Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice has often been the target of criticism on social media for his habit of looking around before receiving the ball, with some accusing him of “ostentatious looking“.
Despite these claims, new research by football technology experts provides compelling evidence that the England international's game intelligence is deeper than many assume.
Study by "Be Your Best" reveals Rice's scanning is deliberate and calculated.
Data from his last three Premier League games for Arsenal shows that he's not just turning his head, but actively gathering information in key moments and uses it to make the right decisions.
In Arsenal's 2-0 win over Sunderland, Rice made 542 scans in 53 possessions. His scan rate of 0.55 was above the Premier League average of 0.53 for central midfielders, while 61.5% of his scans were classified as critical.
His passing also reflected this awareness. Rice has completed 32 of his 33 forward passes, giving him a 97% success rate, while 62.3% of his total passes have been forward.
Similar results were also recorded in the matches against Brighton and Nottingham Forest.
"Be Your Best" CEO, Andreas Olsen, commented: “What Declan Rice's scanning statistics show is that his scanning is purposeful. He doesn't just turn his head, he gathers information at useful moments and then acts on it.“