Declan Rice made a performance for the centuries against Real Madrid in the first stage of the quarterfinals of the Champions League.
He had gone more than 400 career competitions without scoring a direct free kick.
He then produced two moments of pure class within 13 minutes to make the draw in favor of Arsenal.
Mikel Merino yielded an excellent third part to give the Gunners a lead to go to the Bernabeu on Wednesday evening.
And for the second stage, Sunssport's Tactic Guru -Decan Scoggins unpacked, which made Rice's master class so good in the latest episode of tactics …
Declan Rice looked a world beater against Real Madrid … Why?
Declan Rice is a world -class football player. We have previously talked about how he can be wasted in the English system.
Against Real Madrid, Rice played much further ahead and was released – but did not underestimate the Bukayo Saka factor.
Jude Bellingham came back to help David Alaba deal with Saka, but that moved midfield sideways for Madrid – who opens gaps for rice to get ahead and to be a threat.
Minus Rice's two free kicks, Myles Lewis-Skelly was the best player in the field he was incredibly good.
He came in to make a midfield two with Thomas Pidey who took some defensive responsibility from Rice.
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What do you think of Rice who Tart the set piece coach of Arsenal and shoot instead of crossing?
Declan Rice the leader also emerged in this game.
Players can be magical moments. This was an opportunity and he took it.
If he put it over the bar, it wouldn't matter.
Too often it is robot -like and turgid in football matches because players do not want to take the risk and shift responsibility.
Rice has done that brilliant well.
We did not see Brennan Johnson taking the penalty against Southampton when he could have completed his hat trick, he was allowed to do, but Mathys Tel took it.
Rice owned the free kick and becomes the most important man in a very good team.
Which free kick was better – first or second?
I think the second.
As a mid-ranking amateur footballer that I was, I assess a goal on “could I have done it?”
If you gave me 100 attempts, I might be able to score one in a hundred for the first – but the second not even one in a million. No chance!
The pace he touches it, the corner, the posture to try it.
Does rice play in the wrong position?
At the moment for Arsenal is his position here, it's there, it's everywhere.
He is two, maybe even three, players in one.
So yes, Mikel Arteta gets him the best.
Out of possession he comes to Pedey and comes back in position, but they call him the 'horse' because he never stops running.
When the full-back reverses, it can go up further.
Lewis -Skelly is English – so can he do the same for England to get the best out of rice in a shirt with three lions?
If you have another midfielder next to Rice for England, you can have rice and Bellingham run from deep.
Get rice on the field and tell him that he has to run.
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