“He’s just too talented. Everything he touches turns gold”- Michael Ownen says £240k-p/w Arsenal man is very y versatile and can play everywhere on the pitch after the 6-0 win against Sheffield last night
“He’s just too talented. Everything he touches turns gold”- Michael Ownen says £240k-p/w Arsenal man is very y versatile and can play everywhere on the pitch after the 6-0 win against Sheffield last night
MICHAEL OWEN COMPARES THE £240,000-A-WEEK ARSENAL STAR TO STEVEN GERRARD AFTER THE 6-0 WIN AGAINST SHEFFIELD UNITED
The mid-season winter break seems to have done Arsenal some good as they have gone up a level since their return.
On Monday night, Mikel Arteta saw his players completely obliterate Sheffield United, who are at the bottom of the table.
Declan Rice once again got into the goalscoring column and Michael Owen compared him to Steven Gerrard, when speaking to Premier League Productions (04/03/24 10:10).
The former striker spoke about the different roles Steven Gerrard could play during his days at Liverpool and he feels that Arsenal’s club record transfer can also play ‘everywhere’.
As a youngster, the £240,000-a-week star was used as a centre-back, but once he started playing regularly for West Ham United he became more of a midfield machine.
It has now led to Declan Rice being one of the best box-to-box midfielders in the league and a player at the top of his game, with Jamie Carragher calling him “very underrated”.
Despite being signed for such a high transfer fee, all of this hasn’t bothered him at all as he’s going through the motions for his title-chasing team in the Premier League.
Declan Rice scores again for Arsenal
“He’s a real all-rounder, isn’t he?” Owen said. “He’s a good central midfielder, played a bit further forward (against Sheffield United) and made those runs when the ball was knocked back.
On Rice’s goal: “The ball bounces right in front of him, he has to control it and hit it into the ground. It’s a great finish and the perfect area to aim for.
“You can play this guy anywhere. Steven Gerrard, who I played with, was another one. He could play right-back, centre-forward and central midfielder. Everywhere.
“He’s just a brilliant player. He has a brain. A fantastic athlete. He can play as a centre midfielder, then you can play him a bit further forward and he creates. He scores goals and is just a talented boy. Even though he cost so much money, he’s still one of the signings of the season.”
PFA Player of the Year?
England are blessed that a number of their star talents could be up for this honour at the end of the season.
Phil Foden is having the time of his life after sinking Manchester United on Sunday, while no player has scored more goals than Ollie Watkins at Aston Villa.
All three are expected to be part of Gareth Southgate’s squad for Euro 2024 and all three can win trophies at the end of the season.
European competitions, the Premier League and the FA Cup are all up for grabs for these players at their respective clubs.
Either way, it wouldn’t be a surprise if one of them walks away with the PFA Player of the Year.
