A number of Arsenal players have pulled out of international duty in the past week, but not Declan Rice.
The 25-year-old started for England during their 1-0 defeat to Brazil in an international friendly on Saturday at Wembley.
Even though Brazil had several key players missing, Ederson, Allison Becker, Arsenal duo Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel Magalhaes, they still secured a deserved victory.
Teenager Endrick, who is Real Madrid-bound, was the star of the show, with Arsenal’s £100 million man having a game to forget.
Gareth Southgate opted to start Declan Rice in a three-man midfield, alongside Jude Bellingham and Chelsea’s Conor Gallagher.
But Jason Cundy has claimed that the former West Ham United man was ‘exposed’ in his role, as he told talkSPORT.
He shared how, on paper, Euro 2024 favourites England were playing a 4-2-3-1 formation, but it was far from it, with Conor Gallagher pushing further forward and then making the middle of the pitch ‘vulnerable’.
In the end, Chelsea’s academy product was subbed after 75 minutes for Kobbie Mainoo to make his England debut, with Declan Rice playing the entire game.
Declan Rice and Conor Gallagher in England’s midfield
“I have learnt a lot about tonight,” said Cundy. “This is a pre-season friendly – take you Liverpool, Man United, Chelsea, Arsenal, Spurs and Huddersfield hat off and think of this as Gareth Southgate trying to find the best formula with the players he has right now to come up with the best shape.
“Even though the shape was a 4-2-3-1, I felt it wasn’t. I felt Rice was left exposed a bit too much and Conor (Gallagher) kept coming out. At some stage, he was the furthest man forward, that’s under instructions.
“You are asking Conor to press high, squeeze, go high up the pitch and be that energy level in behind. But then I felt we were vulnerable in the middle of the park.”
England without Bukayo Saka
You feel England missed Bukayo Saka’s magic against the Brazilians, with the Hale-End star returning back to his club because of injury.
You assume, he will be fit and ready for Arsenal’s showdown against Manchester City, that’s obvious.
But all Arsenal fans or club supporters care about is their players returning back fit and healthy ahead of the final Premier League run-in.
England have one more game to play, against Belgium, and it’s going to be interesting to see if Rice starts again.
Arsenal fans will be hoping he is benched and the likes of Mainoo are given a try, but you just never know with Southgate.
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