence he brings to Arsenal’s game, whether it be snuffing out the opposition, or driving his side forward with one of his trademark surging runs.
Rice carries with him a peremptory aura that very few players can live with, patiently patrolling the centre of the park to pounce at just the right moment; for context, he has clocked in with 96 recoveries and 70 duels won in just 18 appearances.
Availability plus world-class performances combination in a player. Declan Rice is a massive signing. pic.twitter.com/v3CvvpmvZ6
— Gooner Eurychus 🇰🇪⚽ (@Gooner_Eurychus) December 27, 2023
PFA Player of the Year Odds
As we reach the halfway point of the season, the complexion of the table is starting to become a little clearer. There are still five gruelling months left to play however, and plenty of time remains for players to knock Erling Haaland off his Player of the Year perch.
Below we have listed the most-up-to-date PFA Player of the Year odds across Premier League betting sites, which indicates Declan Rice has a legitimate claim to the award, should Arsenal continue on their title-challenging trajectory.
- Erling Haaland – 6/4
- Declan Rice – 2/1
- Mohammed Salah – 5/1
- Bukayo Saka – 14/1
- Trent Alexander-Arnold – 16/1
- Martin Odegaard – 25/1
- Julian Alvarez – 28/1
- Bernardo Silva – 33/1
Will Declan Rice Win the Player of the Year Award?
Discounting the likes of Erling Haaland and Mohammed Salah – both of whom are also embroiled in a title chase alongside Arsenal – would be unwise.
However, Declan Rice has dispelled perhaps the only doubt that followed him to Arsenal – his ability to score goals.
In fact, he hasn’t just added a noticeable craving to get on the scoresheet, but he has popped up with some of Arsenal’s most crucial, season-saving moments. His first goal in Arsenal colours could not have been scripted better, even it were written by Shakespeare himself.
That electrifying 96th-minute winner against Manchester United sent the Emirates into raptures, and the palpable love for their new fan-favourite poured from the stands that day.
His second goal – an opportunistic and highly-technical sweeping strike from distance against Chelsea – sparked the Gunners into life and inspired an unlikely, but hugely important point at Stamford Bridge.
His third, which brings him to within one goal of his career-best single-season tally of four at West Ham, won Arsenal all three points in a laboured victory away at Luton, deep into stoppage time.
This sheer force of will to win is infectious, and his goals alone are responsible for claiming Arsenal seven points. In a title-chasing cohort where margins are finer than ever this season, these could turn out to be invaluable.
Rice’s evolution as a true all-rounder is a scary prospect for everyone else but Arsenal. His willingness to lend a hand in attacking phases is best reflected by the fact he averages a shot every 64 minutes – for context, he was attempting one every 90 minutes last term.
It is not inconceivable that Rice could reach double figures in the second half of the season – for a traditional defensive midfielder, this would be no mean feat.
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