DECLAN RICE has added more to Arsenal than simply his all-round ability as a box-to-box midfielder, and that is a mental tenacity brought about by his own struggle to reach the top.
The England midfielder is now recognised as one of the best players in his position internationally, yet few at Chelsea saw his full potential when he was released from his boyhood club as a 14-year-old, taking a roundabout route via West Ham before his £105 million transfer this summer.
He has been a leader on and off the pitch for years, driving West Ham to their first trophy for 43 years last season, and now he spearheading Arsenal’s push for the Premier League title.
Arsenal left it late again at the weekend, and their comeback for a 2-2 draw at Stamford Bridge was kickstarted by Rice’s goal in the 77th minute. Chelsea keeper Robert Sanchez hit the ball straight to him 30 yards from goal and Rice smashed it back into the net to spark a comeback that was completed when substitute Leandro Trossard equalised with six minutes remaining.
Once again Arsenal had scored late to rescue a result, and Rice admitted it was all or nothing with 13 minutes remaining and the score showing Chelsea two goals ahead. “I looked up the clock, we’d gone full gas at Chelsea and started to run out of legs, but once that goal went in, you find a second bit of energy.
“To show that heart and character, when you are 2-0 down with 15 minutes to go, you need inner belief and a mindset that you can do it. Once I got our first, it was about pushing on making sure everyone else believed we could get something here.
“The first half was the worst we have played all season, in terms of sloppiness, not doing things in our structure. Massive credit to Chelsea, the manager said during the week they have been unlucky this season, they’ve got some incredible players so it was never going to be easy. They worked hard and made it compact and we made sloppy errors.
“But in the second half we showed what we are all about, that belief and hunger, that never-say-die attitude. To stay unbeaten is an aim for us, something we want to keep doing.”
Mikel Arteta echoed Rice’s sentiments about his side’s resilience. “I love the personality of the team, the determination and when you are there and it’s not easy. At 2-0 down against Chelsea, you can drop your head and start to look at each other and blame each other. The team never did that and they believed they could do it. It’s a good point in the end.”
And for Rice, it was his first goal at Stamford Bridge since leaving the club a decade ago.
“I’ve been due a goal at Chelsea! I wish the club well, they did massive things for me in the past, at the start of my career, so it was nice to get a goal.”
