Graeme Souness says Arsenal man is cheating with the way he plays

There are few people as critical of midfielders in the Premier League as Graeme Souness, who targeted Paul Pogba for several years and has now turned his attention to Declan Rice.

Rice is considered one of the best midfielders in Europe and is the most expensive signing Arsenal have made. However, he has performed so well that few people are now discussing the amount of money it took the Gunners to bring him to the club.

Souness demands more from Rice

The Gunners splashed the cash because they were convinced they were signing one of the best players in the world, and Rice has so far proven himself to be one of the top players on the continent. Arsenal will continue doing their best to sign the best players they can afford, while also believing Rice can continue to develop.

However, Souness is not convinced by the midfielder and does not believe he does enough to stand out during matches. Considering how highly Rice is rated, Souness wants more from the Arsenal man and believes he is benefiting from his reputation.

Rice criticised for his positioning

Souness claims Rice is effectively cheating his way into the ratings he receives because of his positioning during matches. He believes the midfielder often drops too deep and receives the ball without enough pressure, allowing him to move possession towards the full-back.

He explained his criticism as quoted by Football365:

“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.

“In my second or third home game (of my career), I went into the back four like all midfield players do today. It’s old man’s football. It’s cheating. An old man’s way of playing midfield. You get the ball under no pressure and you play it out to the full-back.”

Souness’ comments provide a strong criticism of Rice’s role and the way he influences matches. Despite the midfielder’s high standing, the former player believes he should be doing more in midfield rather than operating so frequently from deeper positions.

Rice will continue to be judged against the expectations that come with his reputation, but his performances for the Gunners have ensured he remains highly regarded across Europe.

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