Pundit says one player is making Arsenal look way better than they actually are

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Damien Delaney believes one Arsenal player is currently helping Mikel Arteta’s team paper over the cracks in midfield.

Arsenal secured a late draw against Manchester City at the weekend, courtesy of a sublime finish from Gabriel Martinelli in the 93rd minute.

This cancelled out Erling Haaland’s early goal, which made it difficult for the Gunners throughout the 90 minutes, as City sat very deep.

The result leaves the North Londoners five points behind leaders Liverpool after five matches, sparking critical discourse around Arteta’s side.

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Damien Delaney says Declan Rice is ‘papering over a lot of cracks’ in Arsenal’s midfield

Declan Rice received some criticism for his performance against City from Arsenal fans.

Many felt his technical level wasn’t quite at the level it normally is, although the England international was actually arguably the best operator in the middle of the park for the Gunners on the day.

Rice drove Arsenal forward with some powerful runs and played some excellent passes in between the lines throughout the 90 minutes.

The Gunners’ issues came further up the pitch, with their inability to create clear chances the glaring wart in their display.

Former Crystal Palace defender Damien Delaney feels Rice is currently burdened with too much of the workload in Arsenal’s midfield, criticising Martin Zubimendi for slowing the game down in the process.

“I think Declan Rice is papering over a lot of cracks in the Arsenal midfield,” Delaney said on the Indo Sport Podcast.

“He’s having to pick up an awful lot of workload. He’s getting forward, he’s getting back.

“There was one stage in the second half, I saw him going, getting the ball off the back four and trying to start Arsenal. They look really stuck in the mud. The back four gives to Zubimendi, and Zubimendi just kind of slows it down a little bit.

“They can’t get any momentum because his passing is just very, very functional.”

Declan Rice is supposed to do a lot in Arsenal’s midfield

One of Rice’s main strengths is his athleticism, which allows him to be everywhere and do everything.

Arsenal’s system relies on the Englishman dropping deep and facilitating build-up, as well as driving up field and breaking into the box with off-the-ball runs.

Rice has always been an all-action midfielder for Arsenal, with this quality part of what makes him so special.

The idea that he’s having to do too much dismisses what he has been doing for the Gunners for the last two seasons.

Meanwhile, Zubimendi’s passing is far from functional. The Spaniard can occasionally be a bit more progressive himself, but suggestions that he slows the game down are very, very wide of the mark.

The new signing is renowned for dictating the tempo, usually speeding the pace of the play when it’s required, and slowing it down only when necessary.