Subscribe to Miguel Delaney’s newsletter, Reading the Game, and receive it directly in your email inbox at no cost.
Subscribe to Miguel Delaney’s weekly newsletter for free.
According to Mikel Arteta, Declan Rice may step in as a central defender for Arsenal once again, following his defensive role in Tuesday’s Champions League match.
Rice entered the game as a replacement for William Saliba and took on the position of centre-back. Meanwhile, Jorginho played in his typical position in midfield during the 1-1 tie against PSV Eindhoven.
The match was essentially meaningless, as Arsenal had already secured first place and PSV was guaranteed to come in second in Group B. However, it did give Arteta the opportunity to rotate players who don’t typically start, such as Reiss Nelson, Aaron Ramsdale, Mohamed Elneny, and Cedric Soares.
Arteta experimented with using Rice as a centre-back, a tactic that the manager believes could have potential in the future.
Arteta expressed concern about our lack of depth in defense and wanted to test our ability to handle unexpected situations. He was impressed with our performance and capability, as we have experience in that position. In case of an emergency, we must be prepared to efficiently fill any gaps that may arise.
Arteta expressed satisfaction with his team’s performance in the Champions League group stage. They secured the top spot in a group that included Lens and Sevilla, earning a total of 13 points.
In my opinion, the overall outcome has been extremely positive. Despite being away from competition for six or seven years and having a team with limited experience, I believe we have performed exceptionally well. I am particularly pleased with the team’s approach in each game, as we have consistently tried to play our best and dominate our opponents.
“We have achieved significant successes and gained valuable experiences… ultimately, securing first place with one game remaining, we should be extremely pleased. Now, we must put this chapter behind us until February and focus on ensuring that when it reopens, we are in prime position to compete against another top team.”
After 42 minutes, Eddie Nketiah scored a goal which was later matched by Yorbe Vertessen’s equaliser in the second half of the game. The match was evenly played.
“We experienced both positive and challenging moments in our game, particularly in our pressing against a strong opponent. Our lack of timing at times forced us to defend difficult areas, potentially putting our victory at risk. However, I am pleased with the effort and conduct of each player, and we had a chance to come out on top in the end.”
Source: independent.co.uk
