“It’s crazy to imagine how Arteta used this player in a very different position, Only Pep Guardiola has the guts to do that”- Arsenal icon Thierry Henry together with UCL journalist reveals the one player which Arteta used in a ‘weird’ position last night that made Sevilla coach and players confused

‘Very interesting’: Thierry Henry says Mikel Arteta used one Arsenal player in a ‘weird’ role last night

Arsenal legend Thierry Henry believes Declan Rice was asked to play in a ‘weird’ role against Sevilla in the Champions League last night.

The Gunners picked up an impressive 2-1 win over the Spanish side. Goals from Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel Jesus sealed the win, but Henry was more focused on Rice in his analysis on CBS Sports.

Thierry Henry says Declan Rice played in a ‘weird’ role for Arsenal vs Sevilla

Declan Rice started as a left-sided number eight for Arsenal last night, with Mikel Arteta choosing Jorginho to play in the defensive midfield role.

The England international had a terrific game. He was all over the pitch, won the midfield battle comfortably, and every time he charged forward with the ball, he looked dangerous.

A deeper analysis of Rice’s game out of possession is very interesting. Thierry Henry, who is France’s U21s boss now, shared with the world how a manager looks at the game.

He noticed how Rice was actually deep in his own half during Arsenal’s build-up play, but surprisingly, he was very high up the pitch to press Sevilla when the Gunners didn’t have the ball. Henry felt that role was a bit ‘weird’ last night.

He said about Rice on CBS Sports: “He had a weird role on the night Declan Rice as he was low to build up and high to press. We talk about an offensive balance and you have a 2-3-5 with Ben White on the side and the two holding as Jorginho and Declan Rice but there is something very interesting.

“When White goes, Saka has to stay and keep the shape of that offensive balance which Sevilla didn’t deal with. Saka keeps the structure of the team, Odegaard comes but he will never go high unless they switch.

“Off the ball, he [Rice] plays as a 10 because he has an eye on their holding midfielder, they wanted to make sure the two holding were never going to be on the ball.”

Jamie Carragher then jumped in and said: “He is the centre forward, forget he is Declan Rice. So when you talk about a complete midfield player, he is the highest person to press and the deepest player to build.”

Henry replied: “That’s why Mikel Arteta went to get him because he can do so much for you, off the ball and on the ball.”

Arsenal star Rice is a complete midfielder

Thierry Henry is right, the role Declan Rice played for Arsenal last night was a bit weird, but not many midfielders in the world could’ve done what he did. 

Being the highest to press and the deepest while building up sounds easy on paper, but to constantly do it in a game where there were so many turnovers in transition is an extremely difficult task. 

Rice, however, made it look easy, and that explains why Arsenal smashed their transfer record to sign him from West Ham in the summer transfer window. 

Michael Owen feels Rice’s best position is defensive midfield, but Henry’s analysis above proves that the Arsenal number 41 can do it all.