Arsenal’s midfielder, Declan Rice, did not hold back in his criticism of his teammates’ subpar performance during a closely contested 2-2 draw with Chelsea in the Premier League.
He expressed his dissatisfaction with the Gunners’ lackluster display in the first half, despite their eventual comeback from a two-goal deficit at Stamford Bridge.
Despite Arsenal’s promising start to the Premier League season, their encounter with Chelsea hung in the balance. With just 13 minutes left in the game, the Blues were in the lead, seemingly on their way to a fourth consecutive victory. Chelsea’s Cole Palmer opened the scoring with a penalty, followed by Mykhaylo Mudryk’s somewhat fortunate goal.
Arsenal’s offense appeared lethargic, and their equalizer came as a result of a goalkeeper error when Robert Sanchez’s errant pass fell to Rice, who seized the opportunity, firing a 20-yard shot into the net.
Rice acknowledged the resilience shown by the Gunners in their comeback but did not mince words about their underwhelming performance in the first half.
He described it as the poorest display since his arrival at the club, highlighting issues with sloppiness and deviations from their tactical plan. At the same time, he gave credit to Chelsea, recognizing them as a formidable opponent with a roster of exceptional players.
The midfielder emphasized the importance of self-belief and determination, especially when trailing 2-0 with just 15 minutes remaining.
He highlighted his role in motivating the team and instilling confidence in their ability to salvage something from the match. Ultimately, the draw was viewed as a positive outcome given the circumstances.
Rice’s goal, his second since moving from West Ham, happened too quickly for him to overthink it. He described the instinctual decision-making that led to him curling the ball into the net.
Despite his personal achievement, his primary focus remained on the team’s overall performance and their quest for an additional goal to secure the victory.
