A core of Arsenal players helped England land two important wins in World Cup qualification over the international break, as a place in next year’s tournament is tantalisingly close.
England’s 5-0 win over Serbia was the latest of those, a statement victory for Thomas Tuchel as his players clicked into gear and delivered an impressive performance.
Arsenal ace Noni Madueke shone for the Three Lions, scoring his first goal for the national team in a great display.
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Declan Rice picked up two assists on the evening, with his set-pieces being a standout part of his play.
However, some areas of the midfielder’s game will be a concern for Arsenal and Mikel Arteta.
Declan Rice applauds fans after England's win over Serbia in World Cup 2026 qualification
Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images
Declan Rice’s wasteful finishing on display for England against Serbia
Declan Rice has been a standout star for both England and Arsenal since he changed his role in the midfield.
As the left number eight, the 26-year-old has been able to get more involved in the attacking side of the game, scoring and assisting goals on a regular basis.
Rice landed two assists for England against Serbia, but there was one major concern to come from the game.
That was his finishing, as the midfielder took seven shots in the game himself, as he looked to get in on the act.
Of those efforts, three were on target, three were blocked, and one was off target, with Fotmob registering him as racking up just 0.47 xG from those chances.
While his all-round game was fine, Rice was nothing short of wasteful in front of goal when the opportunity presented itself.
It’s something that must come as a concern to Arteta, not least given his recent plea after Arsenal’s defeat to Liverpool.
Serbia v England - FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifier
Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images
Mikel Arteta wants Arsenal to be more clinical in front of goal
A running theme in recent seasons for Arsenal has surrounded their lack of clinical edge in front of goal when required.
It led to many believing that a striker would solve all the team’s issues, as Viktor Gyokeres was signed to fill that exact role.
However, wasteful finishing is already costing Arsenal again, as Arteta explained after the defeat to Liverpool.
He said: “You have to put the ball in the back of the net. Today we have three, four, five situations inside the box 1v1. Eze is completely through just to finish the action. You have to put the ball in the net if you want to win.”
Rice taking so many opportunities on will be a slight concern as a result, with Arteta needing his midfield talisman to find the goals when given the chance.