Ally McCoist believes Mikel Arteta now has the hardest-working player in the Premier League at his disposal at Arsenal.
The Spaniard has built a side that defends exceptionally well in recent seasons, and this is, in part, due to the individual players’ work rates.
Wingers Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli work ridiculously hard out of possession, while the full-backs pop up in all sorts of positions across the pitch.
However, McCoist has highlighted a different player whose work ethic trumps that of any other player in the English top flight.
Ally McCoist lauds Declan Rice’s work rate
Arsenal signed Declan Rice for £100 million in 2023.
For this price, the midfielder would be somewhat forgiven for having an ego and compromising some of his defensive responsibilities.
However, this couldn’t be further from representing what he is. Rice has been outstanding in his first two years in North London, and his engine, stamina and ability to cover ground is part of what makes him so impressive.
Speaking to TNT Sports on TikTok, co-commentator Ally McCoist was asked who he believes has the best work ethic in the Premier League.
Without hesitation, the Scotsman replied, “Declan Rice.”
Rice’s role has changed this season, with Arteta instructing him to sit deeper alongside Martin Zubimendi at times, rather than perennially operating on the edge of the opposition’s box like he did last season.
Not only has this seen him cover even more ground than he usually would, but this role is also getting the best out of his passing and carrying attributes.
Not everyone appreciates Declan Rice
Despite producing consistently excellent performances, not everyone is convinced by Rice.
Paul Scholes has consistently criticised Rice for certain aspects of his game, and even recently suggested that Newcastle’s Sandro Tonali is a better player.
The former Manchester United midfielder is insistent that the Arsenal star takes too many touches and doesn’t release the ball quickly enough, as well as not scoring enough goals.
Perhaps on the odd occasion, Rice could move the ball on more quickly, but generally this is not a serious issue that people would raise when watching him.
As for goals, according to FBRef, the 26-year-old is in the 93rd percentile for non-penalty goals per 90 minutes.
This means he’s in the top 7% of midfielders for non-penalty goals scored per match in Europe’s top five leagues. This clearly isn’t an issue of his.
Receive a digest of our best Arsenal content each week direct to your mailbox
