Rice ‘shattered’ thanks to Arteta ‘trust’ issue as Arsenal ‘grow away’ from midfielder | OneFootball

Declan Rice is “shattered” thanks to a Mikel Arteta “trust” issue as the Arsenal boss is urged to drop a teammate they’re “growing away” from.

Arsenal secured a 1-1 draw at the Wanda Metropolitano on Wednesday to make them favourites to make the Champions League final ahead of the second leg at the Emirates next week.

It was a professional performance from the Gunners in which Rice stood out as one of the better players, as has so often been the case this season.

But Agbonlahor picked the England international as a “shattered” player in an altogether “really tired” Arsenal team.

“What stood out for me last night, and it stood out to me against Newcastle: players looking tired,” he told talkSPORT.

“They’re looking really tired. And I hope this doesn’t affect Arsenal. They’ve got a chance of winning two trophies.

“Could the tiredness in the squad affect them? They’ve played 57 games this season, Arsenal. Fulham, who they play on the weekend, have only played 41.

“When you watch Declan Rice, and especially on Saturday, he looks shattered when you watch him.”

Rice and midfield partner Martin Zubimendi have both already played over 50 games in all competitions the season despite Arteta having £15m summer signing Christian Norgaard in reserve.

The Denmark international hasn’t featured in any of Arsenal’s last six games and has played just 56 minutes of Premier League football this season.

On Norgaard’s lack of football, Agbonlahor added: “I’m surprised Norgard hasn’t played a lot more this season because he was Brentford’s captain.

“I thought he was fantastic at Brentford. He doesn’t trust him at all. He’s played hardly any games this season.”

Are Arsenal outgrowing their captain?

Meanwhile, Mikel Arteta has been urged to strip Martin Odegaard of the captaincy after the Gunners skipper was replaced by Eberechi Eze after an hour of their semi-final first leg on Wednesday.

Jamie O’Hara told talkSPORT: “Last season, he wasn’t great either. He’s been terrible this season, getting dragged off in a Champions League semi-final when you’re the captain is never a good look.

“I do believe that Arsenal may be growing away from Odegaard. Maybe they’ve got to look at a player who can come in and be that talisman.

“When Eze came on tonight, he kept getting caught in possession. He’s done a couple of good things, but is he the world-class star in the number 10 role for Arsenal? I’m not sure. But Odegaard needs to up his game.

“He needs to buck his ideas up because he will end up falling down the pecking order. I don’t think he can be the captain anymore.”