Declan Rice Calls On Arsenal To Overcome Recent Trophy Drought And Compete For Titles

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Declan Rice believes Arsenal must seize the opportunity to win trophies, having narrowly missed out in recent years. The Gunners finished second in the Premier League for two consecutive seasons, trailing Manchester City by five points in 2022-23 and two points in 2023-24. Despite their efforts, they were eliminated from the FA Cup by Manchester United on penalties and face a challenging path to the EFL Cup final after a 2-0 home loss to Newcastle United in the semi-final first leg.

Currently, Arsenal is competing at the top of the Premier League, aiming for their 14th league title. However, according to the Opta supercomputer, they have only a 9.9% chance of winning as they trail leaders Liverpool by six points, with Liverpool having a game in hand. Rice emphasises that Arsenal must demonstrate their determination to remain contenders for the title.

This season, one of Arsenal's standout features is their proficiency with set-pieces. The team has scored nine Premier League goals from corners, more than any other side. Impressively, five of their last 13 league goals have come from corner situations. Rice has contributed by assisting two of these set-piece goals while taking on corner duties during Bukayo Saka's absence.

"I don't get a chance to practice it a lot," Rice explained. "It's more now knowing my spot and knowing where I'm going to hit it." He added that understanding timing and roles has been crucial for their success with set-pieces.

Mikel Arteta guided Arsenal to an FA Cup victory during his initial season and secured the Community Shield twice, in 2020 and 2023. Rice praised Arteta's impact: "The manager is unbelievable; he's given us everything he possibly can to go out there and win a football match." He stressed that it's now up to the players to find something within themselves to achieve success.

Reflecting on Arsenal's recent performances, Rice noted that while they've had a promising start this season, they've experienced more draws than anticipated. "We've still been really solid," he told TNT Sports before their Premier League clash with Tottenham. Despite missing key players, Rice remains optimistic about their chances.

Challenges Ahead

Rice acknowledged that Arsenal fans are eagerly awaiting a league title after coming so close in recent years. "Last two years we've been so close with the Premier League and come up short," he said. The team is determined to deliver success for their supporters.

Looking ahead, Rice highlighted the importance of maintaining focus and consistency as they enter the second half of the season. "We just need to keep winning football matches," he stated. By concentrating on their own performance, Rice hopes Arsenal can achieve their goals.

The Gunners' ability to score from set-pieces has been a significant advantage this season. Despite limited practice time due to a busy schedule, they have excelled through visualisation and communication among players.

As Arsenal continues its pursuit of silverware, Rice remains hopeful that this talented squad will soon achieve tangible success on the field.