Mikel Arteta does not need to be a genius to recognize how important Declan Rice and Martin Zubimendi are to Arsenal's midfield. Sharp tactical vision, excellent fitness, diverse skills and tireless fighting spirit, these are the highlights of both Rice and Zubimendi.
When playing together on the field, both Rice and Zubimendi know how to elevate their teammate's strongest point higher than usual. Since the beginning of the season, when Zubimendi just arrived, countless questions have been raised. Will Zubimendi play defensive midfielder for Rice to push up? Will both play in the role of "number 6"? Will Rice fall deeper to support defense while Zubimendi is pushed up to play the role of controller?...
A series of questions like that have been raised and the final answer is that this pair has completed all those tasks well. Both Rice and Zubimendi know that when pushing high, the other will actively retreat to cover. They can confidently penetrate the opponent's penalty area to look for scoring opportunities and do not need to worry that the defense will be beaten when the other always supports behind.
Like a duet in midfield, Rice plays guitar and Zubimendi plays bass. When one person takes on the solo part, the other will support with harmony and rhythm. Just one nod, they will change roles as Zubimendi said: "That's the art of balance".
It is too early to say that Rice and Zubimendi are Arsenal's best midfielder pair in Premier League history because they have not won titles. However, opinions that Rice - Zubimendi are better than the Patrick Vieira - Gilberto Silva pair in the 2003-2004 season are not unfavorable.
When I first came here, one of the people who helped me get used to the team fastest was Rice. We all know how perfect a player he is, very comprehensive in terms of physique, technique and even set pieces.
For a midfielder like me, having someone to be the main character, wanting to have the ball and wanting to help teammates is extremely important. Rice is the perfect addition for me" - Zubimendi shared.
Arsenal only signed Zubimendi in the summer and usually takes a while to build a connection. However, right from the first moment we met in the pre-season period, I could feel that I would play great football with him.
Both as a player and as a normal person, I love Zubimendi very much. Our understanding of each other on the field is increasingly affirmed. When Zubimendi has the ball at his feet, everyone is very confident. Passing the ball to him is very easy and you feel very confident when Zubimendi is by your side" - Rice shared.
With Mikel Arteta, he must thank Rice and Zubimendi because this duo shows excellent fitness and flexibility that not everyone has. Zubimendi is Arsenal's player with the most minutes played since the beginning of the season, Rice ranks 3rd, interspersed with Timber. Zubimendi has played in all 25 Premier League matches until before the match against Brentford. Meanwhile, Rice is only absent for 1 match.
Another positive point of this pair that makes Arsenal fans very proud is their progressiveness. Rice is still perfecting his skills such as playing free kicks more and more skillfully. Zubimendi is showing that he also has finishing skills no less than his teammates who play as strikers in the squad. He is always a threat to every goal when rushing up and finishing like recent goals.
It is still too early to say whether Rice and Zubimendi must be the best midfielder duo in Arsenal history or not. However, if The Gunners complete major titles at the end of this season, that will be an unquestionable opinion.
