Exclusive: Arsenal expert hits back at Gary Neville over Declan Rice criticism
Arsenal journalist Charles Watts has hit back at Gary Neville after his criticism of the way Declan Rice has been playing for England at Euro 2024.
Speaking exclusively to CaughtOffside for his latest Daily Briefing column, Watts felt it was laughable to compare Rice to someone like Toni Kroos with the quality of his passing and his style of play in that number 6 role.
Rice was outstanding for Arsenal last season and surely has an important role to play for England this summer, but Neville singled him out as not being suited to that number 6 role after the draw with Denmark.
Watts feels, however, that Neville has misunderstood Rice’s role in the Arsenal midfield and why he was later moved into a more advanced number 8 role in Mikel Arteta’s side last season.
The journalist feels this was more about Kai Havertz vacating that role himself by moving up front, rather than because of anything Rice wasn’t doing right in a deeper role.
Rice defended by Arsenal journalist Watts
“The criticism of Declan Rice has been well over the top since the Denmark game. Honestly, it just makes me laugh,” Watts said.
“I thought Gary Neville’s comments were way over the top as well. Neville saying that Rice is ‘not good’ at playing as a No.6 and that Mikel Arteta moved him further forward because of that was just complete rubbish in my opinion.
“Arteta moved him further forward because of Kai Havertz’s sudden emergence as Arsenal’s No.9 over the final months of the season. Havertz suddenly playing as the central striker meant someone had to play in that left eight role next to Odegaard and Rice was the best option for that, especially as Jorginho could fill in behind him. It wasn’t anything to do with Rice’s performances at No.6.
“In my opinion he was Arsenal’s stand out player over the first half of the season by a country mile and that was all while playing as the No.6.
“Yes, he doesn’t progress the ball like Toni Kroos playing in that role, but there aren’t many players who can, that’s what makes Kroos so special.
“Rice is more of a disrupter, someone he sits in front of the back four, wins the ball back and then drives forward.
“He’s been one of England’s best players over the past few years, yet suddenly after one bad game he’s getting pelters.”
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