They say whoever laughs last laughs the longest. Having been verbally abused by West Ham Fans in the Carabao Cup, Declan Rice had a right to smile on Sunday but didn’t.
I’m a believer that cream rises to the top. That’s what happened at the weekend, yet the midfielder chose not to point that out.
Mocked after conceding a penalty when the two sides faced the Emirates, this was the proof that the grass is greener in North London after all. Yet our DM remained silent.
Showing incredible maturity for a 25-year-old, Rice ignored the jeers when he took a set piece, scored and was subbed.
At the final whistle he privately took a stroll around London Stadium and applauded every stand, no matter if he was being clapped back or if the hand gestures were different.
In that one moment it sums up his first season as a Gunner and highlights why he’s such a massive part of our future.
He represents the class. He’s shown that from day one since he pulled on the red and white shirt.
On his debut he can be seen mouthing the words to North London Forever (that didn’t go down well in the East End of London).
My favourite image of this season is the final whistle when we beat Man United. Rice had just scored his first goal for us and was serenaded with 60,000 people singing Rice Rice Baby.
He shook his head in disbelief that he was now on this stage. He’s humbled enough not to take that for granted, not forgetting where he came from.
For decades we haven’t had many players you felt were truly proud to represent our badge. We went through captains desperate to leave, players running down their contracts.
You sense Rice, having lived in the Capital, understands how big a club we are?
Against his former employers Rice didn’t care about what others thought of him because no one can control what he thinks of them.
He didn’t concern himself with how he was treated, the only dignity he could dictate was his own.
To your own self be true ….
It means as long as you can look in the mirror and be content with how you conducted yourself, that’s all that matters. Rice could do that; not all Hammers can say the same.
If you can’t respect the man who captained you to your only trophy in 40 years why follow the sport?
Yes, he earns enough to rise above the insults and disrespect, but let’s stress many other professionals haven’t.
Our fan base is not innocent by the way. Listen to the chants aimed at Adebayor, Nasri, Van Persie, etc. I have zero sympathy for any grown adult who verbally abuses another human being and then looks silly when that player rubs it in their face.
Some West Ham supporters looked silly.
Look at Odegaard’s reaction to our 6th goal. Our skipper understood the narrative on offer, the significance, that this was rubbing salt into the opposition wounds.
The same home fans (those who hadn’t left) who had so much to say looked foolish.
Yet Rice still thanked them.
Class!
You see at West Ham……greats become heroes …….. But at Arsenal …. Heroes become legends.
Dan
Very well put! Rice is a very special player but equally a special Human Being!
Every week he goes up in my estimation, truly a great guy.
Another great buy from the gaffer …. kudos to Mikel and Edu for choosing right RICE instead of the former Brighton man
I hope he’ll help Arsenal to win a major trophy, stay for many years at the club and become their manager in the future
gai, most Gooner wil beentirely qwith you about RICE as a plae and thathe is also a specila human being. But when you venture into fantasy dreaming , saying” you hope he becomes our manager” you entirely lose respect from realists such as I.
HE IS STILL ONLY 24 and has probably a decade or more of playing ahead of him.
I doubt very much that he has even thought about what he does after playing, which renders your comment about “manager hope” as ludicrously naive.
A smart captain usually tries to become a manager after his playing career is finished
I think being bred in Kingston, Surrey might have a lot to do with it.
Yes, it must surely known that your qualities as a human being depend entirely on whether you are born in a so called “posh county” like Surrey or a lowlier one like Essex.
Of course, I may, just may, be writing that to show what nonsense judging people by where they come from REALLY IS!!
Or perhaps one from south east London who spat on supporters from the Arsenal dressing room windows.
Mind you, Essex ones are known to pee the bed, you wouldn’t get that from a Surrey lad.
Fine article DAN.
More like this please and forget the usual negativity!
My last two articles have been positive and you have been negative about both
You don’t do irony lol
DANS LATEST ARTICLE SCORE THEN, BY SELF ADMISSION; Positive articles 2, Negative ones 200 and rising.
Perhaps we could use your prediction league to all predict HOW LONG before you write another positive one, eh DAN!!
Jesus Jon you are relentless.
How can anyone forget Dan’s “usual negativity” when you spout it to every comment on his posts.
Secondly – Is no-one allowed to mention where someone is born because it’s class-ism.
And maybe Rice WILL be our manager one day. Jeez you totally refuse to talk about football but attack words used.
Are you trying to scare anyone off from leaving a comment, coz it certainly looks like it!
Thanks for your much appreciated compliment about my valuable relentlessness against DANS REGULAR negativity , Pat.
Will do my best to live up to your hopes for me in that matter.
I HAVE NO OBJECTION TO ANYONE MENTIONING WHERE ANYONE WAS BORN, UNLESS THEY USE IT TO IMPLY ELITISM BECAUSE OF WHERE THEY ARE BORN!
Finally “maybe my dustman will also be our manager one day ,or my postman.”
Neither of those are any less relevent to us right now, than someone hoping a 24 year old recently signed player will become our manager at some LONG DISTANT FUTURE POINT
Still nothing to say about football Jon???
No Pat! Never watch or follow football. I cant stand the game.
So its odd that I choose to be on an AFC fans site then, isnt it!
After all in all my long years it seems, if you are to be believed, that I HAVE NEVER EVEN MENTIONED FOOTBALL. Of course , you could be disbelieved I suppose!
Okay so you admit it Jon. 200 grammar police posts and 2 about football!
(see we can all play at ridiculous exaggerrated numbers that have no basis in reality)
You will no doubt PAT, HAVE A RECORD OF ALL DANS POSTS ABOUT OUR CLUB.
I reckon he must have posted at least 200 plus, at a conservative estimate.That would be less than one piece a week over four plus years since MA arrived.
. Perhaps you would care to tell us all how many he HAS posted. We can assume almost ALL are negarive , as I HAVE PERSONALLY witnessed pretty much all his posts in the MA era
Do tell then!
A widely accepted saying is “imitation is the sincerest form of flattery”.
You are then making me blush with false pride Pat.
I already knew I was bright – not modest, but bright – and so dont need you to reinforce my view on that truth!
Because under Mr Wenger you were so positive when we were not winning the title ?
But now we have to be positive when we ….still havnt won the title.
TO BE ACCURTAE DAN, I became very sure we would never win the title again after his nine year lomg all trophys drought, ending with the FA cup in 2013, our previous trophy being in2004.
NINE long trophyless years for a club of our stature meant I AND COUNTLESS MILLIONS WORLDWIDE OF OTHER FANS WERE RIGHT to lose all faith in Wenger.
. It took YOU way less than TWO YEARS to constantly belittle and undemine Arteta though, didnt it DAN!!
And MA won us the cup in HIS first season! Spot the difference !
What when he was finishing 8th , 8th and 5th ?
I maintain that’s not acceptable for Arsenal FC
You also have said we won’t win title this season
Yes I DID say and still believe DAN, that we will not win the title this season.
But unlike you, that will not prove a problem to me, about our manager, as it will be and already IS to YOU, Dan!
In sheer practical terms Arsenal with Declan Rice improves on several fronts and even amplified the team as a whole.
The young Englishman has bridge the gap on the pitch, his interception skills cannot be matched by a single player in the premier league, one of the most intimidating interactions premier league players now have is Rice charging over to take the ball or clatter into you.
In a nut shell Declan Rice is sheer class and as one Arsenal legend put it, we should have given the bubbles an extra £20 mill on this deal.
I immensely enjoyed reading your article Dan and agree with you wholeheartedly. Rice is top class!
The funniest part of the match, besides watching WHam fans bail at halftime, was watching the faces of Trossard and Odegaard as the ball passed them by. Both with the”I thought you had it “ look. Then up steps Rice, with, “ I got it” and bangs in a cracker from outside the box. Both hilarious as well as brilliant…Jus sayin 😁
Jus sayin….. absolutely right- it was hilarious
It’s so refreshing to have a galvanised team at Arsenal rather than a bunch of individuals.
Rice slotted into life with us so perfectly and really looks as though he is loving the experience. On the pitch he was respectful to the West Ham fans after scoring that cracker. Off it, there were shots of him enjoying banter with his teammates.
His asking price could have been a noose around his neck but instead, Rice has demonstrated how important the signing by Arsenal was. Bloomin’ marvellous!