Arsenal now told they’ve got one player in the squad with a ‘magnificent football brain’

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Pundit Adrian Clarke admits he’s been so impressed with midfielder Declan Rice at the beginning of his Arsenal career.

Clarke was speaking on the Handbrake Off Podcast after an eventful London derby against Chelsea.

There weren’t a huge number of positives for Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta to take from the game.

Chelsea were set up brilliantly to counter Arsenal and were deservedly two goals ahead on Saturday.

However, a mistake from Robert Sanchez gifted the Gunners a route back into the game and it was Declan Rice who capitalised.

The 24-year-old has been sensational since his move from West Ham and few players would have reacted the way he did to score that goal.

Adrian Clarke has admitted that Rice’s football brain puts him among some of the best midfielders Arsenal have had in recent years.

He’s a leader on the pitch and with the likes of Martin Odegaard and Jorginho struggling around him, he took control and helped earn his side a vital point.

Clarke raves about Arsenal star Rice

Speaking about the England international, Clarke said: “[He’s got] A magnificent football brain, real great awareness of what the opposition are going to do.

“He anticipates better than any Arsenal midfielder I’ve seen in a long, long time I think.

“It’s what separates him from a lot of players. He was magnificent in the second half I have to say.

“When I watched it back he really stood out as someone who was taking big responsibility. Give me the ball, I’m going to make something happen.

“I’m going to pull out to the left and link something together, I’m going to whip it quickly to [Gabriel] Martinelli, I’m going to switch the play to [Bukayo] Saka.

“He took the game by the scruff of its neck.”

Plenty of Arsenal fans will agree with Clarke that Rice appears to see the game much more clearly than many other midfielders in the Premier League.

He’s not afraid to put a foot in and win the ball but his composure once he’s in possession means he stands out from the crowd.

Rice appears to already be a huge influence on and off the pitch for the Gunners and looks likely to be a key player for years to come.

It’s a sign of how good he really is that he can lift his game when those around him are struggling.

Arteta will hope he doesn’t need to do that too often this season but it’s one of the reasons why they spent so much to bring him to the club.