Souness Criticises Rice: Arsenal Star Needs To Elevate Final Third Play

Aria Freeman

4 min read

Post on May 03, 2025

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Souness's Specific Criticisms of Rice's Final Third Contribution

Souness's critique wasn't a blanket condemnation, but rather a focused assessment of Rice's contributions in the attacking phase. He specifically highlighted a perceived lack of creativity and decisiveness in the final third. Souness's comments, while harsh, point to a key area for improvement. He didn't solely criticize Rice's lack of goals or assists; the issue, according to Souness, lies deeper. His concerns revolve around the quality of Rice's key passes, the precision of his through balls, and his overall decision-making in the attacking third.

• Safe Passing: Souness highlighted Rice's tendency to opt for safe, sideways passes rather than riskier, more creative options that could unlock the opposition's defence. This reluctance to take chances limits Arsenal's offensive fluidity.
• Low Assists and Key Passes: The pundit noted a comparatively low number of key passes and assists from Rice in his early Arsenal appearances, indicating a need for improvement in his ability to create scoring opportunities for his teammates.
• Hampered Build-Up Play: Souness pointed to specific instances where Rice's decision-making in the attacking third, such as poor final ball delivery, directly hampered Arsenal's build-up play and prevented them from creating clear-cut chances. This lack of a decisive creative midfield presence is a concern at the highest level.

Areas Where Rice Needs Improvement to Elevate His Final Third Play

To silence his critics and fulfil his potential at Arsenal, Rice needs to focus on several key areas to enhance his final third play. This isn't about becoming a prolific goalscorer but rather a more effective playmaker and contributor in the attacking third.

• Improve Passing Accuracy and Range: Rice needs to increase the accuracy and range of his passes in the final third. This involves mastering different types of passes – weighted through balls, precise short passes to split defenses, and long diagonal balls to change the point of attack. Working on passing accuracy under pressure will be crucial.
• Develop Better Vision and Awareness: Improving his vision and positional awareness will allow Rice to identify and exploit gaps in the opposition's defense more effectively. This involves anticipating teammates' runs and executing timely passes to create scoring chances.
• Enhance Dribbling Skills: Although not a primary attribute of his game, improving his dribbling skills, especially in tight spaces, will enable him to create more passing opportunities and evade pressure, opening up passing lanes in the attacking midfield area. His decision-making with the ball at his feet will influence his success in the final third.
• **Shot Accuracy:**While not his primary role, improving his shooting accuracy from outside the box will add another dimension to his game and create more scoring opportunities.

Potential Solutions and Strategies for Rice's Development

Addressing Souness's concerns requires a multi-faceted approach involving specific training, tactical adjustments, and coaching interventions.

• Targeted Training Drills: Increased training focused on improving his passing accuracy and range in tight spaces, specifically targeting through ball precision, is essential. Practice scenarios mimicking game situations will improve his improved decision-making under pressure.
• Tactical Flexibility: Tactical adjustments by Arsenal's manager, Mikel Arteta, could encourage Rice to take up more advanced positions in the final third, increasing his involvement in attacking play. This might involve using his attacking positioning to create space and exploit opportunities.
• Coaching and Mentorship: Working closely with Arsenal's coaching staff to improve his vision, decision-making in the final third, and overall positional awareness is crucial for long-term development. This will allow him to become a more influential figure in the team's offensive game.

Conclusion: Addressing Souness's Concerns: Declan Rice's Future Final Third Play

Graeme Souness's criticism highlights a crucial area where Declan Rice needs to improve to reach his full potential at Arsenal. His effectiveness in the final third play is critical to the team's success, and addressing his deficiencies in key areas like passing accuracy, vision, and decision-making will significantly enhance his overall performance. The solutions discussed, including targeted training, tactical flexibility, and expert coaching, provide a roadmap for his development. Will Rice prove Souness wrong and become the dominant force in the midfield Arsenal needs? Only time will tell. Let us know your thoughts in the comments below on how Declan Rice can improve his final third play and reach his full potential at Arsenal. Do you agree with Souness's assessment?