Rice's Revival: Arteta Praises Midfielder's Impact as Arsenal Eye Silverware

Mikel Arteta praises Declan Rice's return to form, highlighting the midfielder's importance to Arsenal's Premier League and Champions League ambitions.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta expressed his delight with midfielder Declan Rice's improved form, particularly his increased attacking threat. Rice, the club's record signing, scored his first Champions League goal in the 3-0 win over Dinamo Zagreb on Wednesday, netting the opener inside two minutes. This victory has all but secured Arsenal's place in the last 16 of the competition.

Arteta praised Rice's renewed intent and purpose, especially in his attacking play. “His intent, his purpose, especially attacking the positions he is taking and how he's driving with the ball,” Arteta said of the England international. The manager noted that Rice's improved form has given him an extra edge, saying, “There is another bite to his game and today he could have scored two goals.”

Mikel Arteta also highlighted Rice's recent opportunities to score and his ability to affect the game from his position. “In the last few weeks he had some big, big open chances to score to affect the game, so overall, I'm very happy because we need to affect the game from those positions and he's certainly capable of doing that,” Arteta said. The manager's comments reflect his satisfaction with Rice's growth and his increasing importance to the team.

Declan Rice has been a consistent performer for Arsenal, although he did appear jaded in the first half of the season, leading to him being left out of the starting lineup for three Premier League games. However, with Rice now back to his best, Arsenal will rely heavily on him to drive their pursuit of Liverpool in the Premier League title race and to make a deep run in the Champions League.

A dominant performance from Arsenal 🔴💪#UCL pic.twitter.com/wvvLX42XS7

— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) January 22, 2025

Mikel Arteta acknowledged that Rice's heavy workload over the past two years, combined with positional changes, had taken a toll on the midfielder. “He's played so much football in the last two years, and as well, on top of that, we have moved him from one position to another. So, all the factors, but the good thing with Declan is he's so consistent, so reliable,” Arteta said. The manager highlighted Rice's ability to create sparks in the opposition's box, saying, “He's always there, and when he creates those sparks, those moments, in the opposition's box, it's a great thing to have.”

Covering every blade of grass 😤

Last night's POTM as voted by you: Declan Rice👏 pic.twitter.com/tWIdHzlPvS

— Arsenal (@Arsenal) January 23, 2025

Arteta emphasized that while Rice is a crucial player for Arsenal, he needs to maintain consistently high levels of performance. “Everybody has to be on their toes. He's not different to that and you can see that when he's fresher and he's in the condition that he is, he's a big player for us,” Arteta said. This expectation reflects the high standards that Arteta has set for his team, and Rice's ability to meet those standards will be vital to Arsenal's success.