Declan Rice stat that shows exactly how his role has changed this season

Declan Rice completed his second consecutive full game against Napoli in midweek.

He was substituted in the first two Premier League games as he was eased back in following a gruelling World Cup.

But he’s well and truly back in his groove now. He was brilliant against Napoli.

He already leads the Champions League for forward passes, and is making Graeme Souness look increasingly foolish.

He is without doubt the best defensive midfielder in the country. But he hasn’t always been used by Mikel Arteta in this way.

Declan Rice is operating a lot deeper this season

According to The Telegraph, Rice has averaged just 0.24 touches in the opposition penalty area per 90 minutes this season.

In his previous three seasons at Arsenal, he averaged 1.68, 3.01 and 1.45. Last season in particular, he was regularly surging into advanced areas, finishing with nine goals in all competitions, the best return of his career.

This season, he has taken just one touch in the opposition box across five games.

That’s a deliberate change by Arteta. With Martin Odegaard operating higher and more freely than ever — Arteta has specifically instructed him to take up more advanced positions — and with Bruno Guimaraes, Myles Lewis-Skelly, Mikel Merino and Martin Zubimendi all capable of advancing forward, Rice doesn’t need to cover every blade of grass.

Rice said so himself — Arsenal now have six incredible midfield players to choose from. And his job now is to patrol the central areas, protect the defence and dictate the game from deep.

Declan Rice’s new role can help protect his fitness

Rice made 69 appearances for club and country last season, managing nerve pain in his hamstring throughout the second half of the campaign.

That is an extraordinary workload for an all-action midfielder, and it was simply unsustainable long-term.

A deeper role means less exploding into the penalty area, less covering the length of the pitch in both directions, and essentially less physical toll on the body.

Signing Guimaraes is a further sign that Arsenal are looking to protect Rice a bit more. They can now afford to rotate him out in some games, allowing him some rest, without the level dropping significantly.

That’s how good Guimaraes is. And partnered together, with Odegaard, they make up the best midfield in the Premier League.

Rice can afford to sit and protect with the other two — and/or Lewis-Skelly — offering the line-breaking creative threat from central areas.