Jamie Carragher responds to Gary Neville’s “harsh” remark on the Arsenal star

Roy Keane, Paul Scholes, Gary Neville, and Jamie Carragher split on Declan Rice’s ideal role for Arsenal and England.

Rice joined Arsenal from West Ham as a holding midfielder, but in his debut season under Mikel Arteta, the 25-year-old scored seven Premier League goals after being given more freedom to move forward.

Rice played a deeper role in England’s Euro 2024 campaign, but Neville feels the Arsenal midfielder is inferior to Manchester City’s Rodri in that position.

Carragher, on the other hand, has called Neville’s claim ‘harsh’ and feels Rice’s package is more comprehensive than that of the Manchester City and Spain midfielders.

Asked by Neville if Rice is capable of playing in a deep-lying midfield role, Scholes said on The Overlap with Sky Bet: ‘Yes. I think that’s his best role.’

Neville followed up with: ‘I don’t think he can get the ball off the back four in the way in which a Rodri can.’

Carragher replied: ‘That is so harsh, that is so harsh.’

Scholes said: ‘I think that’s his biggest strength.’

Neville then said: ‘I think he’s better in that left channel for Arsenal with Jorginho sitting.

‘I’m not saying he’s not a competent player in No.6, I’m talking about in a tournament where we’re talking about he’ll get on the ball, get us playing, keep us moving, get control of the game, I’m not sure that’s what he does.’

Scholes said: ‘One thing he does is take too many touches.’

Neville then asked: ‘But that’s my point – does he know how to receive the ball on the half turn and where to get the ball?’

Scholes replied. ‘I think so, yeah.

‘The thing when you talk about a midfield player running on to the ball, then you’re thinking he’s got to be scoring you 15, 20 goals a season – I can’t see Declan Rice doing that.’

Keane said: ‘I think he’s got a goal in him, [15-20 goals] is a lot for any midfielder.

‘But I definitely think if he had that role at Arsenal and there was guaranteed someone sitting behind him, I certainly think he’d get double figures.’

Carragher then said to Neville: ‘When I think of Declan Rice, I think he’s that midfield player for me, I think he can do both, he can play No.8 where he can power forward but I think he can also play that defensive role and get on the ball.

‘When you’re saying he’s not [Luka] Modric or Rodri, of course he’s not, but I think it’s hard to say to someone he’s not good enough because he’s not as good as the best person in the world at receiving the ball.

‘That’s a high bar, considering he can probably do more than them in other areas, they couldn’t be that No.8.’

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