Graeme Souness has once again voiced his criticism of Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice, suggesting the England international plays too deep and might be more suited to a defensive role. Souness stated that Rice's positioning often sees him operating between or behind the center-backs during build-up play, which he believes limits his impact on the game.
Rice, who joined Arsenal from West Ham in 2023 for £105 million, has become a crucial player for both his club and country. He was instrumental in Arsenal's Premier League title win last season and played a significant role in England's run to the World Cup semi-finals in the summer. Despite these achievements, Souness remains unconvinced by Rice's qualities as an elite central midfielder.
"How many times do you see him as the last man with the ball," Souness said on Piers Morgan's Football Uncensored show. "In the build-up, he's last man. He's sitting between two centre-halves or between the centre-half and the full-back. He's last man. A lot of the time, he doesn't play in midfield."
Souness recalled his own early career experiences, where he was chastised by teammates for dropping too deep to collect the ball, emphasizing that such a style is characteristic of "old man's football" and a way to avoid pressure. He believes Rice's tendency to operate so deep prevents him from influencing the game effectively. "He plays too deep to affect the game," Souness added. "I don't think he's got enough football."
While acknowledging Rice's strengths as a defensive midfielder who "smells danger" and is a "lovely kicker of the ball," Souness questioned whether he possesses the complete skillset of a modern, top-tier midfielder. He speculated that Rice might even be better suited as a center-half, noting that "the ball travels faster than you do" and that Rice often makes short, sideways passes after covering significant ground with the ball.
Souness further questioned Rice's standing among the elite players in his position, suggesting that he might not make the starting lineup for top clubs like Real Madrid, Barcelona, or Manchester City. He pointed to Manchester City's midfield pairing of Fernandinho and Rodri as examples of midfielders who operate in more advanced positions.
"I'm not sure if he gets in Barcelona, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Man City," Souness stated. "If you want the best in that position, City had two of them - Fernandinho and Rodri. They played in midfield."
Souness also revisited his criticism of Rice's performance in England's World Cup semi-final defeat against Argentina in July. He attributed some of the team's struggles in that match to Rice and his midfield partner, suggesting they "didn't get them playing" and retreated towards the defense after taking a lead.
This season, Rice has been part of an Arsenal team that has started with three wins from its opening three Premier League matches, placing them second in the table. The club has also strengthened its midfield with the signing of Bruno Guimaraes. Rice played 55 games for Arsenal last season, and the arrival of Guimaraes may offer manager Mikel Arteta more options for rotating the squad.