Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice was openly critical of his teammates’ performance following a 2-2 Premier League draw against Chelsea, expressing his disappointment with their first-half display. The Gunners managed to claw back from a two-goal deficit, salvaging a point at Stamford Bridge, but Rice felt that their overall performance left much to be desired.
Despite Arsenal’s unbeaten start to the Premier League season, their encounter with Chelsea was a close call. The Blues were in the lead with only 13 minutes remaining, and it appeared that they would secure their fourth consecutive victory. Cole Palmer opened the scoring for Chelsea with a penalty, followed by Mykhaylo Mudryk’s somewhat fortunate goal. Arsenal’s attack appeared toothless, and their equalizer came thanks to a goalkeeper error when Robert Sanchez’s poor pass found Rice, who capitalized on the opportunity, scoring from 20 yards.
Rice acknowledged the character displayed by the Gunners in their comeback but was outspoken about the team’s lackluster performance in the first half. He described it as the worst showing since he joined the club, citing issues with sloppiness and deviations from their tactical structure. Nevertheless, he also commended Chelsea, acknowledging that they were a formidable opponent with exceptional players.
The midfielder highlighted the significance of inner belief and determination, particularly when trailing 2-0 with only 15 minutes left. He emphasized his role in motivating the team and ensuring that everyone believed in their ability to salvage something from the match. In the end, the draw was viewed as a positive result given the circumstances.
Rice’s goal, his second since transferring from West Ham, occurred too quickly for him to overthink it. He described the quick instinct that guided his decision to curl the ball into the net. Despite his personal achievement, he was more focused on the team’s overall performance and their pursuit of an additional goal to secure the win.
