Alan Smith wants Arsenal to give Declan Rice more opportunities to rest during the season, believing the Gunners now have enough depth to manage his workload after signing Bruno Guimaraes. The former Arsenal striker feels the club should make better use of its midfield options to ensure Rice does not have to play almost every match.Rice has been a regular presence in the Arsenal team since joining the club and has also featured frequently for England. His demanding schedule has left him with few opportunities to recover between matches, raising concerns about the physical demands placed on him throughout the campaign.The Arsenal record signing also featured at the World Cup and had limited time to rest before the current season began. He subsequently sat out the last international break to recover, but he has now returned to action for the Gunners. With important fixtures still to come, he is expected to remain heavily involved in the team’s plans.Smith wants Arsenal to manage Rice’s workloadSmith believes Rice’s importance to Arsenal should not mean he has to play every game. The midfielder has become a key figure in Mikel Arteta’s side, but his heavy workload could make it difficult for him to maintain his best level throughout the season.The former striker would like to see Arteta rotate his midfield more often, particularly when the team has other quality options available. Rice has appeared exhausted in some matches this season, and giving him occasional breaks could help him recover physically and remain effective during the decisive stages of the campaign.Arsenal have ambitions of competing for major honours, so managing the fitness of their leading players will be important. Rather than relying on Rice in every fixture, the club could use its squad depth to distribute playing time more evenly and reduce the pressure on the England international.(Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)Guimaraes gives Arteta another optionSmith believes the arrival of Guimaraes should make it easier for Arsenal to rest Rice without significantly weakening their midfield. Speaking via Football London, he pointed to the number of games Rice has played and suggested that the club now has sufficient cover to give him a break when necessary.“Whether Arteta does, I don’t know, but he did play an awful lot, didn’t he? In the World Cup and after the World Cup, he’s talking about this little problem that he’s nursing, Declan Rice.“With Guimaraes now, there will be opportunities, I think, to leave him out. Whether Arteta does or not, we’ll wait and see. But they’ve certainly got enough backup to give him a rest.”Arteta will ultimately decide how often to rotate his midfield, but Smith’s comments highlight the importance of keeping Rice fresh. With Guimaraes available as another option, Arsenal have an opportunity to manage the midfielder’s minutes more carefully as they pursue their objectives this season._____________________________________________________________________________________________ADMIN COMMENTSo here are some simple rules which I must insist commenters follow….You agree not to give any personal abuse to other Arsenal fans. Everyone is allowed to hold their own opinions even if you disagree with them. It COSTS NOTHING TO BE POLITE TO OTHER ARSENAL FANS.CALLING ALL ARSENAL FANS! Anyone who would like to contribute an Article or Video opinion piece on JustArsenal, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us through this link…More Stories / Latest NewsFormer Gunner wants Arteta to give more rest to key Arsenal man12 October 2026, 21:30More clubs join Rangers in race for exciting Arsenal teenager12 October 2026, 20:15Carragher says we already know the two main title contenders this season12 October 2026, 19:00The post Former Gunner wants Arteta to give more rest to key Arsenal man appeared first on Just Arsenal News.