# Declan Rice's New Role at Arsenal

> Arsenal's Declan Rice no longer the 'lighthouse' player, now more active in attack.
- Title: Declan Rice's New Role at Arsenal · Sky Sports | Shortify
- Summary: Arsenal's Declan Rice no longer the 'lighthouse' player, now more active in attack. Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice has transitioned from a defensive role to…
- Keywords: declan rice, arsenal, mikel arteta, lighthouse role, midfielder, premier league, bruno guimaraes, kai havertz, nottingham forest, arsenal fixtures, sports, Declan
- Source: Sky Sports — https://skysports.com/football/news/12040/13598047/declan-rice-mikel-arteta-says-arsenal-midfielder-has-transitioned-away-from-his-lighthouse-role-so-what-is-he
- Author: Sam Blitz
- Published: 2026-10-12T08:29:00+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: declan rice, arsenal, mikel arteta, lighthouse role, midfielder, premier league, bruno guimaraes, kai havertz, nottingham forest, arsenal fixtures, sports
## Arteta's statement on Rice's role
Mikel Arteta says Declan Rice is no longer the 'lighthouse' player but has transitioned to a new role.

> I went to him and I said: 'you are not the lighthouse anymore. You are something else'
## Rice's improved attacking role
Rice has increased his final-third entries by 25 percent this season compared to last year.

> The number of final-third entries he has averaged this season has gone up by 25 per cent compared to last season
## Rice's assist numbers
Rice has three assists from open play in six league games this season, more than the entire 2025/26 campaign.

> In six league games this season, Rice has three assists from open play, more than he managed in the entire of the 2025/26 Premier League campaign
## Rice's positional shift
Rice now plays deeper on the right side of a midfield pivot after previously being a left-sided No 8.

> Declan Rice is playing deeper and on the right side of a midfield pivot this season having played as a left-sided No 8 two seasons ago
## Rice's passing improvements
Rice has reduced his backwards passes by 50 percent while increasing line-breaking passes to a Premier League record.

> He is finding gaps between the opposition players more often - so much so that he has made more line-breaking passes than any other Premier League player
## Rice's impact on Arsenal's goals
All of Arsenal's goals this season come from open play, with no set-piece goals since March.

> All of Arsenal's goals are from open play. They haven't scored from a set piece since March
## Rice's role in the team
Rice combines set-piece threats with open play passing, creating a more dynamic midfield role.

> He is effective in the dead ball and open play scenarios
## Rice's assist patterns
Rice's assists include two long-range goals for Bruno Guimaraes against Sunderland and Leeds.

> Two of them were for Guimaraes goals against Sunderland and Leeds - both set up the Brazilian from outside the box, both set up long-range goals
## Rice's evolution
Rice has evolved from a defensive midfielder to a more attacking role, improving his overall impact on the pitch.

> Rice is summing up this slightly different Arsenal. Like Rice's assist numbers, all of Arsenal's goals are from open play
## Arsenal's new approach
Arsenal is evolving with Rice at the heart of the team, focusing on open play rather than set pieces.

> Arsenal are evolving. Rice, at the heart of the team, is evolving with them
## Key takeaway

Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice has transitioned from a defensive role to a more attacking position after Mikel Arteta's comments.