Declan Rice

Rice wins the ball back like a natural defensive midfielder and then plays the next pass like somebody built to attack, turning a stop into the first move of Arsenal's own attack in one motion. His physical presence lets him compete with almost any central midfielder in the league, closing down space quickly and rarely losing a straightforward battle. Leadership comes naturally to him, organising teammates around him even without wearing the armband.

The tension is whether a player this reliable defensively is used to his fullest potential further forward, where his passing range sometimes gets less attention than the defensive work. Some supporters want him pushed permanently into a more advanced role, arguing his distribution deserves a bigger platform, while others insist the defensive discipline is too valuable to lose. Where he plays week to week says plenty about what Arsenal value most.