Declan Rice and Moises Caicedo will both play crucial roles when Arsenal take on Chelsea in a crunch London derby on Sunday - but from very different positions
Declan Rice and Moises Caicedo
Declan Rice and Moises Caicedo(Image: Catherine Ivill - AMA/Getty Images)
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The endless comparisons between Moises Caicedo and Declan Rice are so pointless and tiresome. And it begs the question: are you actually watching the game? They play different positions.
It is utterly ridiculous. It is like comparing Cole Palmer and Bukayo Saka. Different players who can play different roles when the occasion demands it. But they are like chalk and cheese. But no doubt we'll have more before Sunday's top-of-the-table clash.
Caicedo is, in my opinion, the best defensive midfielder in the Premier League. Yes, he covers ground like N’Golo Kante used to and can drive forward.
He is different to Martin Zubimendi who is the Arsenal midfielder who almost sits and dictates to allow Rice and either Eberechi Eze or Martin Odegaard to bomb forward. But Zubimendi plays it differently to Caicedo.
Caicedo is fantastic. Marauding, powerful and intelligent. He reads the game so well and is such a force on the pitch. He is a fabulous player.
So much so that even Rice acknowledged it this week with a typically lovely tribute to Caicedo when the Arsenal midfielder was interviewed post-match after the win against Bayern Munich.
Rice said: “I have a lot of respect for Moises Caicedo. I voted him last year in my PFA Team of the Year. I thought he was outstanding. There's so many comparisons, but we're playing different positions.”
He is absolutely right - and he should know. Rice has evolved at Arsenal into a marauding all action midfielder. You would call him a No8 but that does not do him justice because he is everywhere.
But he is so much more of an attacking force now than Caicedo. Rice loves to bomb forward, driving into the opposition box and going for goal.
His attacking strengths now outweigh his defensive. Mikel Arteta has worked with Rice, improved him and turned him into one of the best midfielders of his type in the world.
Declan Rice and Moises Caicedo
The duo will face off from very different positions on Sunday
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England have seen it and found a player in Elliot Anderson to play the No6 role to let Rice off the leash. If they can form an understanding, an England trio of Rice, Anderson and Jude Bellingham could be the best in the world next summer.
The Arsenal fans sing a song “Declan Rice - we got him half price.” They bought him over two years ago and I think his performance against Bayern was the best I’ve seen him play in an Arsenal shirt. He was incredible.
Caicedo has reached astonishing levels this season. He is so consistent. Then he stands out like a beacon in some games as the best on the pitch, against Liverpool and Tottenham this season, for example. He took time to settle but now looks a bargain at £115m.
Arsenal went for Caicedo in the January before they signed Rice. They actually wanted both. It was not one or the other. Could they have afforded them? That might be a question for PSR.
But they definitely could play together. Why? Because they are the best at what they do. But the comparisons need to stop. Because there is no comparison.
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