Owen Hargreaves praises Declan Rice
There’s no denying that Declan Rice has been one of our best players this season, and since joining Arsenal from his boyhood club West Ham, he’s managed to fit in perfectly and has become a vital part of Mikel Arteta’s set up a squad. Arteta seemed to trust him straight away and that trust has clearly paid off this season, with Rice making our midfield tick like a clock.
Ex Manchester City and Manchester United player, turned pundit, Owen Hargreaves has spoken nothing but praise about the 25-year-old Arsenal and England midfielder, saying this “”There was a shot of Declan Rice after the penalty went in, and they were walking back to the middle of the pitch. He was like, ‘Come on, let’s go’. Last season, I don’t think you would have seen that. That’s what Declan Rice gives you. That’s his personality. That’s what you need. We have all been there.”
“You know your players when it’s difficult. I think Declan is at his best when it is difficult. I loved the fact that the team bounced back and won that game because they have achieved so much this Arsenal team. They are in a different place. They are ready to take it if Manchester City slip-up.”
Rice has obviously been unreal this season and working under Arteta and with a squad like he his, seems to be working well for him and with him only being 25-years-old, he still has so much talent left to show and seems to be getting better and better by the game.
Arsenal face a very tough task and we’ve put ourselves in a situation where we not only have to rely on ourselves, but the results of others and when the going starts to get a bit tough, Rice is the type of player we need in this squad. Although young, he shows a lot of leadership and you can feel that sense of security that has taken over our midfield.
When you have players like him, players that are young, but have the football maturity of someone much older than them, it’s easy to build a squad around them and any new player who comes in can quickly adapt to the environment because you’ve got stern leaders like Rice.
Three more big games left and then we can see how our season ends, but one thing is for sure, Rice has been one of the best things to happen to this club in years and hopefully we get to see him don the shirt for a long time to come.
What’s your thoughts Gooners?
Daisy Mae
Rice has been sensational, and often said [amongst my mates] as the best £105m ever spent
absolutely love him, no doubt
has he been at his best in the last half dozen games? I would say not. That is not to say he has not been very good, but there has been a bit of a drop off in performance levels
that is not a criticism to say he is not peak form, but perhaps counters the premise that ‘at his best when its most difficult’, i.e. it is at it’s most difficult now and Rice is short of his best
I guess that shows how outstanding Rice is to be still as influential as he is even when not at his best
I can see today on other football news site, that they have been trying to stir up s–t regarding Rice’s comments. The anti Arsenal brigade are at it again. Talking of the anti Arsenal brigade, our number one hater being the Evening Standard, are still “RANTING” on about the Spurs non penalty decision. Now this same Evening Standard if I recall was accusing Arteta for RANTING on about the Newcastle ball crossing the line decision. They can’t accuse Arteta of RANTING and the start RANTING on about the spurs decision for the past 3 days including Sunday. What goes around comes around.
I’ve been reading how the spud fans view Sunday’s result and the rants coming from them is hilarious.
Some even thought we were lucky to win and said the referee was corrupt!!
I finally had to tune in to Talksport as I was advised to listen to Cundy and O’Hara – what a pair of plonker they are!!
Taking the proverbials out each other, while not being able to grasp the fact that we beat both their teams in six days!!
Back to Five Live methinks!!
Oops, forgot to mention Declan Rice and his performance against the spuds.
Now that Partey has returned, I think there is less of a problem in the midfield and DR isn’t the focus of attention.
He has been immense and a great signing, with a very sensible reported salary (for footballers that is).
Can’t think of another signing since Sanchez and Ozil who has made such an immediate impact and probably even more than those two in fact.
Many (Older!) Gooners have waited a long time for a player to recapture what Patrick Viera was to us in those glory days, and Rice is that player here and now. Fantastic signing and exactly what Arsenal needed.
Havertz is a middleweight contender, good, but not strong enough. He’s flying like glove when batteling big strong CBs, and is being accused of diving when he do, which he is not. Just being to light.
Get Gyökeres – if for sale. If Arsenal don’t get him someone else will, and if that someone is playing in EPL Gunners is in big trouble. Think of this fantastic striker in Liverpool, Chelsea, Man United or… uh, Tottenham. If City buy him all Arsenal fans can say goodbye to every kind of progress 2024/25 and the seasons to come. So, get him, buy him, steal him – kidnap the guy, if necessary. But get him!