The obvious difference between Rice and Caicedo is that they don't even play the same role. Rice is Arsenal's primary ball-carrier, set-piece taker and has a much larger role in the attack than Caicedo has ever been allowed by virtue of either instruction or tactics. And while Rice has been given more and more attacking freedom, Caicedo has been given less and less. Rice even has the luxury of operating in a genuine double-pivot alongside Zubimendi, whereas Caicedo is tactically required to operate alone.

Caicedo, when in form, has been able to do both roles but as many people have pointed out, that was a miracle. It's unfair to run him into the ground while the club and its previous managers have given no serious thought to supporting him in midfield. Meanwhile, Arsenal went out and targeted Zubimendi precisely because they wanted to give Rice a complementary platform.

But for all the bluster, Rice has twice now been completely shown up by Vitinha and Neves. Caicedo was brilliant in the CWC but also before it all unravelled against PSG in the first leg.

What we see with Rice (and Zubimendi) are two 27 year olds in their absolute prime, in a team at its prime, and a model for Caicedo to reach. But Caicedo is two full years younger, and at a crossroads, and in a team that drifts somewhere between blindly optimistic hope and sheer chaos.

Edited June 23Jun 23 by SydneyChelsea

The obvious difference between Rice and Caicedo is that Rice is a limited centre back that has English PR while Caicedo has had to carry our midfield for two years straight due to the Argentinian prima donna sat twerking on the edge of the opposition box instead of doing a proper shift.