'You feel unstoppable!' - Declan Rice explains how Arsenal & England are benefitting from his new role that's led to him 'enjoying' football

Rice’s dominant performance summed up a player who’s rediscovered pure joy in football, something he openly credits to his shifting role at both club and country. At Arsenal, Mikel Arteta’s tactical tweak has unlocked a new dimension in Rice’s game. No longer chained to the anchor role, the Gunners boss has given his midfield engine the license to roam, a blend of grit and grace that has seen him blossom into a complete No.8. That freedom has seen Rice contribute more than ever in the final third. 

In just 10 appearances this season, he’s already clocked one goal and three assists; remarkable, considering he’s been missing in the starting line-up for three matches to manage workload and fitness. Concerns briefly flared when Rice limped off against his former side, West Ham, with a back issue after scoring the opener in Arsenal’s 2–0 win last weekend. Fans feared the worst, but Arsenal later confirmed it was precautionary and the England star was fit enough to captain his nation days later.

If Arteta has refined Rice’s craft, Thomas Tuchel has turbocharged it for England. Under the German’s guidance, Rice has been given a similar license to roam, bringing balance and dynamism to the national side’s midfield.

“I can play No6 or No8,” said Rice. “I think now I am more of a box-to-box No8. The manager has adjusted my position at Arsenal a bit this year, given me a bit more freedom to drop deep, but also get in the box when I can. It is the same with Thomas. I think that really suits me on that left side of midfield. Being able to get back, being an all-round action midfielder is what I want to be, and I am just enjoying my football.

“I have got two managers who lay it out really easy with the game plan, what I have to do and where I have to be. Obviously, I am the one that has to go and execute it, but when you have confidence in football, you feel unstoppable at times. “I ended the season really strong last year and probably didn’t start one or two games of this season as good as I wanted, but I have picked up my form now. I feel really strong. I feel fit, really confident in my game, and hopefully the only way is up from here for England and Arsenal.”

One of the keys to Rice’s newfound attacking edge has been his partnership with England’s rising star, Elliot Anderson. The Nottingham Forest midfielder, who only made his senior debut for The Three Lions last month, has started three consecutive matches alongside Rice, and their chemistry has been electric.

“I think you probably can’t play at a higher level,” said Rice. “He has taken it in his stride, and he is playing exactly how he does for his club. When you have a lad who is that confident and comes in and feels like they don’t have to do anything different, they go on the pitch, and everything is just like autopilot, the way he plays."

Rice added that Anderson’s presence gives him the green light to venture higher up the pitch.

“We have built up a really strong relationship in midfield," he said. "We have a close relationship there. We are playing closer together, he is letting me go forward a little bit more. We are building a nice little partnership. The manager has really liked us in the last three games, and he has stuck with that. We have just got to keep building on that. Obviously, the World Cup is in the summer, still a long way to go, but the more we can play, keep building momentum, it will be really important.”

Tuchel’s early impact as England manager cannot be overstated. The German tactician has now won six of his first seven games, a feat only achieved before by Glenn Hoddle and Sven-Göran Eriksson. Under his watch, England are scoring freely and dominating early, with the 3–0 blitz of Wales marking the first time since 1987 that England netted three goals in the opening 20 minutes of a game. From front to back, the team looks rejuvenated, and Rice’s commanding presence at the heart of midfield is central to it all. England sit comfortably top of Group K with five wins from five, and Tuesday’s clash with Latvia offers another chance to tighten their grip on qualification.