Declan Rice has told Mikel Arteta that his position is as a No.6 following Arsenal’s latest Champions League win.
However, the midfielder admits he gets ‘excited’ when he plays as a more advanced No.8, as he did in the 2-0 victory over Sevilla on Wednesday night.
The Gunners were in cruise control at the Emirates, with Rice once again playing very well, stopping Sevilla from getting anywhere near David Raya’s goal and helping create chances for his teammates.
The 24-year-old has played as both the deepest lying midfielder (No.6) and in a slightly more advanced role (No.8) this season, with Jorginho screening behind him for the latter.
There is debate over which position suits him best and Arteta now has an answer from the player himself – though in fairness he seems content to play wherever he’s required.
‘I think my best position is probably as a number 6. My biggest strength is breaking up the play and taking the ball from deep.’ Rice told TNT Sports post-match.
‘I do get excited when I play number 8 though. I get to show the other side of my game. I didn’t stop running tonight!
Tough game. We knew what to expect and we knew it was a big night. We wanted to get three points on the board, that was key,’ Rice added.
‘After the upset in the cup and on the weekend, a club like Arsenal can’t be losing three games in a row. The manager made that clear. Sometimes when you’re playing against a back five it’s hard to break down but we kept persisting.
Our next game here is at home. We’re close to the knockout stages and once you get there it all starts again. That’s how you push on and stay focused.
‘We love it. You see how passionate Mikel Arteta is. He’s living the game through us. He’s so energetic. It really fires us up for the game.’
