(Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)
Declan Rice comes under the spotlight today at the Emirates as Danny Leach watches him go through his paces against the Arsenal attack.
5 – Clears the ball down the line but Koscielny beats Arnautovic to the ball
7 – Heads away Xhaka corner for a throw in
9 – It is not clear between Rice, Kouyaté and Cresswell who is marking Koscielny and as a result has a free header from a corner
19 – Makes a great challenge on the edge of the box on Ramsey clearing the ball away after a wayward clearance from Zabaleta
24 – Intercepts a Lacazette through ball in the box
35 – Does not mark Welbeck heads the ball at the back post
38 – Clears the ball away after Welbeck heads the ball back in the box
52 – A long ball goes straight to Maitland-Niles
58 – Falls for Welbecks dummy outside of the box but recovers and tackles him
63 – Plays a good ball out wide to Zabaleta
65 – Makes a great interception from a Xhaka through ball into the box
72 – Heads a long ball from Monreal to Welbeck out wide
79 – Clears Monreals cross to Welbeck on the edge of the area but his shot goes wide
82 – GOAL – Heads away Lacazettes cross out wide to Ramsey who crosses the ball back in the box but does not head the ball thinking that Hart would catch it but Hart does not catch the ball thinking Rice would head it and the ball ends in the back of the net. 2-1.
89 – GOAL – Along with Zabaleta he does fails to block Ramseys cross into the box which Lacazettes scores from. 4-1.
Verdict – 4.5 – A poor showing for the Hammers was also reflected in Rice’s performance today in what was probably his worst game so far for West Ham. While he showed at times why he is a brilliant defender he often did not mark his player and was partly culpable for at least two goals.
