Former Arsenal striker Alan Smith has strongly suggested that midfielder Declan Rice is the most crucial player in manager Mikel Arteta’s squad this season, claiming the England international has no adequate replacement. Smith warned that a potential injury to Rice would deal a severe blow to the club’s aspirations of winning the Premier League title.
Speaking to Metro UK, Smith weighed in on how Arsenal would cope with potential injury setbacks, contrasting the cover available in other positions with the unique role Rice fills.
Rice: the irreplaceable engine of Arsenal’s midfield
Smith emphasized that Rice’s absence would create a gaping void that Arsenal is currently ill-equipped to fill, noting that the qualities the midfielder brings are essential to Arteta’s system.
“Declan Rice would be a big loss if he got injured because you would lose that drive in midfield and his set-piece ability which has become so important,” Smith stated. He added firmly, “They have not really got anybody to replace Rice.”
Rice’s role goes beyond mere defensive stability; he is central to transitioning play, providing thrust from deep, and contributing vital goals and assists, particularly from set-pieces—a facet of Arsenal’s attack that has become increasingly decisive.
Squad depth assessed: cover elsewhere is better
Smith contrasted the midfield dependency on Rice with the cover available in other key areas of the pitch, noting that Arsenal has shown resilience when other players have been sidelined.
He acknowledged that the Gunners have managed the absences of other crucial figures, citing the case of Norwegian playmaker Martin Ødegaard as a prime example. Smith noted that when Ødegaard was unavailable, players like Eberechi Eze stepped in, and the team managed to avoid a significant drop-off in performance.
Similarly, Smith praised the defensive unit for being “superb,” noting that even the backline has adequate cover, mentioning that Cristhian Mosquera has stepped in effectively at times, and the club also has Piero Hincapie available.
In Smith’s estimation, while the loss of any key player would be felt, the unique combination of defensive tenacity, forward drive, and set-piece prowess offered by Declan Rice makes him the single biggest loss the team could suffer in their pursuit of the league championship.
